brightfame52
Active Member
If we believe and teach that a sinner is justified before God by their own action of faith/believing, then we by default are teaching justification by one's meritorious act, whether its admitted or not. 5
Is believing/faith a work ?
- Thread starter brightfame52
- Start date
synergy
Active Member
Welcome to James 2 where he writes the following:
(James 2:24) You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Do you have a problem with James 2:24?
Note: Notice that the Word "meritorious" is not in there.
FreeInChrist
Active Member
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.... Heb 11:6
brightfame52
Active Member
Nope, I dont have a problem with it. Do you understand and have a problem with what I posted?
brightfame52
Active Member
Thats True. So are sinners saved, justified before God by pleasing Him?
civic
Active Member
You are conflating the works of the law to be saved with doing good works as a result of being saved. Good works are something God has prepared for every believer and that they should walk in them as per Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14, Colossians 1:10, James 2:17-18, Matthew 5:16, 1 Timothy 6:18, Titus 3:8
How many bible verses do you need before you will believe Gods word ?
I can provide many many more passages
next fallacy.
hope this helps !!!
synergy
Active Member
So good works (not works of the Law) are an integral part of our justification. Calvinism's unconditional election just got the boot.
brightfame52
Active Member
No I am not
brightfame52
Active Member
Huh. Did you understand the post
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Not without faith.
civic
Active Member
And saving faith produces good works
brightfame52
Active Member
Since Faith pleases God Heb 11:6 are men Justified b4 God because they please God?
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Ask Karla Faye Tucker.
brightfame52
Active Member
Im asking you.
FreeInChrist
Active Member
No. Men are not justified before God because they please God.
They are justified by faith, and that faith pleases God.
The direction matters.
What Hebrews 11:6 actually says
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb 11:6)
Pay attention
Faith is the means by which God is pleased.
It does not say faith earns justification because it pleases God.
Faith is not presented as a meritorious work, but as a necessary posture of trust.
Scripture is explicit on how justification happens
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1)
“A man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Gal 2:16)
Justification:
Is a legal declaration (righteousness credited)
Is by faith
Is through Christ
Is apart from works (Rom 4:4–5)
If justification were based on “pleasing God,” it would collapse back into works-based righteousness, which Scripture repeatedly denies.
Faith pleases God because it honors His provision — not because it impresses Him
Faith pleases God because it agrees with His way of saving, not because it adds value.
“But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Rom 4:5)
God justifies the ungodly
Not the already-pleasing
Faith receives; it does not perform
Faith says:
“I cannot justify myself. I trust what You have done.”
That is why it pleases God.
Pleasing God follows justification — it does not cause it
The Order matters biblically:
Faith
Justification
Peace with God
A life that pleases Him
“So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom 8:8)
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit…” (Rom 8:9)
Only after justification and new life does a believer become capable of consistently pleasing God.
If pleasing God justified us, grace would no longer be grace
“If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.” (Rom 11:6)
If justification were:
Based on pleasing God → it becomes performance
Based on faith → it remains grace
Hebrews 11:6 does not redefine justification.
It describes the relationship of trust God requires.
@brightfame52, Remember
Faith pleases God
But we are not justified because we please God
We are justified by faith, and that faith pleases Him
Pleasing God is the fruit, not the ground, of justification
brightfame52
Active Member
So why did you post Heb 11:6? Do you not understand the Op?
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Hebrews 11:6 does not redefine justification.
It describes the relationship of trust God requires.
And according to you these meritorious Arminian acts of faith were predeterminately unilaterally actuated by God lest any man should boast.
civic
Active Member
agreed !
brightfame52
Active Member
So is your trust, something done by a person in their mind and heart, a requirement of God b4 Jesus will save a person ? Yes or No
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