This thread will address whether putting faith in Jesus Christ is a work to boast about. This is a defense of synergism, which must teach that putting faith in Jesus is not a work and cannot be boasted of.
To begin,
The will is clearly sinful before salvation according to scripture. Romans 1 through Romans 8 shows the Law cannot be kept, and by not keeping the Torah we are inevitably under wrath. That is why we need the Cross.
Romans 8 is clear without Life by the Spirit it is impossible to be holy. Without holiness we will not see God (Hebrews 12:14-17). We are changed forever when the Holy Spirit comes upon us at salvation.
Calvinism is correct in that Romans 9 makes it clear that God must show mercy and compassion in choosing one for salvation in order to be saved. However, as mentioned in the last thread, there are verses indicating God wants all saved.
Now, before I cover the idea mankind can choose to repent and have faith freely, I feel it is best to address that faith is a credit (not a work as the first half of Romans 4 explains).
OK to the scriptures!
Romans 4
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [a]our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not [c]before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Abraham has nothing to boast about. God credits Abraham as righteous when he has faith.
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
This credit given by God for the act of faith is not a wage that is due. It is not counted as a work.
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
This credit based on faith covers our lawless deeds and sins. We are not held to account by God.
9 Is this blessing then on [d]the circumcised, or on [e]the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was [f]circumcised, or [g]uncircumcised? Not while [h]circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
Adherence to the Torah is not needed to receive the credit of righteousness through faith. While an uncircumcised man, Abraham receives the credit of righteousness for his faith.
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [j]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
Abraham, who is given the sign of circumcision, is thus the father of those who are uncircumcised and are credited with righteousness based on faith.
12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [k]he had while uncircumcised.
Abraham receives the sign of circumcision to be the father of those circumcised, who follow in his footsteps of having faith while uncircumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his [l]descendants that he would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
Abraham and his descendants are given an inheritance of the world based on faith, not because they hold to the Torah.
I'll stop here before climbing into deep theology for the rest of Romans 4.
To begin,
The will is clearly sinful before salvation according to scripture. Romans 1 through Romans 8 shows the Law cannot be kept, and by not keeping the Torah we are inevitably under wrath. That is why we need the Cross.
Romans 8 is clear without Life by the Spirit it is impossible to be holy. Without holiness we will not see God (Hebrews 12:14-17). We are changed forever when the Holy Spirit comes upon us at salvation.
Calvinism is correct in that Romans 9 makes it clear that God must show mercy and compassion in choosing one for salvation in order to be saved. However, as mentioned in the last thread, there are verses indicating God wants all saved.
Now, before I cover the idea mankind can choose to repent and have faith freely, I feel it is best to address that faith is a credit (not a work as the first half of Romans 4 explains).
OK to the scriptures!
Romans 4
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [a]our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not [c]before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Abraham has nothing to boast about. God credits Abraham as righteous when he has faith.
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
This credit given by God for the act of faith is not a wage that is due. It is not counted as a work.
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
This credit based on faith covers our lawless deeds and sins. We are not held to account by God.
9 Is this blessing then on [d]the circumcised, or on [e]the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was [f]circumcised, or [g]uncircumcised? Not while [h]circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
Adherence to the Torah is not needed to receive the credit of righteousness through faith. While an uncircumcised man, Abraham receives the credit of righteousness for his faith.
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [j]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
Abraham, who is given the sign of circumcision, is thus the father of those who are uncircumcised and are credited with righteousness based on faith.
12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [k]he had while uncircumcised.
Abraham receives the sign of circumcision to be the father of those circumcised, who follow in his footsteps of having faith while uncircumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his [l]descendants that he would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
Abraham and his descendants are given an inheritance of the world based on faith, not because they hold to the Torah.
I'll stop here before climbing into deep theology for the rest of Romans 4.
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