• Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Birth Before Belief

Status
Not open for further replies.

InTheLight

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4–5)

But, you contradict this when you make faith a condition or work.

So, tell us....if God gifts us with faith, why does he then count that faith as righteousness? I mean, if he gave it to us, certainly he doesn't need to keep a tally of what it's supposed to do for us...
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
How is choosing to believe any different from trying to keep the first commandment?

Because it is not the law God gave and is specifically speaking of in Romans.

My question for you is why is God's grace (the gospel) not sufficient to save? Why do you call faith a gift that is only given to a few when God said that faith comes from hearing the gospel and is open to everyone?
 
Last edited:

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
So, tell us....if God gifts us with faith, why does he then count that faith as righteousness? I mean, if he gave it to us, certainly he doesn't need to keep a tally of what it's supposed to do for us...
If you turn from meeting conditions you think saved you (self-righteousness) and look beyond yourself and trust in Christ's righteousness instead of your own, God will consider your faith as righteousness. But if you continue having faith in your faith, as being your grounds of acceptance with God, you do not have biblical faith. You have intellectual assent.
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
If you turn from meeting conditions you think saved you (self-righteousness)

Then I am good I do not believe I have any self righteousness that saved me. Are you going to answer my question?

Why is God's grace (the gospel) not sufficient to save? Why do you call faith a gift that is only given to a few when God said that faith comes from hearing the gospel and is open to everyone?
 

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
Because it is not the law God gave and is specifically speaking of in Romans.

My question for you is what is God's grace (the gospel) not sufficient to save? Why do you call faith a gift that is only given to a few when God said that faith comes from hearing the gospel and is open to everyone?

The gospel is not open to everyone. All of the nations and most of Israel perished never hearing it. And twice in Acts the Holy Ghost forbade preaching to Asia for a time. The Gospel is not a system of works for the self-righteous, it announces to all who believe in Christ, they have eternal life. Eternal life has no beginning or end. They were always saved in the mind of God.
 

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
Then I am good I do not believe I have any self righteousness that saved me. Are you going to answer my question?

Why is God's grace (the gospel) not sufficient to save? Why do you call faith a gift that is only given to a few when God said that faith comes from hearing the gospel and is open to everyone?
Apart from the new birth, people reject the gospel, just as the Pharisees did.
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
The gospel is not open to everyone.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

All of the nations and most of Israel perished never hearing it.

There is no evidence of that.

And twice in Acts the Holy Ghost forbade preaching to Asia for a time.

Ok now surely you know this does not support your position.

The Gospel is not a system of works for the self-righteous, it announces to all who believe in Christ, they have eternal life.

Uh, no it doesn't. The gospel is not for the saved it is for the unsaved. Again I ask, Why is God's grace (the gospel) not sufficient to save? Why do you call faith a gift that is only given to a few when God said that faith comes from hearing the gospel and is open to everyone?
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
“Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The context here is not the lost man vs. the saved man, it is Godly wisdom vs. worldly wisdom. The context is determined by the use of "wisdom" in verse 6 and 13. Regenerated man is not spoken of here.
 

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
The context here is not the lost man vs. the saved man, it is Godly wisdom vs. worldly wisdom. The context is determined by the use of "wisdom" in verse 6 and 13. Regenerated man is not spoken of here.
But is says the things of God (gospel etc.) are spiritually discerned. Consider Peter: “He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven!” (Matthew 16:15–17)
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
But is says the things of God (gospel etc.) are spiritually discerned.

You have it backwards, the gospel is what gives the spiritual discernment for it is the power of God to salvation. The grace, the power, the provision for understanding, the provision for faith is found in the gospel. You find the gospel (God's word) insufficient for salvation. Based on scripture I find God's word sufficient for salvation.
 

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
You have it backwards, the gospel is what gives the spiritual discernment for it is the power of God to salvation. The grace, the power, the provision for understanding, the provision for faith is found in the gospel. You find the gospel (God's word) insufficient for salvation. Based on scripture I find God's word sufficient for salvation.
God has to first regenerate the sinner, then the Gospel can make sense to them!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top