All of them are as filthy rags in his sight!
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Cornelius’ Conversion
- Thread starter SavedByGrace
- Start date
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
Didn’t Paul say your “good works” are as “filthy rags” before God? I think the term “filthy rags” referred to certain times of the month for women, which would be considered “unclean” under Jewish law.
I don’t think God is particularly impressed with our good works, however, with Cornelius, as a God-fearing gentile observing Jewish law, I suppose he would receive the same kind of acceptance of his good works as any Jew who sincerely kept commandments and sought to please God through the law.
peace to you
I don’t think God is particularly impressed with our good works, however, with Cornelius, as a God-fearing gentile observing Jewish law, I suppose he would receive the same kind of acceptance of his good works as any Jew who sincerely kept commandments and sought to please God through the law.
Looks like Yeshua1 beat me to the quote.
peace to you
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
The entire biblical teaching of God’s acceptance of “good works” is not found in Acts 10.
peace to you
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
I have already stated very clearly in the OP that I do NOT believe in a "good works" salvation. The passage in Acts chapter 10 does say that God accepted Cornelius because of his good works and prayers. How can we view this in light of the passages that teach salvation by grace?
Are you saying that his good work merited favor with God? Did not Paul address that when he talked about Abraham and David in Romans?
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
What does verse 4 say?
Not saved by his good works!
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
Verses 34 and 35
Still not saved by any good works!
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
I have already said that in the OP!
But no one has dealt with the Words of the Lord in Acts chapter 10 that speak of good deeds that please the Lord
Huh? It seems you are calling the Psalmist a fool. Yet, here Paul gives us clarity which shows that God pursued Cornelius long before Cornelius responded to God.
Moreso, why would anyone hate it when God pursues a wretched sinner with the intent to redeem them. From my perspective that attitude is one that judges God and calls God evil for choosing according to the council of His own will rather than kowtowing to the will of man.
The arrogance of free will proponents is astounding to me.
Notwithstanding your corruption of 'sozo'... YES! ABSOLUTELY! These works are acceptable to God before entering the kingdom because God has already wrought within them, i.e., God is the source of the works.
20 for every one who is doing wicked things hateth the light, and doth not come unto the light, that his works may not be detected;
21 but he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in God they are having been wrought.`Jn 3 YLT
Nicodemus was drawn to the light that night because God had wrought within him already. He was 'born from above' BEFORE becoming a 'secret disciple' or entering the kingdom.
You advocate salvation by cooperation. You cannot see how that cooperation is a merited work by man.
I advocate salvation by God alone, apart from man cooperating. Instead, man responds as an effect of God's unsolicited work of redemption on behalf of those He wills to save.
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
Read verses 34 and 35 again
K.:
34 And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. Acts 10
Now what?
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
Now explain what verse 35 means
34 And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.
He that fears God, and works righteousness belongs to God, whether Jew or non-Jew because God is not a respecter of persons and never has been. That's why Peter the Jew 'opened his mouth' and articulated this shocking revelation.
"Not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles".
"Other sheep I have that are not of this fold".
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canadyjd
Well-Known Member
I did in post #23.
Cornelius and his household were God-fearing Gentiles that worshipped God according to OT Law. Just as some Jewish believers were said to have pleased God with sincere worship according to OT Law, so did they.
Such commendations must be understood in the light of the truth that no one kept the OT Law so as to achieve salvation.
Salvation was always by grace, which you have repeatedly stated.
In OT days, these saints believed the promises of the coming Messiah. Where they had the shadow, we have the substance in the person of Jesus Christ.
The question you seem to be asking is if Cornelius was chosen by God for salvation based on the good deeds he did that pleased God?
I did not believe that can be true, based on the complete testimony of scripture concerning God’s choice of His elect for salvation.
peace to you
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
so this is "works" before salvation that God "accepts" from a sinner?