RE: Faith before or after salvation
ReformedBaptist said:
So, your salvation is accompished by you and God, or did God do it?
RB,
God saved me, but unless I repented of my sins, believed completely with all of my heart, and was baptized, I would still be in the world of sin. Since God saved me, my sins are condemned in my flesh. But, I had to BELIEVE on Him, not myself. It takes the "drawing power" of God to make a man repent. Man can not do this on his own. Jesus said except you BELIEVE that I am He, ye shall die in your sins, and where I am, ye can not come. You have to believe....you have to believe...you have to believe.....you have to believe!!
Mark 5:34 And He said unto her, Daughter, thy FAITH hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.(woman with the 12 year issue of blood)
Luke 8:43-48 tells the same story. pay attention to verse 48: Daughter,, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace....Jesus said Her FAITH mad her whole, not His. He does, however, give us ALL a measure of faith.
Luke 8:49 While He yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's [house], saying to Him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard [it], He answered him, saying, Fear not; BELIEVE only, and she shall be made whole.
Luke 17:18 And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy FAITH hath made thee whole(the one of ten lepers that came back to Jesus after they were healed)
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
I think these "few" scriptures prove my point about faith. Ever heard of faith healing? Do you need to have faith before or after the Elders have laid hands on you? Faith HAS to preceed healing; whether it's dealing with "soul" healing(salvation), or bodily healing from God. There is no way around this, IMHO. I put my whole FAITH/BELIEF on God.
Willis