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Is excepting Jesus as your personal savior a "work"
- Thread starter 33ad
- Start date
You misunderstanding it!
Faith is the means by which we acess/have the Grace of God applied towards us, and genuine faith that saves us will result/be shown by having good works!
As Calvin said, faith ALONE saves us, but the faith that is real and genuine will NOT be alone, will be evidenced in good works done after being saved by God!
Paul discusses justification unto/regarding salvation. James discusses justifying your faith.
Same word, two different applications. Like there are inanimate objects that are sanctified, just like a man, but they aren't going to heaven.
Works can be summarized in this short comment.
Saved by grace through faith not works.
If you have faith, you will have works.
If you do not have works, you do not have faith.
If you don't have faith, you aren't getting grace.
Works don't save you, but they are an unavoidable result of being one maturing in their faith.
Through works, you are to grow to be as spiritually mature, (perfect, to you kjo folks) as the Christ was on earth. Exactly as mature as Him, not lest.
You can't LOVE/Agapao neighbor without the service.
And theology isn't important, but faith WORKING through love is.
Every line is scripture. But that's the shortest summary I can give.
Same word, two different applications. Like there are inanimate objects that are sanctified, just like a man, but they aren't going to heaven.
Works can be summarized in this short comment.
Saved by grace through faith not works.
If you have faith, you will have works.
If you do not have works, you do not have faith.
If you don't have faith, you aren't getting grace.
Works don't save you, but they are an unavoidable result of being one maturing in their faith.
Through works, you are to grow to be as spiritually mature, (perfect, to you kjo folks) as the Christ was on earth. Exactly as mature as Him, not lest.
You can't LOVE/Agapao neighbor without the service.
And theology isn't important, but faith WORKING through love is.
Every line is scripture. But that's the shortest summary I can give.
Ok, let me paraphrase because I'm too lazy and short of time to go dig it all up.... Let's see what scripture says. You'll probably recognize these, if not let me know I'll dig it up for you.
You are saved by Grace, through faith, not works so no man can boast.
If you have faith, you'll have works.
If you have no works you have no faith.
with no faith, you miss out on Grace.
You aren't saved without faith or grace.
And in effect, God saved you for works, and you wish to claim the salvation and say I'm not doing the works?
That's pretty brazen, no?
So it's clear works don't save you. But if you are saved you'll be doing works, in fact through works you are to be as mature as Jesus was on earth, spiritually. That's all bible.
From your post, it appears you don't agree. But, in text only, you lose a lot in translation, so I'm reviewing for you to thumbs up or down it.
Hi AD33, is accepting Jesus as our personal savior a work? Yes. Is there a difference between works and a work? Yes.
Where in the Bible does it say putting our faith in Christ is a work?
I regret having to cite John 6:28-29, because it should be a basic gospel verse and all believers should be very familiar with it. But because Calvinism repeatedly puts out their corrupt interpretation, most people do not even understand it.
Basically unregenerate natural fallen men of flesh ask Jesus, what must we do to work the works of God. And Jesus answers, this is the work of God, that you believe in Him that He has sent. The idea is that Jesus is telling those lost men what they must do, what God requires that they do, and therefore this is the work God requires of them. Sadly, Calvinists take this verse and say what it means is Jesus is saying God does the work of giving faith via irresistible grace. Completely wrong.
But if the passage is understood contextually, Jesus is telling the men the answer to their question, what they must do, then it clearly teaches the work is to believe in Christ. The men understood the statement to be telling them what they must do, because they then ask Jesus to provide a sign so they could believe. Verse 40 makes it clear that the Father's will is for men to believe.
But also note Jesus referred to it as a work, not works which are done for a wage, i.e. to earn salvation. Trusting in Christ is not a work of righteousness, it is simply a filthy rag in the eyes of God. But God credits it as righteousness, or not, and if He does, then He sovereignly transfers us spiritually from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son.
Where in the Bible does it say putting our faith in Christ is a work?
I regret having to cite John 6:28-29, because it should be a basic gospel verse and all believers should be very familiar with it. But because Calvinism repeatedly puts out their corrupt interpretation, most people do not even understand it.
Basically unregenerate natural fallen men of flesh ask Jesus, what must we do to work the works of God. And Jesus answers, this is the work of God, that you believe in Him that He has sent. The idea is that Jesus is telling those lost men what they must do, what God requires that they do, and therefore this is the work God requires of them. Sadly, Calvinists take this verse and say what it means is Jesus is saying God does the work of giving faith via irresistible grace. Completely wrong.
But if the passage is understood contextually, Jesus is telling the men the answer to their question, what they must do, then it clearly teaches the work is to believe in Christ. The men understood the statement to be telling them what they must do, because they then ask Jesus to provide a sign so they could believe. Verse 40 makes it clear that the Father's will is for men to believe.
But also note Jesus referred to it as a work, not works which are done for a wage, i.e. to earn salvation. Trusting in Christ is not a work of righteousness, it is simply a filthy rag in the eyes of God. But God credits it as righteousness, or not, and if He does, then He sovereignly transfers us spiritually from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son.
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Zaac
Well-Known Member
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph. 2:8-9
It's pretty flipping dishonest to leave off Eph 2:10 isn't it?
And you must ignore gal 5:6 where Paul says theology isn't important but faith WORKING THROUGH LOVE is!!!!!!!!
Why do people feel you can rewrite scripture and God will buy it? Or do you not care what GOD thinks, you are only concerned with convincing people?
When a person is saved by grace of god, AFTER that process, he now negins to walk as a new babe in christ, and he will do some good works, to a degree, to evidence that!
Those good works evidence the new life, but NOT the cause nor basis of the actual savation process!
olefundybob
New Member
But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,,, (Rom.4:5)
James 2:24 is speaking of how men may view whether a man is justified. We see works and gain some assurance of the presence of true faith in another just as we see in the historic act of Abraham. But God sees the heart. He justifies based on faith alone. Works are not in view before God. He declares us justified (perfect in Christ and fit for heaven). After justification God works in us but not to assure Himself or us of our Justification. Our assurance of faith does not come from our analyzing our faith in relation to works. Our own depraved arrogance may give us a wrong assessment. Our assurance comes from looking to Christ and what he has done (Rom.8 :31-39). The essence of faith is assurance (Calvin). It is so because our faith is not in any works we do before or after regeneration but in The work done and finished by Christ. We must carefully analyze the context of James or we will do away with the clarity of explanation given in Romans. Abraham is the illustration in James and in Roman at chapter 4.
James 2:24 is speaking of how men may view whether a man is justified. We see works and gain some assurance of the presence of true faith in another just as we see in the historic act of Abraham. But God sees the heart. He justifies based on faith alone. Works are not in view before God. He declares us justified (perfect in Christ and fit for heaven). After justification God works in us but not to assure Himself or us of our Justification. Our assurance of faith does not come from our analyzing our faith in relation to works. Our own depraved arrogance may give us a wrong assessment. Our assurance comes from looking to Christ and what he has done (Rom.8 :31-39). The essence of faith is assurance (Calvin). It is so because our faith is not in any works we do before or after regeneration but in The work done and finished by Christ. We must carefully analyze the context of James or we will do away with the clarity of explanation given in Romans. Abraham is the illustration in James and in Roman at chapter 4.
freeatlast
New Member
Let me say that a person is not saved by accepting Jesus as their personal Saviour. There is no such teaching in scripture. As to your question I agree that we look at others to see the results of real faith, but I would add that God also looks on a man's works as verification of their being saved by grace because of real faith. We are saved by grace not faith. Eph 2:8,9. Also faith is a work 1Thess 1:3 and 2Thess 1:11. God will one day judge us, not to become saved, but as proof that we are saved, based on our works. Faith not seen is not faith at all is James message or as he calls it a dead faith.
Rev. 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus
Rev. 22:14
Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
So James can correctly say we are not justified by faith alone.
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What is THE basis of sinners being justified by god? cross of jesus, how did we get justified? By placing faith in jesus, and receiving eternal life in his name, Period!
freeatlast
New Member
No it takes repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. No repentance no faith.
repentance of what though?
freeatlast
New Member
It is not Repentance of anything. It is repentance toward God.
Then what do you do with John 1:11-12: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." This passage clearly relates believing to receiving (accepting).
Again, various verses talk about rejecting Christ, which is the opposite of accepting Him (Matt. 21:42, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22, etc.). If we can reject Him, we can certainly accept Him!
To say faith is a work, as you do, is to ignore the whole book of James, which contrasts faith and works. You cannot contrast something that means the same.
As for your proof texts:
1 Thess. 1:3 can be translated literally, "the work of you (pl.), the one which is of faith," since both words have definite articles. So it is speaking of the work which results from faith. For the passage to say that faith and works are the same, it would have to have a copula verb (verb of being).
In 2 Thee. 1:11 we have faith as a genetive (possessive), just as we do in 1 Thess. 1:3. So it is the work which belongs to faith, not that faith is a work.
he is making mistake catholics do with paul/James!
paul speaks of the Justification we receive whren we place faith in christ and are saved, while james adressing the practical side of how we one live after being saved!
BOTh would agree that one is saved by tgarce alone,by faith alone, but BOTH would also say that the person saved would bear evidence in their lives of the chnage in some fashion!
Agreed! :thumbs:
freeatlast
New Member
"even to them that believe on his name"
Here is His name;
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Are you suggesting a person does not have to repent to be saved?