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Is Saving Faith A Gift?

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Dave G

Well-Known Member
Silverhair, it's not biblical truth since you cannot find anyplace in scripture that tells you you must accept God to be saved. In fact it is just the opposite. God must accept you if you are to be saved.
I agree, Austin.

We as believer's in Jesus Christ do not "accept" Him...
God the Father makes us accepted in the beloved, the body of Christ:

" according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"
( Ephesians 1:4-7 )
 
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Dave G

Well-Known Member
So, when the Bible clearly states, CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, this does not mean to ACCEPT God???
Let's look at that that passage together, SBG:

" Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
( Joshua 24:14-15 ).

My friend,
When I read this entire chapter, I see Joshua addressing the nation of Israel befoe he died, and he is admonishing them to fear the Lord...
and if it seems evil for them to serve the Lord, then he is telling them to choose who they will serve...

Either the gods which their forefathers served on the other side of the flood ( in Noah's days ), or the gods of the Amorites.
Joshua then tells them that as for him and his house, he would serve the Lord.

So where is it that you see that God's word is telling us that all men have it within themselves to choose the Lord, especially in the light of Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:10-18, John 3:19-20, Psalms 10, Psalms 14 and many other places?
 
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SavedByGrace

Well-Known Member
Let's look at that that passage together, SBG:

" Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
( Joshua 24:14-15 ).

My friend,
When I read this entire chapter, I see Joshua addressing the nation of Israel befoe he died, and he is admonishing them to fear the Lord...
and if it seems evil for them to serve the Lord, then he is telling them to choose who they will serve...

Either the gods which their forefathers served on the other side of the flood ( in Noah's days ), or the gods of the Amorites.
Joshua then tells them that as for him and his house, he would serve the Lord.

start a new thread
 

Dave G

Well-Known Member
start a new thread
No need, my friend.
I can read it just fine, and I can understand why Joshua said what he said.

He's leaving Israel with a choice...
and we know what choice they made, historically.

God's word even tells us why they made that choice:

" Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]."
( Hebrews 4:1-2 ).

Again, where does the believer's faith actually come from?
Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of it.
 

SavedByGrace

Well-Known Member
No need, my friend.
I can read it just fine, and I can understand why Joshua said what he said.

He's leaving Israel with a choice...
and we know what choice they made, historically.

God's word even tells us why they made that choice:

" Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]."
( Hebrews 4:1-2 ).

Again, where does the believer's faith actually come from?
Jesus Christ.

this thread is about to close, and I am off to bed here in good old England.
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
Six hour warning
This thread will be closed no sooner than 630 am EST / 330 am PST
 

AustinC

Well-Known Member
Hebrews 12 : 1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Hebrews 11 : 1-3
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
Hebrews 4 : 1-2
God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
Ephesians 2 : 4-5,8-9
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.


Scripture answers the question of the OP. All who have ears to hear, will hear.
 
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