We don't "produce" faith. Man is born with faith. Jesus verified this when he said Unless you have faith as a little child... I don't deny the words of Jesus that children have faith; that one's saving faith must be like the faith of a little child--full of confidence. The object of their faith was full confidence in their parents. The object of an unsaved person is full confidence in Christ who is able to save. God doesn't give them the faith. It is they that must believe with the faith that God gave them when they were born. I believe in the words of Christ.exactly!
just was trying to see IF one holding that a sinner can by themselves produce faith by hearing Gospel ALONE is Semi pel!
Furthermore, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
In order for the object of that faith (Christ) to be known, it must be presented clearly. One must know whom he believes. Thus the word of God is absolutely necessary. We don't believe in blind faith. The more one listens to the word of God the more he will learn of Christ. Thus, the more confidence/faith he will be able to put in his word/promises, and in Christ himself.
It is Christ that said that little children have faith. Take your argument up with him.Seems trhat some here say that man CAN have faith instrinsic in themselves that the Gospel itself is the Grace of God , NOT any other grace ...
Paul said that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Without the gospel one cannot be saved. There is grace in the gospel, in the atoning work of Christ. Without that grace you cannot be saved.
I would call that mysticism. The Holy Spirit must convict you of your sinfulness and show you that, you, a sinner, are exceeding sinful, and therefore in need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ who paid the penalty of your sin.I was taught that both cals/Arms do see man as being depraived and that before the Gospel can save them God has to bring them to a state able to respond...
cals say God applies grace directly, arms that man receives it
Why do you need some magical sacrament of grace in order that you may respond to the gospel. The Bible teaches no such thing. The Holy Spirit must convict you of your sin. And that is all.
The gospel (the atoning work of Christ) is the grace that Eph.2:8 speaks about.Both would say Gospel preaching to unsaved ALONE not enough!
Here is how one is saved:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
--Paul came and preached the gospel
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
--The gospel, by which you are saved. Clearly it says the gospel saves.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
--In verses three and four, the gospel is summarized.
There is salvation in a nutshell.
It must be received or believed (vs.2), but not in vain, that is with emptiness. There it is speaking of a genuine belief. The grace is found in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the Lord of glory, the Creator of heaven and earth would come from the glories of heaven to die for such a sinner as I. That is grace!