Watchman 2
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The a, b, c,s of Faith are action, based upon a Belief, sustained by confidence.
What specific act of Faith begins our walk with Christ?
What specific act of Faith begins our walk with Christ?
Find out how Christians are supposed to act in the following study
https://christianforums.net/threads/charismatic-bible-studies-1-peter-2-11-17.109823/
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
Read through the following study by Tenchi for more on this topic
https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
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The a, b, c,s of Faith are action, based upon a Belief, sustained by confidence.
What specific act of Faith begins our walk with Christ?
In John 6, Jesus states the following:What specific act of Faith begins our walk with Christ?
In John 6, Jesus states the following:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." and "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
Based on this, I did not begin my walk with Christ, but rather God made the first move and I responded.
Going along with what has already been said about God calling us and the gospel being preached and then understanding what that means........ I was looking for what love really is and found the answer in the person of Jesus. The answer to love = Jesus
In John 6, Jesus states the following:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." and "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
Based on this, I did not begin my walk with Christ, but rather God made the first move and I responded.
Ya important first thing to acknowledge!
Nobody is comes to Christ unless the Father calls them out.
Scripture specifically tells us that their is a small group called out from among a large group of those who are not called.
Let's see how that goes over first to proceed.
I realize that understanding is not to popular, but we don't need to agree on that small point to continue to discuss the bigger point. And that being specifically , what is the act that saves, resulting in recieving the Spirit of Christ?
There are five requirements to Salvation
1. Confession - Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9, 10
2. Repentance - Mark 1:14, 15
3. Faith - John 3:14-18
4. Regeneration - John 3:3-8
5. Holy Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:15
I realize that understanding is not to popular, but we don't need to agree on that small point to continue to discuss the bigger point. And that being specifically , what is the act that saves, resulting in recieving the Spirit of Christ?
Believe.
Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Luke 8:12
What does believe mean ?
Those who understand this, are those who bear fruit.
Some 30, some 60, some 100 fold.
JLB
Great question!
The word " believe " comes from the Greek word" pisteuo ".
Pisteuo is the corresponding verb to the noun Pistis, where we get our English word Faith.
The English language doesn't have a corresponding verb to the noun Faith like the Greek does for the noun Pistis.
The words the English language should have had for the translators are, faithe, faither, and faithing. Since those words are not in the English language, the translators had to choose a word that would come close. They chose the words believe, believer, and believing.
Believe, believing, and believer are apart of saving Faith, but taken on their own is error. And, in them using the words believe, believer, and believing, they inadvertently changed the " object " of Faith to God's word and His promises, instead of covenant with God Himself, a real living person.
The Greek language doesn't have the words believe, believer, and believing in their language. They only acknowledge a state of being where one is faithing or moving towards God, ( pisteuo ) or faithing away from God ( Apisteuo ). They don't acknowledge a state of being where one is in the middle or neutral ground.
The words believe, believer, and believing are corresponding verbs to the noun " Belief " ,not the noun Faith.
The Vines: " pisteuo is a personal surrender to Him and a life inspired by such surrender."
The Strong's gives the disclaimer, " pisteuo means NOT just to believe."
Lot to digest here, if this interests anyone, ask some questions.
The act that saves us is first of all confessing we are a sinner that needs to repent and ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior as we believe Jesus is truly the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16; Romans 10:9, 10
Admit you are a sinner
Believe Jesus can save you.
Confess that Jesus is your Savior.
A, B, C of faith.
Didn't read that part...I realize that's the popular understanding. I think I laid out legitimate concerns relating to that understanding. No comment about them?
The word believe in the original carries the idea of obey.
Some texts say believe the Gospel.
Other texts say obey the Gospel.
Believe: - pisteuō Strongs # G4100 - verb
The KJV translates Strong's G4100 in the following manner: believe(239x), commit unto(4x), commit to (one's) trust (1x), be committed unto (1x), be put in trust with (1x), be commit to one's trust (1x), believer (1x).
I. to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
A. of the thing believed
i. to credit, have confidence
B. in a moral or religious reference
i. used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
ii. to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith
iii. mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith
II. to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity
A. to be intrusted with a thing
Believe carries the meaning of obey —
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 NKJV
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 3:36 NASB
It is noteworthy to understand that unbelief and disobedience are the same Greek word and are used interchangeably in the Bible based on translation.
Example: Unbelief - Disobedience
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Hebrews 4:6 KJV
Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,
Hebrews 4:6 NKJV
The word “believe” as it relates to Christ and His gospel, commandments and doctrine should be understood as follows.
Believe - Trust, commit to obey.
Didn't read that part...
But considering that each part is just a sound bite of a larger truth...I don't know why we should change it.
You can read as much or as little as you want into the expression. People have been doing so for over 2,000 years now. Probably longer.
I know what I believe and why. Your mileage may vary.