Is belief "works"?

[savedbygrace57]

eb

One must believe BEFORE he can be saved.

Thats Salvation by Works, since believing is an action performed by man !

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

eb



Thats Salvation by Works, since believing is an action performed by man !

Yes, belief is a work man must do to be saved. (try to convince some others here belief is a work) But, alas, you are implying one can be saved in unbelief which is not possible, Jn 3:18

No one was ever told "Do nothing and thou shalt be saved."

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Ernest,

I know I am not going to change your mind. But you are reading into those verses what you want them to say.

Those jews in Luke 13:3-5 were relying on their sacrifices! they were not SINNING they were following the Old Law and not the Law of Liberty! They had to repent of what they thought of the Christ. they needed to change their mind about their sacrifice! and Christ lumped them in with some of the worlds worst sinners! There is only one way out. Repent of your unbelief.

And with what you are posting here you are not acknowledging Christ to the readers(men) You are not presenting the true and only Christ. you are saying that it is Jesus + something Matt 7:21

Mark 16:16 is a compound sentence but the compound is The Holy Spirit baptism. Eph 1:13

And again in Rom 10:1-2 we get the context... Paul is talking about his fellow(zealous LOUD) country men the Jews who were professing loudly one God, They were professing with their mouths the wrong knowledge, They were not running around sinning, they were confessing the wrong knowledge, the wrong confession of salvation. They still had not repented of their unbelief in Christ. Its the same thing as Luke 13:1-5

Abraham was Justified by the Law of liberty works James 1:25
You are adding obedient works NOT James.

Isaac was a type of Christ, and history says that Abraham and Isaac were on the same mount as the Cross. Abraham knew exactly What he Had to believe to be counted as righteous. And His works pointed to the law of Liberty in James. Christ. James 2:21-23 Notice that Abraham Did not carry out the "works", Because Abraham believed and God did the "work" Himself. That is GRACE.

For the most part I see religion all over this site and very few Grace believers. And the world promotes religion, and God Promotes Grace. And religion will try its darndest to Antagonize Grace, because the kingdom of darkness hates Grace!

I wish you could see Grace for what it truly is. And I mean that. I used to come on and want to pick a fight, but I see so many people in Bondage it just breaks my heart anymore. And to think that there are future readers that are going to have to look pretty long and hard for a Grace message from someone on this site.

But God put me here for someone, and it probably is for that future reader who wants to make a choice.

They get to choose Grace and joy and freedom.

Or religion, law, a soaking, And repenting of all their sins and coming to a point that all the Joy is gone and realizing they could never do it all. And someone will always be better or doing more then themselves.

For any future readers . Jesus died for sinners, I am a sinner and He died for me. That is me coming to my savior. And He promised to save anyone that acknowledges Him as so. That is Grace my friend. and that is GOOD news.

Lk 13:3,5 and Matt 10:32-33 and Mark 16:16 are all simple, easy to understand verses. One would have to put forth much effort not to understand them.

in Lk 13:3 Jesus said 'Nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.' What's not to understand? One either does not repent and perishes or one repents and does not perish (saved). Repentance was not just for the Jews to be saved, but everyyone Jew and Gentile must repent before they can be saved, Acts 20:21


You say I am "reading into those verses what you want them to say." Yet you said "Mark 16:16 is a compound sentence but the compound is The Holy Spirit baptism."

You read Holy Spirit baptism into the verse. The compound sentence has to do with being saved by believing and being baptized or being lost by simply not believing.

Proper exegesis is a word should be taken literally unless something in the text indicates it is being used figuratively. Baptizo then should be taken literally as an immersion in water for nothing in the verse indicates it is being used figuratively as some type of spirit baptism. Mk 16:15,16 as Matt 28:19,20 is the great commission where disciple were sent forth to preach the gospel and to baptize. Since disciples are humans they could only administer water baptism and not baptism with the Holy Spirit which God alone could administer. See Acts 8 and how the eunuch was water baptized by a disciple.

In Rom 10 the Jews were lost for they would not submit unto God's righteous commands, verse 3. For them to be saved Paul said they would have to believe with the heart AND confess with the mouth UNTO SALVATION. So confession is unto salvation, it brings about salvation Paul never said to confess because those Jews were already saved. But the Jews refused to believe and confess with the mouth and that is why Paul said in verse 16 "but they have not all obeyed the gospel". Some jews in Acts 2 did obey the gospel but most did not. So if one does not believe, not repent, not confess, not be baptized he then is not obeying the gospel. God has vengeance on those that obey not the gospel of Christ, 2 Thess 1:8

In Acts 2:41 Peter said those that gladly recieve his gospel message were baptized. Those not baptized were therefore rejecting his gospel message. So the implication is one is rejecting the gospel, not obeying the gospel until he has been baptized.


Grace is unmerited favor that has been shown to all men Titus 3:11 but all men will not be saved even though grace has appeared to them all. Why will all not be saved then? For God's saving grace is conditional upon man's obedience to God's will, those that meet the condition of obeying receive this free gift of grace. If you do not agree, then why will all men not be saved even though grace has appeared to all men? How does God then determine what men recieve grace and what men will not? Is it just randomness that some will others will not?

 

[savedbygrace57]

eb

Yes, belief is a work man must do to be saved.

Thats a False Gospel, Salvation by works ! Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 

[BornAgain]

Faith is belief.

Hi Edward,

Yes, faith is a work as it comes by hearing, etc. In John 6 it speaks about belief being a work....

John 6:28-29 (KJV)
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The "works" which Paul excludes from God's plan to save are those of which one might "boast" Eph 2:8-9. James includes works, as does Peter James 2:20-24, Acts 10:34-35.

The "works" which Paul excludes are the works of the law. The "works" which James and Peter include are the commandments of the Lord Matt 7:21. To exclude all work from the plan of salvation is to exclude faith which is by our Lord affirmed to be a work.

Jesus joined faith and work here. Faith—-belief—is a work of God in the sense it is that which God has ordered man to do. This does not mean that God requires nothing more than belief, it teaches us that without it all else is worthless since all other response to God's will results because of it.

 

[gr8grace]

Lk 13:3,5 and Matt 10:32-33 and Mark 16:16 are all simple, easy to understand verses. One would have to put forth much effort not to understand them.

in Lk 13:3 Jesus said 'Nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.' What's not to understand? One either does not repent and perishes or one repents and does not perish (saved). Repentance was not just for the Jews to be saved, but everyyone Jew and Gentile must repent before they can be saved, Acts 20:21


You say I am "reading into those verses what you want them to say." Yet you said "Mark 16:16 is a compound sentence but the compound is The Holy Spirit baptism."

You read Holy Spirit baptism into the verse. The compound sentence has to do with being saved by believing and being baptized or being lost by simply not believing.

Proper exegesis is a word should be taken literally unless something in the text indicates it is being used figuratively. Baptizo then should be taken literally as an immersion in water for nothing in the verse indicates it is being used figuratively as some type of spirit baptism. Mk 16:15,16 as Matt 28:19,20 is the great commission where disciple were sent forth to preach the gospel and to baptize. Since disciples are humans they could only administer water baptism and not baptism with the Holy Spirit which God alone could administer. See Acts 8 and how the eunuch was water baptized by a disciple.

In Rom 10 the Jews were lost for they would not submit unto God's righteous commands, verse 3. For them to be saved Paul said they would have to believe with the heart AND confess with the mouth UNTO SALVATION. So confession is unto salvation, it brings about salvation Paul never said to confess because those Jews were already saved. But the Jews refused to believe and confess with the mouth and that is why Paul said in verse 16 "but they have not all obeyed the gospel". Some jews in Acts 2 did obey the gospel but most did not. So if one does not believe, not repent, not confess, not be baptized he then is not obeying the gospel. God has vengeance on those that obey not the gospel of Christ, 2 Thess 1:8

In Acts 2:41 Peter said those that gladly recieve his gospel message were baptized. Those not baptized were therefore rejecting his gospel message. So the implication is one is rejecting the gospel, not obeying the gospel until he has been baptized.


Grace is unmerited favor that has been shown to all men Titus 3:11 but all men will not be saved even though grace has appeared to them all. Why will all not be saved then? For God's saving grace is conditional upon man's obedience to God's will, those that meet the condition of obeying receive this free gift of grace. If you do not agree, then why will all men not be saved even though grace has appeared to all men? How does God then determine what men recieve grace and what men will not? Is it just randomness that some will others will not?

In the New Testament in about one hundred and fifteen passages, the salvation of a sinner is
declared to depend only upon believing, and in about thirty-five passages to depend on faith,
which is a synonym of believing. The Scriptures everywhere harmonize with this overwhelming
body of truth. God alone can save a soul and God can save ONLY THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON.
Man can sustain no other relation to salvation than to believe God's message to the extent of
turning from self-works to depend only on the work of God through Christ. Believing is the
opposite of doing anything; it is trusting another instead. Therefore, the Scriptures are violated
and the whole doctrine of grace confused when salvation is made to depend on anything other
than believing. The divine message is not "believe and pray," "believe and confess sin," "believe
and confess Christ," "believe and be baptized," "believe and repent," or "believe and make
restitution." These six added subjects are mentioned in the Scriptures and there they have their
full intended meaning; but if they were as essential to salvation as believing they would never be
omitted from any passage wherein the way to be saved is stated (note John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24;
6:29; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Rom. 1:16; 3:22; 4:5, 24; 5:1; 10:4; Gal. 3:22). Salvation is only
through Christ, and men are therefore saved when they receive Him as their Saviour

Common Grace has appeared to all men(The Gospel), effectual Grace is imputed to the person who believes In Christ alone. God cannot save through anything else.

I cannot repent enough for my sins to satisfy Gods Justice.
Water cannot clean me thoroughly to satisfy Gods Justice.
If I am not saved I cant pray to God.
It has to be Christ alone, Because it was Him alone that satisfied Gods justice, and if we put any works of our own in with Christ, the Spirit will Not make our Faith effectual.

I was not raised Christian and never went to church(thank God now that I see what most churches teach). 3 years before I got saved I had a person witness Christ(common Grace) to me. One night I remembered what this person said and I read the Gospel of John. the next day(at noon) I was walking out my door at my shop and I said to myself," this Christ thing is true, I have this world all wrong!" And He reached down in my life at that moment and saved me, and not one person is ever going to convince me other wise (and many have tried). I was not baptized(didnt even know what that was at the time), Did not pray to God (What was that!), did not have anyone around to confess out loud too. I had not repented of all my sin, heck I was going harder in sin that day then in most other days! And I found out rather quick how the world wants to strip you of that overwhelming Joy. And the way I have been taught the Bible for the last few years Lines up exactly with the Free Grace I recieved on 03/03/03 At 12 PM

 

[savedbygrace57]

Exactly. I don't know why that is so hard for some to understand. They always must try to tie it to works of the Law. Which it clearly isn't.

Belief is a work !

 

[Davies]

Hi Edward,

Yes, faith is a work as it comes by hearing, etc. In John 6 it speaks about belief being a work....

John 6:28-29 (KJV)
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The "works" which Paul excludes from God's plan to save are those of which one might "boast" Eph 2:8-9. James includes works, as does Peter James 2:20-24, Acts 10:34-35.

The "works" which Paul excludes are the works of the law. The "works" which James and Peter include are the commandments of the Lord Matt 7:21. To exclude all work from the plan of salvation is to exclude faith which is by our Lord affirmed to be a work.

Jesus joined faith and work here. Faith—-belief—is a work of God in the sense it is that which God has ordered man to do. This does not mean that God requires nothing more than belief, it teaches us that without it all else is worthless since all other response to God's will results because of it.

Hi BornAgain,

I would disagree that faith is a work, despite the verse you quoted in John 6. Consider Philippians 1:6, 11.

Philippians 1:6, 11


New King James Version (NKJV)

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.


Faith is a work of God, not of man. It is something man can exercise only as it has been given to Him, as you said hearing the word of God. I don't think anyone would say that hearing is a work. Then notice in verse 11, where Paul says, "being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ..." Anything we do good that God would be pleased with is done by the Spirit. We can not take credit. Jesus will have all the glory when we stand before Him, even the Author of our faith.


Hebrews 12:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


- Davies

 

[BornAgain]

Hi BornAgain,

I would disagree that faith is a work, despite the verse you quoted in John 6. Consider Philippians 1:6, 11.

Philippians 1:6, 11


New King James Version (NKJV)

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.


Faith is a work of God, not of man. It is something man can exercise only as it has been given to Him, as you said hearing the word of God. I don't think anyone would say that hearing is a work. Then notice in verse 11, where Paul says, "being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ..." Anything we do good that God would be pleased with is done by the Spirit. We can not take credit. Jesus will have all the glory when we stand before Him, even the Author of our faith.


Hebrews 12:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


- Davies

Hi Davies,

I agree faith is a work of God, but it is God's work we obey.

 

[savedbygrace57]

ba

The "works" which Paul excludes are the works of the law.

Works of the Law are included in works ! The word work is the greek word ergon and means:

business, employment, that which any one is occupied

a) that which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking

2) any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind

3) an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasised in opp. to that which is less than work

Now, works of the Law falls under this definition but this definition is not limited to works of the Law !

Also, Faith is a work of the Law Matt 23:23

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

There you go, Faith is something they should HAVE DONE !

And again the meaning of a work is :

3) an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasised in opp. to that which is less than work

And Jesus calls it a matter of the Law !

 

[Davies]

Hi Davies,

I agree faith is a work of God, but it is God's work we obey.

BornAgain,

Here is another example:
1 Corinthians 12:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.


We can't even say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit. We wouldn't take credit for that would we?


- Davies

 

[BornAgain]

BornAgain,

Here is another example:
1 Corinthians 12:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.


We can't even say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit. We wouldn't take credit for that would we?


- Davies

Davies,

No one can truly believe and say that Jesus is the Son of God, save as he is taught by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came to testify concerning Jesus, and all the testimony we have of him comes through the teaching of the Holy Spirit.


The word of God is the teaching given by the Spirit, and in it is contained all that man knows concerning Jesus. No man can believe that Jesus is the Christ save upon the testimony given in the word of God by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Davies]

Davies,

No one can truly believe and say that Jesus is the Son of God, save as he is taught by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came to testify concerning Jesus, and all the testimony we have of him comes through the teaching of the Holy Spirit.


The word of God is the teaching given by the Spirit, and in it is contained all that man knows concerning Jesus. No man can believe that Jesus is the Christ save upon the testimony given in the word of God by the Holy Spirit.

Hi BornAgain,

All these points are great. The only reason I'm pointing out that the 'work' of faith we exercise is actually a work of God in us is because I want to be careful to credit where credit is due and not give someone the misleading notion that they what they do is cause for justification, their legal status before God. Here is another example for you. Consider Philippians 2:13.

Philippians 2:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.


If we really believe this, then tell me, who is going to boast about what they do, or about the 'work' they do? (I'm not suggesting that you don't believe this) Will someone boast and say, 'I put my faith in Jesus Christ, so therefore I deserve to be saved!' Not a chance. We will be boasting of Jesus who gave us faith. Salvation is a work of God and not of man even when man puts his faith in Him.


- Davies

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

eb



Thats a False Gospel, Salvation by works ! Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

In Eph 2:9 the "not of works" and in Titus 3:5 the "not by works of righteousness we have done" both refer to works of merit and not obedience works as belief. Nowhere does the bible exclude obedient works from salvation but exclude works of merit....all works are not alike.

Titus 3:5 does say "he saved us" but how did He save us? Not unconditionally or randomly but He saved us by the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" which is a reference to being born again per Jn 3:5.

Jn 3:5---------Spirit++++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>in the kingdom
Tts 3:5--------Holy Ghost+++++++washing of reg>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saved

So Jn 3:5 and Titus 3:5 are references to the new birth when one is water baptized, they both contain the same two elements; Holy Ghost and water. So Tts 3:5 contrasts being water baptized from works of merit for they are two completely different types of works.


You admitted youself believing is a work and no one can be saved without believing, Jn 3:18 so one cannot be saved until they first do the work of believing.

 

[savedbygrace57]

davies

I agree faith is a work of God, but it is God's work we obey.

Believing is a work and its an act of obedience by man. God does not believe for man ! Yes God works in some men to cause them to believe, but its still man doing the believing, which makes it a work he does !

Now if we say we are saved because we believed or obeyed then we are boasing of salvationby works, something we done !

 

[savedbygrace57]

In Eph 2:9 the "not of works" and in Titus 3:5 the "not by works of righteousness we have done" both refer to works of merit and not obedience works as belief. Nowhere does the bible exclude obedient works from salation but exclude works of merit..all works are not alike.

In Titus 3:5 is does say "he saved us" but how did He save us? By the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" which is a reference to being born again per Jn 3:5.

Jn 3:5---------Spirit++++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>in the kingdom
Tts 3:5--------Holy Ghost+++++++washing of reg>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saved

So Jn 3:5 and Titus 3:5 are refernces to the new birth when one is water baptized, they both contain the same two elements; Holy Ghost and water. So Tts 3:5 contrasts being water baptized from works of merit for they are two completely different types of works.


Yu admitted youself believing is a work and no one can be saved without beliving, Jn 3:18 so one cannot be saved until they first do the work of belieivng.

Yes believing is a work, if we say we are saved because we believed, then we are saying we are saved because of our works, which is against scripture.

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

[Davies]

davies



Believing is a work and its an act of obedience by man. God does not believe for man ! Yes God works in some men to cause them to believe, but its still man doing the believing, which makes it a work he does !

Now if we say we are saved because we believed or obeyed then we are boasing of salvationby works, something we done !

Hi savedbytgrace57,

If we add anything to what Jesus has done for our justification, then we would be guilty of stealing, stealing God's glory. Just because we call 911, doesn't mean the call saved us. It's the paramedics and the doctors who actually do the saving. I disagree with you the 'work' of believing that we do saves us, rather, it is the means by which God saves us. Saying we deserve salvation for something we do, is nothing but self-righteousness that only fosters the rampant, poisonous attitude that society holds as a beacon of light, namely entitlement.

- Davies

 

[savedbygrace57]

davies

If we add anything to what Jesus has done for our justification, then we
would be guilty of stealing, stealing God's glory.

Thats right !

I disagree with you the 'work' of believing that we do saves us,

It doesn't I never said it did.

My point is that if we say we are saved because we believed, then we are saying that we are saved by our work, something we did. Believing is a work that man does !

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

In the New Testament in about one hundred and fifteen passages, the salvation of a sinner is
declared to depend only upon believing, and in about thirty-five passages to depend on faith,
which is a synonym of believing. The Scriptures everywhere harmonize with this overwhelming
body of truth. God alone can save a soul and God can save ONLY THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON.
Man can sustain no other relation to salvation than to believe God's message to the extent of
turning from self-works to depend only on the work of God through Christ. Believing is the
opposite of doing anything; it is trusting another instead. Therefore, the Scriptures are violated
and the whole doctrine of grace confused when salvation is made to depend on anything other
than believing. The divine message is not "believe and pray," "believe and confess sin," "believe
and confess Christ," "believe and be baptized," "believe and repent," or "believe and make
restitution." These six added subjects are mentioned in the Scriptures and there they have their
full intended meaning; but if they were as essential to salvation as believing they would never be
omitted from any passage wherein the way to be saved is stated (note John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24;
6:29; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Rom. 1:16; 3:22; 4:5, 24; 5:1; 10:4; Gal. 3:22). Salvation is only
through Christ, and men are therefore saved when they receive Him as their Saviour

Common Grace has appeared to all men(The Gospel), effectual Grace is imputed to the person who believes In Christ alone. God cannot save through anything else.

I cannot repent enough for my sins to satisfy Gods Justice.
Water cannot clean me thoroughly to satisfy Gods Justice.
If I am not saved I cant pray to God.
It has to be Christ alone, Because it was Him alone that satisfied Gods justice, and if we put any works of our own in with Christ, the Spirit will Not make our Faith effectual.

I was not raised Christian and never went to church(thank God now that I see what most churches teach). 3 years before I got saved I had a person witness Christ(common Grace) to me. One night I remembered what this person said and I read the Gospel of John. the next day(at noon) I was walking out my door at my shop and I said to myself," this Christ thing is true, I have this world all wrong!" And He reached down in my life at that moment and saved me, and not one person is ever going to convince me other wise (and many have tried). I was not baptized(didnt even know what that was at the time), Did not pray to God (What was that!), did not have anyone around to confess out loud too. I had not repented of all my sin, heck I was going harder in sin that day then in most other days! And I found out rather quick how the world wants to strip you of that overwhelming Joy. And the way I have been taught the Bible for the last few years Lines up exactly with the Free Grace I recieved on 03/03/03 At 12 PM

When Christ's NT came into effect and the church began at Pentecost in Acts 2, there is not sinlge verse that says salvation is by belief only. When the queston was aksed what to do to be saved, no one was told to believe only. AS Ipointed out in my earlier posts, repentnace, Lk 13:3,5 confessoin, Rom 10:9,10 and baptism are all important and essential to salvation as belief is, meaning that a sving belif must include repentance, confessig and being baptized for no verse says the unbelieving, unrepentant denier of Christ with unremitted sins can be saved.

You posted "In the New Testament in about one hundred and fifteen passages, the salvation of a sinner is
declared to depend only upon believing, and in about thirty-five passages to depend on faith,
which is a synonym of believing."

You are assuming the word "only" into those passages for no one under the NT was saved by belief only. Peter's listeners in Acts 2 saved by belief only? No. The eunuch in Acts 8 saved by belief only? No. The jailer in Acts 16 saved by belief only? No.


You posted "The Scriptures everywhere harmonize with this overwhelming body of truth......Therefore, the Scriptures are violated and the whole doctrine of grace confused when salvation is made to depend on anything other than believing."

But there is no harmonizing when one has to adds words to the text and changes the text from "believe" to "believe only" When the text is changed one no longer has what the bible says. Also there is no harmony when one does not recognize that the bible make repentance, confession and baptism as important and essential to salvtion as belief. One who argues belief only saves is arguing that the unrepentant, the denier of Christ can be saved while still remaining in his unremitted sins. For belief only is not repenting, it's not confessing, it's not remission of sins.


You posted "The divine message is not... "believe and confess Christ," "believe and be baptized,"

Rom 10:9,10 certain does say belive and confess with the mouth and Mark 16:16 certainly does say believe and be baptized and thou shalt be saved. See how hold to the man-made teaching of elief onlyputs you at ods with what the bible does say?


You posted:

I cannot repent enough for my sins to satisfy Gods Justice.
Water cannot clean me thoroughly to satisfy Gods Justice.

Acts 2:38 God said water baptismis enough to remit sins. 1 Jn 1:7 repentance is enough for the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sins.

You posted "And He reached down in my life at that moment and saved me, and not one person is ever going to convince me other wise (and many have tried). I was not baptized(didnt even know what that was at the time), Did not pray to God (What was that!), did not have anyone around to confess out loud too. I had not repented of all my sin, heck I was going harder in sin that day then in most other days!"

Can you show me from when the NT went into effect where it says a person can be saved in this similar manner? Or can you show me an example from the bible of one living under Christ's NT who was saved in a similar way?

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Yes believing is a work, if we say we are saved because we believed, then we are saying we are saved because of our works, which is against scripture.

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So you agree belief is a work, then this work of believing must be done in order for one to be saved, else then you are saying a person can be saved in unbelief which is not possible. Jn 3:18.

So how will you get a person saved without that person doing the work of believing?


Again, in Eph 2:9 "not of works" excludes works of merit and not obedient works as believing for Paul said in Rom 10:9,10 one must believe UNTO righteousness.