Salvation is by FAITH

[Alabaster]

Let's be sure to get it right, people!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYsClDclvf0

 

[Vic C.]

If you mean that Salvation is by Grace, through faith, then I agree!

 

[RadicalReformer]

Yes, but faith is more than an intellectual exercise. Faith must be lived out, it must be evident - faith is not a mental suggestion, or a quick prayer mumbling the 'right words'.

Faith is dynamic, it is action - it is not passive.

 

[Vic C.]

or a quick prayer mumbling the 'right words'.

Paul Washer mentioned this in the video. He said nowhere in the Bible will you find the words saying anything about asking Jesus into your heart.

 

[RadicalReformer]

or a quick prayer mumbling the 'right words'.

Paul Washer mentioned this in the video. He said nowhere in the Bible will you find the words saying anything about asking Jesus into your heart.

Well.. you don't... there is mention of "belief" and "faith" - no 4 spiritual laws, no "say this prayer".

Faith is all about action... it must be lived out.

(btw: didn't watch the video)

 

[Alabaster]

Try watching the video--it's only about 3 minutes.

 

[biblecatholic]

salvation is by grace-through faith woring in Love. I agree much with rad.

 

[Rick W]

or a quick prayer mumbling the 'right words'.

Paul Washer mentioned this in the video. He said nowhere in the Bible will you find the words saying anything about asking Jesus into your heart.

Well.. you don't... there is mention of "belief" and "faith" - no 4 spiritual laws, no "say this prayer".

Faith is all about action... it must be lived out.

(btw: didn't watch the video)

No, there's no scripture saying that.
But it's a darn good starting point toward declaring repentance to oneself. It's a great form of admission as well saying I need a Savior and Christ is He. It's reflecting on one's sins, acknowledging the wrath of God and recieving the free gift of His Son. In short it's a professed surrender to Christ, that it is He who can save me from condemnation.
Admission to self. Confession of sin. Acknowledgment for the need of a Savior. Believing God and His Son. All these and more is within the prayer to ask Christ into one's life, to seek with a contrite heart and humility.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

[Alabaster]

What is this? A formula? Saved by grace through faith? Yes, scripture says it, but it is our faith that brings us this great salvation. You can have all the grace of God on you, but if you have no faith in Jesus Christ and the ensuing repentance, you have nothing.

 

[RadicalReformer]

What is this? A formula? Saved by grace through faith? Yes, scripture says it, but it is our faith that brings us this great salvation. You can have all the grace of God on you, but if you have no faith in Jesus Christ and the ensuing repentance, you have nothing.

define "our faith".

 

[Vic C.]

What is this? A formula? Saved by grace through faith? Yes, scripture says it, but it is our faith that brings us this great salvation. You can have all the grace of God on you, but if you have no faith in Jesus Christ and the ensuing repentance, you have nothing.

define "our faith".

Thank you. Here I am, thinking it is His Faith that saves. 8-)

 

[Alabaster]

What is this? A formula? Saved by grace through faith? Yes, scripture says it, but it is our faith that brings us this great salvation. You can have all the grace of God on you, but if you have no faith in Jesus Christ and the ensuing repentance, you have nothing.

define "our faith".

Thank you. Here I am, thinking it is His Faith that saves. 8-)

If you want to argue and be facetious, I can see that you can always find something to argue about. So now you want me to be absolutely correct and make a proper discourse referring to the fact that faith is a gift of God. God doesn't care about properness of speech. Faith that rises up in us will bring about repentance, which will establish salvation in us!

Oh brother...listen, Church, the faith God gives us is ours. If you get your jollies by trying to punch holes in what sisters and brothers in Christ are offering here, then where is that spirit coming from?

The OP offers a great video clip of a powerful gospel message and this is all you can do?

God help you.

 

[RadicalReformer]

I simply asked a simple question: Define "our faith".

In modern day evangelicalism, "faith" has become a passive intellectual activity. That is not the faith spoken in the Scriptures.

 

[Alabaster]

I simply asked a simple question: Define "our faith".

In modern day evangelicalism, "faith" has become a passive intellectual activity. That is not the faith spoken in the Scriptures.

THAT is not the faith we are in receipt of and are discussing here, is it?

I am trying to spread the gospel, brother---with or without your help, thanks.

 

[Vic C.]

Alabaster,

No need to get so offensive with us. We want to understand why you believe what you do. This is the Apologetics Forum. You must at least accept the fact that some people's beliefs are different than yours.

Apologetics

1- The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines.
2- Formal argumentation in defense of something, such as a position or system.

Peter says,

1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

That's all we ask for; a reason.

 

[RadicalReformer]

I simply asked a simple question: Define "our faith".

In modern day evangelicalism, "faith" has become a passive intellectual activity. That is not the faith spoken in the Scriptures.

THAT is not the faith we are in receipt of and are discussing here, is it?

I am trying to spread the gospel, brother---with or without your help, thanks.

Alabaster, all I am asking is to define faith. You are suggesting that people need to have it, then what is IT.

If you cannot define it, if you cannot communicate it, how do you except people to have it?

What does it mean to have "Faith"?

 

[Alabaster]

God desires us, and like a lover, he woos us. He does so by orchestrating our circumstances so that we come to hear the truth of Jesus Christ. At the hearing of truth, He drops a measure of faith in us so that we will be convinced, and hold onto that truth. That measure of faith will bring us to the realization that we are sinners in need of a Saviour and will drive us to repentance. In repenting, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ has borne our sins on the cross, shed His blood for our sin and our belief in Him causes the Holy Spirit to effect changes us--we become actual sons and daughters of the living God! We become new creations and citizens of Heaven. Determining to turn from sin and follow Jesus Christ and God's Word, our faith grows from that small seed to a mature, full-blown faith that can move mountains...and is contagious--we help God enlarge His kingdom by yielding spiritual fruit, including offspring.

 

[Drew]

You can have all the grace of God on you, but if you have no faith in Jesus Christ and the ensuing repentance, you have nothing.

When I read the title "salvations is by faith", I thought that I would be more or less disputing this assertion since, as some of you know, I believe the scriptures do indeed that the actions that our lives manifest - the "works" the Spirit does in us - are indeed, in one sense anyway, the basis for our ultimate salvation. I invoke Romans 2:6-13 in this regard, a text which I notice some will simply not fully engage, in defence of my position.

But when I watched the video and read the above, I am inclined to agree with what Alabaster might (repeat might) be saying here. We may need to have a back and forth re what one means by "faith", but my sense is that the video is intended to undermine the claim that simple intellectual assent to the assertion that Jesus is Lord is sufficient for justification / salvation.

And with such a claim, I will agree. Very briefly, I believe that a "substantive" or "not just intellectual" faith in the present is the basis on which we are given the Spirit and then the Spirit works through us so that we can pass the future Romans 2 "works" judgement:

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

While this model of justification, with its "faith now" and "works later" flavour is more complex than some of the more common models, I think it is the one that best makes sense of all the relevant texts.

 

[Alabaster]

I like what I perceive you to be saying, and wish to add that mere intellectual assent to Jesus Christ produces a cultural or carnal "Christian" (not truly a Christian at all), one that does not live by faith in Jesus.

 

[RadicalReformer]

God desires us, and like a lover, he woos us. He does so by orchestrating our circumstances so that we come to hear the truth of Jesus Christ. At the hearing of truth, He drops a measure of faith in us so that we will be convinced, and hold onto that truth. That measure of faith will bring us to the realization that we are sinners in need of a Saviour and will drive us to repentance. In repenting, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ has borne our sins on the cross, shed His blood for our sin and our belief in Him causes the Holy Spirit to effect changes us--we become actual sons and daughters of the living God! We become new creations and citizens of Heaven. Determining to turn from sin and follow Jesus Christ and God's Word, our faith grows from that small seed to a mature, full-blown faith that can move mountains...and is contagious--we help God enlarge His kingdom by yielding spiritual fruit, including offspring.

I am curious to this "measure of faith" that He drops in us. What Scripture do you use for this assertion?