What is 'faith alone'?

[mailmandan]

Certain folks are confused about what believers mean by salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. It means we are trusting in Jesus.Christ "alone" for salvation (Romans 3:24-28; 4:4-6; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8,9) and not in works.

Salvation by faith (rightly understood) in Jesus Christ alone for salvation does not mean that God's grace is excluded on God's part or that we never repented in the process of changing our mind and choosing to place our faith in Jesus Christ "alone" for salvation or that our faith is a bare profession of faith that remains "alone" barren of works.

Folks who teach salvation by works (at least in part) cannot seem to grasp this.

 

[Eternally-grateful]

Do you believe the “work” or effort we do to obey the Gospel is legalism?

what work?

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:8

what does this mean. what is obeying the gospel? what work are you doing?

 

[Eternally-grateful]

You mixing together the works of the law of Moses with the obedience of faith.

Nope..

obeying the works of the law because we love God and not to be saved. would be no different that obeying God in other areas out of gratitudfe.

if any of them are done to earn salvation. it is legalistic..

When we hear the gospel we must obey it, not just hear it.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

You can even “believe” in Jesus as in realize He exists, but if you don’t confess Him as LORD then your believing is no more effective than the demons who believe Jesus is Lord, but they continue to serve Satan.

Oh golly..

Do you understand how to obey the Gospel?

You tell me.. Something tells me you may not know what it means

 

[Eternally-grateful]

As I said, "Torah" primarily means teachings and instructions, not rules and regulations.

but there are rules and regulations (thou shalt not...)

and if we do them in hopes we will get to heaven because we do them, it is called legalism

Following Jesus requires the sacrifice of what you hold dear the most. Think about the young ruler, he asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, aka eternal salvation, how did Jesus answer him? Believe in me and get baptized? Nope, he listed the ten commandments, why was that? Was Jesus being legalistic? The young ruler followed all those, but that's not enough, he was asked to sell his possessions, take up the cross, and follow Jesus, and he went away with a sad face. That was a test of faith which he failed.

Actually you missed the point.

The person said he obeyed. Jesus came back at him to prove he did not obey. he was not perfect according to the law.

the person went away sad because he loved money more than God (he did not keep the first command)

if the person repented and said he could not do it. I am sure Jesus would have saved him by showing him it is not obedience to the law that saved. and no one has kept the law and given him the chance to repent

 

[JLB]

what work?

what does this mean. what is obeying the gospel? what work are you doing?

Confessing Jesus as Lord is the “work” of obedience.

The obedience of faith.

This is the principle of faith that James illustrated in the life of Abraham.

The “work” by which Abraham was justified was to offer his son Isaac on the altar.

IOW’s Abraham obeyed the word of faith; the word from the LORD by which he received faith.


This is called the obedience of faith.

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 10:26

 

[JLB]

if any of them are done to earn salvation. it is legalistic..

Amen. I totally agree.

 

[JLB]

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Repent is the command of the Gospel.

Repent biblically means turn to God in submission to Him as LORD.

If a person is called to turn to God, then by default they have been called to turn away from Satan as their lord.

This is what the essence of the Gospel of the kingdom of God is.

This is what Jesus commissioned Paul (Saul) to do on the
“Road to Damascus”

Words of Christ in red -

So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:15-20

Key passages:

• I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God

• Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God

 

[Corinth77777]

Lets try again.

If your doing those things to get saved, Stay saved or keep from losing salvation.

Your using legalism, or trying to be saved by works.

If your doing them out of love and gratitude to God. well then you are not trying to earn salvation. You will instead produce fruit

Good question to ask:
Why do we do good works?

A. Doing good works are the effects of a repentive heart?
B. The outcome of goodworks are based on God's love.
C. Good works are to remain in his love.
D. We do them so He will be happy with us?
E. We do them so we won't experience death.

Someone has asked the best question yet.
Because the way we view this trickles down to everything else.

.....................

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

but there are rules and regulations (thou shalt not...)

and if we do them in hopes we will get to heaven because we do them, it is called legalism

This is the mentality that eventually leads to lawbreaking and sin. Here's first "thou shalt not" - "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Is that rule and regulation? Or a kind and fair warning? The serpent reframed it into a rule and regulation, which made Eve feel like God was being restrictive, God was withholding what was rightly hers from her, the seed was planted in her mind and it eventually led her to the Fall, and that was how the promise of salvation was necessitated in the first place - to save humanity from the Fall, which was the consequence of breaking the "rule". Call that legalism if you want, it is crystal clear that law abiding may not lead to salvation, law breaking certainly leads to destruction.

Actually you missed the point.

The person said he obeyed. Jesus came back at him to prove he did not obey. he was not perfect according to the law.

the person went away sad because he loved money more than God (he did not keep the first command)

if the person repented and said he could not do it. I am sure Jesus would have saved him by showing him it is not obedience to the law that saved. and no one has kept the law and given him the chance to repent

Jesus didn't ask about the first commandment, he asked about commandments six to nine, which the rich young ruler had duly obeyed since his youth, and Jesus didn't bust him on that. It is you who missed the point that keeping these commandments is NOT "legalism".

What you don't understand is that obedience and disobedience are tied to BLESSINGS and CURSES, not salvation and damnation. Work determines your REWARD, not your salvific status.

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Deut. 28:1-2)

But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. (Deut. 28:15)

 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:14-15)

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

what does this mean. what is obeying the gospel? what work are you doing?

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” (Lk. 10:25-28)

 

[Eternally-grateful]

Confessing Jesus as Lord is the “work” of obedience.

Its gods work

Jesus said clearly,. It is the WORK OF GOD we believe

The obedience of faith.

This is the principle of faith that James illustrated in the life of Abraham.

The “work” by which Abraham was justified was to offer his son Isaac on the altar.

No. Abraham was justified before his son was even born.

You need to look at romans 4. Not james

James was refuting a licentious gospel.. Paul refutes your works based Gospel.

IOW’s Abraham obeyed the word of faith; the word from the LORD by which he received faith.


This is called the obedience of faith.

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 10:26

Rom 4: 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

We also have the defenition of faith here. Abraham was fully covinced God would keep his promise

God has given us many promises also

1. We will have eternal life. and never perish
2. We have passed from death to life
3. We will not be judged
4. We have his spirit given as a seal until our ressurection
5. He will never leave nor forrsake us
6. He will never lose us
7. We will be ressurected.

are you fully convinced of these truths. That God is able to do this?

if so. Your faith will be accounted to you as perfect righteousness. And the ressurection and death of Christ will be applied to your account as justification

 

[Eternally-grateful]

Repent is the command of the Gospel.

Repent is changing ones mind. its not a work

Repent biblically means turn to God in submission to Him as LORD.

No. It means to change your point of view.

This is lordship salvation which is in error

If a person is called to turn to God, then by default they have been called to turn away from Satan as their lord.

It means to change ones mind or thinking. to turn 180 degrees,.

This is what the essence of the Gospel of the kingdom of God is.

This is what Jesus commissioned Paul (Saul) to do on the
“Road to Damascus”

Words of Christ in red -

So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:15-20

Key passages:

• I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God

• Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God

 

[Eternally-grateful]

Good question to ask:
Why do we do good works?

A. Doing good works are the effects of a repentive heart?
B. The outcome of goodworks are based on God's love.
C. Good works are to remain in his love.
D. We do them so He will be happy with us?
E. We do them so we won't experience death.

Someone has asked the best question yet.
Because the way we view this trickles down to everything else.

.....................

so you do them to keep salvation? I ask this because of point E.. because physical death will not be stopped because we do good works.

 

[Eternally-grateful]

This is the mentality that eventually leads to lawbreaking and sin. Here's first "thou shalt not" - "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Is that rule and regulation? Or a kind and fair warning? The serpent reframed it into a rule and regulation,

It is a rule. thou shalt not

It has a blessing for not breaking the rule. and a punishment for failing to keep, or breaking the rule

which made Eve feel like God was being restrictive, God was withholding what was rightly hers from her, the seed was planted in her mind and it eventually led her to the Fall, and that was how the promise of salvation was necessitated in the first place - to save humanity from the Fall, which was the consequence of breaking the "rule". Call that legalism if you want, it is crystal clear that law abiding may not lead to salvation, law breaking certainly leads to destruction.

Yes, The law came and sin increased, Its the mother telling to kid to not get into the cookie jar

Jesus didn't ask about the first commandment, he asked about commandments six to nine, which the rich young ruler had duly obeyed since his youth, and Jesus didn't bust him on that. It is you who missed the point that keeping these commandments is NOT "legalism".

No. I do not agree. And jesus asked him about at least the ten. not just a few. this would not make sense He did not obey them. No one has..

What you don't understand is that obedience and disobedience are tied to BLESSINGS and CURSES, not salvation and damnation. Work determines your REWARD, not your salvific status.

Blessings and curses yes

Salvation is a gift. It can not be earned as a blessing

we have all earned the curse. as cursed is the one who does not keep every word of the law. James says it best. If we keep the whole law. yet stumble in one point we are guilty of all

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Deut. 28:1-2)
But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. (Deut. 28:15

This is for the nation of Israel. Salvation of an individual is not in context.

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:14-15)

This is great proof.

If I did such little work after I was saved that all my rewards are burned. and i have nothing to show for it. I will still be saved.

Not a non believer will not be at this judgment, they will be delivered to Christ at the great white throne. and no one will get out of that judgment alive

 

[Eternally-grateful]

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” (Lk. 10:25-28)

Have you done this 100% perfect since birth?

if you have. and hopefully every other command.

You have earned your way to heaven, You do not need the cross.

If you have not. You must trust in Jesus, there is nothing you can do (Jesus point)

 

[JLB]

Its gods work

Jesus said clearly,. It is the WORK OF GOD we believe

The work of God for us to do is believe.

Are you saying God obeys the Gospel for us?

If He did that then everyone would be saved, because His intention is for the world to be saved.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:2

• and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

 

[JLB]

Repent is changing ones mind. its not a work

Confessing Jesus as Lord is how we repent.

Confessing Jesus as Lord is how we are saved.

Confessing Jesus as Lord is how we obey the Gospel.

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

• if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

• with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

It is a rule. thou shalt not

It has a blessing for not breaking the rule. and a punishment for failing to keep, or breaking the rule

That's not legalism. Don't spam the label.

No. I do not agree. And jesus asked him about at least the ten. not just a few. this would not make sense He did not obey them. No one has..

No, just commandments five to nine - "you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and mother," plus "love your neighbor as yourself." "You shall have no other gods before me" was definitely not there, see Matt. 19:18, The young ruler asked "which ones?" Jesus specifically named these.

This is for the nation of Israel. Salvation of an individual is not in context.

No it's not, it's about blessings and curses.

This is great proof.

If I did such little work after I was saved that all my rewards are burned. and i have nothing to show for it. I will still be saved.

Not a non believer will not be at this judgment, they will be delivered to Christ at the great white throne. and no one will get out of that judgment alive

Again it's about blessings and curses, not salvation. Salvation should not be treated as a ticket to heaven or God's insurance policy, that's false teaching.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

Have you done this 100% perfect since birth?

if you have. and hopefully every other command.

You have earned your way to heaven, You do not need the cross.

If you have not. You must trust in Jesus, there is nothing you can do (Jesus point)

Don't be preachy and condescending like this. Judge not, lest you be judged.

 

[JLB]

Have you done this 100% perfect since birth?

if you have. and hopefully every other command.

You have earned your way to heaven, You do not need the cross.

If you have not. You must trust in Jesus, there is nothing you can do (Jesus point)

If we do sin, we can go to our Lord humbling ourselves and confess our sin, and be cleansed.

We can also learn why we sinned and become stronger in our walk with Him as we learn to walk in the Spirit.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

Walking according to the Spirit doesn’t come by accident, but it is an intentional effort that comes gradually as we “sow” to the Spirit.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8

• but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

There are two distinct lifestyles that the born again Christian can live;

Walking according to the Spirit

Walking according to the flesh.

Walking according to the Spirit is where we walk in the the truth, and thereby practice righteousness.

Walking according to the flesh, is a lifestyle where we are obeying the sinful desires of our flesh; thereby practicing the works of the flesh.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

• of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Notice that Paul warned them in the past and was warning them now, those who choose to walk according to the flesh, and practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The solution -

• Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:16-17