Lizbeth
Well-Known Member
Faith in God/Christ is not a religious opinion. Only those who don't know what it is to know Him by faith would think so.Smoke-srceening. And strawman-ing. Of course people do what they think is right. Do people do works that they don't believe in?
The premise is that people do things based on a ideological belief system. Only religious people do that.
And you are arguing in favour of human beliefs over faith. Faith is NOT beliefs.
Jesus said faith can move mountains...do the impossible...not just give people religious opinions.
Was Ahab justified because of her religious beliefs? Were her beliefs accurate enough to save her? no. She was justified by what she did.
Was Phinehas justified for his religious beliefs about God. No. He was justified because of what he did.
Was Abraham justified because of his religious beliefs about God? No...his was a case where FAITH was involved...where he believed God for the impossible. And that kind of faith IS necessary to go into the higher walk...from faith INTO faith.
Now an example of faith in our time is to believe God about the higher walk (which many believe is impossible) and trust that it IS possible and even desirable to do so...even if that faithful one seems to be unable at the present time. When Abraham believed God he was still not a father...that's why it is called "faith."
So then you believe that it is impossible to have a higher walk in Christ. Is that faith or unbelief? God said about the Israelites ... "I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest"
Why is that? Unbelief
So to argue over faith and works when a person is looking to smokescreen the real test of faith...is moot.
You would do better to argue FOR works...as faith is lacking.
I do believe and am blessed to experience at times, just as the BIBLE teaches, that we are to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh. I don't believe in a man-made doctrine of something called " higher walk" which is not mentioned in scripture.
The scripture says if we believe, we HAVE entered His rest (Heb.4:3). And it also says we ARE not in the flesh but in the Spirit if the Spirit dwells in us. (Rom 8:9) That would be all born again believers (assuming they haven't fallen away).
You are making things too compartmentalized (carnal mind) and divorced from the foundation, which foundation includes those two scrips I just mentioned.. You need to believe and teach GOD'S Word, not your own words.