"""Eph 1 does not Save."""
Paul is short, sweet & straight to the point :)
Eph 1:13 ..ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: ... ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1 Cor 15:14
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Hi rvmb-
We agree on SAUL/Paul’s calling from the Lord.
We agree on Paul’s’ acceptance of his calling of conversion, Paul’s standing with and in the Lord, and Paul’s service unto the Lord.
Where we seem to disagree is the “listening ears to WHOM Paul is Preaching”.
The GOSPEL is the Word Paul Preached to any, all, interested listeners.
(same as Jesus did, Same as Any Servant Preacher does)
Paul revealed the DIFFERENCE between the audience of Listeners…
* The curious…(wondering)
* The hearing…( given measures of FAITH for hearing )
* The “faithful”…( Following, continuing to HEAR more, believing, Faith increasing )
* The “saints”… ( Having heard, Gained Faith, Elected to Take a Stand BY, Their Willing submission to Become MADE Converted.)
Like Jesus, Like Paul, Like any Preacher…Preaching the Gospel TO a Crowd, a Church Congregation, to One…
* It is the Individuals THEMSELVES who …Know … What THEY Believe
Know … IF THEY ARE merely curious listeners
Know … IF THEY ARE Faithful Followers
Know … IF THEY HAVE Already TAKEN a Stand of Conversion
Where we appear to disagree…
Is your implying hearing the Gospel “saves” a man.
Is your implying All who are Hearing the Gospel “ARE” Saved.
My view is Hearing the Gospel IS the catalyst, the means for a man to Receive measures of Gods Gift of FAITH.
Continue Hearing, Faith increases.
Stop Hearing the Gospel, a man becomes vulnerable to Hearing innumerable things, ways, ideas, that which ARE Ear tickling, enchanting, seeming Easy to Make personal GAINS with little effort…
AND the complete Opposite of the Gospel.
Hearing About Gods Gift of Faith… By Hearing the Gospel… IS expressly an EFFORT by the man.
Continuing to Hear the Gospel… IS expressly an EFFORT by the man.
A man MAKING a vow to the Lord God, IS expressly an EFFORT by the man.
Hearing HOW To cheat, lie, trick, steal, scam, demand, force, compel another man to labor and provide all an others needs and wants…
* IS the ear tickling, Complete Opposite of the Gospel…and Very Enticing, EASY, For Millions of men, who Have FREELY Chosen to walk that path.
Are “such” people as ^^^ those… Barred, Prohibited From … crowds, churches, gatherings of people EXPECTING the Gospel to BE PREACHED? No.
Paul’s Preaching, By physical Presence or By letter … IS Clear whom he is Addressing…
The converted…. saints
The standing
INChrist…the Converted saints
They Faithful
WITH Christ…but NOT yet having Committed. (Converted)
Eph. 1
[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
1 Cor 1:
[1] Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
[2] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth,
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus…
and TO them called to be, but not yet saints
…called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
The MAKING of a man… to become MADE a saint…is By, through, of a willing man…
To call upon the Lord, confess his Heartful belief, and willingness to lay down unto death his own life (body / blood life)…
AND the Lord God, hearing the man, verifying the mans vow be true, and MAKING that man Receive the Power of God Enter IN that man… THAT Which thereafter, The Lord God… can Never leave THAT man…and THAT man thereafter can NEVER leave the Lord God.
Does that “Offer of MAKING” Apply to ANY Other “Living” men?
Yes… All men.
Does THAT “Literal MAKING” Apply to ANY Other “Living” men?
No… Only “Converted” men.
What about “the Faithful Believing followers”?
* Can they “fall away From Faith”?
Yes, that is possible.
* Can any continue Faithful following until their Physical mortal death?
Yes, that is possible.
Do the ones who Fall AWAY from Faith, become MADE Saved “After” their Mortal Death?
No.
Do the ones (who never Converted), who Never Fell Away from Faith, Become MADE Saved “AFTER” their Mortal Death?
Yes.
The converted… become MADE Saved, (ARE once and Forever KEPT Saved, BY Gods POWER IN Them) Before their Mortal Death.
The Faithful… who REMAIN Faithful…(By their own human POWER)…to the moment of their mortal Death… Shall be saved AFTER their body dies.
The Warning to the (unconverted faithful)…
Is loud and clear…”More powerful” entities over the People at Large… exist, and are a constant threat to all who ARE alive and Not converted.
Est.
2/3 of all humans shall End up with the Lord God Forever.
1/3 of all humans will End up having put their trust, belief, ways in following and allegiance's To the conveniences that Stand Against the Lord God.
Assurance is No Doubt of Having Received their Salvation, which is Given the Converted.
Hope is the unknown the unconverted faithful, the unconverted believer wishes for their Salvation After their bodily death.
( and the warning, they are constant targets of the anti-Christs).
Glory to God,
Taken