The Simple Gospel of Grace:

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

FHII

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2011
4,833
2,494
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
1 Cor 15:1-5
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
NKJV

Christ died for our sins.
He was buried but rose again the third day
He was seen by the 12

This is the gospel of grace in which the children of God stand. The children of God are made children because of their faith in this gospel plus nothing.

2 Cor 11:3
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
NKJV
AMEN!!!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen

Helen

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2011
15,476
21,155
113
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
What I see is a dismissal of verses that contradict a person's position.

Look at how often the fear of the Lord is cited as crucial for salvation...yet who takes any notice?

It's not as if the evidence isn't there. It's the indoctrination that makes the bible a book that one can pick and choose from.

What I see lacking is honesty.

Thanks you for the response.

Okay then.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy

marks

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2018
33,156
21,420
113
SoCal USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Ephesians 2:8----------faith>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saves
Acts 11:18------------repentance>>>>>>>>>>>unto life
Romans 10:10---------confession>>>>>>>>>>>unto salvation
1 Peter 3:21-------------baptism>>>>>>>>>>>>saves

Since there is just one way to be saved, no alternatives, a NT faith INCLUDES repentance, confession and baptism.

John 1:12 belief gives one the right to become a child of God, belief by itself does not make one a child of God.

No, belief does not make one a child of God, but God gives rebirth to all who believe.

Much love!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy and Helen

Ernest T. Bass

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2014
1,845
616
113
out in the woods
No, belief does not make one a child of God, but God gives rebirth to all who believe.

Much love!
Yes, as long as it is understood that belief includes repentance confession and baptism, for belief alone (no repentance, no confession, no baptism) is dead and cannot not make one a born again child of God. Contrary to the op, faith plus nothing fails to make one a child of God.
 

justbyfaith

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2018
21,740
4,114
113
51
San Pedro
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Certainly, works are not required to make you a child of God...

Rom 4:6, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

However, a living faith will produce good works...

Jas 2:14, What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15, If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18, Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19, Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20, But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21, Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22, Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23, And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24, Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25, Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26, For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We are justified by faith alone which makes us into new creatures in Christ: the old has gone; behold, all things have become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This means that we as believers in Christ are inclined towards doing good works; and will walk in the good works that the Lord has preordained that we should walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

But our salvation is not accomplished by any singular good work that we may do. It is written,

Tit 3:4, But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5, 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;
Tit 3:6, Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7, That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

If I give $5 to the poor, or even $5,000,000, that is not going to regenerate my heart so that I am a new creature in Christ.

The only thing that is going to do that is a work of the Holy Spirit through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider:

1Co 15:1, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2, By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3, For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4, And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:


Jesus died on the Cross to redeem us. His blood was shed so that we might be cleansed from all of our sin(s).

And He gave us His Holy Spirit so that we might live a life that is pleasing to Him (Luke 23:46, Romans 8:1-16).

And we do not receive the Holy Spirit through works of righteousness that we have done. We receive Him by simple faith in Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross (Galatians 3:14).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Enoch111

Enoch111

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2018
17,688
15,996
113
Alberta
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Contrary to the op, faith plus nothing fails to make one a child of God.
We need to base our beliefs on what is revealed in Scripture. When you examine John 1:12,13, you discover that it is only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving Him as Lord and Savior that people become children of God through the New Birth (which is supernatural):

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This corresponds to the truth that sinners are justified by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption. Baptism follows conversion and salvation. Good works follow baptism.
 

justbyfaith

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2018
21,740
4,114
113
51
San Pedro
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I would say, also, that our salvation, once we have obtained it by faith, is not maintained by works.

It is by faith from beginning to end and all the way through (Romans 1:17, Colossians 2:6, Galatians 3:1-3).
 
Last edited:

justbyfaith

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2018
21,740
4,114
113
51
San Pedro
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Now we abide by faith (alone): and because we abide, we bear good fruit.

Gal 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Bearing the fruit of love means that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:4). The love of God is also never in word or in tongue only; but it is in deed and in truth (1 John 3:17-18).

Therefore because the fruit of love is borne in our lives, we will not be lacking in good works:

Tit 3:14, And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy

Davy

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2018
11,466
2,500
113
Southeastern U.S.
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
1 Cor 15:1-5
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
NKJV

Christ died for our sins.
He was buried but rose again the third day
He was seen by the 12

This is the gospel of grace in which the children of God stand. The children of God are made children because of their faith in this gospel plus nothing.

2 Cor 11:3
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
NKJV

You have to be more specific than Paul there about our Lord Jesus rising on the third day, because some Jews here don't understand that actually means after He had been 3 days and 3 nights in the earth like He prophesied in Matthew 12:40.
 

H. Richard

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2015
2,345
852
113
Southeast USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
You have to be more specific than Paul there about our Lord Jesus rising on the third day, because some Jews here don't understand that actually means after He had been 3 days and 3 nights in the earth like He prophesied in Matthew 12:40.

Their problem, not mine.
 
Last edited:

H. Richard

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2015
2,345
852
113
Southeast USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Thanks you for the response.

Okay then.

You are right. We are to come before Him boldly, not with fear. After all He paid for our sins and made us children of God in Christ.

Heb 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
NKJV
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen

justbyfaith

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2018
21,740
4,114
113
51
San Pedro
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

5 definitions of grace:

1) unmerited favour;

2) getting what we don't deserve (heaven) as opposed to not getting (mercy) what we do deserve (hell);

3) the enabling power of God;

4) God's Riches At Christ's Expense;

5) Goodness Rendered As Christ Empowers.
 
Last edited:

amadeus

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2008
22,394
31,447
113
80
Oklahoma
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Problem is Epi...so do all the rest of us.. we would not post if we didn't believe that we were posting that which is clearly in God's word!
No one is here deliberately posting error .
People in delusion by definition, I guess, do not know that they are posting error. Like everyone else they believe that are right. But... when they went into delusion, initially, it was due to a deliberate action which caused them to lose their love for truth. The answer for anyone of us on any side of this is to always ask God to direct us so that we will hold onto or find again our love of Truth. None of us are able stay on the highway of holiness alone... yet so many refuse to prostrate themselves before God and surrender completely to Him. They may say that they've already done that and therein is the problem. What we did last month or last year or many years ago that was right will NOT matter if we have gotten off the Way since then...

Remember the unnamed prophet who came out of Judah to Jeroboam the King of the northern 10 tribes of Israel. He was a man of God who was right with God until he leaned on himself and another man instead trusting in God alone [I Kings 13:1-26]
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Helen and Nancy