a few thoughts on modern day Christian soteriology

[IAmAWitness]

I feel that the church today, in preaching an unqualified faith without works theology, is implicitly making an argument against the role of works. By not specifying what is expected of us, and focusing solely on faith, then it seems to be giving the suggestion that works have no role in salvation at all. Further, when Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, or others have tried to make a contribution to this field of doctrine which obviously the question is not settled on, they have been shot down as either being legalists or adhering to a works-based salvation, and that point I don't entirely accept, irrespective of my views of the validity of those two churches (and I am neither).

My point in bringing this to light was that the modern day view of salvation accepts that salvation arises from a physiological process in the brain, of memory formation and the brain center dealing with conviction. Of the arising neurological processes that occur when one has accepted Christ as Lord, these processes which occur in the brain and are the effect of one's acceptance, acknoledgement, or dedication to belief in Christ as Lord, that person is thereby saved by this process.

Notce the subtlety of it: What is being said is not that after this brain state is achieved that we have to do anything in the way of baptism, Communion, or obeying the commandments. It relies solely, that is, the modern soteriology of a faith based salvation, on a salvation tied to intrinsic physiological, neurological processes. You are saved by the chemicals and the neurons firing in your brain.

This is the heart of the salvation Christianity teaches today.

 

[Pharmboy]

I think a lot of people struggle with faith-only theology, even the people who teach faith alone. Why? Because it feels wrong AND because the Bible clearly teaches that we will be judged according to our works. The question is: why will we be judged by our works when our works dont save us (also a clear NT teaching)? It is because your works say what you really are. If you truly believe something then you will alter your life accordingly. If you just say you believe it then your life (what you do) will show little to no evidence of it. I call this the "what you do is what you are" theory. To get this through faith there has to be one added ingredient. Repentance! Faith without repentance is dead. Repentance (from sin to God deeds) = works. How can you have true faith without repentance? Wont repentance lead to righteous works? There is no salvation apart from 1)faith and 2)repentance!

 

[Butch5]

I feel that the church today, in preaching an unqualified faith without works theology, is implicitly making an argument against the role of works. By not specifying what is expected of us, and focusing solely on faith, then it seems to be giving the suggestion that works have no role in salvation at all. Further, when Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, or others have tried to make a contribution to this field of doctrine which obviously the question is not settled on, they have been shot down as either being legalists or adhering to a works-based salvation, and that point I don't entirely accept, irrespective of my views of the validity of those two churches (and I am neither).

My point in bringing this to light was that the modern day view of salvation accepts that salvation arises from a physiological process in the brain, of memory formation and the brain center dealing with conviction. Of the arising neurological processes that occur when one has accepted Christ as Lord, these processes which occur in the brain and are the effect of one's acceptance, acknoledgement, or dedication to belief in Christ as Lord, that person is thereby saved by this process.

Notce the subtlety of it: What is being said is not that after this brain state is achieved that we have to do anything in the way of baptism, Communion, or obeying the commandments. It relies solely, that is, the modern soteriology of a faith based salvation, on a salvation tied to intrinsic physiological, neurological processes. You are saved by the chemicals and the neurons firing in your brain.

This is the heart of the salvation Christianity teaches today.

That's pretty much it. However, it is flatly wrong. The issue is settled and ahs been since very early on. The problem is that the Reformers rejected it when they revolted against it's abuses by the Catholic church. Instead of returning to the faith, they opposed the Catholic church and went 180 degrees in the other direction.

 

[ScottAU]

Faith only theology errs in not discerning the difference between the "works of faith" and the "works of the law."

Faith is a work (1Th 1:3) for it is the active dynamic of being fully persuaded in the mind (Rom 4:21) that God is real (Heb 11:6) and trustworthy (Rom 4:21). This faith necessitates the working principle of "yielding to God" or in other words being a "doer of the word." This is saving faith and it is absolutely essential for salvation to take place.

This is why James taught that faith and deeds go together. For a faith that does not have associated deeds is a dead faith for it is a passive ineffectual faith.

God leads and we are to follow. The lead of God is His grace and the submission to His lead is faith. Hence faith, obedience and believing are all really the same thing.

Noah had faith and BUILT the ark by faith. Abraham obeyed God and left his homeland because he had faith.

Hence we are saved by faith THROUGH grace and not of works lest any man should boast.

What are the works in which men boast?

Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

The Pharisees sought their righteousness in the law apart from the grace of God. Thus to them righteousness was a mechanical process of crossing T's and dotting I's. They had no love when it is faith that works by love (Gal 5:6) and upholds the law (Rom 3:31) in the heart producing the fruit of righteousness (Rom 8:4). Hence salvation is rooted in simply yielding (faith) to the leading of God on our hearts (grace) and this is the gift of God.

Abiding in Jesus Christ is simply yielding to His Spirit by faith and walking in His steps as we are led. Thus eternal life is found through abiding in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

[JB_Reformed Baptist]

scottAU said:

For a faith that does not have associated deeds is a dead faith for it is a passive ineffectual faith.

God leads and we are to follow. The lead of God is His grace and the submission to His lead is faith. Hence faith, obedience and believing are all really the same thing.

​Amen! i.e synonymous. :)

 

[ScottAU]

Faith only theology errs in not discerning the difference between the "works of faith" and the "works of the law."

Faith is a work (1Th 1:3) for it is the active dynamic of being fully persuaded in the mind (Rom 4:21) that God is real (Heb 11:6) and trustworthy (Rom 4:21). This faith necessitates the working principle of "yielding to God" or in other words being a "doer of the word." This is saving faith and it is absolutely essential for salvation to take place.

This is why James taught that faith and deeds go together. For a faith that does not have associated deeds is a dead faith for it is a passive ineffectual faith.

God leads and we are to follow. The lead of God is His grace and the submission to His lead is faith. Hence faith, obedience and believing are all really the same thing.

Noah had faith and BUILT the ark by faith. Abraham obeyed God and left his homeland because he had faith.

Hence we are saved by faith THROUGH grace and not of works lest any man should boast.

What are the works in which men boast?

Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

The Pharisees sought their righteousness in the law apart from the grace of God. Thus to them righteousness was a mechanical process of crossing T's and dotting I's. They had no love when it is faith that works by love (Gal 5:6) and upholds the law (Rom 3:31) in the heart producing the fruit of righteousness (Rom 8:4). Hence salvation is rooted in simply yielding (faith) to the leading of God on our hearts (grace) and this is the gift of God.

Abiding in Jesus Christ is simply yielding to His Spirit by faith and walking in His steps as we are led. Thus eternal life is found through abiding in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Saved by grace THROUGH faith I mean. oops


The hands can be quicker than the mind and it can get me into all sorts of trouble.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Faith without repentance is dead.

Nice! Faith without repentance is mental belief, something which devils have. Faith with repentance is doing the foremost work of GOD - believing into the son of GOD - which puts to death the works of the flesh.