...being justified by grace...

[justbyfaith]

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.

From this scripture we can determine that those who have been justified by the grace of God are those who have been regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost.

Here are two scriptures that define such people:

2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Tit 2:14, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Such people are new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away; and all things have become new. The old things is the old sinful lifestyle, the new refers to a life of holiness that we will live as believers in Christ. All things are become new in the life of the born again Christian.

He redeems us from all iniquity.

 

[Episkopos]

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.

From this scripture we can determine that those who have been justified by the grace of God are those who have been regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost.

Here are two scriptures that define such people:

2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Tit 2:14, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Such people are new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away; and all things have become new. The old things is the old sinful lifestyle, the new refers to a life of holiness that we will live as believers in Christ. All things are become new in the life of the born again Christian.

He redeems us from all iniquity.

Actually God calls us away from iniquity. You are making it sound like the beginning is the end. But a new birth gives us a new potential for growth into the likeness of Christ. But there is no guarantee of that. We are in a race...not a free coronation. They who claim salvation at the beginning are in great danger of not bearing the right kind of fruit...of "burying their talent"...or their potential to be like Christ in the world.

2 Tim. 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

 

[Waiting on him]

So, being justified by His grace, would this imply past tense, present tense or future tense??

 

[justbyfaith]

So, being justified by His grace, would this imply past tense, present tense or future tense??

All three.

 

[justbyfaith]

Actually God calls us away from iniquity. You are making it sound like the beginning is the end. But a new birth gives us a new potential for growth into the likeness of Christ. But there is no guarantee of that. We are in a race...not a free coronation. They who claim salvation at the beginning are in great danger of not bearing the right kind of fruit...of "burying their talent"...or their potential to be like Christ in the world.

2 Tim. 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Salvation is a work of transformation accomplished by the Holy Spirit...

Of course a part of this work is accomplished through the preaching of repentance and the sinner's response to that preaching.

If repentance be genuine, then the person has made a 180-degree turn away from sin, hell, death, and the devil to righteousness, heaven, life, and God.

Therefore, once repentance is secure, all one need do in order to keep bearing the right kind of fruit is to keep walking in the same direction; and not turn back around towards sin.

Thus salvation can indeed be a one-time even in a person's life; wherein they are justified (past-and-present-tense, delivered from the penalty of sin) continue to be sanctified (present-tense, delivered from the power of sin) and shall be glorified (future tense, delivered from the presence of sin).

 

[justbyfaith]

Actually God calls us away from iniquity.

And how is it that you think that you are correcting me in saying that?

 

[Enoch111]

So, being justified by His grace, would this imply past tense, present tense or future tense??

"Being" means "having been" -- already accomplished. Justification is a one-time act of God and it is purely by His grace.

 

[justbyfaith]

"Being" means "having been" -- already accomplished. Justification is a one-time act of God and it is purely by His grace.

Already accomplished for some. For others, who have not yet received Christ, it has not been accomplished; and God only knows if it ever will be.

It continues to be accomplished for those who walk as regenerated and renewed saints.

 

[Enoch111]

For others, who have not yet received Christ, it has not been accomplished; and God only knows if it ever will be.

That's a given. Sinners can only be justified by grace through faith when they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption.

Justification is a purely divine act of God's grace towards those who do not deserve it. And it is based purely upon Christ and His finished work of redemption, not on works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy. Justification and imputed righteousness are inseparable, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to those who believe on Him. And that is why it is called "Amazing Grace".

 

[justbyfaith]

Those who are truly justified will be regenerated and renewed on the inside. And righteousness is not only imputed; it is also imparted (Matthew 5:6, Romans 5:19, 1 John 3:7).

We do not deserve it, that is true. For our sins before we received Christ have made us unworthy of His love.

However, the shedding abroad of His love in our hearts (Romans 5:5) once we became Christians makes us worthy to enter the kingdom (see Revelation 3:4). It is not that we enter into the kingdom because we are righteous; but that we are righteous because we have entered into the kingdom.

Iow, we do not do any work of righteousness that earns our entrance into heaven. However, entrance into salvation means that we are zealous of good works (Titus 2:14) and therefore we will be performing righteous deeds as agents of the kingdom.

 

[Episkopos]

Therefore, once repentance is secure, all one need do in order to keep bearing the right kind of fruit is to keep walking in the same direction; and not turn back around towards sin.

There's a lot more to it than that. Repentance is never "secured" for all time. We need to learn humility...a new humility to add to the new growth. This is real life and anything is possible. We are just human after all.

Thus salvation can indeed be a one-time even in a person's life; wherein they are justified (past-and-present-tense, delivered from the penalty of sin) continue to be sanctified (present-tense, delivered from the power of sin) and shall be glorified (future tense, delivered from the presence of sin).

How is that not a false assurance? A baby can go a lot of different ways. One must consider that we are in a war...and in a war a lot of people don't make it through. Of course they who do will be said to have always been saved. Evangelicalism forces that kind of thinking on people in order to indoctrinate them...but this doesn't present an accurate picture to the seeker of God.

We all reap what we sow.

I know this seems to NOT be true because of grace. But that is because of a misunderstanding of what grace is and does. So people will say..."in Christ we don't reap what we sow"...but that isn't true.

So truth has layers and a polarity that few if any take into consideration.

I have a thread called "drawing the wrong conclusions" that I suggest covers these eventualities. Certainty of a perceived salvation status is NOT good. Trusting in God is.

And how is it that you think that you are correcting me in saying that?

By intimating that we are already saved from iniquity. But iniquity only becomes possible after we think we are saved more than others.

 

[Episkopos]

That's a given. Sinners can only be justified by grace through faith when they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption.

That is a religious formula you have been taught to believe. God does not demand we believe that Jesus died for them. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. The whole world doesn't need to believe that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world....for Jesus to die for their sins.

So you have made it very easy for yourself by inventing a false criteria in order to justify yourself for your belief in that formula.
We are actually to put our faith IN Christ...not just what He did.

Justification is a purely divine act of God's grace towards those who do not deserve it. And it is based purely upon Christ and His finished work of redemption, not on works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy. Justification and imputed righteousness are inseparable, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to those who believe on Him. And that is why it is called "Amazing Grace".

Half-true. God is merciful and He forgives our sins. But in the end we still reap as we sow. Why do people keep saying the righteousness of Christ? You are confusing the righteousness of God which is by faith...with the righteousness of Christ which is according to His own maturity of actions. Nobody has the righteousness of Christ but He Himself.

Your error is so fundamental that you should do a study on the righteousness of Christ. You will find that you have not understood the gospel. Jesus had His own righteousness.

 

[Episkopos]

This whole salvation status thing is of men not God. People are led to believe that they do good because they are saved. But this is only a half-truth and mostly backwards. Most believers do good from their own power...like everyone else. Since there is no imputed salvation status, people elevate themselves into thinking that common decency makes them better than other people with the same common decency. It is just mislabeled self-righteousness to elevate one's own status while looking down on that same walk in others. So we judge ourselves for this iniquity. And this is very dangerous...because there is a REAL grace and a real walk in salvation.

It's akin to the boy who cried wolf. The world is very tired of the false claims of salvation of the religiously political right wing.

How much is this about politics as opposed to actual spiritual life?

A quick look at the political polls is sufficient to answer that question. Is there any genuine faith in the church?

 

[justbyfaith]

You are confusing the righteousness of God which is by faith...with the righteousness of Christ

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.

 

[justbyfaith]

Most believers do good from their own power...like everyone else.

See John 15:5.

 

[Episkopos]

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.

You will have to investigate your own error. I'm not playing that game.

I can do that too...

Jesus is the Lamb of God.

There.

 

[justbyfaith]

Repentance is never "secured" for all time.

I disagree. See John 5:24.

We need to learn humility...

Humility is an accurate perception of yourself and includes understanding the promises of the Lord to you so that your security does not rest in your own righteousness but Christ's/God's.

 

[Episkopos]

See John 15:5.

The way in Christ is not an end...but a means. (that's why it is called a way....not a done deal) Can you understand what that is? Do you know what the difference is between a means and an end.

I have met very few modern style believers who understand even that.

 

[justbyfaith]

You will have to investigate your own error.

You're saying that it is an error that I said that Jesus is God in the flesh?

Jesus said that if you really believe that, you will die in your sins.

 

[Episkopos]

Episkopos said: ↑
Repentance is never "secured" for all time.
I disagree. See John 5:24.

IF you abide in Christ...big IF...then you have nothing to repent of because there is no sin IN Christ.

But how many people know that level of walk?

Mostly people are just trying to be good. And these need to walk in a constant metanoia...repentant attitude. Humility!