justbyfaith
Well-Known Member
This is a typical straw man faith onlyists offer up. NO WHERE have I ever said I can be justified by MY works. I have said I can be justifed by doing GOd's works/commands/laws. Evidently faith onlyist do not want to recognize the difference between one doing his OWN works and one doing GOD'S commands.
Mat 7:22, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23, And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These appear to be God's works that are spoken of and mentioned...how far did they get the people in question who thought that they were justified by them?
But if you will not listen to the testimony of scripture, then I have to believe that what is spoken of below is true of you:
2Co 4:3, But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4, In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
What Christ did on the cross He did for every man, Hebrews 2:9 yet every man will not be saved for every man will not obey Christ, Hebrews 5:9.
Hebrews 5:9 is speaking of the fact that those of whom Melchizedek is the author of eternal salvation, also obey him (this is a passage that is said to be meat and not milk)...not that they obey him unto salvation...but that their salvation is unto obedience. What excludes a person from salvation is unbelief, which might result in disobedience...as also, faith results in obedience.
Jesus Himself said to strive to enter the strait gate Luke 13:24. One cannot enter heaven without striving to get there. What does one strive to do? His OWN works? No, but strives to keep GOD'S will and conditionally repents for those time he does not.
The striving is unto sanctification; not the doing of good works. Yes, good works will result from sanctification.
Jesus never said believe only to be saved. Jesus made repentance, confession and baptism (Luke 13:3; Matthew 20:32-33 and Mark 16:16 just as necessary as belief. A NT belief therefore includes repentance confession and baptism else it is dead.
You got one of those scriptures wrong. But in Mark 16:16 it does not say that those who do not believe and are not baptized shall be damned. It says, "those who do not believe are damned." Read it.
Abraham did do works Hebrews 11:8,17 that is an undeniable fact. Therefore "worketh not" of Romans 4:5 cannot exclude Abraham from ALL works of ALL types without creating a logical contradiction.
No; because Romans 4:5 is speaking of the generic person who worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. Abraham may be given as an example in verses before it; however Romans 4:5 itself is not speaking of Abraham in particular.
Therefore if one quits hearing and following he is DIS-qualified from being a sheep of Christ and therefore will no longer be among the 'they' of verse 28.
I say to you truly, that the one who has a living and saving faith shall never perish; and that this is absolute terminology. Therefore, either a man can fall away and would continue to have everlasting life or else a living and saving faith is an everlasting faith.
And yes, men can quit hearing and following Christ by using the same volition they used to start hearing and following Christ.
Only if their faith is nominal, lukewarm, or shallow...as mere mental assent to the tenets of the gospel. If a man has a heart faith that is unto righteousness (Romans 10:10) and enduring to the end (Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13), then the fear of the Lord is in his heart...and this means that not only can no one snatch him out of God's hand; but it also means that he shall not depart from the Lord (Jeremiah 32:38-40 (kjv))...he will never walk away.
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