Is believing/faith a work ?

[Scott Downey]

"In His name is preached the forgiveness of sin"

and this too
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

If unbelieving people could be saved apart from the gospel of Christ, then many scriptures would be lies.

 

[Titus]

"In His name is preached the forgiveness of sin"

and this too
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

If unbelieving people could be saved apart from the gospel of Christ, then many scriptures would be lies.

YOU ARE NOT READING WHAT I WROTE!!! Go back and reread please.
YOU ARE PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH! I do not believe those who do not obey the gospel can be saved.
For crying out loud! I still love you. I'm not perfect either.

 

[MatthewG]

The Holy Spirit, even the spirit of Christ does the work, by you having the faith if you walk decide to walk by the spirit in any given situation and not react in the flesh.

 

[Titus]

The Holy Spirit, even the spirit of Christ does the work, by you having the faith if you walk decide to walk by the spirit in any given situation and not react in the flesh.

Why Total depravity i.e. inherited sin of Adam is false doctrine.
We can have faith in God without a miracle first worked on us by receiving Holy Spirit baptism.

God has blessed us with the gift to believe in God.
Everyone has this ability.

If it can be shown that the unsaved are capable of believing and loving God.
Then Calvinism is the false doctrine that I know it is.

The story of Cornelius

Acts 10:1-4, 22
There was a certain man in Ceaserea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment,
A devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always.
About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius!
And when he observed him, he was afraid and said "What is it Lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

Cornelius at this time was UNSAVED.
Why did He not need God to perform a miracle and send the Holy Spirit to give him the ability to believe?
This disproves Calvinisms false doctrine of born in sin, Total depraved nature! Calvinism refuted!

More proof we can have faith without being regenerated.

Acts 10:22
And they said Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews was divinely instructed by a Holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you.

Now remember Cornelius at this point is unsaved. He is a gentile. No gentiles have been saved yet. Only jews.
Cornelius is the first gentile to become a christian. Not looking good for Total depravity, sin nature nonsense.
Next chapter, 14. We will learn Cornelius will be saved by hearing the Gospel of Jesus. Not by direct operation of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 11:14
Who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.

Wow! Proof positive Cornelius was a devout man that feared God BEFORE he was regenerated!

Calvinism refuted. We are not born with a sin nature totally depraved, unable to have Faith in Christ.

 

[MatthewG]

Hello @Titus,

I did not read everything you posted.
Thought when it comes to depraved. (I refute total Calvinism but being depraved I believe that is one thing that is).
I was depraved from the things of God; but faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

in love,
Matthew Gallagher

 

[Titus]

Hello @Titus,

I did not read everything you posted.
Thought when it comes to depraved. (I refute total Calvinism but being depraved I believe that is one thing that is).
I was depraved from the things of God; but faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

in love,
Matthew Gallagher

Yes Sir! But not inherently.

 

[Titus]

Hello @Titus,

I did not read everything you posted.
Thought when it comes to depraved. (I refute total Calvinism but being depraved I believe that is one thing that is).
I was depraved from the things of God; but faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

in love,
Matthew Gallagher

O, love you also

 

[Titus]

Faith is not just an "activity" of the mind, Bible faith is an action, it it what one does, it is how one goes about living his life in obedience to God's will.

Mark 2:5 what Jesus "saw" that is called "faith" is the work those men did in carrying the sick man to Christ, removing the roof and lowering this man down to Jesus where Jesus "said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee". If faith is just a mental activity then these men would have just "thought" about carrying the man with palsy to Christ. The man with palsy would then have never seen Christ, not have been healed, not have sins forgiven.

Hello, would you mind giving me some advice on How to start a new thread? If not thanks anyway

 

[Happy Trails]

The verse says... """But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his FAITH is counted for righteousness.""

So, we see that faith and works are not the same.

Also, James says, i'll show you my FAITH..by my works. So, once again, we see the distinction, as they are not the same.


Self saving Cross rejecting Legalist's, can't understand any of this truth, and never will.

What does "self-saving" mean? I've never heard of a "self-saving, cross-rejecting legalist" before. I find it a fascinating term.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

No one CAN be justified by obeying commands. Because by those same commands we are in need of being justified. because we have failed to be obedient using Gods standard

The ONLY obedience one can do is to receive the gift of life through faith. which is obeying the gospel

He who believes is not condemned, he who believes not is condemned already

Obeying God's commands is the only way to be justified for disobeying certainly does not justify anyone.
2 Thessalonains 1:8 in flaming fire God has vengeance on those who "obey not".
The logical conclusion; one must obey to not be in flaming fire.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Hello, would you mind giving me some advice on How to start a new thread? If not thanks anyway

Christian Theology Forum

Click on the link right above. On that page on the right side near top you will see a box that says "post new thread" Click on that box. You can give your thread a title and type in your post and then click "create thread".

 

[Titus]

Christian Theology Forum

Click on the link right above. On that page on the right side near top you will see a box that says "post new thread" Click on that box. You can give your thread a title and type in your post and then click "create thread".

Much appreciated

 

[Titus]

What does "self-saving" mean? I've never heard of a "self-saving, cross-rejecting legalist" before. I find it a fascinating term.

Hello! I'm new on here, just like you. Only been a member for a couple of days.

 

[Happy Trails]

The answer is absolutely yes. If we agree with the overall definition of work according to the greek word for work ergon:

See strongs # 2041:

1. business, employment, that which any one is occupied
   1. that which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking
2. any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind
   
   
   
3. an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasized in opp. to that which is less than work
   A work is anything done, accomplished by #1 hand, #2 art, #3 industry, #4 or MIND
   
   The mind is :
   
   (in a human or other conscious being) the element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, etc.
   
   Psychology. the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes and activities.
   
   So believing something via the mental activity and process of reasoning is work. The process of decision making is a activity, work of the mind.
   
   Now for instance, the sin of hatred Gal 5:19-20
   
   
   Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
   
   
   20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
   
   How is that sin committed ? It starts in the mind or heart ! Yet in Vs 19 its stated as an work of the flesh
   
   So activity in and with the mind/heart is a work, this cannot be denied..
   
   Now believing is either a work of the flesh [unregenerate] or of the Spirit [ regenerated]
   
   But now Salvation is not by works, Neither by works of the flesh or works of the Spirit.

Let's look at the Father of Faith, Abraham. He believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness. Did he simply sit there believing? No. He moved his household to Canaan. Heb 11:8.

That was the act that demonstrated his belief. He believed God, he acted. If he had not acted, he would not hav

Hello! I'm new on here, just like you. Only been a member for a couple of days.

You're at least 70 posts ahead of me. I'm gonna be up all night!

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Much appreciated

You're welcome.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Obeying God's commands is the only way to be justified for disobeying certainly does not justify anyone.
2 Thessalonains 1:8 in flaming fire God has vengeance on those who "obey not".
The logical conclusion; one must obey to not be in flaming fire.

Excuse me sir

The penalty of sin is death. Not being good.

Gods standard is perfection. You have not made it. I have not made it no one has.

If your going to try to stand in front of God by how good you are. You will not like the outcome.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

What does "self-saving" mean? I've never heard of a "self-saving, cross-rejecting legalist" before. I find it a fascinating term.

I think of a pharisee when I hear this term..

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Let's look at the Father of Faith, Abraham. He believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness. Did he simply sit there believing? No. He moved his household to Canaan. Heb 11:8.

That was the act that demonstrated his belief. He believed God, he acted. If he had not acted, he would not hav

You're at least 70 posts ahead of me. I'm gonna be up all night!

The thing to remember is Abraham was justified by faith.

Granted, He showed his faith by his works. But he also had some prety grave sin also. He did not always trust perfectly.

But he was saved by grace through faith. The NT says we, who are of the faith of Abraham, are saved the same way, through him the father of our faith.

 

[brightfame52]

again, not true

Our faith is in the work of God. Thats why it is his work. not ours.

As jesus said, it is the work of God we believe. Not our work.

It is true if you condition your salvation on you doing those things !

 

[brightfame52]

Let's look at the Father of Faith, Abraham. He believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness. Did he simply sit there believing? No. He moved his household to Canaan. Heb 11:8.

That was the act that demonstrated his belief. He believed God, he acted. If he had not acted, he would not hav

You're at least 70 posts ahead of me. I'm gonna be up all night!

Sounds like you condition salvation on what a person does, thats salvation by works, by merit !