Is believing/faith a work ?

[Eternally Grateful]

Eternal life is eternal for those who attain it on judgment day. No one in this life has eternal life but can possess the promise of eternal life (1 Jn 2:25)

John 3, HAS eternal life
John 6. HAS eternal life. will NEVER DIE
John 10. God gave them (past tense) eternal life
1 John 5. God has given us eternal life
1 John 5, we may know we HAVE eternal life

Stop cherry picking verses to support your faulty view

and that promise is CONDITIONAL upon the Christian's CONTINUE obedience.

Then it is not a gift. It is a reward. And you better live up to Gods standard.. which is perfection. and have better have never sinned. Because once you sin, you have failed to live up to Gods standard

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Amen! Don't expect works-salvationists to understand. (1 Corinthians 2:14) Furthermore, in regards to 2 Peter 2:20, compare 2 Peter 1:4 - "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption - Strongs #5356 that is in the world through lust with 2 Peter 2:20 - with they escaped the pollutions - Strongs #3356 (different Greek word) of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yet they are again entangled therein, and overcome. *Notice that 2 Peter 2:20 did not mention them being "partakers of the divine nature."

Corruption (Strongs #5356) (to shrivel or wither, spoil , ruin , deprave, corrupt , defile, to destroy by means of corrupting, to spoil as does milk). Corruption - describes decomposition or rotting of an organism and the accompanying stench. The utter depravity of the fallen flesh and the resultant moral decomposition of the world opposed to God is driven by it sinful lusts or evil desires. Internal corruption.

Pollutions/Defilements (Strongs #3393) ("pollutions", "filthy things", "contaminations", "world's filth") describes the state of being tainted or stained by evil and refers to impurity, impure, tainted, defilement, foulness or pollution. Pollutions/Defilement refers to what is on the outside. (2 Peter 2:20) But genuine believers have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)

Corruption is deeper than pollutions/defilements on the outside: it is decay on the inside. Having the knowledge of Jesus Christ does not save a person if there is no heart submission to that knowledge. The latter end is worse than the beginning for these men because rejecting this knowledge will make them more accountable at the judgment.

sadly, I fear they will not understand it until they stand in front of Christ. and he asks them for their payment. only to find out. they did not work hard enough. so are lost forever.

 

[mailmandan]

John 3, HAS eternal life
John 6. HAS eternal life. will NEVER DIE
John 10. God gave them (past tense) eternal life
1 John 5. God has given us eternal life
1 John 5, we may know we HAVE eternal life

Stop cherry picking verses to support your faulty view


Then it is not a gift. It is a reward. And you better live up to Gods standard.. which is perfection. and have better have never sinned. Because once you sin, you have failed to live up to Gods standard

John 5:24 - Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears [present tense participle] my word and believes [present tense participle] him who sent me has [present tense; right now] eternal life. He does not come into judgment [present tense; right now], but has passed [perfect tense; from the past to present] from death to life.

 

[mailmandan]

sadly, I fear they will not understand it until they stand in front of Christ. and he asks them for their payment. only to find out. they did not work hard enough. so are lost forever.

There will be two types of "professing" Christians at the judgment. Those who say, "Lord, Lord, didn't WE" and "Lord, Lord, didn't YOU." The former will be made up of those who trust in works for salvation. The latter will be made up of those who trust in Christ alone for salvation.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

John 5:24 - Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears [present tense participle] my word and believes [present tense participle] him who sent me has [present tense; right now] eternal life. He does not come into judgment [present tense; right now], but has passed [perfect tense; from the past to present] from death to life.

it get no more clearer than that. for those with open ears.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

There will be two types of "professing" Christians at the judgment. Those who say, "Lord, Lord, didn't WE" and "Lord, Lord, didn't YOU." The former will be made up of those who trust in works for salvation. The latter will be made up of those who trust in Christ alone for salvation.

ie, there will be tax collectors who cried out for Gods mercy. and pharisees who pumped their chests..

 

[mailmandan]

Salvation is not by works of merit per Eph 2:8-9 but salvation is by obedience to God's will (Rom 6:16; Heb 5:9; Rom 10:9-10; Acts 2:38; etc). And obedience to God's will is never called a work of merit for they are two completely different things.

A distinction without a difference. We are not saved by works in general (Romans 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9) so your "not saved by works of merit, but saved by works of obedience" argument is bogus. Roman Catholics make this same argument as well in a desperate attempt to "get around" the fact that man is saved by grace through faith and NOT BY WORKS.

Romans 6:16 clarifies that we are either servants of sin unto death (descriptive of unbelievers) or servants of obedience unto righteousness (descriptive of believers). Romans 6:18 says having been set free from sin, we have become slaves of righteousness. Nothing here about accomplishing multiple acts of obedience/works in order to become righteous according to your eisegesis.

In regards to Hebrews 5:9, who is it that obeys Him? The saved or the lost? I have often heard works-salvationists use this verse to try and support salvation by works. Only believers have obeyed Him by choosing to believe the gospel (Romans 1:16) in order to become saved, and only believers obey Him after they have been saved through faith by practicing righteousness and not sin. (1 John 3:9,10). In either sense, only believers obey Him.

Unbelievers have not obeyed Him by refusing to believe the gospel (Romans 10:16) and without faith its impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), so unbelievers do not obey Him no matter how much "so-called" obedience that they attempt to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to receive salvation based on their works. So in either sense, unbelievers do not obey Him

In Romans 10:9-10, confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead are not two separate steps to salvation, but are chronologically together. Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” TOGETHER (that is, the word of faith which we preach). Confession is an expression of faith by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) and not a work for salvation.

In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.

*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 - the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:47).

In Acts 10:43 we read ..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 - when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47. This is referred to as repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.

*So the only logical conclusion when properly harmonizing Scripture with Scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*

There is a difference between obeying God's will IN ORDER TO BECOME SAVED: John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

AND

Obeying God's will AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SAVED: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

[mailmandan]

ie, there will be tax collectors who cried out for Gods mercy. and pharisees who pumped their chests..

I'm often reminded of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector when reading posts by legalists/works-salvationists.

Luke 18:9 - Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others/treated others with contempt/looked down on others. 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

[Eternally Grateful]

I'm often reminded of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector when reading posts by legalists/works-salvationists.

Luke 18:9 - Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others/treated others with contempt/looked down on others. 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

sounds just like them. especially this part

Luke 18:9 - Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others/treated others with contempt/looked down on others

 

[brightfame52]

mailmandan

A distinction without a difference. We are not saved by works in general (Romans 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9) so your "not saved by works of merit, but saved by works of obedience" argument is bogus. Roman Catholics make this same argument as well in a desperate attempt to "get around" the fact that man is saved by grace through faith and NOT BY WORKS.

I agree, its bogus. If we condition salvation on anything we do, it automatically defaults to meritorious works salvation by man.

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

2 Peter chapter 2 makes no sense if OSAS were true.

"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

In an effort to overturn this proverb, OSASers claim the dog and the sow were "never really saved", that is, the dog was always a lost dog and the sow was always a lost sow.

But the proverb is not teaching both were never really saved but instead shows the dog had once expelled the sin and the sow once had its sin washed away. Then the proverb shows both as having returned to their sinfulness by the dog eating again the sin it had once expelled and the sow wallowing in sin it had once washed off.

Peter is picturing apostates, who had once been forgiven of sins, they are now pictured as dogs and sows eating vomit again and wallowing in mire again.

I know that many have it wrong regarding OSAS and I rejected such nonsense.

But one who is truly Born again does not fall back to Carnal or Religion to back one up, so in that case OSAS is true only.

For if one fails and goes back to Carnal or Religious nonsense they were never truly Saved in fact in the first place.
They were only religious and religious does not Save.

2 Pet Chap 2 does truly make sense. warning against false teachers and foretells their punishment.
And is just as I have seen idiots who claim another type of OSAS nonsense. = 2 Pet 2:18-19 totally ! That describes my mate up the road totally and his Mob, for they believe they are saved regardless ? They claim that they can kill who ever they want regardless and do as they please, rape, molest, bash, you name it ! Devils is what I say they are in fact. they idolise the Jews regardless above all ?

They are saved ? by Man ? They can do this to another, one just repeats the words they say to one and then they have saved you ?
They are going about saving people ? Such is totally wrong in fact, no Man can save ones Soul, but for Christ Jesus himself through the Holy Spirit.
They push a religious Saving act. a swindle ! such are duped !
Now they clearly know that I am a Jew, but they reject such because they want me to do their bidding and I have no rights but to obey them ? But I said listen X,Y,Z but their ears are stoped up !

So what they are on about is that They have saved one and OSAS ? But that is false ! Such has nothing to do with Christ Jesus, now they will say to the Lord Jesus, Did we not do A,B,C for you ? But Jesus will say I never knew you ? You are workers of your own gods ?
Did Jesus say to kill anyone or to do wrong by others ? If one does so you best truly repent because that is not of Christ Jesus, but of this world under the power of Satan, such is under delusions and a deception.

Once one is in The Kingdom of God all are Saved, because such are worthy of Christ Jesus. Just as them Jews who were Jesus disciples were Saved, when Jesus went up to Heaven. They knew totally Jesus was the Christ ! Our Lord and Saviour. No one comes to the Father but through his only begotten Son. That's a 100% fact ! We are not of this world ? We are of the Kingdom of God ! Changed from being a Dog or swine.

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

2 Peter chapter 2 makes no sense if OSAS were true.

"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

In an effort to overturn this proverb, OSASers claim the dog and the sow were "never really saved", that is, the dog was always a lost dog and the sow was always a lost sow.

But the proverb is not teaching both were never really saved but instead shows the dog had once expelled the sin and the sow once had its sin washed away. Then the proverb shows both as having returned to their sinfulness by the dog eating again the sin it had once expelled and the sow wallowing in sin it had once washed off.

Peter is picturing apostates, who had once been forgiven of sins, they are now pictured as dogs and sows eating vomit again and wallowing in mire again.

A Christian who is not saved is just like one who is water baptised or only a Church believer going dude or even a Priest who is not saved ?
So this lot have the ability to repent of their Sin. but they are not Saved !
It's only given as to repent of ones Sins. but they are not Saved ! for they go back to their vomit ? now the hope is to be Saved ! then they will not go back to their vomit. because the truly born again Saved do not go back.

Like I have a mate who claims to be born again by religion and dubbed by Man born again ? but he has not changed ! he is only religious and looks up and says things as to god, for his own vanity ? Sorry god for profanity etc etc all day long ! I do not have to hear such displays of religious nonsense. he can not stop going back to the vomit and is proud of it. The reason being he is not truly Saved !
He is possessed by a demon and his religion and his gurus.

 

[Bible_Patrol]

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 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. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

A Christian who is not saved is just like one who is water baptised or only a Church believer going dude or even a Priest who is not saved ?
So this lot have the ability to repent of their Sin. but they are not Saved !
It's only given as to repent of ones Sins. but they are not Saved ! for they go back to their vomit ? now the hope is to be Saved ! then they will not go back to their vomit. because the truly born again Saved do not go back.

Like I have a mate who claims to be born again by religion and dubbed by Man born again ? but he has not changed ! he is only religious and looks up and says things as to god, for his own vanity ? Sorry god for profanity etc etc all day long ! I do not have to hear such displays of religious nonsense. he can not stop going back to the vomit and is proud of it. The reason being he is not truly Saved !
He is possessed by a demon and his religion and his gurus.

No verse says the promise of everlasting life is UNconditional whereby the Christian can never be lost under any circumstance no matter how the Christian lives his life. Instead, Rom 6 Christians are those who have conditionally died to sin and cannot continue live in sin. Bit if salvation were completely UNconditional then it would not matter how a Christian lived his life, he could live in sin and still be saved but such is cheap grace.

I am not talking about those who make a false profession about being a Christian, but one who is a Christian, one who obeyed the gospel of Christ by being baptized therefore born again. This born again Christian CAN fall away if he does not remain dead to sin but turns to live in sin and does not keep a faithful obedience to God.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

I know that many have it wrong regarding OSAS and I rejected such nonsense.

But one who is truly Born again does not fall back to Carnal or Religion to back one up, so in that case OSAS is true only.

Those born again CAN fall away as 2 Pet 2 proves for Peter speaks of one who had been "bought"...redeemed by the Lord but falls away having forsaken the right way and gone astray. One who was always lost, never saved cannot forsake the right way for he was never in the right way, he cannot go astray for he was always astray.

For if one fails and goes back to Carnal or Religious nonsense they were never truly Saved in fact in the first place.
They were only religious and religious does not Save.

2 Pet Chap 2 does truly make sense. warning against false teachers and foretells their punishment.
And is just as I have seen idiots who claim another type of OSAS nonsense. = 2 Pet 2:18-19 totally ! That describes my mate up the road totally and his Mob, for they believe they are saved regardless ? They claim that they can kill who ever they want regardless and do as they please, rape, molest, bash, you name it ! Devils is what I say they are in fact. they idolise the Jews regardless above all ?

They are saved ? by Man ? They can do this to another, one just repeats the words they say to one and then they have saved you ?
They are going about saving people ? Such is totally wrong in fact, no Man can save ones Soul, but for Christ Jesus himself through the Holy Spirit.
They push a religious Saving act. a swindle ! such are duped !
Now they clearly know that I am a Jew, but they reject such because they want me to do their bidding and I have no rights but to obey them ? But I said listen X,Y,Z but their ears are stoped up !

So what they are on about is that They have saved one and OSAS ? But that is false ! Such has nothing to do with Christ Jesus, now they will say to the Lord Jesus, Did we not do A,B,C for you ? But Jesus will say I never knew you ? You are workers of your own gods ?
Did Jesus say to kill anyone or to do wrong by others ? If one does so you best truly repent because that is not of Christ Jesus, but of this world under the power of Satan, such is under delusions and a deception.

Once one is in The Kingdom of God all are Saved, because such are worthy of Christ Jesus. Just as them Jews who were Jesus disciples were Saved, when Jesus went up to Heaven. They knew totally Jesus was the Christ ! Our Lord and Saviour. No one comes to the Father but through his only begotten Son. That's a 100% fact ! We are not of this world ? We are of the Kingdom of God ! Changed from being a Dog or swine.

You post if one fails and goes back to Carnal or Religious nonsense they were never truly Saved in fact in the first place.

This is not logical for if he was never truly saved then he cannot go back to carnal living for he never left it. As I posted above one who was never really saved cannot go back by forsaking the right way for he was never in the right way, he cannot go astray when he was ALWAYS astray.

If one QUITS smoking, his quitting "proves" he never really smoked.

This is nonsense for one cannot quit what he never really started..his quitting proves he once smoked. Likewise, if one quits believing his quitting must prove he once believed in order to quit believing. One uses his own volition to start believing thereby one can use that same volition to quit beliving, hence many admonishments, warning are given to those who believe about falling into unbelief, casting away their faith .... one cannot fall into unbeleif or cast away faith if he never beleived, never had faith to cast away. The Bible uses the conditional word "IF" many times and the present tense of verbs in proving the promise of everlasting life is just that, a CONDITION based upon the Christian's CONTINUED (present tense) faithful obedience to God.

 

[brightfame52]

Many have objected to the reality that Faith/Believing is a work because they read in scripture where faith is contrasted to works like Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Rom 4:5

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Yes Faith/Believing are contrasted with works, and the reason for that, Faith and or Believing are not of ourselves, but are Gifts of Gods Grace to a person, its only when we hijack that which finds it originating source from the Grace of God, and say, no my faith or believing originated from me and my nature, my freewill, then that's when the contrast no longer exists, then Faith and believing become your acts of the flesh, and that makes them your works.

To say one is Justified by Grace Rom 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

and one is Justified by Faith Rom 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Its saying the same thing if we keep in mind that Faith originates from Grace, and not of ourselves. If we believe that our Faith/Believing is because of the operation of Gods Grace, His Spirit, that its the Work of God in us being manifested Jn 6:29

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

2 Thess 2:13

3 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Sanctification of the Spirit is describing the work of God the Spirit, and what follows is belief of the truth or faith. The word belief here is the noun pistis and translated faith 239 times in the NT

And what is the Truth that the work of the Spirit leads to ? Its the Gospel, notice vs 14

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice that word whereunto, its the prep eis which means towards, into, (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.);

The point and result of the sanctification of the Spirit was to result in the belief of the truth of the Gospel.

This passage shows that #1 Believing the truth is a work of God the Spirit confirming Jn 6:29 and #2 that regeneration is before and unto Faith in the Gospel.

But if we deny this, and insist that faith/believing is of ourselves, then you fall into the snare of Salvation/Justification being by your works. 29

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

God justifies, Rom 8:23
obedient works justify James 2:24
faith justifies Romans 5:1
grace justifies Romans 3:24
Christ's blood justifies Rom 5:9

It is obvious that no one thing alone justifies, that is, faith alone does not justify, grace alone does not justify, obedience alone does not justify and just as obvious, justification is not UNconditional. God does not capriciously, unconditionally justify some people for some unknown, random reason...God is not a respecter of persons, (Acts 10:34-35).

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

A distinction without a difference. We are not saved by works in general (Romans 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9) so your "not saved by works of merit, but saved by works of obedience" argument is bogus. Roman Catholics make this same argument as well in a desperate attempt to "get around" the fact that man is saved by grace through faith and NOT BY WORKS.

Romans 6:16 clarifies that we are either servants of sin unto death (descriptive of unbelievers) or servants of obedience unto righteousness (descriptive of believers). Romans 6:18 says having been set free from sin, we have become slaves of righteousness. Nothing here about accomplishing multiple acts of obedience/works in order to become righteous according to your eisegesis.

In regards to Hebrews 5:9, who is it that obeys Him? The saved or the lost? I have often heard works-salvationists use this verse to try and support salvation by works. Only believers have obeyed Him by choosing to believe the gospel (Romans 1:16) in order to become saved, and only believers obey Him after they have been saved through faith by practicing righteousness and not sin. (1 John 3:9,10). In either sense, only believers obey Him.

Unbelievers have not obeyed Him by refusing to believe the gospel (Romans 10:16) and without faith its impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), so unbelievers do not obey Him no matter how much "so-called" obedience that they attempt to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to receive salvation based on their works. So in either sense, unbelievers do not obey Him

In Romans 10:9-10, confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead are not two separate steps to salvation, but are chronologically together. Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” TOGETHER (that is, the word of faith which we preach). Confession is an expression of faith by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) and not a work for salvation.

In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.

*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 - the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:47).

In Acts 10:43 we read ..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 - when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47. This is referred to as repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.

*So the only logical conclusion when properly harmonizing Scripture with Scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*

There is a difference between obeying God's will IN ORDER TO BECOME SAVED: John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

AND

Obeying God's will AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SAVED: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

You have not yet, or ever will, to provide a single verse that eliminates obedience to God's will from obtaining salvation nor a verse that calls obedience to God's will a work of merit. This is why the faith only argument is a dead, faulty argument.

 

[mailmandan]

You have not yet, or ever will, to provide a single verse that eliminates obedience to God's will from obtaining salvation nor a verse that calls obedience to God's will a work of merit. This is why the faith only argument is a dead, faulty argument.

Since you teach salvation by faith AND works, you confuse God's will for us to become saved with God's will for us after we have been saved. Your faulty argument and false gospel (which is the result of bad semantics and flawed hermeneutics) has already been refuted and is dead in the water.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Since you teach salvation by faith AND works, you confuse God's will for us to become saved with God's will for us after we have been saved. Your faulty argument and false gospel (which is the result of bad semantics and flawed hermeneutics) has already been refuted and is dead in the water.

The Bible teaches salvation by an OBEDIENT faith, a faith that obeys the will of God justifies/saves whereby a faith that is void of obedient works is dead as James says.

Faith onlyists try and save man by having man do nothing, that is, salvation is by some thought process or some emotional feeling or acknowledging or 'trusting' in some historical facts about Christ while not doing as Christ says to do, (Lk 6:46 cf Mt 7:21 "doing the will of the Father"). They wrongly think obedience to God's will is a work of merit then wrongly think one's obedience is attempting to earn God's free gift when again, obedience and works of merit are two completely different things and obedience to God's will is not a work of merit.