Is FAITH ALONE Enough?

[Behold]

I think Jesus expects us to learn from our mistakes.

Yes.
And sinning and confessing and believing that this is "real christianity" is a mistake that God expects us to GET PAST.

Look at this verse, carefully..
Hebrews 6:1

This verse is talking about the Diaper Baby Believer, who is still sucking their thumb, living in the Cradle, having never taken a step towards Christian Maturity.
This verse tells you that they are "laying again the foundation " of confessing "dead works" (confessing sin)... which is to have no understanding of the Grace of God, as this person is trying to sin and confess to keep staying saved.
See that?
That is the "tit baby" Christianity, and Paul says in that verse that we are to move ON from that, initial "babe in Christ" MIND SET.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

When you go to God on the Cross, to become a born again Son/Daughter....what are you bringing to God that moment?
You are bringing your SIN...= as that is who you are.., not just what you've done. And that is all you have to offer God.
This is why you are KNOWN as a SINNER.

So, that's it. You have nothing else to give God but your FAITH.... And God accepts it, and resolves your sin, "once and for all"., based on the CROSS of Christ.

Q.) So, if God takes you, when you are UNGODLY, a SINNER, and makes you a Son/Daugher ... why would try to convince people that God only keeps you later, if you are good, when in fact God took you first of all when you were UNGODLY. ??

A.) 1stCenturyLady, your theology of "here is what you must do, to stay saved"< this Legalism that you teach, that is Cross denying.... is not related to Paul's Gospel, but it is related to this... Galatians 1:8

Our sin nature is taken care of at that moment, but what is it that Jesus commanded? Perfection! Holiness! That is beyond sinlessness. That is like God.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

I'm starting to think that faith might be the most important thing, but I think we also need to obey the Lord's commandments.

Faith and obedience go hand in hand. That is what those with the Faith Alone doctrine don't understand and have in fact misinterpreted what faith actually is.

 

[Behold]

Our sin nature is taken care of at that moment, but what is it that Jesus commanded? Perfection! Holiness! That is beyond sinlessness. That is like God.

And only God can provided it.

= "the GIFT of Righteousness".

That is not you or me doing it, as our deeds are not "righteous" after we are saved, exactly as they are not righteous before we are saved.

Look..

If you are an unbeliever giving to the poor, and then you become born again, and give to the poor.
Your giving is exactly the same VALUE, in both cases.
All that has changed is = BORN AGAIN..
That is God creating the born again believer, as a "new Creation In Christ".... "MADE RIGHTEOUS"
See that?
There is the Righteousness, that God requires.
God provides it. as "the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS".
We do Do that....we RECEIVE it as its a : GIFT.

"The GIFT of Righteousness"

 

[Enoch111]

One problem in many theologies is believing faith alone is enough for GOD.

You should remember the Five Solas, and that will keep you on the right track. They all work together.

1. GRACE ALONE
2. FAITH ALONE
3. CHRIST ALONE
4. SCRIPTURE ALONE
5. GLORY TO GOD ALONE

This means that justification (salvation) is by grace through faith + NOTHING.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

And only God can provided it.

= "the GIFT of Righteousness".

That is not you or me doing it, as our deeds are not "righteous" after we are saved, exactly as they are not righteous before we are saved.

Look..

If you are an unbeliever giving to the poor, and then you become born again, and give to the poor.
Your giving is exactly the same VALUE, in both cases.
All that has changed is = BORN AGAIN..
That is God creating the born again believer, as a "new Creation In Christ".... "MADE RIGHTEOUS"
See that?
There is the Righteousness, that God requires.
God provides it. as "the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS".
We do Do that....we RECEIVE it as its a : GIFT.

"The GIFT of Righteousness"

Correct. It is God that gives the increase. 1 Cor. 3:6. He finishes what He started. But to never change from the beginning of your walk is written by Peter

2 Peter 1:9 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

 

[Blue Dragonfly's]

You don't know?

Faith alone for what?

 

[1stCenturyLady]

You should remember the Five Solas, and that will keep you on the right track. They all work together.

1. GRACE ALONE
2. FAITH ALONE
3. CHRIST ALONE
4. SCRIPTURE ALONE
5. GLORY TO GOD ALONE

This means that justification (salvation) is by grace through faith + NOTHING.

Nothing except repentance to receive the Holy Spirit. But after that...2 Peter 1:5-9.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

 

[Behold]

2 Peter 1:9 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Peter is not kidding.
That is actually the failed discipleship of most believers, which is...to get saved, go to church, never really mature, have few prayers answered their entire life, if any,...and they watch a lot of Cable TV, grow fat, and eventually die.
They could not quote 5 verse from memory, after being saved 30 yrs but they can tell you why "Game of Thrones" is their favorite show.
That's it., they're done about 3 months after they are saved. They become "high maintenance low output" pew warmers.
They never led anyone to Christ.
They never really learned any bible.
They could not tell you what the "blood atonement" is, or does, if you put a gun in their eye socket and said...>"you better tell me".
They came to God, then years later sort of end up dead. And their discipleship at it BEST was, "sinning and Confessing and repenting" and worrying about losing their salvation.
The worst of these, come on Forums like this one, and try to talk real believers out of Faith in Christ and into faith in SELF effort = to try to stay saved.

Paul Teaches about the typical diaper baby believer more exactly here:

Hebrews 6:1

 

[1stCenturyLady]

They came to God, then years later sort of end up dead. And their discipleship at it BEST was, "sinning and Confessing and repenting" and worrying about losing their salvation.
The worst of these, come on Forums like this one, and try to talk real believers out of Faith in Christ and into faith in SELF effort = to try to stay saved.

Paul Teaches about the typical diaper baby believer more exactly here: Hebrews 6:1
Peter is not kidding.
That is actually the failed discipleship of most believers, which is...to get saved, go to church, never really mature, have few prayers answered their entire life, if any,...and they watch a lot of Cable TV, grow fat, and eventually die.
They could not quote 5 verse from memory, after being saved 30 yrs but they can tell you why "Game of Thrones" is their favorite show.
That's it., they're done about 3 months after they are saved. They become "high maintenance low output" pew warmers.
They never led anyone to Christ.
They never really learned any bible.
They could not tell you what the "blood atonement" is, or does, if you put a gun in their eye socket and said...>"you better tell me".

I agreed until this part:

Behold, I brought this last part of your post and made it bold to ask you something.

These people that you were describing at the beginning (which I now have at the end), the lukewarm Christian, do you believe they are saved? That is what the bolded part seems to say. Just curious.

A true Christian doesn't need to use the old self-effort from the days under the Law, the Holy Spirit in them does all the "work." That is why we are not just imputed with righteousness, we ARE righteous, as long as we do not quench the Spirit and keep growing in the fruit of the Spirit. 2 Peter 1:5-11. (I added 2 more verses)

 

[Enoch111]

Nothing except repentance to receive the Holy Spirit.

Please take some time to study Ephesians 2:8-10. Salvation (justification) is the gift of God to the sinner who repents AND BELIEVES. You are trying to dodge the meaning of "faith alone".

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Please take some time to study Ephesians 2:8-10. Salvation (justification) is the gift of God to the sinner who repents AND BELIEVES. You are trying to dodge the meaning of "faith alone".

Enoch, Hi! Nice to see you finally civil.

Ephesians 2:8-10 is exactly what I said. It is talking about a miraculously born again Christian that has been given the gift of His divine nature, recreated to do good works.

The faith alone doctrine usually means someone has faith that Jesus will save them no matter how sinful they continue to be. What is your definition?

 

[quietthinker]

Is FAITH ALONE Enough?
Is Jesus alone enough?......who wants to trust him?

 

[Behold]

These people that you were describing at the beginning (which I now have at the end), the lukewarm Christian, do you believe they are saved?

It does not matter, regarding BEING born again.

See, when we come to Christ we are a lot less then LUKEWARM.. WE are dirty rotten sin loving heathens.

And God says...."Take my Son, and i will take YOU">

God is the One who "justifies the UNGODLY".

So, all of us are UNGODLY and HELL BOUND when we turn to Christ and God SAVES US, and in that instant we become "made righteous".
We dont do that.
It is a GIFT. "the GIFT of righteousness"

So, if a born again person, who has been "made righteous", turns out to be a DEMAS instead of a Paul.....then God knew that about them when He saved them, as He knows our FUTURE>..... and He saved them anyway.

God does not save us based on...>"you have to be good later"..
He saves us because CHRIST has made it possible for God to have us.

It would be great if every born again believer was on fire for God, 24/7, but most are duds who live in their carnal mind.

That's just how it goes., and God the Father KNEW they would be a useless SAINT, the instant He saved them, but because Salvation is not based on how we behave or perform later...... ......= Salvation is ONLY based on what Christ has "FINISHED" on the Cross, = Jesus said..."it is finished"

 

[1stCenturyLady]

God does not save us based on...>"you have to be good later"..

Yes, you do. Revelation 22:11

That sounds like a pew warmer to me, and are not saved.

I agree we cannot change ourselves and do good before coming to Christ, but rather come to Him because goodness is required to enter heaven, and we KNOW there is no way we qualify on our own without Christ. Only Christ can free us from that sin nature that was consuming our lives.

But there is no way that after Jesus gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit and we are born again we can remain the same old sinner with a carnal nature. That is impossible.

 

[Enoch111]

The faith alone doctrine usually means someone has faith that Jesus will save them no matter how sinful they continue to be. What is your definition?

That is just imaginary NONSENSE. No one preaches such a foolish Gospel.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

That is just imaginary NONSENSE. No one preaches such a foolish Gospel.

Then how does a "faith alone" Christian act after salvation? Do they continue to sin or has Jesus taken away their sin and they are free as Paul and John claims.

You don't seem to agree with the doctrine of Paul and John that I claim.

 

[WalkInLight]

One problem in many theologies is believing faith alone is enough for GOD. Peter criticized them for not growing further in the knowledge of Jesus and Christian living.

Read 2 Peter 1:5-11. How many people have heard a sermon on this passage. It should be brought from the platform every week during this critical time in history where so many false doctrines have been taught and believed! Those who believe faith alone is enough for God are lukewarm and God will spew them out of His mouth. Also Matthew 7:21-23

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This will guarantee that JESUS KNOWS US.

There is a different way of looking at this. We are emotional creatures who are mucked up at birth because we cannot speak
to our Father or know Him. We are alone, isolated and have to fight for recognition and only know grabbing our stuff and keeping
it out of the hands of others.

Jesus came to declare we are His friends, children of His Father who will welcome us in, if we learn and walk in His ways.
It is an emotional home coming, the fulfilment of our hearts and the reality of the Kingdom. Its fruit is love, patience, peace,
truth, joy. It is so foundational it is called being born again, becoming children again and learning things from scratch.

Now put on the words "faith alone" here and it literally is absurd. A trick of the enemy, a lie that denies the transforming power
of a heart set free walking in the Holy Spirit, but is spoken by folk who want security in the promises but are not willing to pay
the price of the cross. Giving up ones life in this world for the life in the next is not quite what it appears.

Peter said to Jesus, we gave up everything for you. Jesus declared in Christ we get a whole new family, brothers, sisters,
parents, children. It is what happens when life becomes simple and loving not trying to prove anything but just follow our King.

God bless you

 

[WalkInLight]

That is just imaginary NONSENSE. No one preaches such a foolish Gospel.

I have debated folk who do exactly that. And emotional defeat and desperation causes some odd compromises.

 

[Enoch111]

I have debated folk who do exactly that. And emotional defeat and desperation causes some odd compromises.

Why don't you give us an exact verifiable quote(s) to show that this nonsense is being preached.