Why does Paul make statements that sound a lot like salvation is at least partially by works?

[Episkopos]

Each individual must do his own sowing, no one can sow for another.

Again, From Romans 2:6 God will render to every man according to his own deeds. Therefore one reaps what he sows for himself. One then must first sow (present tense) to the Spirit if wants to reap (future tense) everlasting life.

This is where so many get confused...between what salvation looks like right now...and what happens on judgment day for an everlasting salvation.

They are not the same thing.

What we get right now is the gift of a empowerment to do things that if they are done merit a reward.
What many people want doesn't exist....a free eternal salvation that is guaranteed no matter what is done in this life.

 

[justbyfaith]

Each individual must do his own sowing, no one can sow for another.

I beg to differ. If I share a verse with you, I am sowing that seed into your life.

If you continue to disagree, I believe that we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[justbyfaith]

What many people want doesn't exist....a free eternal salvation that is guaranteed no matter what is done in this life.

It does exist...but I would say that such a free eternal salvation might affect what we do in this life.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

I beg to differ. If I share a verse with you, I am sowing that seed into your life.

If you continue to disagree, I believe that we will have to agree to disagree.

I do not agree, one person does not reap what another person sows. I am not accountable for what you do, you are not accountable for what I do.

Luther's faith only violates the Bible's law on sowing and reaping.

 

[farouk]

Paul in Romans - where justification by faith is very strongly asserted - also speaks of the 'obedience of faith' and 'obedience to the faith' at the beginning and end of the Epistle. In other words, if their is no evidence of faith, one can assume that it does not truly exist, whatever the profession might be.

 

[justbyfaith]

I do not agree, one person does not reap what another person sows. I am not accountable for what you do, you are not accountable for what I do.

Luther's faith only violates the Bible's law on sowing and reaping.

Maybe you should ask the Lord to give you understanding on this subject; because it is very clear to me that ministers sow the seed of God's word into other people's lives.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Maybe you should ask the Lord to give you understanding on this subject; because it is very clear to me that ministers sow the seed of God's word into other people's lives.

I have consulted God's word on the subject and it is very clear that each person will reap what he sows.

 

[justbyfaith]

I have consulted God's word on the subject and it is very clear that each person will reap what he sows.

However, you are forgetting that it is mere common sense that the sower sows the word in soil other than himself (even in the parable of the sower).

You are missing the teaching of God's word on the subject because you think you know, when you do not.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

However, you are forgetting that it is mere common sense that the sower sows the word in soil other than himself (even in the parable of the sower).

You are missing the teaching of God's word on the subject because you think you know, when you do not.

Gal 6:7-8 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Again, YOU reap what YOU have sown.

So those who want to reap everlasting life per Gal 6:8 must first reap to the Spirit. On another forum I participate on, the Calvinists were claiming one is first given life, THEN one believes. That is putting the cart before the horse, that is reaping THEN sowing which is not logically, Biblically possible. The Calvinist looks to obtain everlasting life without having to do anything, that is, they want to reap everlasting life having sown nothing. If one wants the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) then one must first sow to the Spirit (obey the Spirit) then one can reap those fruits of the Spirit. Again, Calvinists want to reap those fruits of the Spirit without having to first sow to the Spirit. Everlasting life is a free gift, therefore sowing cannot earn it, but sowing is a necessary condition God has placed upon His free gift therefore one must first sow now in order to reap everlasting life in the future, in the world to come (Luke 18:30).

 

[justbyfaith]

I am referring to sowing and reaping as planting a scripture in someone's heart...as when I share with an unbeliever a scripture that I know will not return void in that person's heart.

That person did not sow the scripture into their own heart; an evangelist sowed it into their heart.

Now we can indeed sow scripture into our own heart, by picking up our Bible and reading it.

However, most unbelievers that I am aware of simply will not do this.

Therefore they are not sowing seed into their own heart; but someone must come along and sow the seed into their heart by sharing scripture with them.

Sowing to the Spirit has to do with planting the word of God in the heart (the seed is the word of God...Luke 8:11). Reaping to the Spirit is the obedience and love that is produced as fruit. But the obedience and love that is produced is not to be likened unto sowing. It is the end result of a process that begins with sowing to the Spirit...planting the word of the Lord in a heart by either reading it for yourself or by sharing it ewith someone else (as pertains to when an evangelist sows the word of God, to the Spirit, in the heart of someone else).