The "we can't save ourselves" myth ;)

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MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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It's true we can't save ourselves without Christ, our salvation is found only in Christ and Him alone. It's a slogan or catch-cry used to emphasise that we aren't saved by our own good works. In that context it is correct. But this catch-cry can so easily and wrongly be thrown around , that it becomes unscriptural. The idea that salvation has nothing at all to do with us? How scriptural is that?

Scripture says:

Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.


Yes, we do in fact save ourselves by trusting in Christ (yes, repent in there too, if you want to be picky), and then He saves us. Two-way relationship, not one-way.
 
jaylynn83

jaylynn83

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Christ chose us, even before the foundations of the world... so we do not in any way shape or form save ourselves.... im sure your gonna disagree though :) thats just what you do
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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janlynn83 says:

so we do not in any way shape or form save ourselves
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scripture says:

Save yourselves from this untoward generation
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lol it's written right there in scripture. How can you not see it.
 
jaylynn83

jaylynn83

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I cant see it because i lost my glasses........ have you seen them?? If you think we save ourselves, perfect for you....... however i disagree
 
jaylynn83

jaylynn83

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im curious...... how exactly have you saved yourself??? I mean when you sin do you throw water at yourself turn around three times and chant something.
 
K

KingdomGeneration

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MahogonySnail said:
Yes, we do in fact save ourselves by trusting in Christ (yes, repent in there too, if you want to be picky), and then He saves us. Two-way relationship, not one-way.
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Scripture says that we are saved by grace through faith. This implies that before grace can be applied that we must first believe. What people seem to have a hard time understanding is that the ability to believe, although it requires action on our part, it is also a gift from God. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

Since joining Christian Chat, I've noticed that there seems to be two camps among believers. Those who seem to put their trust in grace and the other who tends puts their trust in faith. Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in between. A delicate balance that I pray each and everyone of us receives through the wonderful gift that is the Holy Spirit.
 
A

Abing

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KingdomGeneration said:
Those who seem to put their trust in grace and the other who tends puts their trust in faith. Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in between. A delicate balance that I pray each and everyone of us receives through the wonderful gift that is the Holy Spirit.
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AMEN!!!
....
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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The scripture I posted says "save yourselves". Do you deny it says that?

All I can say is, whoever spoke Acts 2:40, it was Peter... was obviously not a Calvinist..he told them to save themselves from that generation, after testifying and exhorting them. Faith is a gift, but our own choices we must make.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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im curious...... how exactly have you saved yourself???
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By doing what Peter said to do to save ourselves...:

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added untothem about three thousand souls.



Calvinists I think it is don't go around telling people to save themselves. That's heresy according to them. You can't save yourself, they say, you must be chosen. But Peter the apostle said "save yourselves".
 
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1still_waters

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You do have to interpret scripture in light of other scripture though.........

So if there are other verses that suggest that you can't come to the father unless he draws you or that suggest apart from me you can do nothing.....

Well............ you might have to temper you acts verse with those.......

Maybe Peter's understanding was that hey, God just drew these people to himself, now they need to grab hold of it and take it?????

I mean Peter did spend three years with Jesus who did teach that none come to the Him unless the father draws them...

Just my two cents....

And it's been established that I'm right.
http://www.christianchat.com/showthread.php?t=1982

If you'd like to establish that you're right, go there and post.
 
A

Abing

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I understand clearly what you are talking about, Mahogany. God gave us Free will in the first place for us to choose between what's right and wrong. (Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they knew what was right and wrong) It means that we can choose to be right and believe what is written in the Bible! or we can choose to be wrong and reject it.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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The thing is, does "save yourselves from this generation" need to be interpeted? Sounds pretty simple to me.
lol let's not interpret "save yourselves" in the light of other scripture, to try and disprove that it doesn't say "save yourselves". We know it does, it's written there in plain english, KJV too.
If someone said to me "save yourself from all this stuff , by trusting in Christ", I'd say, "Sure thing, I'll do it". That's basically what Peter did. Of course, perhaps the Father drew them all there to be listening to Peter in the first place. It's a sequence of choices or steps, some God's , some ours. God's are more important of course.

But seriously, if Peter was a Calvinist, would he have said what he said? Or would he have said "those of you who are chosen and found yourself to be believing in Christ, get baptised!"
 
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1still_waters

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MahogonySnail said:
The thing is, does "save yourselves from this generation" need to be interpeted? Sounds pretty simple to me.
lol let's not interpret "save yourselves" in the light of other scripture, to try and disprove that it doesn't say "save yourselves". We know it does, it's written there in plain english, KJV too.
If someone said to me "save yourself from all this stuff , by trusting in Christ", I'd say, "Sure thing, I'll do it". That's basically what Peter did. Of course, perhaps the Father drew them all there to be listening to Peter in the first place. It's a sequence of choices or steps, some God's , some ours. God's are more important of course.

But seriously, if Peter was a Calvinist, would he have said what he said? Or would he have said "those of you who are chosen and found yourself to be believing in Christ, get baptised!"
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If Peter was a Calvinist, he wouldn't be evangelizing. Just kidding.

I don't think Peter was going to give a full discourse on how salvation worked. He knew from Jesus that none come to unless they are drawn. He knew that apart from Jesus no one can do a thing. So he might of figured hey, these folks are clearly drawn by God and enabled by God, so I'll just keep it simple and tell them to get saved!

Leaving all the details of 'how' for his discipleship class on Wednesday night.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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That's a very good point.. none of the apostles wrote any lengthy discourses on any of the topics that are usually debated here in this forum (and many other places). Maybe it's all useless to compare the different views.
 
C

carpetmanswife

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MahogonySnail said:
That's a very good point.. none of the apostles wrote any lengthy discourses on any of the topics that are usually debated here in this forum (and many other places). Maybe it's all useless to compare the different views.
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By george i think weve finally got it!! and IM RIGHT about this just check out the 'official im right thread' :)
 
L

LynnJ

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MahogonySnail said:
The scripture I posted says "save yourselves". Do you deny it says that?

All I can say is, whoever spoke Acts 2:40, it was Peter... was obviously not a Calvinist..he told them to save themselves from that generation, after testifying and exhorting them. Faith is a gift, but our own choices we must make.
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Scripture should be interpreted in context in order to understand its full meaning. When Peter told the people to save themselves from this corrupt generation, he had just been exhorting them to put their faith in Jesus Christ who can provide forgiveness of their sins. He was not telling them to save themselves by themselves but he was warning them against the evil generation and admonishing them to put their faith in Jesus' saving power in order to be saved from that evil and corrupt generation. They should turn away from the corruption of their present society, forsake the ungodly world, and unite themselves with Christ.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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Scripture should be interpreted in context in order to understand its full meaning. When Peter told the people to save themselves from this corrupt generation, he had just been exhorting them to put their faith in Jesus Christ who can provide forgiveness of their sins. He was not telling them to save themselves by themselves but he was warning them against the evil generation and admonishing them to put their faith in Jesus' saving power in order to be saved from that evil and corrupt generation. They should turn away from the corruption of their present society, forsake the ungodly world, and unite themselves with Christ.
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Exactly... I did make clear in my original post:

It's true we can't save ourselves without Christ, our salvation is found only in Christ and Him alone.
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To make sure I wasn't saying we can save ourselves, it is only Christ.
But we do save ourselves in the sense that we respond to the Gospel, they did what Peter told them to do, repent and believe, be baptised. Simple.
 
T

Thaddaeus

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Jan 31, 2009
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when you take one verse you can easily make that verse say anything you want it to, right before your verse Acts 2:40 Peter was Preaching Jesus and Him crucified, and that by believing this, is the way we save ourselves. Our Faith In ChristRo 3:27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.Ro 3:28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.Ro 3:29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:Ro 3:30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.Ro 3:31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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was Preaching Jesus and Him crucified, and that by believing this, is the way we save ourselves
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thankyou Thaddeus that is precisely what I believe. I probably didn't express it as well as this though.
 
S

Sinsear

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If you belief that ''if they left us then they were not of us'' is wrong then can someone explain to me this verse.

1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they were not all of us. 1Jn 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth.

Also...if one can lose salvation then why does peter say this?

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in Heaven for you

Keep in mind, im a believer of ''preserverance of the saints'' not ''osas''.

The bible teaches of how god predestined the elect before the foundation of the world so then how can it our choice if god already said he chose. He talks about how he will keep his sheep and nobody can snatch them from his hand. Doesnt

 
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