Are you really saved or do you just think you are? Exposing the lie of Easy Believism

Grace777x70 · Jul 4, 2017

We so often quote scriptures out of context. One favorite one is the Matt. 7 - doing the will of God in which Jesus is talking about false prophets. Matt. 7:15 - this is not talking about believers in Christ that are children of God - born of the Spirit - washed in His blood.

Jesus did the "will of God"...and delivered us from this present evil world

Galatians 1:4 (KJV)
[SUP]4 [/SUP] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

It is God in us that gives us the will and the ability to do His will.

Philippians 2:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

The Will of the Father is to believe on Jesus.

1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)
[SUP]23[/SUP] This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

[SUP]24 [/SUP] The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

The good works we do are from "being in Christ"..being lead by the Holy Spirit. Notice God has prepared them for us. We walk them out as we life our lives dependent on Him.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

[SUP]9 [/SUP] not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Stephen63 · Jul 4, 2017

dcontroversal said:

PennEd said:

Ariel82 said:

https://www.gotquestions.org/easy-believism.html

Question: "What is easy believism?"

Answer: Easy believism is a somewhat derogatory term used by opponents of the view that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. From this they conclude that those who hold to sola fide (“faith alone”)teach that no corresponding need exists for a committed life of Christian discipleship as proof of salvation; however, that is not what sola fide means. True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. Another common usage of the term easy believism is in regards to those who believe they’re saved because they prayed a prayer—with no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ. Praying a prayer is easy—thus the term easy believism—but there is more to salvation than mouthing words.

Much of the debate over easy believism is unnecessary and is based on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The essence of this doctrine is found in Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” So we see that faith, given as a gift by God, is what saves us. But the next verse tells of the results of that salvation: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty,by His will and for His use. We are His servants, and from the moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation. If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20), and a dead faith is not a saving faith.

“Faith alone” does not mean that some believers follow Christ in a life of discipleship, while others do not. The concept of the “carnal Christian,” as a separate category of non-spiritual believer, is completely unscriptural. The idea of the carnal Christian says that a person may receive Christ as Savior during a religious experience but never manifest evidence of a changed life. This is a false and dangerous teaching in that it excuses various ungodly lifestyles: a man may be an unrepentant adulterer, liar, or thief, but he’s “saved” because he prayed a prayer as a child; he’s just a “carnal Christian.” The Bible nowhere supports the idea that a true Christian can remain carnal for an entire lifetime. Rather, God’s Word presents only two categories of people: Christians and non-Christians, believers and unbelievers, those who have bowed to the Lordship of Christ and those who have not (see John 3:36; Romans 6:17–18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:18–24; Ephesians 2:1–5; 1 John 1:5–7; 2:3–4).

While the security of salvation is a biblical fact based upon the finished work of salvation by Christ, it is certainly true that some of those who seemed to have “made a decision” or “accepted Christ” may not genuinely be saved. As noted before, true salvation is not so much our accepting Christ as it is His accepting us. We are saved by the power of God for the purpose of God, and that purpose includes the works that give evidence of our conversion. Those who continue to walk according to the flesh are not believers (Romans 8:5–8). This is why Paul exhorts us to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The “carnal” Christian who examines himself will soon see that he/she is not in the faith.

James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” The type of “belief” demons have can be compared to the intellectual assent made by those who “believe” in Jesus in the fact that He exists or that He was a good person. Many unbelievers say, “I believe in God” or “I believe in Jesus”; others say, “I prayed a prayer, and the preacher said I was saved.” But such prayers and such belief do not necessarily signal a change of heart. The problem is a misunderstanding of the word believe. With true salvation comes genuine repentance and real life change. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that those who are in Christ are a “new creation.” Is it possible that the new person Christ creates is one who continues to walk in the carnality of the flesh? No.

Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe,but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith.
Recommended Resource: So Great Salvation by Charles Ryrie

Skinski7 · Jul 4, 2017

Grace777x70 said:

In your zeal to defend ongoing willful sinning in salvation you do indeed "so often quote scriptures out of context."

The new birth in a Christian is a manifest reality in grnuine Christianity, not the Gnostic abstraction which you imply. This is why "deeds" prove repentance (Act 26:20), faith works by love (Gal 5:6), love works no ill (Rom 13:10), and faith upholds the law as opposed go voiding it (Rom 3:31).

Peter in writing of the new birth taught...

1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that yelove one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

John in writing of the new birth taught...

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

A genuine Christian is manifest to the world that they do not commit sin. That is what the Bible teaches.

You on the other hand, and those like you, uphold a "new birth" in which one could still be raping and murdering, yet alone lying, cheating, being malicious, or any ither manner of conduct rooted in an evil heart.

People like you NEVER advocate genuine heart purity in salvation and likely never will as it would expose your ongoing defence of sinning.

Jesus taught that the Son of Man is able to set people free indeed (Joh 8:36) from the committing of sin (Joh 8:34) and it is very much a shame that you don't advocate a salvation inclusive of that. Instead the salvation you believe in is a mrre cloak for ongoing wickedness based on your twisting of Jesus death into a substitution payment by which condemnation is removed but not the service of sin itself.

I expect you'll respond to this post with another of your vaccuous cut and pastes which completely circumvents the issue of genuine purity of heart in salvation and the end of the service of sin.

Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Grace777x70 · Jul 4, 2017

I have found at least 7 things about doing the will of God on this earth now that we are in Christ.

1) That we have eternal life in Christ - John 6:40

2) That we be filled with the Holy Spirit - Eph 5:16-21

3) That we live a pure, disciplined lifestyle - 1 Thess 4:3-4 ( we live out that holiness that is already in us in our new man ..created in Christ in righteousness and holiness )

4) That we are rejoicing in the Lord, praying without ceasing, and grateful - 1 Thess 5:16-18

5) That we be a law-abiding citizen - 1 Peter 2:13-16

6) That we believe and influence others to believe - 2 Peter 3:9

7) That we commit ourselves to God and other believers - 2 Cor 8:5

According to the works-based salvationists...if someone is not joyful one day or didn't pray for a couple of days...or was not grateful for a day or so and they died..then they would go to hell because they didn't do " the will of God"..( see #4 above )....

How foolish this nonsense is when we do not factor in the "will of the Father" for salvation in being with the Lord when we die. If we do not factor in the completed work of Christ for our salvation then we will come up with all kinds of man-made "works" we must do to "help" Jesus with our salvation.

What about #5 above...if you speed and crash your car and die..you go to hell because you were not doing " the will of God"...again the complete foolishness of people that say..not doing the will of God are not saved without factoring in just what is the "will of the Father" for salvation .

The "doing of the will of God" for salvation is to believe on Christ and it is by grace through faith only - no works. Eph 2:8-9

The saint who rests in Christ and in His finished work is the will of God and what appears to be his free choices are actually God's will for him. It's loving God because you know His love for you, doing what is inside of you under His influence. Phil 2:13

Grace777x70 · Jul 4, 2017

Skinski7 said:

Your own religion condemns you because I am against all forms of sinning as I have said many times and in your deceit you have sinned too and thus this makes you in your own religion a child of the devil.

You should be thanking God for the true gospel of the grace of God in Christ's work on the cross and resurrection.

I love when I get to proclaim the gospel of the grace of God in Christ finished work!

In order to keep the deceit down to a minimum - I will post this again for about the 18th time in the hope that it will be a blessing to someone who is struggling in their Christian life.

Personally I am vehemently against all forms of sinning as they all bring destruction of some sort to us while on this earth - especially the one of unbelief in Christ's finished work on the cross.

I don't see any difference in sinning by living a homosexual lifestyle to having malice, bitterness, having outbursts of anger, being deceitful, being jealous and envious and the slandering of others in the body of Christ. All of these, as well as all the works of the flesh bring about death to us in this life. They are contrary to the life of Christ in us now.

Here is my view on sin and it's affects on us and on how the Holy Spirit transforms us as we behold the glory ( goodness ) of our Lord as in a mirror. 2 Cor. 3:17-18

Sin changes our perspective on things and causes us to not look at our Father in the right light of who He truly is. ( The same as Adam and Eve did when they hid from Him even though He was still coming to visit with them and He still took care of them )

Sin also affects our ability to have harmonious relationships with others and it also distorts our view of others as well as ourselves. Sin is deceitful.

We chose to live holy lives because we are just being who we truly are in Christ - not to maintain right standing with God. This living good holy lives creates right relationships with people, it will not give our enemy an influence in our lives and it is a good witness to the world.

It reveals the true heart of our loving Father and Lord to show others in this hurt and dying world their love and grace towards them.

Your true identity is not defined by your struggles, mistakes, or sinful actions. These are all confined to the flesh and are the works of the flesh as Paul said. Who you are is defined by your new birth in Christ. You are who you are by His grace and life in you!

Behavioral issues are usually the result of trying to live under the law in some form - such as the false doctrine of "sinless perfection in the flesh".

This "lose your salvation" false doctrine which discourages believers and brings fear and hopelessness to them as they struggle in the flesh with some things.

This causes them to have their faith ship-wrecked because they feel condemned and don't know how to walk by the spirit yet nor are they taught the gospel of the grace of God in Christ properly in order to grow up in Him.

Once you understand you are completely accepted and sin free forever in Jesus in your inner man created in righteousness and holiness - and that this is your permanent state for all eternity in Christ - the behavioral issues will fall off of our lives like dead leaves.

The "sap" of His life in and through us transforms us outwardly by the Holy Spirit as we behold the glory ( goodness ) of the Lord Jesus as in a mirror. We see all the goodness that He has already done for us and we also see ourselves in Him as one spirit with the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:17-18

I maintain that the preaching and teaching of the love and grace of God in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ brings true righteousness which is His alone and there will be deeds of His life manifested in us if we are fed Christ Himself and His righteousness to us.

He has cleansed our hearts by faith and now we are to walk from this new heart in Christ.

As we have received Him - so we walk in Him. Col. 2:6. It is all by grace through faith in what Christ has already done.

Stephen63 · Jul 4, 2017

[video=youtube;hOHg5S30GuA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOHg5S30GuA[/video]

Grace777x70 · Jul 4, 2017

Here is a great teaching that speaks of ship-wrecked faith. I like to use this website from time to time as it gives a grace-based / finished work of Christ view of the scriptures and it has a place at the bottom of the teaching where people can ask questions. I often learn good things in this section as well.

I realize this will not influence those who already believe our loving Father sends His beloved children to hell but hopefully others reading the thread will see the goodness and grace of God for us that is in Christ's perfect work on our behalf.

Shipwrecked Faith

“Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Tim 1:18-20)

What does it mean to shipwreck your faith? Paul said this had happened to at least two people so I guess it can happen to you. But how does it happen and what are the consequences?

Most people have no idea but fear the worst: “Shipwrecked faith means you’ve lost your salvation. It means you’re going to hell.”

As we will see in this note, it means no such thing.

What causes faith to become shipwrecked?

Look again at the passage above and note how Paul defines fighting the good fight as “holding on to faith and a good conscience.” These two things are connected. If you reject or cast away a good conscience your faith will be shipwrecked:

Holding fast to faith (that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence) and having a good (clear) conscience. By rejecting and thrusting from them [their conscience], some individuals have made shipwreck of their faith. (1 Tim 1:19, AMP)

This is not about ignoring your conscience; it’s about the dangers of thrusting away your good and clear conscience. In other words, if your conscience condemns you, you will have trouble believing what God says is true about you.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask… (1 John 3:21-22)

Condemnation is a faith-killer. Condemnation will cause you to be timid before God making it hard for you to receive from the abundance of his grace. If your conscience is constantly telling you that you’re unworthy, you’re a hopeless Christian, and you don’t deserve to be in the kingdom, you will be in danger of shipwrecking your faith.

What is shipwrecked faith?

Paul spent a fair bit of time at sea and he liked nautical metaphors. He described spiritual infants as those “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching” (Eph 4:14).

If you are not secure in your Father’s love – which you won’t be if your conscience condemns you – you’ll make a wreck of your faith. Like a ship that fails to reach its destination, you’ll fall short of all that God has in store for you.

And no, that doesn’t mean you’ll lose your salvation and go to hell. It means you won’t mature in the faith (Lk 8:14). It means you’ll lose the freedom that is yours in Christ (Gal 5:1), you’ll become unstable (2 Pet 3:17), and you’ll fear punishment that isn’t coming (1 John 4:18).

The New Testament writers list many bad things that can happen when we fail to trust God in our daily lives, but the thing many Christians fear most – Christ writing them off – is the one thing that absolutely cannot happen.

If you are one with the Lord be at peace, for the one who took hold of you will never let you go. If the Holy Spirit dwells in you rest assured he will never leave (John 14:16).

What does it mean to shipwreck your faith? It means moving from the secure foundation of Jesus Christ. It means diluting your faith in God with faith in self, faith in effort, faith in your ability to perform. It’s trying instead of trusting. It’s striving instead of resting.

What Paul never said

“If you shipwreck your faith, you’ll lose your salvation.” Preachers of insecurity love to quote this verse as support for their evil idea that we can undo what we never wrought

– as though we could unfuse the Holy Spirit from our spirits and tear ourselves from God’s mighty grip. Don’t you think if that could actually happen, Paul would’ve mentioned it? Yet he says nothing of the kind.

What Paul does say is that a group of “certain men” had shipwrecked their faith and of that group two men had been handed over to Satan so that they might be taught not to blaspheme. I don’t exactly know what Paul had in mind with this handing over business but note that (a) he did it, not Jesus, (b) he did it with the intention of teaching them, not condemning them.

I know it is common to hear the New Testament preached in such a way to instill fear and insecurity among the children of God. To settle this issue in my own heart, I spent the summer examining nearly 200 scriptures that are used by some for this nefarious purpose. And do you know how many scriptures I found that said those who are saved might yet become unsaved? None. Not one.

In the coming weeks I plan to look at some of the scriptures that have been misused to preach insecurity to the secure, but for now I hope you will agree that there is nothing in 1 Timothy 1 that hints at eternal condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Agreed? Got your boat back in the water? Good. Let’s press on.

Hymenaeus and Alexander

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. (1 Tim 1:20)

What do we know about these two guys Paul handed over to Satan? We know they were part of a group of false teachers (i) who were promoting controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith (v.4) and (ii) they saw themselves as teachers of the law (v.7).

Ask the right questions and you will begin to understand what happened.

– How do we preach law? By telling people they need to work for salvation/sanctification, etc.

– What is the purpose of the law? Its purpose is to condemn us.

– What had happened to these law-teachers? Their consciences became condemned.

– What was the result of their ministry? God’s finished work was not being preached and faith was being shipwrecked.

Here’s the story as I see it. After Paul, the apostle of grace, left Ephesus, false teachers arose from among their own number and began preaching law. They might have been Judaizers with circumcision knives or they might’ve preached the Ten Commandments or they might even have preached the commands of Jesus.

The point is not what sort of law they were preaching, but their improper application of it. Paul said “the law is good if one uses it properly (but) they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm” (vv.7-8).

In any case, the outcome was they were distracting themselves and their hearers from “God’s work – which is by faith” (v.4).

Paul said Hymenaeus and Alexander were blasphemers. To blaspheme is to slander or speak falsely of someone. It’s saying, “The blood of Jesus doesn’t avail for me.” (It does!) It’s saying, “Jesus needs my help.” (He doesn’t!) “The Holy Spirit is convicting me of sin.” (He isn’t!) “God will not finish what he begun.” (He will!) “I can sin my way out of his grace.” (You can’t.)

This sort of teaching promotes controversy and distracts people from trusting in God’s finished work.

Fight the good fight

I hope you understand that when it comes to saving you and making you acceptable to God, Jesus did it all and his perfect work cannot be improved upon. This is the gospel truth and it is worth fighting for! I am not talking about fighting people but demolishing arguments and taking captive every thought that is opposed to Christ. Usually this is a battle waged inside our own minds.

Here, then, is how you fight the good fight.

If your conscience condemns you as a sinner (Christ died for sinners!) or unworthy of grace (grace is for the unworthy!), the remedy is not to try and clean yourself and make yourself acceptable.

That way lies disaster and shipwreck. The only cure for a guilty conscience is the cleansing blood of Jesus (Heb 10:22). So look to Jesus, see the cross and the empty tomb, and believe the good news. Jesus has done it all!

If someone uses the mirror of the law to point out your imperfections, don’t cast off your good conscience but fix your eyes on Jesus and his glorious perfections. You are one with the Lord and as he is so are you in this world (1 Jn 4:17)!

And the next time someone says, “You’re not good enough for God and you need to work to improve yourself,” tell them, “I am one with Christ and he is good enough for God, his work is finished, and in him I have found my eternal rest!”

Here is the link to the article where you can view the questions at the bottom if interested. We have a great salvation in our Lord. We can trust Him to be faithful to us. This knowledge will bring the proper nutrients for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

https://escapetoreality.org/2013/01/...wrecked-faith/

Stephen63 · Jul 4, 2017

Grace777x70 said:

This is a Hypergrace site of a known heretic.

If one studies heresy, they will teach heresy.

Garbage in, garbage out.

Stephen63 · Jul 4, 2017

Grace777x70 said:

Your time would be better well spent if you quoted some sources to PROVE what you are saying.

I have yet with all the crying about "works salvation" actually seen evidence to back their claims of its existence or of those people they accuse of it.

No proof, no truth.

No truth, no integrity.

No integrity, no believability.

No integrity, no accountability.

Ariel82 · Jul 4, 2017

G777 that really long article doesn't say what you do when you are chastened by God. How does one overcome sin in your theology?

LoveGodForever · Jul 4, 2017

Hi Everyone

This is a great thread from the OP. I'm getting my popcorn

but seriously, friends we cant cherry pick scriptures to suit what we want to believe(ism). If you find your belief(ism) is conflicting with other parts of God's Word then you need to examine your belief(ism) of Scripture because God's Word does not contradict itself.

God bless all you Christian soldiers

UnderGrace · Jul 4, 2017

Interesting, because when you have a clear gospel based on sound doctrine the bible is wonderfully consistent.

I do not have the time to type it all out for you, but here is one of the very few biblical websites that lays is out very clearly.

https://expreacherman.com/statement-of-faith/

LoveGodForever said:

John146 · Jul 4, 2017

Stephen63 said:

2 Corinthians 5
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What part of the believer is in Christ? Is your flesh in Christ? All things about the soul of the believer has become new. Has your flesh, your body become new? No. It's the same old flesh. Your body will be changed at the Lord's return. The whole conflict for the believer is with the new creature inside and the old sinful flesh on the outside. We will never have victory over the flesh until our bodies are conformed to the image of Christ at His return.

MattforJesus · Jul 4, 2017

No person can say Jesus is Lord,but by the Holy Ghost,which would mean that God is operating with them,and if there is anything that causes them to lack,it is not like they cannot correct it,for they are living and breathing,which everybody that claims Jesus as Lord,and is lacking,the Lord is still there trying to correct them.

If they are wrong believing in a works based salvation it is not like they cannot correct it,and if they are wrong in faith alone it is not like they cannot correct it.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

If we name the name of Christ we have to depart from iniquity,but all sin can be forgiven,even if a person holds unto sin for a year they can be forgiven.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

If we hold unto sin then the blood of Christ cannot wash it away,for it cannot be taken away from us if we want it.

Many people claim Jesus as Lord,which they can only do by the Holy Ghost,and if they are not right it can be corrected,but to abstain from sin would be the more important aspect of our walk,which if we do not want sin,by the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh(tempted but will not sin).

Because people that say they are chosen cannot say to other people that claim Jesus as Lord,they are not chosen,in the sense that they cannot correct themselves,for why is God operating in their life.

Which it seems like they do not make the abstain from sin the most important aspect of their walk,and salvation,but believe OSAS and thou shalt be saved.

LoveGodForever · Jul 4, 2017

Seems like there is two easy Believism threads going on at the same time. The other thread already has at this time 873 pages with 17,457 posts. What I popular topic. Pass the popcorn please

God bless you all

Ariel82 · Jul 4, 2017

Stephen63 said:

https://www.gotquestions.org/easy-believism.html

Question: "What is easy believism?"

Answer: Easy believism is a somewhat derogatory term used by opponents of the view that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. From this they conclude that those who hold to sola fide (“faith alone”)teach that no corresponding need exists for a committed life of Christian discipleship as proof of salvation; however, that is not what sola fide means. True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. Another common usage of the term easy believism is in regards to those who believe they’re saved because they prayed a prayer—with no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ. Praying a prayer is easy—thus the term easy believism—but there is more to salvation than mouthing words.

Much of the debate over easy believism is unnecessary and is based on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The essence of this doctrine is found in Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” So we see that faith, given as a gift by God, is what saves us. But the next verse tells of the results of that salvation: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty,by His will and for His use. We are His servants, and from the moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation. If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20), and a dead faith is not a saving faith.

“Faith alone” does not mean that some believers follow Christ in a life of discipleship, while others do not. The concept of the “carnal Christian,” as a separate category of non-spiritual believer, is completely unscriptural. The idea of the carnal Christian says that a person may receive Christ as Savior during a religious experience but never manifest evidence of a changed life. This is a false and dangerous teaching in that it excuses various ungodly lifestyles: a man may be an unrepentant adulterer, liar, or thief, but he’s “saved” because he prayed a prayer as a child; he’s just a “carnal Christian.” The Bible nowhere supports the idea that a true Christian can remain carnal for an entire lifetime. Rather, God’s Word presents only two categories of people: Christians and non-Christians, believers and unbelievers, those who have bowed to the Lordship of Christ and those who have not (see John 3:36; Romans 6:17–18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:18–24; Ephesians 2:1–5; 1 John 1:5–7; 2:3–4).

While the security of salvation is a biblical fact based upon the finished work of salvation by Christ, it is certainly true that some of those who seemed to have “made a decision” or “accepted Christ” may not genuinely be saved. As noted before, true salvation is not so much our accepting Christ as it is His accepting us. We are saved by the power of God for the purpose of God, and that purpose includes the works that give evidence of our conversion. Those who continue to walk according to the flesh are not believers (Romans 8:5–8). This is why Paul exhorts us to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The “carnal” Christian who examines himself will soon see that he/she is not in the faith.

James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” The type of “belief” demons have can be compared to the intellectual assent made by those who “believe” in Jesus in the fact that He exists or that He was a good person. Many unbelievers say, “I believe in God” or “I believe in Jesus”; others say, “I prayed a prayer, and the preacher said I was saved.” But such prayers and such belief do not necessarily signal a change of heart. The problem is a misunderstanding of the word believe. With true salvation comes genuine repentance and real life change. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that those who are in Christ are a “new creation.” Is it possible that the new person Christ creates is one who continues to walk in the carnality of the flesh? No.

Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe,but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith.
Recommended Resource: So Great Salvation by Charles Ryrie

You do realize this is an article that defines "easy believism" as bibical faith and is against Lordship salvation, right?

dcontroversal · Jul 4, 2017

LoveGodForever said:

This comment falls well below the normal intelligent statements made by my Aussie friends.....especially since easy believism is a farce and just another term fabricated by those who feel like Jesus is too weak and a failure when it comes to actually saving someone and or keeping them saved....

It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that BELIEVE<----The simplicity found in Christ....you should try it because it actually "WORKS"

eternally-gratefull · Jul 4, 2017

Ariel82 said:

Pride will never stand for god, it will always stand for self,

licentiousness and legalism are both rooted in pride,

a licentiis says says no one can tell them how to live, a legalists depends on self righteousness.

Grace777x70 · Jul 4, 2017

Ariel82 said:

One overcomes sin because they are in Christ and He has overcome sin.

You are asking the wrong question. A better question would be "how do we walk by the spirit so that we don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh to do "it's desires".

How would you answer that?

I will post this as far as how we are transformed by the Holy Spirit. I love to talk about the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done. All of heaven responds to the word of Him.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

[SUP]18 [/SUP] But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

The true way of transformation in Christ is by "beholding" the glory/goodness of the Lord as in a mirror. When we see the glory of the Lord we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.

"Transformed" is in the passive mood which mean the Holy Spirit changes us to reveal the life of Christ that is in us outwardly so that others can see Christ. We participate with the Spirit of God within us in this.

This "putting on of Christ" is paramount in order for others to see the real Christ that is in us. This being transformed is seen as renewing the mind to the truth of Christ and all that He has done. Romans 12:2

The real question is - just what is the "glory of the Lord"?

Glory which is "doxa" in Greek means "weight; the value indicated on a scale when a commodity would be weighed in the market place." When there was no scale which could measure the weight of a commodity. it was considered as "doxa".

"Doxa" is a reading that is beyond the scale. When you rest in God's opinion of you, when you are persuaded of His persuasion, when you accept His acceptance, and you believe in His belief of you, you are beholding and living in the "glory" of God. It's a manifestation of His goodness as He showed Moses when he asked to see His glory. God showed him His goodness.

He has completely and unconditionally given Himself over to you and He has revealed His love in the Lord Jesus Christ. Does this want to make us go out and sin all we want? No, a thousand times No!

It makes our hearts melt in love for Him as we see Him for who He truly is and run to the One who loves us and gave His life for us. We have died and our true life is hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3

Stephen63 · Jul 4, 2017

Ariel82 said:

Actually, is is not.
What it is is a double-edged sword that shows that those in CC who claim this doctrine aren't even close to following it.

It is also showing that it's not a good doctrine to follow even if they did.

Are you really saved or do you just think you are? Exposing the lie of Easy Believism

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