Saved by faith alone?

[JBTN]

Not only does the Bible not "explicitly" say that faith alone saves, it does not say it at all. Regardless of what adverb you use it does not state in any form the notion that faith alone is the sole agency of redemption. Injecting "alone" into any verse distorts the meaning of the scripture just as it does in any subject.

The rest of your words are simply human surmising.

If you or anyone else needs to inject a definitive into a verse to assert a theology then your theology is in question.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.5.1.ESV

No reason to inject anything here. If everyone who believes has been born of God then belief is all that was required. To say anything else is required makes this verse untrue. I don’t see any way around this.

 

[lrs68]

Well, it might have been possible for the thief on the cross if he had died before professing his faith.

He displayed his works by explaining to the other thief that they deserved their punishment because of the things they did (they were thieves like Satan and displayed whom they literally were followers of).

Then the thief explained but Jesus is innocent and doesn't deserve what they deserved.

So the thief showed 2 types of works. 1 from his sinful life and 1 from his understanding that he needed Christ (life). His Testimony is his works and we to this very day have his Testimony to prove his works.

 

[GWH]

He displayed his works by explaining to the other thief that they deserved their punishment because of the things they did (they were thieves like Satan and displayed whom they literally were followers of).

Then the thief explained but Jesus is innocent and doesn't deserve what they deserved.

So the thief showed 2 types of works. 1 from his sinful life and 1 from his understanding that he needed Christ (life). His Testimony is his works and we to this very day have his Testimony to prove his works.

That's what I meant by "professing".

 

[TrustandObey]

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.5.1.ESV

No reason to inject anything here. If everyone who believes has been born of God then belief is all that was required. To say anything else is required makes this verse untrue. I don’t see any way around this.

If you believe that this verse is a all-encompassing panacea in regards to the issue of human salvation then yes you most certainly need to inject alone into its verbiage.

I personally do not believe you even believe this.

If simple belief is all that is needed for salvation then the Bible contradicts itself.

And the many commands of the Bible are meaningless.

Repent or perish.
Confess Jesus as Lord.
Baptism for the remission of sins.
Be faithful to the end.
etc.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Since faith is not mentioned as an acceptable part of God's view of a "pure and faultless" religion does faith even matter?

Since the word "faith" in 1st John 5:1 is not even defined does this mean any type or degree of faith will do?

Be careful not to selectively pick general verses and turn them into blanket assertions.

Remember even JW believe that "Jesus is the Christ". And many of them died for this belief.

 

[PaulThomson]

Why didn't Abraham's faith come by hearing, and hearing by the words of God?

It did. God gave His words to Abraham. Abraham heard and heeded and believed. And Abraham's own believing/faith was credited to Abraham in his "book" as positive righteousness.

 

[PaulThomson]

If you will check my post you will find that I was responding to 1 question you asked; not 3.
No the Bible does not say we are saved through faith alone. But the next obvious question is: is this what the Bible teaches? Thus, my question: besides by grace and through faith, what else does the Bible say we are saved through?

Maybe I can help. This text says that faith alone is dead.

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

The Holy Spirit says that faith alone, without works, is dead.

 

[Cameron143]

It did. God gave His words to Abraham. Abraham heard and heeded and believed. And Abraham's own believing/faith was credited to Abraham in his "book" as positive righteousness.

That's imputed righteousness. The source of righteousness was from outside of Abraham. He was counted as righteous. He was saved exactly like everyone else who has been saved.

 

[Cameron143]

Maybe I can help. This text says that faith alone is dead.

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

The Holy Spirit says that faith alone, without works, is dead.

Which means there was no faith. But it doesn't say that works cause faith.

Faith is the product of the work of God, and not man. It is produced when God employs His word and His Spirit to make application of the salvation Jesus wrought on the cross.

This results in a new creation; one zealous for good works, but not one created by the works of men.