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Unless you walked as Jesus did and were obedient to the will of God unto death on a tree and shed your blood for the forgiveness of sins, then salvation would be of yourself.
Jesus is God, so in having God incarnate having done the work of salvation for us, no man can boast of his works earning him eternal security.
Jesus is God, so in having God incarnate having done the work of salvation for us, no man can boast of his works earning him eternal security.
The theory is that at the same moment as when a man trusts Christ as Savior, at that moment He receives eternal life. A man cannot believe without having eternal life; and a man cannot have eternal life without believing! So the question is not which came first in time, but in logic.
You don't find scripture telling anyone to sit around and wait for God to regenerate him that He might believe; you find "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, & you shall be saved."
IMHO, as I posted, election is taught in the Bible & our God is indeed sovereign; but election is basically His business rather than ours.
One illustration I heard years ago, I believe has some validity. A man may come to the salvation door & read: "Whosoever believes," Believe & be saved. So then the man believes & walks through the door, but as he looks behind there is a sign posted that says,
"You are elect; you have been chosen."
You don't find scripture telling anyone to sit around and wait for God to regenerate him that He might believe; you find "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, & you shall be saved."
IMHO, as I posted, election is taught in the Bible & our God is indeed sovereign; but election is basically His business rather than ours.
One illustration I heard years ago, I believe has some validity. A man may come to the salvation door & read: "Whosoever believes," Believe & be saved. So then the man believes & walks through the door, but as he looks behind there is a sign posted that says,
"You are elect; you have been chosen."
Well put Atwood. I read God's word a a saying those in Christ are the elect:
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world..." Eph.1:4
He didn't choose us (individuals). He chose us (who believe) in Christ.
"In whom ye alsotrusted, after that ye heard..."
Eph.1:13
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Ro.10:17
God first does the work of changing our hearts through circumstance:
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented..."Lk.10:13
So in your illustration of the signs on the door, both are true.
Think about this...how did God harden Pharaoh's heart?
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world..." Eph.1:4
He didn't choose us (individuals). He chose us (who believe) in Christ.
"In whom ye alsotrusted, after that ye heard..."
Eph.1:13
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Ro.10:17
God first does the work of changing our hearts through circumstance:
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented..."Lk.10:13
So in your illustration of the signs on the door, both are true.
Think about this...how did God harden Pharaoh's heart?
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What a genuine believer means by salvation through faith (IN CHRIST) alone and what James means by "faith only" is not the same message. Works salvationists are fooled by the word "alone". The word "alone" in regards to salvation through faith in "Christ alone" (saved through faith, not works) conveys the message that Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony.* Put another way, man is saved through faith and not by works, yet genuine faith is substantiated and confirmed by good works. Someone who claims to have faith but has no works "faith only - per James" has an empty profession of faith and not genuine faith. I will show you my faith by my works. The absence of evidence can be construed as evidence of absence.
I have never suggested freewill is completely unlimited. I do not have the freewill to deny the laws of gravity and float in air.
You live in a free country yet that does not mean you can choose to do as you please. Your freewill must operate within the boundaries of the law, if you choose to break the law there are harsh consequences. So knowing there are consequences to choices can affect how one chooses.
You live in a free country yet that does not mean you can choose to do as you please. Your freewill must operate within the boundaries of the law, if you choose to break the law there are harsh consequences. So knowing there are consequences to choices can affect how one chooses.
Horribly bad exegesis.
If, as you say "Faith only is implied by Whosoever believes" means "whosoever just has to believe only, then that means: whosoever does not have to confess Christ; does not have to do the will of the Father; does not have to take up his cross and follow Christ; does not have to call upon the name of the Lord...all contrary to the verses below.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If, as you say "Faith only is implied by Whosoever believes" means "whosoever just has to believe only, then that means: whosoever does not have to confess Christ; does not have to do the will of the Father; does not have to take up his cross and follow Christ; does not have to call upon the name of the Lord...all contrary to the verses below.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
