NO, that is NOT what we teach and believe. We are saved by the GRACE of GOD, and in that process HE puts Faith in us as part of HIS free gift to us. GRACE is receiving from GOD what we absolutely do not deserve.
Faith only>>>>>>>>>>>>saved>>>>>>>>>>>then do works
That initial "faith only" is dead being void of works.
VCO said:
NO, again your concept of what we teach and believe is ALL WRONG. What we know to be the TRUTH, is that GOD's having SAVED us, brings our once Dead to the will of GOD human spirit, to become Eternally Alive to HIS WILL. THUS that new LIVING human spirit in us, WILL WANT TO PLEASE GOD as a way to LOVE HIM BACK for having SAVED US. The total Lack of that Desire to LOVE GOD by doing what Pleases HIM or the abandonment of it, never to return to GOD, simply validates that what they were calling FAITH, is a Counterfeit of the real McCoy. Genuine SALVATION (past tense) always produces LOVE for GOD that manifests itself in good works and hunger for HIS WORD. And feeding on HIS WORD, will always mature that Eternally Living human spirit, thus we get better at LOVING GOD, and it comes out as GOOD WORKS.
See how unbelievably far off your understanding of what we teach and believe is? Are there prodigals that wonder away from GOD? YES, but IF THEY REALLY WERE SAVED (past tense) they will, sooner or later, repent and return to LOVING GOD.
Who is it that God saves and why does he save them while leaving others lost? What separates/differentiates the saved from the lost?
(The devils have belief only yet will not be saved, so belief only cannot be what separates the saved from the lost)
Some quotes (in blue) from your post:
"Genuine SALVATION (past tense) always produces LOVE for GOD that manifests itself in good works and hunger for HIS WORD."
The implication of this is you have one saved
BEFORE he even loves God, which is not possible at all.
"What we know to be the TRUTH, is that GOD's having SAVED us, brings our once Dead to the will of GOD human spirit, to become Eternally Alive to HIS WILL."
What if God does not bring my dead spirit to life and therefore I am lost. Whose fault is it that I am lost?
The prodigal son "came to himself" and returned to his father. So man has the will within himslef to choose to obey God or not, and those that choose to obey are the ones that will be saved, Heb 5:9.
Even though eternal life is spoken of in past tense in some verses, it is not something one possesses in this life.
1 Jn 2:25
"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life."
Eternal life is a promise. A promise is something that has not yet been realized for if it has been realized, it is no longer a promise but reality.
Lk 18:30 "
Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting."
Everlasting life is in the world to come, not in this world. In1 Cor 15:53 Paul explains "
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality"
One cannot possess eternal life in this mortal, corruptible eixistence.
Eternal life is spoken in past tense in the sense that God's promises are so certain sometimes those promises are spoken of in past tense even though it has not happened.
Joshua 6:2 "
And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour."
God's promise to give Jericho to Israel was so certain, if they did as God said, that this verse speaks of God in the past tense as 'have given' them the city even though Israel was still camped outside the walls of the city.
In Rom 4 Paul quotes Gen 17:5 that says "
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."
God in the past tense said "
I have made thee" even though Isaac through whom this promise would be fullfilled was not even born. Again, God's promises are so certain they are sometimes spoken of in past tense. In Rom 4:17 Paul, quoting Gen 17:5, said
"(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."
So eternal life for those that continue to obey Christ, Heb 5:9, is so certain it is sometimes spoken of in past tense.
VCO said:
We are not bouncing, we are genuinely Walking that Narrow Road of LOVING and Submitting to Jesus Christ as our LORD and MASTER. You don't get a Yes or No answer, because your questions about our Beliefs are based on total falsehoods, making those questions invalid either way.
Again:
Faith only advocates says one is saved by a dead faith only. They claim it is
AFTER one is saved that he does works.
What I am trying to find out from the faith only advocates is this: are those post-salvation works mandatory for the Christian.
If they say "yes" then they are making those post-salvation works necessary to salvation.
If they answer no" then they are saying a Christian does not have to do any works; no repentance, no confession, no baptism, no good works in helping fellow Christians and yet still be saved.....(which of course is not possible).
So this is why they are bouncing around all over the place and trying to avoid giving a simple "yes" or "no" answer to the questions I ask.