Re: What Happens to an UNBAPTIZED MAN WHO TRUSTS CHRIST AS SAVIOR?
if you don't act as though Jesus is Lord,
you either don't really 'believe' that He is, or you are a fool, yes?
So you don't agree with me that saving faith is trusting Christ as Savior, but you think saving faith is like the demons who believe that, believe certain facts? So those who believe that some creed is true are exercising saving faith, even if they don't trust Christ to save them?
no, i think i agree with you - that 'rote memorization of doctrine' is not 'belief' and belief that saves is belief that goes all the way down to the heart and moves us to action.
like this:
if someone is driving in their car, and sees the fuel gauge go to empty, but drives on passing gas station after gas station thinking that they will not run out of petrol,
then that person may 'agree' that the fuel gauge says empty -- but they do not believe that the car is almost out of gas, so they do not truly believe the message of the fuel gauge, even though they would not argue with what the dashboard says.
either this is not real 'belief' -- i.e. the 'dead faith' that James talks about,
or that person is a real fool!
i think that in all of us there is still understanding to be gained, knowledge to apprehend, and weakness in our flesh even when our spirit & mind know the truth - i know i can trust Him, and i know i should trust Him, but sometimes i find myself not doing so, and full of worry and doubt. that's why i say "i'm a fool!" and i don't think i'm that different from the rest of us.
people can be convinced in their mind, but not in their heart, and such 'belief' is not faith. it's double-mindedness, and only 'factual belief' -- if i agree that Jesus is the only One with power to save, but i don't trust Him to save me, and act as though it is true, i think that i don't believe He is Lord, in the way that i must believe in order to be saved - or i am ignorant of what i should do.
but like Paul i know the thing that i should do, and see that i don't do it, and i know what i should not do, and see myself doing the thing i hate -- what can i say? that i do not believe? then my heart would not convince me of sin - but it does, so i know i am a fool, and this is to the glory of Jesus, the Only Wise Son.
if you don't act as though Jesus is Lord,
you either don't really 'believe' that He is, or you are a fool, yes?
So you don't agree with me that saving faith is trusting Christ as Savior, but you think saving faith is like the demons who believe that, believe certain facts? So those who believe that some creed is true are exercising saving faith, even if they don't trust Christ to save them?
no, i think i agree with you - that 'rote memorization of doctrine' is not 'belief' and belief that saves is belief that goes all the way down to the heart and moves us to action.
like this:
if someone is driving in their car, and sees the fuel gauge go to empty, but drives on passing gas station after gas station thinking that they will not run out of petrol,
then that person may 'agree' that the fuel gauge says empty -- but they do not believe that the car is almost out of gas, so they do not truly believe the message of the fuel gauge, even though they would not argue with what the dashboard says.
either this is not real 'belief' -- i.e. the 'dead faith' that James talks about,
or that person is a real fool!
i think that in all of us there is still understanding to be gained, knowledge to apprehend, and weakness in our flesh even when our spirit & mind know the truth - i know i can trust Him, and i know i should trust Him, but sometimes i find myself not doing so, and full of worry and doubt. that's why i say "i'm a fool!" and i don't think i'm that different from the rest of us.
people can be convinced in their mind, but not in their heart, and such 'belief' is not faith. it's double-mindedness, and only 'factual belief' -- if i agree that Jesus is the only One with power to save, but i don't trust Him to save me, and act as though it is true, i think that i don't believe He is Lord, in the way that i must believe in order to be saved - or i am ignorant of what i should do.
but like Paul i know the thing that i should do, and see that i don't do it, and i know what i should not do, and see myself doing the thing i hate -- what can i say? that i do not believe? then my heart would not convince me of sin - but it does, so i know i am a fool, and this is to the glory of Jesus, the Only Wise Son.