Nothing here that is substantive to the Gospel once given in the beginning. You have given a good personal understanding/acceptance of many man made ideas that were formulated since the Reformation.
The Gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who
BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16). This is the Gospel from the beginning and is not a man made idea formulated during the Reformation. THIS IS SCRIPTURE. Unlike your "works based" false gospel. The Gospel is HID to those who DON'T BELIEVE (2 Corinthians 4:3,4).
saved by faith alone is primary. Nothing in scripture ever hints that one is saved by faith alone as understood and developed by Luther and most Protestants have adopted.
Did Paul say saved through faith "and works" in Ephesians 2:8 or simply saved through FAITH? That equates to salvation through faith IN CHRIST ALONE and NOT BY WORKS. Notice the word faith "stands alone" in Ephesians 2:8 in connection with "saved." Paul did not say saved through faith "plus something else." No! So then it's faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST ALONE. Grace is God's part and faith is man's part. Salvation through faith IN CHRIST ALONE is not to be confused with an "empty profession of faith/dead faith" that "remains alone" (barren of works). Salvation through faith in Christ alone and not by works was taught before Luther:
Clement of Rome: "We also, being called through God's will in Christ Jesus, are
not justified through ourselves, neither through our own wisdom or understanding, or piety, or works which we have done in holiness or heart, but through faith" (Epistle to Corinthians).
Polycarp: "I know that through
grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God, through Jesus Christ (Epistle of Philippians).
Basil: "This is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness and to be
justified by faith alone in Christ."
Ambrose:
"Without the works of the law, to an ungodly man, that is to say, a Gentile,
believing in Christ, his
"faith is imputed for righteousness" as also it was to Abraham."
Origen:
"Through faith, without the works of the law, the dying
thief was justified, because...
the Lord inquired not what he had previously wrought, nor yet waited for his performance of some work after he should have believe; but...he took him unto himself for a companion,
justified through his confession alone."
Jerome: "When an ungodly man is converted, God
justified him through faith alone, not on account of good works which he possessed not."
Chrysostom: "What then did God do? He made (says Paul) a righteous Person (Christ) to be a sinner, in order that he might make sinners righteous...
it is the righteousness of God, when we are justified, not by works...but by grace, where all sin is made to vanish away."
Chrysostom: "Again, they said that he who adhered to
faith alone was cursed, but he shows that hewho adhered to
faith alone, is blessed."
Augustine: "Grace is give to you, not wages paid to you...it is called grace because it is given gratuitously. By no precedent merits did you buy what you have received.
The sinner therefore received this grace first, that his sins should be forgiven him...good works follow after a justified person; they do not go before in order that he may be justified...good works, following after justification, show what a man has received."
Augustine: "Now, having duly considered and weighed all these circumstances and testimonies, we conclude that a
man is not justified by the precepts of a holy life, but by faith in Jesus Christ,--in a word, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith; not by the letter, but by the spirit; not by the merits of deeds, but by free grace."
Anselm: "Do you believe that you cannot be saved but by the death of Christ? Go, then, and ...
put all your confidence in this death alone. If God shall say to you, "You are a sinner", say to him,
"I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sin."
Bernard of Clairvaux: "Shall not all our righteousness turn out to be mere unrighteousness and deficiency? What, then, shall it be concerning our sins, when not even our righteousness can answer for itself? Wherefore...let us flee, with all humility to Mercy which alone can save our souls...whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness, let him
believe in thee, who "justified the ungodly"; and thus,
being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God."
You also misunderstand the meaning of "justification by faith". It does not mean salvation.
It certainly does mean salvation. "Saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1) same thing. Who taught you differently?
You also do not understand the difference of what Christ accomplished for the world, versus the reason why He did it and then man's response.
I don't misunderstand that at all.
This is born out also why you think there are "rewards" for works.
There are rewards for works, as I already showed you from Scripture.
You have a misconception that since a person is saved upon initial faith and works immaterial, that the works are for rewards. Yet, all the citings of rewards is directed toward attaining eternal life. You still do not understand the context of I Cor 3:15 either.
You don't understand the difference between a reward and a gift. I understand the context of 1 Corinthians 3:15 perfectly. Why don't you understand it?
As most Protestants have done for 500 years they will continue to go in circles on the issue of grace, faith and works.
Everything with you is "Protestants, Protestants." Your arguments about grace, faith and works are similar to Roman Catholicism.
You are a prime example in your discussion with Seabass. The best you have is your opinion which is based on other men's opinion and personal interpretation of a Book.
I continue to quote Scripture with you and with SeaBass, which is not simply my opinion or personal interpretation. Your statements are ironic.
It should be quite obvious that sola scriptura has not worked as it has generated opinions of hundreds of men all called scriptural.
Scripture alone is God's infallible word and is the source of truth. Not the Catechism of the Roman Catholic church, not the Book of Mormon, not traditions of men, not fallible writings of men.
Yet the Holy Spirit says there is ONLY one Gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:1 - Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the
gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who
BELIEVES, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Also that the Gospel will be preserved by the Holy Spirit from the beginning.
The Gospel has been preserved by the Holy Spirit from the beginning and is found in God's Word. I believe the Gospel and I am saved.
You have a long way to go to align with that original gospel that was given in the beginning.
I've been aligned with that original Gospel that was given in the beginning for several years now. It sounds like you have a long way to go to swallow your pride, let go of your works and take hold of Christ through FAITH. When will you repent and believe the Gospel?
