Salvation Not Possible Without Works
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The word says that by the handiwork of God, no one has an excuse to deny Him. Therefore He has done ALL in order that our faith can be activated. When one chooses against faith in Jesus Christ, then it is their own choice and they will suffer the punishment due them, which has no reflection on God in the least, for He has done all for anyone to know Him--to the extreme.
Those who disobey are acting carnally, aren't they? Do you think Holy Spirit would be behind it?
No one can understand God or know Him or obey Him without the Holy Spirit. It is He who empowers us to live our lives to please God. So, no, no one can please God without faith. No one is empowered to obey Him without Holy Spirit dwelling within.
Therefore Matthew 7 is talking about those whom Jesus actually knows intimately, and those would be people who have received Him by faith and obey. Those who obey without life-changing faith in Him remain strangers to Him.
No one can understand God or know Him or obey Him without the Holy Spirit. It is He who empowers us to live our lives to please God. So, no, no one can please God without faith. No one is empowered to obey Him without Holy Spirit dwelling within.
Therefore Matthew 7 is talking about those whom Jesus actually knows intimately, and those would be people who have received Him by faith and obey. Those who obey without life-changing faith in Him remain strangers to Him.
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That one REALLY confuses me. God deliberately deceives people so they cannot be "saved" ?
Doesn't seem too fair and just to me ?
I hope I'm not "ignorant" and deserving of your pity, dear Elin.
Just a humble truth-seeker who has difficulty getting his head around some of this stuff.
John 3:16 .... he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him ( faith ?) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
James 2 ...... faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Doesn't seem too fair and just to me ?
I hope I'm not "ignorant" and deserving of your pity, dear Elin.
Just a humble truth-seeker who has difficulty getting his head around some of this stuff.
John 3:16 .... he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him ( faith ?) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
James 2 ...... faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
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You mean Matthew 7:21. John 6:40 - For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Yes it is very simple. John 3:18 - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Also very simple, but you insist on making it hard. It's not hard to understand, just hard for you to ACCEPT.
As I have posted many, many, many times before if we don't repent then we won't believe the gospel and become saved. Repentance and believes in Him are inseparable in receiving salvation (Acts 10:43; 11:17,18). Two sides to the same coin. In regards to confession (Matthew 10:32-33) - the broader context of this passage relates to the fact that the Pharisees had continuously denied Jesus while the disciples spoke about Him in every city they visited. We might paraphrase His teaching this way: "Whoever confesses me before men (such as you disciples), I will confess him before my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before men (like these Pharisees do on every occasion they get), I will deny him before my Father in heaven. The word for "deny" is an aorist tense. This points to the fact that Jesus is not talking about a single instance of denial (as was the case with Peter, who actually denied Him three times - Luke 22:34), but is referring to life in its entirety. Hence, the person who throughout his life denies Christ (as was typically the case with the Pharisess and includes unbelievers who may even give mere "lip service confession" - Matthew 7:21-23, but lack saving faith in Christ) will be denied by Christ before the Father. It's not repent and believe the gospel but still lost until you round up a group of men at Walmart a week later and confess Jesus to them and finally saved a week later. If water baptism is of equal importance as belief, then why didn't Jesus mention this in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6;29,40,47; 11:25,26? If belief and baptism were of equal importance then Jesus would have said in Mark 16:16 that whoever is not baptized will not be saved. NOWHERE did Jesus say water baptized or condemned, but He said repent or perish (Luke 13:3) and believe or be condemned (John 3:18). So much for your baptism is of equal importance with belief argument. If you get baptized but you don't believe then you will not be saved. If you believe but are unable to get water baptized before you die you will still be saved (Mark 16:16(b); John 3:18; Luke 23:40-43).
What is the only word that Jesus connects with receiving eternal life in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26? BELIEVES. Did Jesus say whoever believes in Him "plus accomplishes something else afterwards" will receive eternal life? NO. Simply BELIEVES. If Jesus really meant that believing in Him is not enough and additional steps are required "after" one believes in Him then He contradicted Himself here. You still don't seem to understand that repentance precedes "believes in Him" and "belief and confession" are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8-10) and that water baptism FOLLOWS "believes in Him/receive the gift of the Holy Spirit/salvation" (Acts 10:43-47).
Nobody is contending that we are saved by "belief only" IN THAT SENSE - So "I believe in Him and I'm saved, but I never repented" - is an OXYMORON - unless you are talking about mere "mental assent" belief "which falls short of belief, trust, reliance in Christ for salvation (like the belief of demons - James 2:19). You still just don't get this.
A person that does not believe in the existence of Christ "mental assent belief" will never repent and believe in Christ for salvation. Repent and believe the gospel in that order. The Jews needed to repent "change their minds" about their sinful position and need for Christ to save them and the new direction of this change of mind is faith in Christ for salvation. Two sides to the same coin. The word of faith is in the mouth and heart of believers and not just one or the other (Romans 10:8). Water baptism is in regards to the remission of sins and not in order to obtain remission. In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. Faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31). *Perfect Harmony*
Repent and believe are obviously necessary for salvation. Those who have truly repented believe and those who truly believe have already repented. INSEPARABLE. Not so with baptism. You can repent and believe the gospel but NOT YET BE WATER BAPTIZED. In Mark 16:16, believes and is baptized is general general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized yet Jesus clarifies the clause with "but he who does not believe will be condemned." So it's the lack of belief that causes condemnation (John 3:18) and not the lack of baptism. It's amazing how you can read Mark 16:16(b); and John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6;29,40,47; 11:25,26 and still say that Jesus taught that we MUST be water baptized in order to be saved/water baptized or condemned.
Our belief is in Another's work (Christ's finished work of redemption). So belief is not just another work in a series of works in a quest to receive salvation by works. Saved through faith, not works. If our belief results in producing no works, then we demonstrate that it's dead (James 2:14-16). We must be made alive in Christ FIRST then the good works follow (by grace you have been saved through faith, not works, created in Christ Jesus unto good works) - Ephesians 2:5-10. Then we SHOW our faith by our works (James 2:18) but we don't establish our faith by our works. Good works are a demonstration of our faith and not the origin of it.
Jesus said unless you repent you will perish (Luke 13:3). Jesus said he who does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18). Jesus said those who confess Me before men (descriptive of believers) I will confess before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32). But whoever denies me before men (descriptive of unbelievers) I will deny him before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:33). Jesus said he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16) but Jesus DID NOT say that whoever is not water baptized will not be saved.
If one does not truly BELIEVE (trust in Christ alone for salvation) then their belief at best is mere "mental assent" belief (no different than the belief of demons); their repentance at best is self moral reformation; their confession is mere lip service; and their baptism was just a bath. Such a person is still lost and does not truly BELIEVE IN HIM. Repentance precedes "believes in Him" and belief and confession are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8). Saved believers confess Christ before men throughout their lifetime (Matthew 10:32) and unbelievers deny Christ throughout their lifetime (Matthew 10:33). Lip service confession (Matthew 7:22) = deny. Water baptism FOLLOWS repentance/believes unto righteousness/confession made unto salvation. Are you ready now to REPENT and BELIEVE the gospel? Your 4 step check list in that order with your applied semantics and hermeneutics misses the mark.
Those who teach that salvation is through faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST ALONE (Ephesians 2:8,9) have no problem with understanding that repentance precedes believe the gospel/faith in Christ (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21) and faith and confession are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8-10) and water baptism FOLLOWS believes in Him/receives remission of sins/receives the gift of the Holy Spirit/saved (Acts 10:43-47).
As I have posted many, many, many times before if we don't repent then we won't believe the gospel and become saved. Repentance and believes in Him are inseparable in receiving salvation (Acts 10:43; 11:17,18). Two sides to the same coin. In regards to confession (Matthew 10:32-33) - the broader context of this passage relates to the fact that the Pharisees had continuously denied Jesus while the disciples spoke about Him in every city they visited. We might paraphrase His teaching this way: "Whoever confesses me before men (such as you disciples), I will confess him before my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before men (like these Pharisees do on every occasion they get), I will deny him before my Father in heaven. The word for "deny" is an aorist tense. This points to the fact that Jesus is not talking about a single instance of denial (as was the case with Peter, who actually denied Him three times - Luke 22:34), but is referring to life in its entirety. Hence, the person who throughout his life denies Christ (as was typically the case with the Pharisess and includes unbelievers who may even give mere "lip service confession" - Matthew 7:21-23, but lack saving faith in Christ) will be denied by Christ before the Father. It's not repent and believe the gospel but still lost until you round up a group of men at Walmart a week later and confess Jesus to them and finally saved a week later. If water baptism is of equal importance as belief, then why didn't Jesus mention this in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6;29,40,47; 11:25,26? If belief and baptism were of equal importance then Jesus would have said in Mark 16:16 that whoever is not baptized will not be saved. NOWHERE did Jesus say water baptized or condemned, but He said repent or perish (Luke 13:3) and believe or be condemned (John 3:18). So much for your baptism is of equal importance with belief argument. If you get baptized but you don't believe then you will not be saved. If you believe but are unable to get water baptized before you die you will still be saved (Mark 16:16(b); John 3:18; Luke 23:40-43).
What is the only word that Jesus connects with receiving eternal life in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26? BELIEVES. Did Jesus say whoever believes in Him "plus accomplishes something else afterwards" will receive eternal life? NO. Simply BELIEVES. If Jesus really meant that believing in Him is not enough and additional steps are required "after" one believes in Him then He contradicted Himself here. You still don't seem to understand that repentance precedes "believes in Him" and "belief and confession" are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8-10) and that water baptism FOLLOWS "believes in Him/receive the gift of the Holy Spirit/salvation" (Acts 10:43-47).
Nobody is contending that we are saved by "belief only" IN THAT SENSE - So "I believe in Him and I'm saved, but I never repented" - is an OXYMORON - unless you are talking about mere "mental assent" belief "which falls short of belief, trust, reliance in Christ for salvation (like the belief of demons - James 2:19). You still just don't get this.
A person that does not believe in the existence of Christ "mental assent belief" will never repent and believe in Christ for salvation. Repent and believe the gospel in that order. The Jews needed to repent "change their minds" about their sinful position and need for Christ to save them and the new direction of this change of mind is faith in Christ for salvation. Two sides to the same coin. The word of faith is in the mouth and heart of believers and not just one or the other (Romans 10:8). Water baptism is in regards to the remission of sins and not in order to obtain remission. In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. Faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31). *Perfect Harmony*
Repent and believe are obviously necessary for salvation. Those who have truly repented believe and those who truly believe have already repented. INSEPARABLE. Not so with baptism. You can repent and believe the gospel but NOT YET BE WATER BAPTIZED. In Mark 16:16, believes and is baptized is general general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized yet Jesus clarifies the clause with "but he who does not believe will be condemned." So it's the lack of belief that causes condemnation (John 3:18) and not the lack of baptism. It's amazing how you can read Mark 16:16(b); and John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6;29,40,47; 11:25,26 and still say that Jesus taught that we MUST be water baptized in order to be saved/water baptized or condemned.
Our belief is in Another's work (Christ's finished work of redemption). So belief is not just another work in a series of works in a quest to receive salvation by works. Saved through faith, not works. If our belief results in producing no works, then we demonstrate that it's dead (James 2:14-16). We must be made alive in Christ FIRST then the good works follow (by grace you have been saved through faith, not works, created in Christ Jesus unto good works) - Ephesians 2:5-10. Then we SHOW our faith by our works (James 2:18) but we don't establish our faith by our works. Good works are a demonstration of our faith and not the origin of it.
Jesus said unless you repent you will perish (Luke 13:3). Jesus said he who does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18). Jesus said those who confess Me before men (descriptive of believers) I will confess before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32). But whoever denies me before men (descriptive of unbelievers) I will deny him before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:33). Jesus said he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16) but Jesus DID NOT say that whoever is not water baptized will not be saved.
If one does not truly BELIEVE (trust in Christ alone for salvation) then their belief at best is mere "mental assent" belief (no different than the belief of demons); their repentance at best is self moral reformation; their confession is mere lip service; and their baptism was just a bath. Such a person is still lost and does not truly BELIEVE IN HIM. Repentance precedes "believes in Him" and belief and confession are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8). Saved believers confess Christ before men throughout their lifetime (Matthew 10:32) and unbelievers deny Christ throughout their lifetime (Matthew 10:33). Lip service confession (Matthew 7:22) = deny. Water baptism FOLLOWS repentance/believes unto righteousness/confession made unto salvation. Are you ready now to REPENT and BELIEVE the gospel? Your 4 step check list in that order with your applied semantics and hermeneutics misses the mark.
Those who teach that salvation is through faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST ALONE (Ephesians 2:8,9) have no problem with understanding that repentance precedes believe the gospel/faith in Christ (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21) and faith and confession are not two separate steps to salvation but are chronologically together (Romans 10:8-10) and water baptism FOLLOWS believes in Him/receives remission of sins/receives the gift of the Holy Spirit/saved (Acts 10:43-47).
This kind of "belief" that you are talking about here (belief only that is void of repentance) is not the same kind of belief that I contend saves. The demons have belief only, they believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they do not believe/entrust their spiritual well being to Christ; have faith/reliance upon Christ for salvation. Only those who have truly repented have this latter kind of belief/faith that saves. Christ alone is the all sufficient means of our salvation (no supplements needed) and belief that trusts only in Him will save us (Acts 10:43; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:24-26 etc..). Will you ever come to understand this?