Is believing/faith in Christ Jesus enough?
- Thread starter MatthewG
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Believing/faith is only as good as the OBJECT that we place it in. Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption is the OBJECT of our belief/faith in receiving salvation, so to say that believing/faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22-28; 4:5; Ephesians 2:8) is not enough to save is to say that the OBJECT of our belief/faith is insufficient to save.
D
Say you have a daughter. Is it enough that she walks? Is that when you become pleased with her? If she never walks, does that mean you aren't pleased with her? What must she do to keep you pleased with her? Isn't it enough that she is your daughter?
If it's like that for people, what is it like for the Lord? His people are also his adopted children. THAT pleased him. THAT pleased him enough that he went through all he went through to adopted us -- and it was a lot of sorrow and pain and unrighteous judgement on Man's part he had to go through to do that, but it pleased him.
God is pleased. God will always be pleased with his children. Even when we tumble in our walk, he is still pleased. We cannot un-please God, as his children.
That said, doesn't that just want you to do something good for him? Doesn't "The Creator and King of the Universe loves me" thrill you to your bones, so you want to spend eternity with him? And in so doing, don't you want to do for him, so his will is done?
If there is a no to any of those last three questions, that means you aren't his adopted son... yet.
Bare minimalism isn't a sign that God is pleased. It is a sign of lack of adoption... yet.
Seriously not getting why people have been arguing bare-minimalism on this site for months now. Seriously feel this is already turning into another such post.
The Lord God of the Universe took me off death row and gave me my "Princess" crown. Hotdogs! Gonna love this Lord forever and ever! And the only way I can show my love is to do.
If it's like that for people, what is it like for the Lord? His people are also his adopted children. THAT pleased him. THAT pleased him enough that he went through all he went through to adopted us -- and it was a lot of sorrow and pain and unrighteous judgement on Man's part he had to go through to do that, but it pleased him.
God is pleased. God will always be pleased with his children. Even when we tumble in our walk, he is still pleased. We cannot un-please God, as his children.
That said, doesn't that just want you to do something good for him? Doesn't "The Creator and King of the Universe loves me" thrill you to your bones, so you want to spend eternity with him? And in so doing, don't you want to do for him, so his will is done?
If there is a no to any of those last three questions, that means you aren't his adopted son... yet.
Bare minimalism isn't a sign that God is pleased. It is a sign of lack of adoption... yet.
Seriously not getting why people have been arguing bare-minimalism on this site for months now. Seriously feel this is already turning into another such post.
The Lord God of the Universe took me off death row and gave me my "Princess" crown. Hotdogs! Gonna love this Lord forever and ever! And the only way I can show my love is to do.
It's the definition of what believing in Christ means, whether it is enough, or it is not enough.
To believe in Christ is to believe in what Christ believes, which is love, truth, justice, and more.
To believe in these is enough, as these will be in your heart, and therefore you will complete the law.
To believe in Christ is to believe in what Christ believes, which is love, truth, justice, and more.
To believe in these is enough, as these will be in your heart, and therefore you will complete the law.
This is not really what it means to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ". As Scripture says "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners".
Therefore we need to know about His finished work of redemption for sinners, and believe that what He -- who is God -- has accomplished in His death, burial, and resurrection is SUFFICIENT FOR ALL SINNERS, particularly "myself". That when I receive Him as BOTH Lord and Savior, I am saved by grace through faith. When I "call upon the name of THE LORD" then I am saved. Here is what believing on Christ means (although there are many other passages to supplement this, which also include the necessity of repentance -- the other side of the "coin" of faith):
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above,
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Therefore we need to know about His finished work of redemption for sinners, and believe that what He -- who is God -- has accomplished in His death, burial, and resurrection is SUFFICIENT FOR ALL SINNERS, particularly "myself". That when I receive Him as BOTH Lord and Savior, I am saved by grace through faith. When I "call upon the name of THE LORD" then I am saved. Here is what believing on Christ means (although there are many other passages to supplement this, which also include the necessity of repentance -- the other side of the "coin" of faith):
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above,
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
F
MatthewG, that's a very good question.
Say I believed in Jesus, but didn't love my neighbor, would I then be saved? So I must do something (Love my neighbor) to find salvation. If I did nothing with my belief then what use is it, it is but hollow and shallow. There are three things that we need.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love
Which of these three things are the greatest?
Say I believed in Jesus, but didn't love my neighbor, would I then be saved? So I must do something (Love my neighbor) to find salvation. If I did nothing with my belief then what use is it, it is but hollow and shallow. There are three things that we need.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love
Which of these three things are the greatest?
To say, "I believe in Jesus and I'm a child of God, but I never love my neighbor" is an OXYMORON (1 John 3:10; 4:7).
We love our neighbor in order to find salvation or BECAUSE we found salvation? 1 John 3:14 - We know that we have passed out of death into life, (demonstrative evidence) because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
Belief that does nothing at all is not authentic belief. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17).
If someone has genuine saving faith in Christ and has received the Holy Spirit, it would be impossible for them to have NO love at all. Paul uses hyperbole (obvious and intentional exaggeration) about understanding ALL mysteries and ALL knowledge and having faith that can move mountains yet having NO love. Paul is not exaggerating about the importance of love though. Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6), but we are saved through faith, not faith plus love.
Love is the greater quality of the three because God is love and it outlasts them all. Long after faith and hope are no longer necessary, love will still be the governing principle that controls all that God and his redeemed people are and do. We won't need faith and hope in heaven.
In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul is not teaching that even if our faith is genuine that our faith cannot save us without producing "enough" love. Paul is stressing the importance of love, not teaching that faith is insufficient to save us without our best efforts to produce enough love.
All genuine believers love. Why? Because we have received the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5) when we believed the gospel (Ephesians 1:13). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
We love our neighbor in order to find salvation or BECAUSE we found salvation? 1 John 3:14 - We know that we have passed out of death into life, (demonstrative evidence) because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
Belief that does nothing at all is not authentic belief. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17).
If someone has genuine saving faith in Christ and has received the Holy Spirit, it would be impossible for them to have NO love at all. Paul uses hyperbole (obvious and intentional exaggeration) about understanding ALL mysteries and ALL knowledge and having faith that can move mountains yet having NO love. Paul is not exaggerating about the importance of love though. Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6), but we are saved through faith, not faith plus love.
Love is the greater quality of the three because God is love and it outlasts them all. Long after faith and hope are no longer necessary, love will still be the governing principle that controls all that God and his redeemed people are and do. We won't need faith and hope in heaven.
In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul is not teaching that even if our faith is genuine that our faith cannot save us without producing "enough" love. Paul is stressing the importance of love, not teaching that faith is insufficient to save us without our best efforts to produce enough love.
All genuine believers love. Why? Because we have received the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5) when we believed the gospel (Ephesians 1:13). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
God is Love (1 John 4:8 & 16), and those who know love, know God, and more importantly God knows them. Among those who do not know love are many who think they knew the Way of the Lord, only for the Lord to tell them that He/Love never knew them (Matthew 7:22-23).
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Matthhew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Matthhew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Amen brother.
It is amazing to me how so many continue to believe that to believe in Christ means merely to believe that He is the Son of God.
Even the devils believe and know that (James 2:19). What they do not know and believe in is in Christs Way of Love.
James 2:19 [FONT="]Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.[/FONT]
It is amazing to me how so many continue to believe that to believe in Christ means merely to believe that He is the Son of God.
Even the devils believe and know that (James 2:19). What they do not know and believe in is in Christs Way of Love.
James 2:19 [FONT="]Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.[/FONT]