Not By Works

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,718
113
But then again, there really is an argument:

But I sense your bias that a gift is only a gift if you do NOTHING at all, nada, to have it, or else it's not really a gift.
Forgive the brevity and lack of explanation, but I'm at work and post either off the clock or during downloads, etc.
When one needs to receive credit, glory, recognition, praise &c and sees ones self as having to have taken part in salvation, the above types of things are stated. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 shows it is all of God, none of man, that "receiving, accepting, choosing, deciding, trying" et al had nothing to do with it, so no man boasts. It is all due to God, note "because of Him" in the text.

Yet you're boasting. You did something. You caused something to happen by what you did. THAT is boasting.

Yet such boasting is nowhere in the texts, as faith is evidence of conversion, never the cause.

It is duly noted you have an aversion to giving God all the glory, thus that false assertion reads things into Scripture not there.

Salvation and faith are a gift, given unto God's elect. His did nothing to earn it or receive it, they were born of God, which is why they "received Christ." In other words the receiving of Christ did not clinch salvation, it proved they were regenerate; i.e. John 1:12-13 &c.

Soli Deo Gloria!
 
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,718
113
Even if Romans 11 isn't about being cut off from Christ in salvation (but it is) the point I made was the partaking is conditional on 'continuing in his kindness', not as is being argued that the 'continuing' remains because of the partaking. That is what me and discern are discussing.
But it's not.

All who are truly converted "continue" and that by God's grace; Philippians 2:11-13.

You have too much you in your "gospel" and nary any Christ in it at all.

Tell us more about you?

You must increase, Christ must decrease. Sounds kind of backwards.
 
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,718
113
In other words you don't have any documentation, nor do you have context, just an accusation.

Your above assertion isn't remotely what MacArthur believes, so, that being said, you're twisting his words and beliefs. John MacArthur, being Reformed and Biblical knows and believes faith is a gift from God, cf. 2 Peter 1:1; Ephesians 1:19; Philippians 1:29 &c. This is a well known fact.
Still awaiting documentation.

Yet most of us know there is none.
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
13,002
8,698
113
Yes, it has to be ralph. Isn't this the time of year he needs to be careful? "You'll shoot your eye out!"

The Ralph here at CC would had to have plucked out his eye long ago to keep his salvation. The Christmas Ralphie should be an NRA spokesperson!
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
Bumping up ... Jesus is the reason we are secure... Amen...... (not perseverance).
I agree........it is ALL Christ or it is fraudulent.....

Let's see how this goes...

Jesus (God) deals faith in measure <--no self effort in that
Jesus BEGINS faith in us <---no self effort in that
Jesus FINISHES faith in us <---no self effort in that
Jesus SAVES ETERNALLY by the above faith <--No self effort in that
Jesus COMPLETES THE WORK OF FAITH IN US <--No self effort in that
GOD imputes the righteousness of CHRIST to US by above FAITH <--NO self effort in that
GOD positionally sanctifies us in Christ by above faith <--No self effort in that
GOD gifts us salvation irrevocably by above faith <--NO self effort in that
CHRIST produces the fruit in US as the ROOT <--No self effort in that (branches BEAR, they do not produce)
Holy Spirit SEALS us by above faith <---NO self effort in that
Christ keeps us by HIS POWER though above faith <---No self effort in that
Christ RAISES us by HIS power <---No self effort in that
Christ MEDIATES for us by HIS priesthood <---NO self effort in that
CHRIST washes us in HIS BLOOD by above faith <---NO SELF effort in that
CHRIST justifies us by his BLOOD through above faith <---NO self effort in that
God raises us to sit in heavenly places in Christ <---No self effort in that
The Holy Spirit reveals the truth to us by above faith <--No self effort in that
GOD created and made MAN <---No self effort in that
God in Christ regenerates us <---NO self effort in that

and ON and ON and ON

IT is ALL GOD/JESUS or it is FAKE, FRAUDULENT.......

MANY will say...HAVE WE NOT DONE <----interject SELF into any of the above truths will DEVALUE and VOID the above truth

SO THAT NO MAN MAY BOAST!
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
Amen...
Along with my bible reading , I have learned sooooo much from this thread , and I am so thankful to the LORD our GOD that the swords still swing in here...

This thread is a battleground where swords will clash , Jesus said He came to separate , wolves from the sheep , wheat and tares , this thread has definitely shown me how the wolves operate , many speak with a smooth tongue , their words sounding sweet as honey , yet coated in lies ...

Keep fighting brothers & sisters , the LORD our God is with us , we are to fight our battles daily , pick up our cross and follow our LORD ...

We can only plant the seeds , and pray that God grows them , pray that He ploughs the hearts of those who are traveling on the broad path with their luggage that will not fit through the narrow gate ...
...xox...
AMEN.....I will swing the sword of truth until hell freezes over (NEVER QUIT) against the likes of those that devalue JESUS, the word and the power of GOD by their religious, self serving, hoop jumping blather that states one can lose salvation or must do something or not to MAINTAIN that which JESUS maintains......
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
I see religion but not Christianity.
And what we see is a false teacher that devalues Christ, the truth, his power, his promises, his work and 99.999% of scripture.....make no mistake...You do not have and or promote the truth. And we will oppose that which you peddle because it does not lead to the kingdom of God, but rather the flaming pit!
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
I was being sarcastic when I said the apostles taught OSAS every time they preach. My point was, osas was not preached as something you were required to believe to be saved. What they did was preach repentance towards God and faith in Jesus, and teaching of doctrine came afterwards to the convert. So salvation is instant, but learning of correct doctrine takes years.
I disagree with the premise that the concept of eternal life and eternal security was not tied in with the gospel.....JESUS used the words ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, NEVER perish, LOSE NONE, RAISE UP ALL, they shall never die, etc....and even JOB understood this truth.....
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
You must have looked in the mirror then

this is what we all see every time you start falsely accusing people of loving sin, having a gospel that excuses sin, and every other false accusation you have made against us.
AMEN....I direct quoted the reference of the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us by faith and HE accused me of saying I was equal with JESUS.....this guy is cake taking joker....
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
I was a prodigal son for 5 years,

I never doubted God was my father.

in fact I felt him those whole 5 years begging me to come home.

i lost faith in my life and the church, not God
It is amazing to me...the two following truths MUST be rejected or skewed to peddle a losable salvation or ONE that MUST have works

1st

IF WE (APOSTLE INCLUDES HIMSELF) believe NOT (AFTER FAITH) HE ABIDES faithful because he CANNOT DENY HIMSELF <--HIS righteousness has BEEN applied and imputed by FAITH <---EVERY THING that is not of FAITH IS SIN <--WHERE SIN ABOUNDS, GRACE ABOUNDS THE MORE.......JESUS begins, finishes and COMPLETES the work of faith in us...NO MAN saved can LOSE salvation by LOSING
FAITH.

2nd

UNTO him that WORKS NOT, BUT BELIEVES on HIM that JUSTIFIES the UNGODLY, HIS FAITH is credited unto him for RIGHTEOUSNESS (SEE 1st above)

BOTH of those verses ALLEVIATE losing faith and or works when it comes to the eternal security afforded in the word....BOTH are USED by people like Ralph, PS, Fran, and others to peddle a losable salvation that must be maintained by MAN with wilful sin being the 3rd thing used by them......ALL three falsely misrepresented by salvation losers and workers for!
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,691
13,135
113
Of course I blame Calvin.
He's the one who got the heresy of once saved always saved (rooted in the teachings of the Gnostics) accepted in the church. Of course the only way that could happen is a new church had been created, for it had been fiercely resisted right from the beginning of the church.
Our predestination is not wrought in ourselves, but in secret with Him, in His foreknowledge. But we are called by the preaching of repentance. We are justified in the calling of mercy and fear of judgment. He feareth not judgment, who hath previously attained salvation. Being called, we renounce the devil by repentance, that we may not continue under his yoke: being justified, we are healed by mercy, that we may not fear judgment: being glorified, we pass into everlasting life, where we praise God without end.… The verse wherewith this Psalm concludeth is the voice of life everlasting.
- Augustine, from "Expositions on the Book of Psalms" written 392-418 AD
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
I agree that sometimes the Lord will give over to satan to destroy the flesh of sinning believers.

But I think it's also possible that Ananias and Sapphira were NOT believers. We are not told they are believers, nor are they referred to as brethren. They may have gotten caught up in the excitement and IDEA of a Christian community, without a true conversion.

But it's also possible they were saved but will be one of the least in the Kingdom.
The only designation is "certain disciples" <---disciples comes from a Greek word meaning a learner of one's doctrine........

I personally think they were saved and then punished (chastened) for their sin at that particular time which gave the church a reverential fear at a time it was needed.....

To me, if they were lost they would not have taken the steps to sell what they had to give for distribution.......IMV