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 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
I just looked at all 24 verses that speaks to the gifts of or from God....not one states that works are a gift from GOD....WORKS are something DONE not something given as a gift.....man you are embellishing the word to prove a point that does not exist...why would you do that........??
 

gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
12,315
6,688
113
I


I know what you said about works. But you said belief is a mental activity. But faith is not something a person does on their own strength or will alone, it is an effect wrought of God through the Gospel and His Spirit.
I do not say that belief is a mental activity. the LANGUAGE says it.

greek word for believe- pisteuo- definition- to think to be true, to entrust, put confidence in, to be persuaded of.

now, are these not mental activities ??
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
I just looked at all 24 verses that speaks to the gifts of or from God....not one states that works are a gift from GOD....WORKS are something DONE not something given as a gift.....man you are embellishing the word to prove a point that does not exist...why would you do that........??
Gift is something good and beneficial that is free and is given.

I thought you said verses that faith is a gift. Ok, works now. 1 Corinthians 12 and Philippians 2:13
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
I do not say that belief is a mental activity. the LANGUAGE says it.

greek word for believe- pisteuo- definition- to think to be true, to entrust, put confidence in, to be persuaded of.

now, are these not mental activities ??
I do not or better yet cannot comprehend why people have to embellish the word beyond the simplicity of the word itself........it is actually getting beyond ridiculous and into the idiotic realm.......no wonder there are 57 different flavors (plus 1) of "Christianity" in the world....!!!!
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
You
I do not say that belief is a mental activity. the LANGUAGE says it.

greek word for believe- pisteuo- definition- to think to be true, to entrust, put confidence in, to be persuaded of.

now, are these not mental activities ??
Jesus said no one can come to Him unless drawn. So the human psyche alone cannot believe savingly by itself. It needs a work of God to quicken it.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
I got the wood stove cranking.....news on....surfing CC...............hey did you see the cat they found in Montana like half frozen and covered with ice and snow and unresponsive.....looked like a big ice ball....they took her to the vet, thawed her out, warmed her up and she went home fine.......9-1=8 left HAHAHHAH
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,475
13,419
113
58
Jesus said no one can come to Him unless drawn. So the human psyche alone cannot believe savingly by itself. It needs a work of God to quicken it.
Although it is our responsibility to choose to believe the gospel (Acts 15:7) and we will be held accountable for unbelief (John 3:18), saving belief in Christ is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Unless the Father draws us (John 6:44) and enables us (John 6:65), we would NEVER come to believe in/place faith in Christ for salvation all by ourselves. The approach of the soul to Christ is initiated by the Father, but He doesn't force us to choose Christ, we must choose Him. The impulse to faith in Christ comes from God.
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
I do not or better yet cannot comprehend why people have to embellish the word beyond the simplicity of the word itself........it is actually getting beyond ridiculous and into the idiotic realm.......no wonder there are 57 different flavors (plus 1) of "Christianity" in the world....!!!!
Yes, well I am not denying the meaning of the word, just the notion that a carnal mind can perform it by itself.
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
Although it is our responsibility to choose to believe the gospel (Acts 15:7) and we will be held accountable for unbelief (John 3:18), saving belief in Christ is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Unless the Father draws us (John 6:44) and enables us (John 6:65), we would NEVER come to believe in/place faith in Christ for salvation all by ourselves. The approach of the soul to Christ is initiated by the Father, but He doesn't force us to choose Christ, we must choose Him. The impulse to faith in Christ comes from God.
There you go boys. Sound doctrine. Thank you brother.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Gift is something good and beneficial that is free and is given.

I thought you said verses that faith is a gift. Ok, works now. 1 Corinthians 12 and Philippians 2:13
You still did not say or prove that WORKS are a gift from GOD.............see here is what happened....you stated a position and a point that is not found in scripture....and now you are attempting to stretch the word to say something that it does not say....here are some examples....SHOW ME two examples that state something similar with the word WORKS attached....Show me two sets of verses please that state....WORKS are a gift from GOD after the manner of the verses below....

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
There you go boys. Sound doctrine. Thank you brother.
Oh and by the way, DC, the verse that says what do you have that you did not receive proves EVERYTHING, faith, repentance, works, whatever is a gift granted by God.

Got to go to work. Bye
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Although it is our responsibility to choose to believe the gospel (Acts 15:7) and we will be held accountable for unbelief (John 3:18), saving belief in Christ is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Unless the Father draws us (John 6:44) and enables us (John 6:65), we would NEVER come to believe in/place faith in Christ for salvation all by ourselves. The approach of the soul to Christ is initiated by the Father, but He doesn't force us to choose Christ, we must choose Him. The impulse to faith in Christ comes from God.
Obviously........it is ALL GOD and I know you know we know and believe that.....!!
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Oh and by the way, DC, the verse that says what do you have that you did not receive proves EVERYTHING, faith, repentance, works, whatever is a gift granted by God.

Got to go to work. Bye
Wrong.....works are the result of the faith and salvation that have been given as a gift.....the byproducts of faith and salvation and not the GIFT in and of itself.......Ephesians 2:10 proves this truth........
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
What a coincidence. Its 3pm and im drinking COFFEE right now.
HAHAHHA nice...........I am thinking about a cup........I rarely eat breakfast and am kind of hungry......it is 730 A.M. here in Missouri....about -10c and looks like clear sky HAHAHHAHAH
 
Dec 27, 2018
4,170
876
113
I
You still did not say or prove that WORKS are a gift from GOD.............see here is what happened....you stated a position and a point that is not found in scripture....and now you are attempting to stretch the word to say something that it does not say....here are some examples....SHOW ME two examples that state something similar with the word WORKS attached....Show me two sets of verses please that state....WORKS are a gift from GOD after the manner of the verses below....

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
I gave two texts. Scroll up and read. And I will add a third. 1 Corinthians 4:7
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,999
113
Faith is more than our belief, in that it is impossible to truly believe apart from a work from God preceding it. If you say it is our belief only that saves, then you take away the power and efficacy that saves us
Wrong.

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21)

"...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

"...so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life." (John 3:15)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life;" (John 3:36)

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40)

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12)

"...but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31)

"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43)

"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)

"...and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)

"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24)

"Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved." (Luke 8:12)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life." (John 6:47)

"Whoever believes in Him shall not be disappointed" (Romans 10:11)

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:29)

Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)

"...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. " (1 Peter 1:8-9)

"...for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Romans 10:10)

Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." (Acts 19:4)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." (Romans 1:16)

And especially for you:

"Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone..." (Romans 9:32)