Research: Majority of Americans Believe Works Are the Key to Salvation

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Beckie

Well-known member
Feb 15, 2022
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Double talk? Because I didn't answer according to script? Please explain.
Not because you seem to think there is some script.. because your posts are sounding a bit like both sides of a coin. Your business not mine.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
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Not because you seem to think there is some script.. because your posts are sounding a bit like both sides of a coin. Your business not mine.
Please give examples that I may explain.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
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All i would do is copy/paste your posts in this thread you can look back and read them for yourself.
Just one example will suffice (your best shot), otherwise I'll just treat this as a 'drive-by' accusation.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
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No, the body of Christ is plan A. God knew from the beginning all the paths that He would take.
If God knew from the beginning which paths He would take, then His decision to offer salvation to the Gentiles was not dependent on the Jews' rejection of Christ.
 

montana123

Active member
Oct 9, 2021
718
248
43
Here are some of the shocking (to me) findings in the poll (2020) cited below...

"A majority of Americans, a new survey finds, no longer believe that Jesus Christ is the way to eternal salvation. Faith (generally) and good works, they say, will do the trick "

"Equally as startling, it was found that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christian (52%) believe that a person can gain eternal salvation by “being or doing good.” That includes close to half of all adults associated with Pentecostal (46%), mainline Protestant (44%), and evangelical (41%) churches. As expected, a much larger share of Catholics (70%) embrace that point of view."

This salvation-can-be-earned perspective, Barna says, fits well with other widely held views identified in the American Worldview Inventory 2020 that are at odds with biblical teaching.
Those have included:


• There is no absolute moral truth (58%)
• Basis of truth are factors or sources other than God (58%)
• Right/wrong determined by factors other than the Bible (77%)
• The Bible is not the authoritative and true word of God (59%)
• People are basically good (69%)

"“If you look at some of the dominant elements in the American mind and heart today, as illuminated by the Inventory, most people believe that the purpose of life is feeling good about yourself,” Barna says. “Most people contend that all faiths are of equal value, that entry into God’s eternal presence is determined by one’s personal means of choice and that there are no absolutes to guide or grow us morally.”

more at: https://outreachmagazine.com/resour...s-believe-works-are-the-key-to-salvation.html

No wonder this country is in the mess it's in.
The Bible says the world will rebel against God and He will end sin on earth so eventually people will start believing contrary to the truth and not accept the truth like they did.

The reason the world rebels against God is because of the new age movement which they interpret the Bible according to the occult and evolution and believe they are still evolving to be spiritual and godlike, and Jesus is not Lord and Savior but evolved to be an ascended master, and believe in no personal God but honor the God of forces or the power of nature as their higher power, and the New Age Christ is the final teacher.

Eventually the new age movement will be the standard religion in the world.

When the New Age Christ works on the world scene he will push the agenda of the new age movement until the world rebels against God.

The Bible says charity, love in action, works, is greater than faith so we have to have works of love to have faith active in our life for a person is justified by works and not faith alone.

And Paul said he could have all faith so that he could remove mountains but if he did not have charity then he is nothing.

John said do not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Love is greater than faith and that love has to be in works.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
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If God knew from the beginning which paths He would take, then His decision to offer salvation to the Gentiles was not dependent on the Jews' rejection of Christ.
If that's what you say. This is what I read...

(Rom 11:11) I say then, they(Jews) did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
(Rom 11:12) Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
(Rom 11:13) But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
(Rom 11:14) if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
The Bible says the world will rebel against God and He will end sin on earth so eventually people will start believing contrary to the truth and not accept the truth like they did.

The reason the world rebels against God is because of the new age movement which they interpret the Bible according to the occult and evolution and believe they are still evolving to be spiritual and godlike, and Jesus is not Lord and Savior but evolved to be an ascended master, and believe in no personal God but honor the God of forces or the power of nature as their higher power, and the New Age Christ is the final teacher.

Eventually the new age movement will be the standard religion in the world.

When the New Age Christ works on the world scene he will push the agenda of the new age movement until the world rebels against God.

The Bible says charity, love in action, works, is greater than faith so we have to have works of love to have faith active in our life for a person is justified by works and not faith alone.

And Paul said he could have all faith so that he could remove mountains but if he did not have charity then he is nothing.

John said do not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Love is greater than faith and that love has to be in works.
I was in the New Age Movement long before it became chic (1970). The reason the world rebels against God is because of sin, not the New Age. Jesus came to put away man's sin problem through His bloody sacrifice at Calvary, but men reject Him by their unbelief. (Hence people perish due to lack of faith (not lack of love).
We love because He first loved us. Unbelief rejects the Gospel which is able to set men free to love.
 

montana123

Active member
Oct 9, 2021
718
248
43
I was in the New Age Movement long before it became chic (1970). The reason the world rebels against God is because of sin, not the New Age. Jesus came to put away man's sin problem through His bloody sacrifice at Calvary, but men reject Him by their unbelief. (Hence people perish due to lack of faith (not lack of love).
We love because He first loved us. Unbelief rejects the Gospel able to set men free to love.
The world rebels because of their sin but it is the belief of the new age movement that caused them to rebel because it changed their perspective of reality and I am talking about the world as a whole rebels against God when the nations come together.

The Bible says the time will come when they will not accept the truth of the Bible but want to hear it according to their own lusts which will be when they make it a world wide law that nothing can be taught contrary to the new age movement.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
The world rebels because of their sin but it is the belief of the new age movement that caused them to rebel because it changed their perspective of reality and I am talking about the world as a whole rebels against God when the nations come together.
Do you realize that satan was the first 'new ager'?

(Gen 3:5) "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

He lied and mankind died.
 
Nov 26, 2021
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India
Started a New Thread on 2 Pet 1:5-11.

Hi Crossnote.

Yes, I can agree Justification is by Grace through Faith, without any Good Works prior to Justification being needed for it.

What I am saying is that Good Works Post-Justification (Good Works now done by God's Spirit dwelling in us, unlike our own works, before Justification) contribute to sanctification. Do you disagree with this?

The Bible gives the example of Abraham. He became righteous or justified by Grace through Faith. Then his righteousness increased and became perfect by his devotion, love and obedience to God by which he was willing to offer Isaac on the Altar as a Sacrifice to God. James 2 says this.

Let me quote it again below. God Bless.
 
Nov 26, 2021
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India
James 2:

"19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."


In the above, the context makes it clear the Apostle is speaking of the Increase of Justification by Good Works after Faith, which is normally called Sanctification. God Bless.
 
S

Seeking-Christ

Guest
I think it's sad that we still don't know how to get saved. What I mean by that is, the topic of salvation keeps coming up. Normally i hear about it on youtube. People discuss and argue their points. Same Bible, and yet people still keep coming up with other ways to get saved. Nobody knows what to do with works, sin, eternal security, or conditional security, and the list goes on! I guess I'll just haft to wait and see if God will put me in heaven or hell.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
James 2:

"19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."


In the above, the context makes it clear the Apostle is speaking of the Increase of Justification by Good Works after Faith, which is normally called Sanctification. God Bless.
I pretty much agree with your post #196 but in this post I would have to ask, “Where in Scripture do you find ‘an increase of justification by good works’?

Romans 4:6 KJV
[6] Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

When it comes to our justification Christ fulfills all righteousness and all we can offer is our sin, our repentance and our faith.
 
Nov 26, 2021
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India
I think it's very simple.

(1) Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and be Baptized. You will be Justified by Grace through Faith, and not prior works.

(2) Now Justified, do Good Works, above all, Love God and Neighbor as Christ commanded, and try to avoid sin. Receive Holy Communion. Pray, fast and give alms.

(3) When you persevere till the end, by God's Grace, in believing and loving Jesus Christ, you will go to Heaven and receive a Reward.

God Bless.