Being : Reconciled

[John Mullally]

Look at the text of Ephesians 2:8, it reads "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith". The gift is not "saved" since "saved" is a verb, not a noun. The gift of God is, therefore, this entire clause: "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith", that is the gift of God, the entire thing, that we are saved by grace through faith is God's gift.

Romans 6:23 calls salvation the gift of God. Ephesians 2:9 does not make much sense if the gift that Ephesians 2:8 is talking about is faith - as there is only contention about whether or not salvation is of works. That topic occupies much of the book of Galatians.

It is monergistic, God alone works. If we contribute our work (synergism), then Ephesians 2:9 is false, which reads "not by works, so that none may boast".

Let me ask: If faith is your work which you exercise to be saved, then you are attributing glory to yourself, right?

Did you, or did you not, do something?

“Works” speak to your own merits, while “faith” in someone else speaks of the merits of the other person in whom you are placing your trust. So, while “works” speak of your value, faith speaks of someone else’s value. That’s a key distinction, and perhaps is why the apostle Paul spoke of the works of the Law and faith as being mutually exclusive.

Was Peter promoting a works based salvation when he proclaimed Acts 2:38-39? Peter promises forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (this is arguably salvation) to those who repent and are baptized in response to his Gospel message. Is it now a work to take God at His word?

From the Calvinistic perspective, any religion that teaches that salvation comes about by anything other than an “Irresistible Grace,” necessarily makes salvation into a works-based process—what is left is some element of human contribution in the process. So, when Calvinists say that “salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9), what they really mean is that God does everything in salvation, including the act of faith, on behalf of the elect-person, by overcoming their resistance through an irresistible gift of pre-faith regeneration. In other words, Calvinists believe that faith becomes a “work” whenever we come to think of faith as something that we do ourselves, absent of an Irresistible Grace. This means that in Calvinism, faith without Irresistible Grace = works.

But no, it is not by our choice or will that we come to God. Rather God comes to us ("You did not choose Me, rather I chose you" John 15:16).

In context, John 15:16 is clearly speaking of Jesus choosing the twelve disciples, not a proof-text for comprehensive soteriology. Jesus’ emphasis to His disciples that He is the caller was not meant to demean them but to emphasize His own purposes, which He had to do since their messianic expectations were not in line with what God had in store.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)

Similarly, Galatians 3:26 states: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Notice that it does not say that you are all sons of God prior to faith in Christ Jesus.

• John 1:12 indicates how we become children of God. It is by faith.
• John 1:13 indicates the nature of being made into the children of God. It is by spiritual rebirth

 

[ViaCrucis]

The washing of water by the word is not water baptism.
As its the word of God, that does the washing, not the city water supply.

Jesus explains this as...>"now you are CLEAN thought the WORD i have spoken to you".

That is not water, or water baptism.

Water can not wash away your sin.
If it could then Jesus was sent to the Cross to shed His blood for NOTHING.

I assure you that its the Blood and not the city water supply that is God's BLOOD ATONEMENT, that is the "new covenant" that is the redemption of your sin.

Water with the word, my friend. Water and word together. You can't just remove the parts of the Bible you don't like.

Baptism is a precious gift and work of God which Christ instituted for His Church through which God unites us to Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12-13,), clothes us with Christ (Galatians 3:27), washes away our sin (Acts 2:38), saves us (1 Peter 3:21), and imparts new life from God (John 3:3-5, Titus 3:5).

Baptism is not a work we do for God, but rather is God's work, for it is God who works through His Means of Grace of Word and Sacrament.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Chaleb]

Water with the word, my friend. Water and word together.

Was the dying thief water baptized?
He's in heaven now.

Also, Paul told you...>"Christ sent me not to water baptize".
Why? Because Paul was making the distinction between the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, that work together to cleans sin and produce the new birth.

Water, is just water., tho there are cults that teach that water washes away your sin.
They learned this from a demonic Latin Text Translation, that was a product of Jerome, who was a terrible bible translator..
He translated John 3 like this..>"born again BY water".......and that denies that you are ONLY born again BY = the Holy Spirit.
So, you have to be careful that a water cult does not lead you into ""'doctrines of Devil's", ViaCrucis
Hebrews 13:9

See, If that "water washes sin away"... lie was true, then Jesus didn't have to shed his blood for your sin. "as without the shedding of BLOOD (not water) there is no forgiveness of SIN".
Do you understand, ViaCrucis?
See, if the city water supply could save you, or wash your sin away, then you'd be saved everytime you took a shower.
Understand?

Good luck with that theology if that is your belief system.

Notice also, that in Acts 2, Peter and all those in the Upper Room, were NOT water baptized.
Check it out., as its amazing how a REAL bible can clear up a water cult's teaching, as soon as you actually read a New Testament.

 

[HARK!]

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DUE TO MULTIPLE RULE VIOLATIONS

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