In response to the post from the Soteriology forums - "Error: We are saved, by the blood before and without obeying Christ." (http://www.christianforums.com/t7762708/)
Obedience is certainly a key aspect of the gospel - there can be no denying it. Another thread in this forum documents quite nicely a lot of verses that supports this as well.
I would differ with the original poster in that I believe the gospel "brings about obedience" - and not vice versa. Check out Romans 1:1-6 in which Paul in his introduction to the Romans clearly indicates in verses 5-6 that the gospel is something that results in obedience:
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ"
It's also interesting to note that the reason obedience is brought about is not for salvation - it is for the sake of the name of Jesus! In difference to the title of this post I would say that obedience is a result of salvation - and not a means to it in light of this passage from Romans 1.
This in no way contradicts the passage from Hebrews 9 because it indicates by the term "source of eternal salvation" that those who obey are already saved. Something to keep in mind here is that if obedience were the source of salvation Jesus would not be. Hence the two verse are compatible and obedience is a result of salvation - not a means to it.
Obedience is certainly a key aspect of the gospel - there can be no denying it. Another thread in this forum documents quite nicely a lot of verses that supports this as well.
I would differ with the original poster in that I believe the gospel "brings about obedience" - and not vice versa. Check out Romans 1:1-6 in which Paul in his introduction to the Romans clearly indicates in verses 5-6 that the gospel is something that results in obedience:
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ"
It's also interesting to note that the reason obedience is brought about is not for salvation - it is for the sake of the name of Jesus! In difference to the title of this post I would say that obedience is a result of salvation - and not a means to it in light of this passage from Romans 1.
This in no way contradicts the passage from Hebrews 9 because it indicates by the term "source of eternal salvation" that those who obey are already saved. Something to keep in mind here is that if obedience were the source of salvation Jesus would not be. Hence the two verse are compatible and obedience is a result of salvation - not a means to it.
