Friends,
Whenever the issue of "salvation by faith ALONE" comes up, apologists for this doctrine always use the above-mentioned verses to defend their position.
But do these verses really mean that one is saved by "faith alone?" Let's see what the verses are telling us: ( "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Compare these verses to Titus 3: 4-7 which read as follows: (4)"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward men appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He SAVED us, THROUGH the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit; (6) whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior, (7) that having been justified by grace we should become HEIRS according to the hope of eternal life."
Taking these verses together, we see that:
1) GRACE (Eph. 2: means kindness, love and mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5).
2) NOT OF WORKS (Eph. 2:9) means NOT by works of righteousness that we have done (Titus 3:5).
3) IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD (Eph. 2: means that salvation is made available by God's grace, kindness, love and mercy, NOT by the works of righteousness that we have done.
4) THROUGH FAITH (Eph. 2: means through the WASHING of regenAND renewing of the holy spirit (Titus 3:5).
5) HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED BY GRACE (Titus 3:7) means that by Gods kindness, love and mercy, we have been saved THROUGH faith or washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Take note that after one has been SAVED by God's grace, kindness, love and mercy THROUGH faith or washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit, one becomes HEIR according to the hope of eternal life.
The questions are: What does "washing of regeneration" mean? How does one know for sure that he has gone through the "washing of renegeration" that makes one an HEIR of God and JOINT HEIR with Christ (Romans 8:17) according to the hope of eternal life?
Whenever the issue of "salvation by faith ALONE" comes up, apologists for this doctrine always use the above-mentioned verses to defend their position.
But do these verses really mean that one is saved by "faith alone?" Let's see what the verses are telling us: ( "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Compare these verses to Titus 3: 4-7 which read as follows: (4)"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward men appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He SAVED us, THROUGH the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit; (6) whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior, (7) that having been justified by grace we should become HEIRS according to the hope of eternal life."
Taking these verses together, we see that:
1) GRACE (Eph. 2: means kindness, love and mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5).
2) NOT OF WORKS (Eph. 2:9) means NOT by works of righteousness that we have done (Titus 3:5).
3) IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD (Eph. 2: means that salvation is made available by God's grace, kindness, love and mercy, NOT by the works of righteousness that we have done.
4) THROUGH FAITH (Eph. 2: means through the WASHING of regenAND renewing of the holy spirit (Titus 3:5).
5) HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED BY GRACE (Titus 3:7) means that by Gods kindness, love and mercy, we have been saved THROUGH faith or washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Take note that after one has been SAVED by God's grace, kindness, love and mercy THROUGH faith or washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit, one becomes HEIR according to the hope of eternal life.
The questions are: What does "washing of regeneration" mean? How does one know for sure that he has gone through the "washing of renegeration" that makes one an HEIR of God and JOINT HEIR with Christ (Romans 8:17) according to the hope of eternal life?