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setst777 said: ↑
No one here is proclaiming a works-salvation. I see nothing in the quote you provided that denies the fact that the proof of our faith is refined and tested, and that your responsibility is to live in faith so be kept by the power of God.
Aiki responds as follows: God does not exert His saving power upon us only as we "live by faith" (which seems to be your way of saying, "By good works.") He saved us when we were "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1), when we had no righteousness to offer to God (Romans 3:23).
Yes, God does exert His saving power upon us only as we believe, and “live by faith.”
Romans 5:1-2 (WEB) 1Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 1:16-17 (WEB) 16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. 17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” [Habakkuk 2:4]
1 Peter 1:5 (KJV) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:9 (WEB) 9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Regarding Ephesians 2:1 and Romans 3:23, you are taking Scriptures out of context and then supplying your own opinions to them – which are Calvinist views once again, although you deny.
I agree that, by grace, God has elected some that were Spiritually dead to be given life – Regeneration
- From spiritual death to life (Ephesians 2:1),
- From darkness to the light of life (Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13),
- They are made alive (Colossians 2:13),
- Raised with Christ into a new life (Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6),
- They are Redeemed (Galatians 3:13)
- They are washed, sanctified and justified (1 Corinthians 1:6-11).
By faith, we pass from spiritual death to life (Ephesians 2:1):
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
By faith, demonstrated by following Him, we are turned from darkness to light (Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13):
John 8:12 (WEB) 12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. [Isaiah 60:1]. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.
John 12:46 (WEB)
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness
By faith, we are made alive (Colossians 2:13) when the Spirit indwells us by faith:
John 7:38-39 (WEB) 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive.
Romans 8:9-10 (WEB)
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
By faith, not by works, we secure the promise of God to be made alive (Colossians 2:13) and are freed from the prison of sin (Romans 6:18).
Galatians 3:21-22 (WEB) For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
By faith in the working of God, we are raised with Christ (Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6).
Colossians 2:12 (WEB) 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
By faith in Jesus we are redeemed by the sacrifice of God’s Son (Galatians 3:13) :
John 3:16 (WEB) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
By faith, confessing our sins, we are washed, cleansed, from all unrighteousness (1 Corinthians 1:6-11):
1 John 1:9 (WEB) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 22:16 (WEB) 16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
By faith, God sanctifies us by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:6-11) :
Acts 26:17-18 (NIV) 17 I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
By faith, we access all God’s gracious work of salvation:
Romans 5:1-2 (WEB)
Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
This is works-salvation because it makes the "free gift of salvation" contingent upon "living out a holy life." The gift is not free if it is bestowed only in response to right living. This thinking also blasphemously adds the sin-fouled efforts of the creature to the perfect saving work of the Creator and Saviour.
Not all will believe through Him, although that is God’s desire (1 Timothy 2:3-4; Isaiah 45:21-22), but God’s sovereign purpose is that, as many as do believe would be saved (John 3:14-18; Isaiah 55:7)…
1 Corinthians 1:21 (WEB) 21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.
If God chooses to give His free gift of salvation to those who will repent toward him, and believe in His Son, who are you to say that God’s will is blasphemy?
1 Peter 1:13-19 (WEB)
13 Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.” [Leviticus 11:44-45]
17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear, 18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ
This Passage sounds a lot like Romans 6 and Colossians 3:1-17. I wonder why the Scriptures keep repeating the same teaching about a faith demonstrated in obedience to Lord Jesus in a life of holiness to be saved. Could it because that is what Lord Jesus also taught us?
Luke 9:23-25 (WEB) 23 He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?
Matthew 10:38 (WEB) 38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
setst777 said: ↑
1 Timothy 4:16 (WEB)
16 Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
It can't be both we are saved apart from works, through Christ, and we save ourselves by our right living. The two things are mutually-exclusive.
Once again, you are quoting Scripture out of context and then filling in your own opinion. That is why I quoted and responded to Titus 3:4-7 earlier, and you wondered why I did that. Now you know.
Paul’s letter is addressed to Titus, a faithful servant of God, who was already saved. Titus was saved because he too put his faith in Jesus so he could be saved- according to the Gospel (John 3:16). God saves us when we believe.
Paul is stating a fact of God’s saving grace, but does not show how that saving grace is appropriated in this Passage because his intent is to praise God for the salvation that comes through Lord Jesus.
So, when are we regenerated?
- Only in the New Covenant – after Lord Jesus appeared to bring salvation (Titus 3:4-6) did regeneration begin.
- All the Old Testament saints believed before the regeneration of New Covenant in Christ Jesus (Titus 3:4-6).
- The regeneration (being given Spiritual life) occurs after the Spirit indwells a person (John 7:37-39; John 4:13-14; Romans 8:9-10).
- The Spirit indwells, and His saving or regenerating power is given, by a Gospel Faith in Jesus after hearing the Gospel Word (John 7:37-39; John 14:15-17; Acts 5:32; Galatians 3:2; Galatians 3:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:17).
- By truly believing, we are made alive and become children of God, and children of light (Galatians 3:21-26; John 12:36; Romans 8:1-4; Romans 8:11-14; Romans 10-14-21; 1 Peter 1:23)
John 5:24; John 8:12; John 12:46; John 7:37-39; Romans 8:9-10; Galatians 3:21-22; Colossians 2:12; John 3:14-18; 1 John 1:9; Acts 22:16; Acts 26:17-18
Obligation of the Christian to endure to the end
Obligation of the Christian to live by the Spirit.
But only as the believer continues in the faith demonstrated by living, walking, and sowing to the Spirit who indwells them by faith (Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 6:7-9; Galatians 5:24-25)
Faithfully living by the Spirit is the obligation or condition of the Christian to be led by the Spirit and to be saved (Romans 8:12-14).
As we are faithful to follow Christ, living by His Spirit, the Spirit leads us:
Romans 8:12-14 (NIV)
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Therefore, regeneration is a promise for the New Testament to whosoever repents and believes in Jesus after being invited by the convicting power of the Gospel Word and the Spirit.
Unless we want to claim that the Scriptures oppose each other, we must learn to search the context of Scripture for answers as to when, how, for whom, and for what purpose the quotes they make actually become a reality to our lives – how we appropriate all these saving promises of God to ourselves.
As for your analysis of Romans 11:19-22 you fail to acknowledge that it was (those who fell) that were cut off, and the Gentiles who believe stand by faith . But the Gentiles should not be conceited but be afraid, because they could follow the same example as the Jews who fell away and be cut off. So the object is that the Gentiles remain in God’s kindness by remaining faithful.
Galatians 6:7-9, once again you are adding your own opinions to the plain teaching of the Scripture. I will let the reader decide the obvious.
Galatians 6:7-9 (WEB) 7 Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we do not give up.
The Power of God onto Salvation all comes by faith in the Son of God. We access God’s saving grace by faith.
Romans 5:1-2 (WEB)
Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 1:16-17 (WEB) 16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. 17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” [Habakkuk 2:4]
1 Peter 1:5 (KJV) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
You attempted to also explain away the clear warning and admonishment of Lord Jesus in Revelation 3:1-5, but it will not work to those who want to know the truth.
Blessings
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