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John Mullally

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I believe John is addressing the heresy of gnosticism which said that Jesus didn't come in the flesh. This was beginning to infect the church and he was addressing the gnostics (unbelievers). John didn't believe this but addressed it.
In 1 John 1:1, John identifies his credentials, and then proceeds to talk about how sin disrupts fellowship with God (and its remedy) in the rest of that chapter. The use of "we" throughout the chapter indicates that he is not addressing heretics or heresies.

Confessing sin is practiced by New Testament believers as evidenced in 1 John 1:9 and James 5:16:
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.​
 
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Der Alte

This is me about 1 yr. old. when FDR was president
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How can you believe God saved you (have saving faith) if you think you can lose your salvation?
A few days ago I was looking for some lenses I have for my Iphone; wide angle, fish eye etc. but I could not find them.
Salvation is not like those lenses, you can't look for it one day and can't find it.
See my post #41 above.
 
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Dave L

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A few days ago I was looking for some lenses I have for my Iphone; wide angle, fish eye etc. but I could not find them.
Salvation is not like those lenses, you can't look for it one day and can't find it.
See my post #41 above.
What you are missing is, the new birth provides a new nature that loves holiness and hates sin. If you experience it, you will know first hand what I'm talking about.
 
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Dave L

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Jesus is the savior. It's finished. Obedience comes from the heart of love in the new birth. If you experience this, you will hate sin and flee to righteousness.
 
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Dave L

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Many have already unwittingly left Christ planning to share in animal sacrifices in a "third temple".
 
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Dave L

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Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. If it comes from you, it is not real faith.
 
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setst777

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Jesus is the savior. It's finished. Obedience comes from the heart of love in the new birth. If you experience this, you will hate sin and flee to righteousness.

Are we born again so we can believe, or is it by faith that God gives us a new life in Him?

John 7:37-39 (WEB)
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 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. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.

John 4:13-14 (WEB)
13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Unless God’s Spirit is poured out on us, being in us, we are still dead in our sins (Romans 8:9-10). We are made alive by the Spirit of Christ in us, which occurs after Jesus was glorified and the Spirt is sent..

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.

Therefore, we are made alive, or given life by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us. We receive the Spirit by faith - this is for the New Covenant.

The Old Testament saints believed before the New Covenant came into effect - Hebrews 11.

This teaching about regeneration occurs after Christ Jesus appeared to provide redemption agrees with Titus 3:4-6 as follows:


Titus 3:4-6 (WEB) 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Only in the New Covenant did Christ Jesus appear to bring salvation; therefore, the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit takes place in the New Covenant – after Christ Jesus appeared. All this is in agreement with the prophecies regarding regeneration.

If this be the case, how then did the Old Testament believers come to believe in God before the New Covenant in the Spirit was established, if that is how regeneration takes place?
 
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Dave L

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You are missing the point. God saves people through the new-birth. Only then can they discern the true Christ and believe in him. If you think the flesh believes first and salvation follows, it cannot discern Christ and believes only in idols it calls Christ.
 
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setst777

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Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. If it comes from you, it is not real faith.

The Passage you quote does not teach that Jesus is the author and finisher of "our" faith. Rather, the Passage states that Lord Jesus is the author and finisher of faith.

Truly Lord Jesus is the author of the faith we must emulate and follow to be saved.

1 John 2:4-6 (WEB) 4 One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. 5 But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him: 6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

Matthew 10:38-39 (WEB)
38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me. 39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Revelation 3:21 (WEB)
21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.

John 15:10-11 (WEB)
10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.

Hebrews 5:8 (NIV)
8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

John 15:12-14 (WEB) 12 My commandment is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command

1 Peter 2:20-22 (WEB)
20 For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God. 21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, 22 who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” [Isaiah 53:9]

1 Peter 4:1-4 (WEB)
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.

These are just a few of the Scriptures which clearly show that Lord Jesus is truly the author of the only Gospel Faith by which God will save us. We are to follow Jesus.

Lord Jesus is the revealing of God’s Glory in bodily form (Hebrews 1:3). Lord Jesus commanded us to follow in His steps to be saved. Those who believe in God in the way Jesus taught us through His own life will follow Him to be saved. God certainly exists within His own Law that as revealed in Christ Jesus.
 
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Dave L

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Are you the author and finisher of your faith?
 
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setst777

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I am missing your point, but I am not missing the point that God teaches us through His Word. I provided the quotes.

We are to believe in Jesus so we may have life in the Spirit, just as the Scriptures state.

The OT believers were not regenerated when they believed because Christ Jesus had not yet appear to save us.
 
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Dave L

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Faith is a fruit of the Spirit. Are you saying Moses and the firm believers were not born-again? How about Abraham?
 
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setst777

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Are you the author and finisher of your faith?

Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. So, as the Scriptures teach, we are to follow Him by the same faith Lord Jesus also lived. By doing so, our faith is being perfected to be like that of Lord Jesus.
 
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Dave L

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Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. So, as the Scriptures teach, we are to follow Him by the same faith Lord Jesus also lived. By doing so, our faith is being perfected to be like that of Lord Jesus.
You cannot discern the true Christ unless first born-again.
 
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setst777

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Faith is a fruit of the Spirit. Are you saying Moses and the firm believers were not born-again?

Is the fruit of the Spirit given to unbelievers or those who believe?

How could the OT saints be regenerated, since Christ Jesus had not yet appeared to begin the New Covenant in the Spirit?

John 7:37-39
(WEB)
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 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. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
 
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Dave L

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Abel had faith, a fruit of the Spirit.
 
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John Mullally

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This is not explicitly stated anywhere in scripture - that salvation precedes faith. The "believes only in idols it calls Christ" is incoherant.

Was Peter on the day of Pentecost promoting a works based salvation when he proclaimed Acts 2:38-39? Here Peter promises the remission of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit (which is only given to the regenerate) to those who repent and are baptized (in verse 38). Verse 39 says that that offer extends to today.

Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them
 
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setst777

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You cannot discern the true Christ unless first born-again.

Not in Scripture.

The unbeliever who is humble will listen to the Gospel coupled with the convicting power of the Spirit. Those who believe will receive the Holy Spirit to give them life.

John 7:37-39 (WEB) 37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 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. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
 
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Dave L

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“All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].” John 6:37 (AMP)
 
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setst777

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Abel had faith, a fruit of the Spirit.

Cain could have had faith to, according to God, but Cain refused.

Genesis 4:2-6 (WEB)
2 Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
 
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