Do Arminians teach salvation by works? If yes why?
Do Arminians teach salvation by works? If yes why?
Doesn't one have to believe and confess Jesus with their mouth to be saved?
Who is doing the believing and the confessing?
If it's you that is doing it would that be work salvation?
GodsElect,
Yes,
I think you need to make a distinction between the sinners moral ability and physical ability. There is nothing physically stopping anyone from worshipping God. All mankind has that physical ability.
A.W. Pink asks the question well:
II. How can the sinner be held responsible FOR the doing of what he is UNABLE to do? And how can he be justly condemned for NOT DOING what he COULD NOT do?
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Now I really do have a question about this statement. Does a person who has no arms no legs is blind, deaf or mentally handicapped have the ability to physically, or morally for that matter, have anyhting in them to worship God? For scripture says: Romans 9:11 "(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls)" I would have to say NO, will they too go to hell for their inability? We do not have this answer but rather .... Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.
Here is Pink's exact question and answer in the bible....
Romans 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
here is the link to Romans 9 for you to read in context....http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans 9 ;&version=50;
God's elect were saved in the purpose of God before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1:4, 2Tim. 1:9, Heb. 4:3, 1Pet.1:20 Christ is called the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. Rev. 13:8I still have a question.
you say one need to be regenerated to believe Does salvation happen at regeneration or at the time you believe?
Also were the people in the Old Testament regenerated?
God is the master of mankind-not the other way round. One can no more buy grace and mercy of him than a dog can buy supremacy over it's human master by playing tricks.
Works that we do for ourselves are for our own gratification. If our Lord chooses to use us, he will do so. If he chooses not to use even a finely honed tool-That is his perogative-not ours.
It was a difficult thing for me to overcome, my own hidden arrogance in refusing to accept this simple facet of who God is. That he is so totally superior to me that there is nothing that *I* can do to influence him.
If I am saved or no-it is entirely his choice. Does this mean I should give up on living by the law and spirit? Not at all-but I do that for myself-not for him.
I have no expectations beyond this.
I do what feels right to me-and he will do that same.
I know that you were not disagreeing with me I obviously needed to object and state the being of man's physical ability to worship or to even have the ability is given by God first and to those that physically dont have the abilty to make this decision of their own or physically worship on their own. I am truly sorry if I came across as showing any disagreement I was mostly intending the last post for those reading to further my point of man's disability for any spiritual goodnes on their own without God granting mercy to those He will grant mercy. And thank you for the sharpening, it brings my heart great joy to know that others have been shown the truth by God and know what scripture is really saying.
Yes Manton..exactly. and is not one of the biggest sins of man-refusing to live up to the potential our creator has blessed us with? Especially when the word of how to do exactly that is spelled out for us so very clearly?Or in other words:
"I cannot say to every one that ploweth, infallibly, that he shall have a good crop; but this I can say to him, It is God's use to bless the diligent and provident. I cannot say to every one that desireth posterity, Marry, and you shall have children; I cannot say infallibly to him that goeth forth to battle for his country's good that he shall have victory and success; but I can say, as Joab (1Chron. 19:13) 'Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people and the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in His sight.' I cannot say infallibly you shall have grace; but I can say to every one, Let him use the means, and leave the success of his labor and his own salvation to the will and good pleasure of God. I cannot say this infallibly, for there is no obligation upon God. And still this work is made the fruit of God's will and mere arbitrary dispensation-'Of His own will begat He us by the Word of Truth' (James 1:18). Let us do what God hath commanded, and let God do what He will. And I need not say so; for the whole world in all their actings are and should be guided by this principle. Let us do our duty, and refer the success to God, Whose ordinary practice is to meet with the creature that seeketh after Him; yea, He is with us already; this earnest importunity in the use of means proceeding from the earnest impression of His grace. And therefore, since He is beforehand with us, and hath not showed any backwardness to our good, we have no reason to despair of His goodness and mercy, but rather to hope for the best"
Manton