This thread is for those who believe that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone
Which is it grace alone or faith alone?
Many do not know what grace is, as well as what it means to be saved through faith, or how faith works; operates, ie; functions.
Maybe a discussion of these words and their meanings could clarify some things?
Grace: Grace is the power or ability of God granted to us, that enables us to do what we could not do without it.
Grace is the Holy Spirit; The Spirit of Grace.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on
the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 10:28-29
- and insulted the Spirit of grace
Grace teaches us -
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself
His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14
- the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us...
God grants to us a new nature, born of the Spirit and empowered by the Spirit, to live a godly and righteous life, [which we couldn't do before without it], in which we reign in dominion over the nature of the flesh and the sin that dwells there, desiring to manifest through various lustful desires.
In short, we who are born again and filled with the Spirit have the ability to live our lives according to the righteous desires of the Spirit empowered new nature, rather than the living by the desires of the sinful flesh, and practicing it's works.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21
- Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh
- those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I will end here, and hope others will join in to discuss these things, and hopefully define and discuss faith as well in the next post.
JLB