How do you differentiate?

[Reformationist]

Yeah, I think you hit the head on the nail. What else could satisfy the wages of sin? (John 3.16, John 14.6)

Nothing but the blood of Jesus...

On any side of this debate, it always comes down that if a person believes in Christ then they are saved. period.

So we're saved because we believe rather than believing because we are saved? IOW, salvation is the reward for believing?

God bless

 

[theseed]

So we're saved because we believe rather than believing because we are saved? IOW, salvation is the reward for believing?

The bible says that if you believe you will be saved, the debate is over how it happens. But, nevertheless, if you believe you will be saved. Can a person beleive in their heart and place their faith in Christ and God would say, "not you"? No I don't think so. So we should exhort and ecourage all to believe in Christ, and let God do the rest.

 

[Reformationist]

The bible says that if you believe you will be saved, the debate is over how it happens. But, nevertheless, if you believe you will be saved.

Well, for me it is merely semantics. I don't believe that someone can have faith in Christ while dead in their trespasses and sins. Therefore, I believe that God's grace in regenerating a person must proceed a person's faith. This is not to say that regeneration and salvation are indistinguishable, but, I do believe they are inseparable. If a person is regenerated they will ultimately be glorified in Heaven. So, "believe and you will be saved" is, IMO, just another way of acknowledging that God is sovereign and able to keep from losing us, even despite our own sinfulness.

Can a person beleive in their heart and place their faith in Christ and God would say, "not you"? No I don't think so.

Of course not. One's ability to "believe in their heart and place their faith in Christ" is the result of God's divine providence and love in regenerating them and replacing their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. It would be rather pointless of God to make the effort of regenerating them only to subsequently condemn them. He might as well have just left them to their original fate of condemnation.

So we should exhort and ecourage all to believe in Christ, and let God do the rest.[/font]

Agreed. And we should trust that He will "do the rest." We should trust that His Will will always be done and that He will never fail to save someone He sets out to save.

God bless