What if you believe but don't repent of your sins?

[BibleBeliever1611]

Saving Faith requires a genuine trust in Christ as one's lord and savior.

I always hate it when people talk about "genuine faith" as if it's somehow different than just faith. If I live in Finland, could it be that I might not genuinely live in Finland? No. If I live in Finland, then I genuinely live in Finland. Everyone who lives in Finland is genuinely living in Finland. Similarly, everyone who has faith has true genuine faith. It's the same thing. Faith = genuine faith.

You can't have genuine faith without repentance.

Let's break this down. If something is genuine it means it's real. If a person doesn't have genuine faith, that would basically mean that he pretends to have faith. If you are pretending to have faith, you don't have any faith to begin with. There's really no such thing as "non-genuine faith." Either you believe in Jesus or you don't believe in Jesus. There's no third option. If you believe in Jesus, then your faith is genuine (real).

 

[Albion]

I always hate it when people talk about "genuine faith" as if it's somehow different than just faith.

Well, it is. And that's exactly what James was referring to in his epistle--the claim of some people that they have faith because they think something positive about Christ, but yet it hasn't caused a change in their lifestyles. A real Faith must do that. Of course, we're using the word in the theological sense, not like "I have faith that the letter I'm expecting will arrive tomorrow."

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Of course, we're using the word in the theological sense, not like "I have faith that the letter I'm expecting will arrive tomorrow."

What you put in quotations is a good illustration of what faith means. It's not a cryptic word. Having faith in Jesus means that you trust him as your savior. Similar to how having faith in the post office would mean that you trust it to deliver your letter in time.

 

[d taylor]

Here's why--

Baptism, confession, etc. are important. They do not, however, define Faith.

Saving Faith requires a genuine trust in Christ as one's lord and savior. And it also requires the person to try to follow the Lord. So if you have a belief in Jesus as someone important or admirable or good, but it doesn't move you to actually become a disciple, you don't have Faith.

I see many times in the Bible where a person is called to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah and in doing that they receive Eternal Life. Where is it stated that a person is given Eternal Life by trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

How is following the Lord defined, He is no longer physically present on earth so a person can not actually physically follow Jesus. What actually does following Jesus consist of.

So you are saying, actually it is becoming a disciple of Jesus that gives a person Eternal Life. So a life of discipleship gives a person Eternal Life.

So how can people receive the gift of The Holy Spirit after they believe. Because they certainly, at that point of belief have no life time of discipleship

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

 

[Kris Jordan]

Sure but usually 99% of people already know they are sinners. Everyone knows they have done something wrong, whether it be stealing, lying, etc.

Hi BibleBeliever1611,

There's a big difference between someone knowing something is wrong or sinful and understanding what the wages of those sins are. This is where repentance comes into play. It is a changing of your mind to agree with God that is it wrong and deserving of eternal punishment. They are believing Jesus to be saved from the consequences of their sinful choices = hell.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

What if someone doesn't repent of their sins but they still believe in Jesus? Do you think people like that going to hell?

The devil is also a believer. Be blessed.

 

[eleos1954]

I hate to ask again, but I am still unclear on if you think we need to repent or not in order to get to heaven?

I said yes ... but it is He that leads us to repentance.

Romans 2:4

New King James Version
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

 

[Kenny'sID]

I said yes ... but it is He that leads us to repentance.

Romans 2:4

New King James Version
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

I see.

 

[Albion]

What you put in quotations is a good illustration of what faith means. It's not a cryptic word. Having faith in Jesus means that you trust him as your savior.

Well, now you are eroding your own argument. To have trust in Christ as one's Lord and Savior IS NOT the same thing as trusting that the Dodgers will win the World Series.

No, it involves much more than "counting on" something or other--although we do also use the word in that way. So it definitely is not such a simple word that it doesn't have a number of different uses.

 

[Albion]

I see many times in the Bible where a person is called to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah and in doing that they receive Eternal Life. Where is it stated that a person is given Eternal Life by trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

There are plenty of places in Scripture in which Christ is acclaimed as the Messiah or as Savior, not just as a good man or an admirable character, etc.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

So it definitely is not such a simple word that it doesn't have a number of different uses.

Yes it is buddy because God is not the author of confusion. The word "faith" is so simple that everyone on this planet knows what it means, doesn't matter if they're not Christians. The name of Jesus is so famous that everyone has heard it. The Bible is so famous that no other book comes even close. John 3:16 is such a famous verse that it's in the bottom of the soda cup of In-N-Out Burger. I say AMEN to all of that.

 

[Albion]

Yes it is buddy because God is not the author of confusion.

Well, I'm not confused. There is a difference between Faith in a theological sense and faith, meaning merely confidence. This is not complicated.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Well, I'm not confused. There is a difference between Faith in a theological sense and faith, meaning merely confidence. This is not complicated.

This subject has made me more confused than anything else during my 24 years of life. I'm not even joking or exaggerating.

 

[Albion]

Is that because of the rival arguments of the two sides? Because the issue itself is not that complicated. It is, however, made worse by the supporters of each side insisting that that the other side's conclusion is impossible.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Is that because of the rival arguments of the two sides? Because the issue itself is not that complicated. It is, however, made worse by the supporters of each side insisting that that the other side's conclusion is impossible.

The reason why it's confusing is because when you are mixing works into salvation, then no-one really knows what you must do to be saved. No-one knows how much works exactly are enough. Also, how are you going to have faith in Jesus if you have faith in your works?

If you get saved just by believing in Jesus, then there's nothing confusing about it. Just believe. It's really simple.

 

[Albion]

The reason why it's confusing is because when you are mixing works into salvation, then no-one really knows what you must do to be saved.

So stop mixing works into salvation. We aren't saved on account of how many good works we do or of what kind they may be. Not even in part.

No-one knows how much works exactly are enough.

That's right. What it means, then, is that those who claim that works add to our chances of being saved are in error.

If you get saved just by believing in Jesus, then there's nothing confusing about it. Just believe. It's really simple.

Yes, but I really think we have to get away from talking about "just believe." Faith is not simply belief.

The Bible, in fact, teaches that even the demons believe; they know who the Lord is, but that isn't going to save them.

And then when a person starts talking about "believe" when he really means Faith, it invites those critics who like to condemn what they call "Easy Believism."

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

So stop mixing works into salvation. We aren't saved on account of how many good works we do or of what kind they may be. Not even in part.


That's right. What it means, then, is that those who claim that works add to our chances of being saved are in error.


Yes, but I really think we have to get away from talking about "just believe." Faith is not simply belief.

The Bible, in fact, teaches that even the demons believe; they know who the Lord is, but that isn't going to save them.

And then when a person starts talking about "believe" when he really means Faith, it invites those critics who like to condemn what they call "Easy Believism."

You conveniently left out the most important part. How are you going to have faith in Jesus if you have faith in your works?

 

[Albion]

You conveniently left out the most important part. How are you going to have faith in Jesus if you have faith in your works?

Didn't I make clear enough that it's a mistake to place your faith in works?

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Didn't I make clear enough that it's a mistake to place your faith in works?

So if it's a mistake to place your faith in works, then the other option is to place your faith in Jesus. Having faith in something means that you just believe in it. It's not complicated. We're not discussing mathematics or physics equations here.

 

[Albion]

So if it's a mistake to place your faith in works, then the other option is to place your faith in Jesus.

Indeed.

Having faith in something means that you just believe in it.

That might be the colloquial or casual or non-religious meaning of the word. As used in the Bible, however, the word means more than simply to agree that Jesus is good or whatever.

It means to place complete trust in Him as one's Lord and Personal Savior. If you do that, it follows that you will try to do what he said was right to do. But that doesn't mean that this what will save you. It's still the Faith that saves.

It's not complicated.

That's what I've been telling you.

We're not discussing mathematics or physics equations here.

So what's the problem?