But how does one turn a sinner and save a soul ? Are you implying that in of ourselves we are capable of doing this ?
Calvinism vs. Arminianism?
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But how does one turn a sinner and save a soul ? Are you implying that in of ourselves we are capable of doing this ?
Not adressed to me but i'll reply.
YES.
We are capable of repenting. Atheists stop sins all the time, sins like ALCOHOLISM for example. Can they save themselves? NO. But can they COME TO CHRIST as a sinner, repent and turn? YES:
This scripture in Thessalonians has reference to people who had never believed in the gospel. Believing the Gospel can be a deliverance for us here in this world, but it is not the cause of our eternal salvation.
This scripture in James 5:19-20- James is talking his brethren in the church saying if they see one of their brethren in error and go and talk to them to repent from that error, they can save (deliver) a soul from death (separation from God) not a death in hell.
James is talking to his brethren in the church. "Save" according to the Greek meaning is "a deliverance" It's not talking about saving them from a death in hell, Death is a separation, and in this verse it is a separation from fellowship with God until he repents of his error.
How do people get saved in the first place?
Here is a reminder.
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:14-17
JLB
It can be both ambiguous because you have God talking about the wages of sin is death and we know it has nothing to do with physical death. Then likewise the word save is also related to that of Romans where again God says if you confess with your mouth you will be saved. But I personally believe it is this half that God has in view.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be addressed to you of course, anybody can reply as far as I’m concerned that’s the beauty of it all. Sure one can repent and come to Christ; but the moment we think that I repented and I came to Christ on my own will would be going down the wrong path in that they themselves are taking the credit or part of the credit when all reality all the credit goes to God and only God.
Death in hell is not a separation from God. Those that are going to hell were never regenerated by God to become one of his children. Part of rightly dividing the word of truth is being able to understand that, in the scriptures, dead, death, is not always talking about a literal death. Just as "salvation, saved, save, is translated in the Greek to mean "a separation", and most of the salvation scriptures are pertaining to a deliverance here on earth.
Sense you agree that anyone can reply, Before God regenerated us, we were all but natural men, void of the Holy Spirit, and would not, even, can not repent of breaking a spiritual law that we could not discern(1 Cor 2:14). Anytime you see the words, repent, confess, accept, believe etc. in a scripture, that scripture is always directed toward the disobedient child of God, who has been regenerated. With that truth, it gives God all of the credit for our eternal deliverance.
And how shall they hear and believe if they are, but, natural men and cannot discern spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14)? Only God's sheep hear his voice.
The context teaches us what is meant.
There are two types of death.
Physical death and spiritual death.
James is Referring to a brother in Christ who has wandered away from Christ.
Jesus taught clearly about this issue.
He illustrated this principle of becoming lost by the parable of the lost sheep.
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7
A sheep who wanders away and becomes lost Represents a person who was once saved then became lost; as a sinner in need of repentance.
likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
A sinner needs to repent in order to be reconciled to God.
Which is to say justified; made right with God.
JLB
The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Romans 1:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
JLB
Yes, but the sheep, when he was lost from the shepherd was still a sheep (child of God). Just like the prodigal son, who was always his father's son, even though he left for awhile. this is why, when the words, repent, confess, accept, believe etc. is used in a scripture, it is always referring to a disobedient child of God. The people that Christ died for were justified (made just) on the cross. Even when we turn away from God and sin, we are still justified for eternal salvation.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
My belief in Jesus Christ lead to my justification. One cannot believe in Jesus Christ and His gospel without hearing the gospel. Hearing comes first, believing second, justification next.
You build your whole foundation of theology on one verse taken out of context.
The gospel tells us how that we were saved eternally, but the gospel is not the cause of our eternal salvation. In Romans 1:16 and John 3:16, The word "believes" is present tense, not future tense, as you are using it, as, "everyone who will believe". The "world" in John 3:16, is the world of believers, and not the whole world. The word in the KJV is "believeth".