Saved by faith alone. A surmised understanding?

You guys that go for hours discussing salvation don’t really want to know what salvation is, you just want to argue it. Everyone has a different Salvation experience. It’s the one topic where it is specifically laid out in scripture - Roman’s 10:9-10, which says “do this”. So when you do this, you get saved. Then you have the old flesh that says “yeah but, yeah but, yeah but, yeah but…” and the the thread continues on for 10+ more pages about “yeah but, yeah but, yeah but, yeah but…”

Sorry if this has already been covered.

Faith does not save people. God saves people. And He has chosen, on His own accord, with no counsel from man, to save those who believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21 gives us that insight into God's thinking.


This says plainly that God has chosen to save people who believe the "foolish message preached". And the next three verses make it clear that the foolish message preached is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins:


These four verses are very clear that God has chosen to save people who believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins.

Great thoughts but what about the question at hand?

The "saved by faith alone" moniker has a false premise, which I stated in my post... Faith doesn't save people. God saves people. But His decision to save those who beleive the seemingly foolish message that Jesus died for their sins precludes the introduction of other requirements (which those opposed to the idea that God saves people on the basis of their trust in Christ often interject). But the truth stands (i.e., people can't unwind the paradigm that God established)... It pleases Him to save those who believe.

I have read your comment twice and cannot grasp your point.

The question is rather simple, why does faith alone theology not have an example?

The question is not about the need for faith but the need for faith alone.

The question is not "pretty funny" the question is simple and fair.

Are you proposing that somehow 'bad works' can also justify?

James is actually talking about faith without works, a dead faith, no outflow of love.
A strange question, of course not.
The letter of James is a very controversial letter, often quoted and misunderstood.

NO

I think you said “Why are there no verses that actually state that we are saved by faith alone?” Because it’s by grace through faith. Do you mean why not just faith and leave out grace?

My point was s about what salvation takes, which is faith (believing in Jesus enough to pray) and a work (actually praying with your mouth).

Now as to why verses are written the way they are written? No one knows.

What is your religion? Or what book do you study in your religion?

Absolutely, the sacrifice of Christ and our belief in Jesus, is the sole reason
for our salvation.

Though that faith must produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Otherwise, that person's faith is a dead faith.

All good works follow from the reception of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God's seal of salvation on a person.

By grace through faith alone...

You misunderstand the paradigm of salvation by grace.

We can only ever be saved by that one event, that is, Christ's atonement.

Can you understand that salvation is received in gift form from God.

Christ's atonement reconciled you to God, the gospel, end of story.

Adding a work does not contribute to that atonement between Jesus and His Father.

A work simply establishes that a persons' faith is a valid faith.

James 2:18
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith
without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Faith is a living, active, gift from God.

I would understand "grace" at a higher level, more so, God's unconditional love for humanity.

Christ was driven by that unconditional love all the way to the cross.

Unmerited favor?

Even better is when Paul declared to the Corinthians the gospel he preached.

1 Corinthians 2:2
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

The gospel is basically just one line of text.

Does anyone accept that?

They cannot accept what Paul stated.

The problem is that we have an inborn instinct to distort the gospel.

That's exactly what the Corinthians were doing.

So the debate about Salvation continues. It’s so crazy that this is so debated yet it’s such and easy thing. I think people doubt that God is actually gonna show up, or do anything.

I need to post instructions about peeling a banana and let you guys debate it to death. I’m guessing it would go 10+ pages lol

Why?? "Unmerited favor" is all it means. You have willfully SINNED against God, and will continue to do so. Legally, you stand convicted of SIN, and have fallen short of God's glory in every respect. Yet He allows you to survive. this consideration is totally unmerited, in that you deserve immediate DEATH for your SIN, but are allowed to survive indefinitely, apparently in the hope that you will repent at some future point, and be cleansed of your SIN, and indwelled by the Holy Spirit as a born again Christian.,

You mad bro? Sounds like you’re just shooting a lot of spiritual truth bullets. We better stay out of your way.

Ah yes, the old Yeah But & 'Cause Tell Oh' routine.

Wisdom...

1 Corinthians 1:18-19

FWIW, it looks like the debate is going as this debate usually does. Faith Alone vs. Faith is Never Alone.

Substantially, IMO, the solution is found when we sit down and ask the Text and its ultimate Writer 2 simple questions: (1) What is "Faith"?; (2) What does "Christ" mean? God's Word provides extensive information to answer both of these questions. There is not a one verse answer to either of them, including Hebrews 11:1. And it's not really a simple definition that we find for either word. What the Text provides is more of an explanation in details. It's interesting how the Word is structured to make us diligently work in it with Him for answers.

Beyond that there have been some very refreshing comments about Jesus and His work and grace coupled with our Father's work and grace to graciously provide to us Salvation through Faith. Apart from His work and grace faith is unimportant as Paul talks about in 1Cor15.

You are sidestepping your own point. The issue, as you have raised it, is whether salvation is by faith alone, not to whom it applies.