Justified/Saved by Faith & Faith Alone

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John146

Senior Member
#41
Jan 13, 2016
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#41
mailmandan said:
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

James is discussing the evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3)

I see no problem.
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Exactly why we are not justified by our pathetic wavering faith, but by the perfect, unwavering faith of Jesus Christ. All that is required is to believe. At the moment of believing upon Jesus, his faith is imputed to the believer. His testimony becomes the believer’s testimony.

That’s why Paul can say…

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#42
Feb 10, 2022
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#42
I’d have salvation if only I helped that old lady cross the street 25 years ago. Sigh 😔
 
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Aussie52

Active member
#43
Aug 31, 2022
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#43
John146 said:
Exactly why we are not justified by our pathetic wavering faith, but by the perfect, unwavering faith of Jesus Christ. All that is required is to believe. At the moment of believing upon Jesus, his faith is imputed to the believer. His testimony becomes the believer’s testimony.

That’s why Paul can say…

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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Sorry my friend, I have to disagree.
It is " I live by faith IN the Son of God" NAB.
Faith is not imputed. It is the hand stretched out to receive.
 
SomeDisciple

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
#44
Jul 4, 2021
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#44
HeIsHere said:
Someone people were watching, they called him the friend of God.
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God called Abraham his friend.

“But you, O Israel, My servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
descendant of Abraham My friend—
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

Well-known member
#46
May 21, 2022
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#46
SomeDisciple said:
God called Abraham his friend.

“But you, O Israel, My servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
descendant of Abraham My friend—
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Yes this is true.

My point being there is a temporal salvation being addressed by James, Rahab being another example.
 
Mem

Mem

Senior Member
#47
Sep 23, 2014
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#47
Romans 8:35 asks, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" where the Greek "tis" (Strongs 5101) is translated as "who" here even though the complete meaning includes, "who, which, what, why."
and continues with rhetorical a question of examples that answerable with a "Nope, none of that can separate us from the love of Christ." within the context of a state of being "more than conquerors." Curious state that, being 'more than conquerors' considering we've done none of the conquering ourselves.
I mean, who is able to stop sinning this side of living in an incorruptible body? How can we more than conquer if we can't even at the least conquer them (all of them, do you even realize how many there are to keep track of!!!?)?

And there's that ageless reality that asserts our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2)! Right?
Well, Romans 8:37-39 gives us the key that there is a case where the answer to this is a resounding "NO!"

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not even sin can separate God from those in Christ Jesus our Lord!
If that isn't the good news Bonafide Gospel of Jesus, then I don't know what is!
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

Well-known member
#48
Mar 1, 2022
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#48
Aussie52 said:
Sorry my friend, I have to disagree.
It is " I live by faith IN the Son of God" NAB.
Faith is not imputed. It is the hand stretched out to receive.
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Philippians 3:9 would bolster his argument.
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

Well-known member
#49
May 21, 2022
5,802
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#49
Snacks said:
I’d have salvation if only I helped that old lady cross the street 25 years ago. Sigh 😔
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I wouldn't have so many dislikes (n) if I stayed away from the "Calvinist's' threads.

Tough crowd.
 
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Aussie52

Active member
#51
Aug 31, 2022
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#51
Cameron143 said:
Philippians 3:9 would bolster his argument.
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Paul speaks of righteousness as imputed/credited BUT not faith.
Faith is a human response to the overture of the Holy Spirit as the Gospel is presented.
As I wrote previously, it is the outstretched hand receiving from God.
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

Well-known member
#52
Mar 1, 2022
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#52
Aussie52 said:
Paul speaks of righteousness as imputed/credited BUT not faith.
Faith is a human response to the overture of the Holy Spirit as the Gospel is presented.
As I wrote previously, it is the outstretched hand receiving from God.
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How can the righteousness that comes from God be divorced from the faith of Christ? If it's not His faith, how is it the righteousness of God? Does your faith produce or provide the righteousness of God?
 
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Aussie52

Active member
#53
Aug 31, 2022
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#53
Christ does not 'believe' for us. Believing is something we do in response to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Faith is not the righteousness of God. It is the means of receiving it.
Faith neither produces or provides the righteousness of God.
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

Well-known member
#55
Mar 1, 2022
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#55
Aussie52 said:
Christ does not 'believe' for us. Believing is something we do in response to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Faith is not the righteousness of God. It is the means of receiving it.
Faith neither produces or provides the righteousness of God.
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I guess what I'm asking is this: how is it that a Christian who possesses the Holy Spirit can do nothing apart from Christ, but a non-Christian lacking the Holy Spirit can?
 
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Aussie52

Active member
#56
Aug 31, 2022
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#56
Cameron143 said:
I guess what I'm asking is this: how is it that a Christian who possesses the Holy Spirit can do nothing apart from Christ, but a non-Christian lacking the Holy Spirit can?
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Prevenient (or Enabling) Grace. God comes a frees the will so it can trust in the merits of Christ's death.
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

Well-known member
#57
Mar 1, 2022
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#57
Aussie52 said:
Prevenient (or Enabling) Grace. God comes a frees the will so it can trust in the merits of Christ's death.
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The will only or the heart and mind also?
And thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
 
Mem

Mem

Senior Member
#60
Sep 23, 2014
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#60
Cameron143 said:
So regeneration precedes the exercise of faith?
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I don't know about that. Perhaps the only difference between faith and unbelief is an openness to the possibility of any certain thing, i.e. dunatos (possible) and adunatos (impossible). Therefore, it is impossible to please God without faith.
 
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