Not By Works

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
5,881
1,862
113
Yes I was thinking in the general term of miracles.

There are some issues with this though.

Matt 9:1-8 - 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. [ implies they understood the power came form the father]

Hebrew 9:22 – without shedding blood there is no forgiveness [Jesus had not been on the cross yet]

John 20:23 - If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. [disciples could forgive]

Matt 6:14 - 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. [father]
Raised Lazarus from the dead. and a Young girl who was prety much dead. He cause life to come back into her.
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
The Jewish concept agency concept again comes in here.. Jesus had equal authority and power to the Father. 'The agent is as himself'

But forgiving sin is the primary thing. He forgives those who haven't directly offended Him. For eg.. if you had a quarrel with a friend and I came along and said 'your sins are forgiven' to your friend. What kind of cheek is that?

Only God can do that.. forgive sin in the third person.

But also .. doing miracles by 'the hand of the Father'.. the Father's authority.. the difference between Jesus doing that and His followers is that He claimed to be one with the Father. So when He did the miracles He was doing as God.. equal.

Noted - but any passages that support this from Jesus preferably!
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
Raised Lazarus from the dead. and a Young girl who was prety much dead. He cause life to come back into her.
Yes of course great miracle also performed by others.

Jesus said -
John 11:41 (Lazarus) - 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

similar to:

Matthew 9:8 states: ‘When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.’

Jesus is implying that the Father healed on his request and also gave him authority.

Similar to others;

2 Kings 4:30-36 (Elisha raising the dead) - 33 So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD.
2 Kings 13:20-22 - a dead body touched Elisha’s dead body and became alive.
As did Elijah
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,230
1,126
113
New Zealand
Noted - but any passages that support this from Jesus preferably!
(Joh 17:3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(Joh 17:4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
(Joh 17:5) And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
(Joh 17:6) I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

First part of scripture here I can show is Jesus claiming to be with the Father before the world was made. If that isn't a claim to deity I don't know what is. You can't apply that to a believer.

Eternal life is also through knowing Jesus. That is also a claim to deity. Can't apply that to a believer. Knowing another christian.. they can't give me eternal life.
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
(Joh 17:3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(Joh 17:4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
(Joh 17:5) And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
(Joh 17:6) I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

First part of scripture here I can show is Jesus claiming to be with the Father before the world was made. If that isn't a claim to deity I don't know what is. You can't apply that to a believer.

Eternal life is also through knowing Jesus. That is also a claim to deity. Can't apply that to a believer. Knowing another christian.. they can't give me eternal life.

I had some interesting debates with JW regarding this and touching on the ‘I Am’.

What would be your response to their position;

Jn 17:3 – states ‘only true God’ who sent Jesus – [therefore not part of the Godhead]

Ps 3:3 - But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. – [Glory given to others]

[Others per-existed in God’s plan] - Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

John 17:22 - And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: - [That would imply the disciples now have ‘Glory’ too.]

John 8:54 - 54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. – [Therefore, not equal to the father]


Few favorites of JW

Acts 3:26 - Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Mark 12:29 - And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Mark 10:18 - And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,230
1,126
113
New Zealand
I had some interesting debates with JW regarding this and touching on the ‘I Am’.

What would be your response to their position;

Jn 17:3 – states ‘only true God’ who sent Jesus – [therefore not part of the Godhead]

Ps 3:3 - But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. – [Glory given to others]

[Others per-existed in God’s plan] - Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

John 17:22 - And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: - [That would imply the disciples now have ‘Glory’ too.]

John 8:54 - 54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. – [Therefore, not equal to the father]


Few favorites of JW

Acts 3:26 - Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Mark 12:29 - And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Mark 10:18 - And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Well.. to start with.. none of these verses stand alone by themselves. Put them in the paragraphs and chapters they are in.. get the time, place, subject etc.. and then show what they mean.

That is how any historical document is reasoned out. Do it with the bible also. Context context context..

For example.. Mark 10:18-- The disciples are calling him good.. but they don't know what they are saying. It is like Jesus is saying ... 'don't call me good when you don't really believe I am that GOOD.. that I am equal to the Father.' They were saying 'good' as in like 'good teacher'.. when Jesus is far more than that. Jesus would rather be called something else.. than called 'good'.

It's like calling the head of the school-- a 'pretty good teacher'. When they are above the teachers.

And 1 John 17:3--- Does not violate the Trinity. The trinity is not three gods.. it's one God in three expressions/essences/substances (I am not a fan of the word persons). A person can have a mind, body and soul.. be triune.. and they are made in God's image.

'Son' does not mean 'inferior' or 'born out of'.. in the biblical sense it is 'image' 'expression'.. because that is how Jesus is termed in the New Testament. The full expression/image of God.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,230
1,126
113
New Zealand
To those who would say OSAS is a license to sin:

(Rom 6:12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(Rom 6:13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(Rom 6:14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
 

Fundaamental

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2023
3,289
421
83
To those who would say OSAS is a license to sin:

(Rom 6:12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(Rom 6:13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(Rom 6:14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
why is there such a huge debate about working for salvation who believes that ?.

This once saved always saved thing, doesn't fall inline with what the scripture says it's not Good to boast about tomorrow but to say God wills my steps.

Maybe it would be a better title for this thread like God will always save me because God wills my steps, which is in scripture

The title once saved always saved it's self is wrong because it puts the emphasis on the individual and not God.

Then it preaches about not obtaining works for salvation in a self glorifying way, which adds more self glorifying to the title once saved always saved.

It's a bit of an insult that one to Christians it's no wonder it causes so much debate.

Maybe the reason why there's now a doctrine called you can forfeit your salvation, is it's stemed from people lecturing people with you can not work for your salvation from once saved always saved.

So once saved always saved doctrine in away has encouraged sin it's encouraged debating. Which leads to sin.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,230
1,126
113
New Zealand
why is there such a huge debate about working for salvation who believes that ?.

This once saved always saved thing, doesn't fall inline with what the scripture says it's not Good to boast about tomorrow but to say God wills my steps.

Maybe it would be a better title for this thread like God will always save me because God wills my steps, which is in scripture

The title once saved always saved it's self is wrong because it puts the emphasis on the individual and not God.

Then it preaches about not obtaining works for salvation in a self glorifying way, which adds more self glorifying to the title once saved always saved.

It's a bit of an insult that one to Christians it's no wonder it causes so much debate.

Maybe the reason why there's now a doctrine called you can forfeit your salvation, is it's stemed from people lecturing people with you can not work for your salvation from once saved always saved.

So once saved always saved doctrine in away has encouraged sin it's encouraged debating. Which leads to sin.
If God keeps salvation.. not us.. then once saved always saved isn't about the individual.. it's about Jesus. That is the whole point of the OSAS argument.. that salvation isn't dependent on us.. doesn't belong to the individual.. isn't kept by the individual or maintained by the individual.. but by Jesus.

That is the reason for the pushing against forfeiting salvation.. because that is about the individual.. it's about their life, their rights etc.. and not really about Jesus.

Aside from this.. scripture is clear that eternal life once given is everlasting. John 3:16, 3:36, 5:24, 6:40. Romans 5:8.. plus a whole raft of verses supporting salvation being forever.

It is as you say.. that God wills your steps.. but also in the will.. stays with us when we fail.

Grace compels the believer to not sin. That is the point of what I am saying. OSAS compels the believer onto faithfulness.. because grace does!
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
59,917
29,299
113
If God keeps salvation.. not us.. then once saved always saved isn't about the individual.. it's about Jesus. That is the whole point of the OSAS argument.. that salvation isn't dependent on us.. doesn't belong to the individual.. isn't kept by the individual or maintained by the individual.. but by Jesus.

That is the reason for the pushing against forfeiting salvation.. because that is about the individual.. it's about their life, their rights etc.. and not really about Jesus.

Aside from this.. scripture is clear that eternal life once given is everlasting. John 3:16, 3:36, 5:24, 6:40. Romans 5:8.. plus a whole raft of verses supporting salvation being forever.

It is as you say.. that God wills your steps.. but also in the will.. stays with us when we fail.

Grace compels the believer to not sin. That is the point of what I am saying. OSAS compels the believer onto faithfulness.. because grace does!

John 6:37
:)
 

Fundaamental

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2023
3,289
421
83
If God keeps salvation.. not us.. then once saved always saved isn't about the individual.. it's about Jesus. That is the whole point of the OSAS argument.. that salvation isn't dependent on us.. doesn't belong to the individual.. isn't kept by the individual or maintained by the individual.. but by Jesus.

That is the reason for the pushing against forfeiting salvation.. because that is about the individual.. it's about their life, their rights etc.. and not really about Jesus.

Aside from this.. scripture is clear that eternal life once given is everlasting. John 3:16, 3:36, 5:24, 6:40. Romans 5:8.. plus a whole raft of verses supporting salvation being forever.

It is as you say.. that God wills your steps.. but also in the will.. stays with us when we fail.

Grace compels the believer to not sin. That is the point of what I am saying. OSAS compels the believer onto faithfulness.. because grace does!
couldn't agree more with this but where your coming from is not where someone else is,
Where is the author of this thread has he been banned for being to argumentive towards Christians telling them they can not work for salvation to much?.
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
5,822
2,267
113
couldn't agree more with this but where your coming from is not where someone else is,
Where is the author of this thread has he been banned for being to argumentive towards Christians telling them they can not work for salvation to much?.
To add works to the equation is to state the work of Christ Jesus was insufficient, not completed, therefore, yes, the argument is necessary and important.
The argument is important because it is an either/or situation it cannot be both.
 

Fundaamental

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2023
3,289
421
83
To add works to the equation is to state the work of Christ Jesus was insufficient, not completed, therefore, yes, the argument is necessary and important.
The argument is important because it is an either/or situation it cannot be both.
Ok 😊 maybe it would be better recieved if the title was changed from OSAS to G.,W,A,S,M God will always save me.

This Takes the emphasis of the individual, that way if people do put them selve first befor God,
God to will save them.

But isn't pleasing God really what' its is all about when people perform works.
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
5,822
2,267
113
Ok 😊 maybe it would be better recieved if the title was changed from OSAS to G.,W,A,S,M God will always save me.

This Takes the emphasis of the individual, that way if people do put them selve first befor God,
God to will save them.

But isn't pleasing God really what' its is all about when people perform works.

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
John 6:29

This work does not add to the work of Christ, but rather receives the work done on our behalf.
 

Fundaamental

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2023
3,289
421
83
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
John 6:29

This work does not add to the work of Christ, but rather receives the work done on our behalf.
1 Thessalonians 2:4
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
 
May 1, 2023
9
4
3
It does not get any plainer..........Our righteous works have ZERO to do with Salvation!

English Standard Version
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Berean Study Bible
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Berean Literal Bible
He saved us, not by works in righteousness that we did, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

New American Standard Bible
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

King James Bible
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
I'm glad of this, otherwise, I would never have been saved. I owe it all to His grace and amazing love. 🙌🏻
 

Fundaamental

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2023
3,289
421
83
Actually if you read the first 20 pages of this thread youll find 20 members at least banned, it must have been some trouble causing Group.
 

gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
12,294
6,667
113
Actually if you read the first 20 pages of this thread youll find 20 members at least banned, it must have been some trouble causing Group.
as a long time member who was here when this thread started, it was not any group , it was a bunch of individuals who strongly disagreed, and went at each other hard and hostile. too hard and too hostile, hence, many of them got tossed.