Then let’s trust him as to when he determines someone has saving faith and gives them eternal life
Saved by faith alone?
- Thread starter Lamar
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Well yeah. Go for it. That goes for yours too
But some people like to pipe
And prod. And have alterier motives
Most of us in this thread at one time or another believed in Santa Claus or possibly the Easter Bunny but on this Thread act like they don't know when belief is belief. They can believe in something that never existed but struggle to believe in something that more than just the Bible can prove is real.
I'm open to be proven wrong at any time. I'll likely argue my point of view. In the end don't you think the goal is to know with accuracy what we can know?
In the parable of the sower, only the 4th soil "good ground" produced a crop (fruit) of various sizes, proving to be saving belief. Unlike the other soils. Faith without works is dead. Belief that saves involves faith, trust, reliance and not simply mental assent belief. In regard to demons, their trust and reliance are in Satan as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works. Salvation is not available to them. They already dug their grave and now they will lie in it.
The discussion is Faith.
That is belief.
It's 100% about what Scripture claims.
There's only one literal way to understand Scripture concerning Faith\belief but yet there's a discussion happening even though God made it painfully obvious.
Mental assent (alone) is never enough. The criteria is believing in your heart.
Why then do we compare our saving Belief to the demons who cannot Believe for salvation?
Isn't the answer about the demons, "their trust and reliance are in Satan as demonstrated by their rebellion..." the more fundamental issue with their belief vs. Belief? IOW, who is God to them?
I think you gotta be careful what you put as things a believer WILL be seen doing.
Salvation is purely knowing you are a sinner, deserving hell, and believing Jesus is God, lived sinless and died and rose again. By believing in Him you have eternal life.
So.. this may not be obvious to a person who cannot see their heart.
A person who has believed may not have a faithful walk with God..particular if they are a new believer still dealing with recently being in lost ways of living. Even a seasoned believer has weaknesses in their faith.
Not saying you are, but 'back loading' works into Salvation is something you gotta be careful not to do.
'Faith without works is dead' doesn't mean if works aren't seen..there was no belief. The context isn't about salvation but what a person who already is converted.. can do with their faith to profit others.
Because the Holy Spirit indwells believer.. then there will be fruit from this indwelling in the believers life..and discipline for the believer when they trip up.. but the fruit isn't the test..but whether they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some here seem to disagree with this. Rather, belief becomes Faith and they are not the same.
God gives us Faith and He manifests Himself to us proving His existence. So we have the mechanics to believe. It literally comes down to choosing to believe. Either you will or you will reject. It's that simple.
God gives us Faith and He manifests Himself to us proving His existence. So we have the mechanics to believe. It literally comes down to choosing to believe. Either you will or you will reject. It's that simple.