 |
| Leave your prejudices behind. Be as a little child, and take a close look! |
A dear brother wrote:
Try to take a look at it again.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
Alright then. Let's take a closer look.
Take note of seven (7) things:
1. Salvation is by grace. (I believe you agree)
2. Salvation by grace is through faith. (I assume you still agree.)...
3. This faith is not man's faith but the faith of Jesus Christ. (Now you don't.)
4. Paul is clear in v.1 that man is dead in sins, thus faith is impossible. (Have you started to think?)
5. Faith is from "pistin" meaning fidelity, what fidelity from a spiritually dead man to speak of? (You are thinking more deeply, I hope.)
6. Fidelity means "faithfulness to a cause". Whose faithfulness to what cause secured the salvation that is freely bestowed by God's grace? (I hope the question makes sense to you!)
7. Salvation by grace, therefore, is through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ in the redemptive work for His people. Compare with Ephesians 3:12 "...boldness and access...through the faith of him (Jesus Christ). (I pray you would consider this clear truth).
Sing F Lau
It is a great delight to see this post. Kindly read it; think through it humbly; get rid of the fables you have been taught, and believe the plain and simple truth... and may the truth set you free! May the Lord help you.
Don't be obsessed with your feeble fickle faith. May your eyes be opened to behold the faithfulness of Christ Jesus! This is one of the truth I embraced that caused the RBs churches to turn against me nearly 10 years ago.
Here is another pivotal passage:
Rom 3:
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Prior to verse 21, Paul conclusively proved and demonstrated that all are justly condemned and have no righteousness whatsoever.
Verse 21 declares the provision of righteousness by God Himself for His people.
Righteousness comes by obedience to the law, either by a man's own obedience or by the obedience of a substitute. By man's own obedience, there is only condemnation.
The righteousness by God's own provision is by the obedience of Jesus Christ... THAT IS 'by faith of Jesus Christ'.
This phrase 'by faith of Jesus Christ' refers to His faithfulness in rendering perfect obedience to the law in order to secure the righteousness necessary for the justification of His people. That is the context.
We are absolutely sure that that is the meaning because in verse 24 we read, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."
The phrase 'by faith of Jesus Christ' by which God justifies condemned sinners is "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." The two phrases refers to the same thing... and in the context of God's provision of righteousness in the context of justifying condemned sinners.
Nearly everybody is OBSESSED with their fickle and feeble faith IN Christ; hardly any knows and boasts of the faith OF OF OF Christ.... even though the Scriptures speaks of it so many times.
Of course that truth is OBLITERATED in all the modern translations. KJ Bible alone preserves the truth of 'by the faith OF Jesus Christ, i.e. the FIDELITY/FAITHFULNESS of Christ.
May the Lord open the eyes of many to see this blessed truth!
Sing F Lau .
"6. Fidelity means "faithfulness to a cause". (I hope it makes sense)"
=======
Lexicon : Strong's G4102 - pistis, πίστις
Transliteration, pistis
Pronunciation : pē'-stēs (Key)
Part of Speech : feminine noun
Root Word (Etymology) : From πείθω (G3982)
I. conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
II. fidelity, faithfulness
1. the character of one who can be relied on.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4102&t=KJV.
(some consider it a sin to consult the Greek lexicon for some information!)
Sing F Lau
1. Salvation is by grace. (I believe you agree)
2. Salvation by grace is through faith. (I assume you still agree.)
3. This faith is not man's faith but the faith of Jesus Christ. (Now you don't.)
================
Statement 1 EXCLUDES the fable that faith is man's faith; otherwise, it is no longer grace!
But many will say, it is not man's faith, but the faith given by God! So they insist, that grace is still maintained!
However, they must admit that the God-given faith must be UTILIZED/EXERCISED by man for salvation to take place... i.e. a man is saved through his believing, his faith, his work of believing!!!
Statement 1 EXCLUDES man playing any part in his salvation. By grace means salvation is bestowed by God to a sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, without him doing anything. Anything that he can do is the EFFECT, CONSEQUENCE, and EVIDENCE of the salvation ALREADY freely bestowed... i.e. by grace!
Sing F Lau
Which is good news???????????????????
- salvation by grace through your act of believing, or
- salvation by grace through Christ's fidelity/faithfulness?
What is so good news about the eternal salvation that is through your act of believing in Christ? Consider these things:
1. Are you sure you have been told and believed the right things? How can you be sure that the preacher has preached the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to you?
2. Supposing he has, are you certain that you have heard and understood accurately, and believed the truth? Did you have the right faith to effect your salvation?
3. Are you sure you have believed adequately? How much truth must you hear, understand and believe in order that the salvation may be effected through your faith?
4. Are you sure your faith was strong enough to have effected your salvation through it?
5. What happen when you become unbelieving? What then? Ok, you will never be unbelieving! That's very good. But are you certain that your believing was enough?
You see then that if your salvation is through your act of believing, then a whole host of uncertainties are introduced into the equation of your eternal-salvation, and that means BAD news!!!
Think about it... may the Lord wake you up from self-deception!
