"By grace... through faith..."

One pot (3ft diameter), one stone, one lily plant, one flower

Ephesians 2:8-9 

"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."

"By grace... through faith..." is possibly the most quoted, but misunderstood and abused passage of Scriptures. The passage is commonly and popularly understood like this:

First, it is understood that faith is the gift of God.
Second, God gives the gift of faith to those not yet saved, i.e. still dead in trespasses and sins.
Third, the recipients of the gift, still dead in trespasses and sins, make use of that gift in order to obtain salvation.
Fourth, the act of believing is absolutely necessary to obtain salvation. "Through faith" is equated as "through believing."

This is the common understanding of salvation by grace through faith, i.e. through their own act of believing. Yes, it is by God's grace alone, but it is ALSO through their act of believing at the same time. Eternal salvation by God's free grace involves, and requires the all crucial and determining act of man's believing. "Yes, by grace, through faith" - they exclaimed!

Let me suggest this for your consideration. Feel free to disagree, let me know why.

Faith is NOT the gift; salvation is.

Salvation is NOT through your believing.

Salvation is through the pistis, that is, the faithfulness of Christ.

"By grace" declares the manner salvation is bestowed.

"Through faith" declares the ground of that salvation.

Beware of fables and lies, which make you an usurper and a liar!

 Let us reason a bit...

"... and that not of yourselves..." alone should repudiate the fable that man's act of believing is needed to secure salvation from God. But they would retort, "... Exactly! Not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. We merely made use of the gift freely given to us to obtain the salvation! See, it is all by grace!"

How sincere folks could end up interpreting "through faith" as referring to their activity of believing is just astounding. What is declared plainly in the previous few verses COMPLETELY and ABSOLUTELY exclude such smooth fable and lie!!!

2:1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Plain facts stated about them:
a. They were dead in trespasses and sins... how could they in such state exercise the gift EVEN if the gift of faith had indeed been given to them?

b. They walked according to the course of this world... how could such utilize the gift, and walk according to the course of the kingdom of heaven?

c. They were fulfilling the desires of their flesh and of the mind... how could they in such condition fulfill the desire of the Spirit of God?

d. They were by nature children of wrath... how could they in such state exercise the gift as children obedience EVEN if indeed the gift of faith was given to them?

e. Those dead in trespasses and sins stand in need of being quickened, brought out of the state of spiritual deadness to that of spiritual life... and those dead in trespasses ans sins are completely unable to do anything to contribute to their quickening from their spiritual deadness. In that sense by grace are ye saved. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.).

But such obvious and hard facts escape their attention because they go by SOUND BYTES... but not the SENSE of the word of truth. 
 
They have chosen to believe a fable and a lie!

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2Tim 4:3-4

Take a look at this article here:
http://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2008/01/saved-by-grace-through-faith-whose.html

Massive Dinosaur Soft Tissue Discovery In China – Includes Skin And Feathers!

Will the lying paleontologists deal with hard facts and evidence, or will they continue in their lies?

The Truth
March 7, 2014
by Michael Snyder

A fossil bed in China that is being called “Jurassic Park” has yielded perhaps the greatest dinosaur soft tissue discovery of all time.  According to media reports, “nearly-complete skeletons” have been discovered that even include skin and feathers.  But of course if these dinosaurs are really “160 million years old”, that should be absolutely impossible.

Image: Dinosaur Bones (Wiki Commons).

Needless to say, this shocking discovery is once again going to have paleontologists scrambling to find a way to prop up the popular myths that they have been promoting.  What they have been telling us simply does not fit the facts.  The truth is that this latest find is even more evidence that dinosaurs are far, far younger than we have traditionally been taught.

Once upon a time, scientists believed that it would be impossible to find anything other than the hardened fossilized remains of extinct dinosaurs.  And if those dinosaurs really were millions of years old, those scientists would have been 100% correct.  But instead, we are now starting to find dinosaur soft tissue all over the place.  The following is an excerpt from a recent Daily Mail article about this new discovery in China…

 Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.infowars.com/massive-dinosaur-soft-tissue-discovery-in-china-includes-skin-and-feathers

Abandoned...

Such a lovely home of once childhood but abandoned!

Abandoned...

Few years ago I got to know an elderly couple, and we became close friends. They came from very humble background, and through providence did very well in the estimation of others - they were able to send all their three children to North America for their education. That's no mean accomplishment for them, having come from a humble background. It is most certainly their sincere desire to give their children a better future. As usual the children settled there... and the rest is sad story. The elderly parents were more or less abandoned. He shared with me the pain of being abandoned and neglected by those whom they loved so much! The man passed away recently.

Just a few weeks ago I ministered to another elderly couple. They raised four children - all highly qualified. The man was a doctor before he entered the gospel ministry after his retirement from civil service. He ministered for more than a few years among the Anglicans . He is 80+ now... but bed-ridden and demented. God blessed him with a very strong wife. She shared with me the sad story of being neglected and abandoned by their children... who are busy "doing God's work overseas - what God's work?" (with irony in her voice). She said, "if they would only visit us just once a year, I would have held my peace!"

These observations disturb me!!!

The above account is probably just the tip of a very black iceberg.

 

===================

• Dan
  
• Really heartbreaking, Bro. Sing.

  
  
• Willy
•  Sad to hear such things... We may give our children the best education, but we fail to give them the value of God....
• 
  
• Khaw
• Training of children starts early. Children somehow see how their own parents treat their forebears, generally of course though there are some exceptions. One plants and raises a mango tree would hardly get a coconut as fruit. You see what I mean. Today's parents are too reluctant to exercise strict discipline on their children. They rather don't bother their children and soon their children forget their parents need their assistance when these old parents need physical and emotional attention. Many decades ago, my eldest brother in law told me a story. The story goes this way: the family has three generations living under one roof. The grandpa, dad and son. Soon grandpa died, pa decided to handle the dead grandpa's body by putting the old dead man's body in a gunny sack. Slinging the gunny sack, pa decided that son should follow along. On reaching a river, pa stooped and about to throw the gunny sack into the flowing water. Son shouted at pa..stop! Keep the gunny sack; just throw grandpa into the water. Pa asked why? Son replied: the gunny sack would be useful when the time comes for me to likewise dispose your dead body. The moral of the story: one reaps what he sows (though through God's mercy there are exceptions). I would endeavor we teach our children Xiao Soon (respect and obedience) before it is too late. We should labor to pray to God for guidance and mercy throughout our lives on earth. Surely, God our Father in Heaven shall protect and teach all of us like His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, the Perfecter of our faith. Our Eldest Brother who submit to the will of His Father for our sake. He took that bitter cup; death on the Cross and the most difficult of all, God the Father turned His face away from Him when the good Lord borne all a His children's sins once and for all.

  
  

  Sing F Lau 
• Someone once said:
  Many parents work so hard to give their children a good living.
  Alas, they forget to teach their children HOW to live!"
  
  And that's true, from what we see all around us!
  I type 'filial piety' and Google Translate gives me:
  孝顺 - Xiàoshùn.

  
  

  Robert
• There are things that are beyond our control but it is the things that are in our control we must not neglect. We busy our minds with all sorts of things but learning how to love like Christ.

  
  

  Pj
• Parents care for their children when the children are helpless and needy; ought not the children return the favor?

  
  

  Sing F Lau
• "... without natural affection..." men have degenerated into brute beast when children has no more natural affection for their parents... Paul has warned of that great evil.
  
  Ro 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
  
  2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

  
  

  Edwards
• Without filial have being make it numerically Mr Sing sad to heard abt that in Penang Island country and Malaysia send their kids to North America (Canada,USA and Mexico) usually virtually to each others.

  
  

  Kok

  Dreams of parents... continue to remain dreams.. I would rather live and aged gracefully independence of their care as life is not easy for these kids as they grow up in this harsh world. Why burden them further? It is their right to live in this world the way they wanted and not set by old parents' rules. We are suppose to be capable till the day we die and not suppose to be pampered just because one is growing old and grey. Growing old does not made one invalid but self pity of being old does.

  
  

  Robert
• There is no greater thing in life than to demonstrate love one to another, making excuses for neglect of those that need our care especially our very own parents is an abomination, and evidence of a hard heart.

  
  

  Sing F Lau
  
• Dreams of parents? Old parents' rule? Pampered? Burden to honor one's parents? 

  We have totally different worldview!
  
  Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

  
  

  Sing F Lau 
• Hey Edward Wong, I cracked my little head trying to understand what you are trying to say! Sorry, can you say it again? Thanks.

  
  

  Kok

  That's obvious Sing F Lau

  
  

  Fabio
• When a son/daughter forgot their parents he/she is more close to the devil. That's what I guess.
• 
  

Saving faith versus historical faith

Saving faith versus historical faith

Many theologians and their followers entertain the popular idea that saving faith is a faith that saves. Therefore, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, an effect and product of salvation has been perverted into an instrumental cause/means of salvation. Thus, they deceive their followers.

The bare facts of Holy Scriptures are that believing and repenting are the activities of those whom God HAS ALREADY SAVED - i.e. effectually called out of their native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus.

Saving faith is the faith that is exercised by a SAVED man; saving faith is an effect, a product, a fruit of the salvation already freely bestowed upon a man dead in trespasses and sins. It is salvation already bestowed that enables a man to believe the truth of his salvation by God's free grace while he was still dead in trespasses and sins.

Saving faith is contrasted against historical faith which acknowledges some historical facts about Jesus BUT does not receive nor rest in Him for salvation. The devils have that faith - they confess that Jesus is Christ the Son of the living God. They even tremble! Natural men confess to some historical facts of Jesus.

Saving faith, on the other hand, receives and rests in Christ for righteousness and salvation. Saving faith can be weak, and it can be strong, or anywhere in between, and saving faith is called forth out of God's children by the hearing of the truth of their salvation.

God's children - effectually called to grace and salvation by God's free and sovereign activities - who have NO opportunity, or NO ability to hear the gospel of their salvation, would have nothing to believe on. They would manifest no saving faith, even though the grace of faith is equally worked in every child of God by the indwelling Spirit of God.

Believing the truth of his salvation in Jesus Christ by God's free grace does save a child of God from lies and errors and falsehood, and brings him comfort and peace, assurance and joy, fellowship with God, etc.

The faith of Christ ALONE - i.e. Christ's faithfulness in discharging all the conditions and demands of God for the eternal redemption of all those given to Christ - saved them from their deserved eternal damnation in the lake of fire.

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

====================
p/s 1JMA's idea of saving faith is that it is a faith that saves. So an effect of salvation has been perverted into an instrumental cause of salvation. That's the whole problem.

The bare facts of Holy Scriptures is that believing is the activities of that whom God HAS ALREADY SAVED.

Saving faith is a faith exercised by a SAVED man, saving faith is an effect, a product, a fruit of the salvation already bestowed upon a man death in trespasses and sins.

Saving is contrast to historical faith, acknowledging historical facts about Jesus BUT does not receive and rest in him for salvation. The devils have that faith - they confessed that Jesus is Christ the Son of the living God. Natural men confess to the historical facts of Jesus.

Saving faith, on the other hand, receives and rests in Christ for righteousness and salvation. Saving faith can be weak, can be strong, and anywhere in between... and saving faith comes by the hearing of the truth of their salvation.

God's children - effectually called to grace and salvation by God's free and sovereign activities - who have NO opportunity, or NO ability to hear the gospel of their salvation, would have nothing to believe on.


 p/s 2
JMA - ""Let me just say simply, that when you present the gospel, all of this Lordship discussion aside, a presentation of the gospel is simply this: you are calling on someone to TURN FROM THEIR SIN and FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. That’s it! Turn from your sin and follow Jesus Christ!....That is all we are asking: TURN FROM YOUR SIN AND FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST....What you talk to an adult about is the same thing you tell a child: you need to turn from your sin and follow Jesus Christ""
======
But except a man be born again - already effectually called out of his native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ - he is as dead as stone in his ability to perform spiritual activities like repenting and believing, though he is very alive and vigorous in his rebellion and enmity against God.

"Except a man be born again, he CANNOT... " see the truth concerning the kingdom of God... he CANNOT enter (repent and believe) the kingdom of God.

Only a born again man, a dead man bestowed with eternal life, is capable of such activities that JMA demands.

Life must precede the activities of that life. When men cannot agree on this basic premise, then intelligent communication becomes impossible.

 
p/s 3
A JMA's devoted disciple, Brett Null, asked:"Is the death of Christ a work that potentially saves willing sinners or is it a work that actually provides salvation for unwilling sinners who by God's sovereign grace will be made willing?"

Brett, I assume you ask question because you want to know an answer.

The death of Christ ACTUALLY secured the salvation of all that was given to Him by the Father.

The salvation that was actually accomplished and secured by the finished work of Jesus Christ is freely and sovereignly applied to each of God's elect (and given to Christ to redeem), at God's own appointed and approved time through the effectual call, when God calls a man dead in his native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus.

Salvation was PURPOSED for the elect in eternity.
Salvation was ACCOMPLISHED at the cross for the elect.
Salvation is APPLIED to each elect (when he is still dead in trespasses and sins) at God's appointed time.
Salvation is EXPERIENCED at conversion.
Salvation is CONSUMMATED at resurrection to glory.

I hope this help. But I don't believe you are looking for answers.
You are too smart to learn anything!

Apostle Paul warns of the perilous times...
3:1 ¶ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come... 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.