Saving Faith

So how does a new convert obey Him? Surely they cannot be saved?

Grace isn't an object, item or thing that one nullifies, the terminology you use isn't even biblical. Grace is part of God's attributes, eternal life is given present tense on the basis of His grace or just as bilbical, His mercy, received by faith alone and not works. God does not put sinners on probation (if you obey, serve, love, work) with the intention of sending them back to prison should they not measure up, the whole mentality is just crazy and not biblical.

Darren

 

There has never been a time in the entire history of mankind where God has required obedience in order to be saved!

 

DHK,

You say:

Oh yes. In 2 Thess. 1:7-8 "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know nopt God, and that OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." This passage tells us, when Christ shall come with angels, all wicked people shall all be gathering together and to cast them away into everlasting fire, because they do NOT OBEY the gospel.

'Gospel' of 2 Thess. 1:7 is more than just "good news" of Calvary, it is all about believe, repent, confess, baptize, follow, sanctified, serve, throughout life in order to receive ETERNAL LIFE.

Bible teaches us very clear, in order to have eternal life, is to obey God's Word, and to walk in the light, and to be endure. Or otherwise, if we refuse to obey God, then we shall not receive the eternal life at the end - Matt. 10:22; and Matt. 24:13.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

What does it mean "to obey the gospel"?
It simply means to "believe in Christ and his atoning work on the Cross."
In other words salvation is by faith and faith alone.
What is meant by obedience here is to trust Christ by faith, and that is all.
There are no works involved.

 

Are you serious? Look in the Book of Acts, example after example of those that believed were saved then baptized.

Darren

 

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.

 

Yes and I think its very obvious that one act of faith according to eph 2:8-9cannot be substituted with "ongoing" day by day repentence or obedience (or anything else) no matter much the context is tinkered with. The technical issue is eternal life is actually obtained under these terms immediately, its done, completed; there is no way to "work towards it" on a daily basis or to keep the promise alive by additional means of self effort.

Darren

 

You miss the meaning of this verse. Both the ISV and the GW (God's Word translation) say the same thing here.

(ISV) What are you waiting for now? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'

One's sins is washed away as one calls on the name of Jesus (that is, by faith).
--Thus the verse could read: Have your sins washed away as you call on his name; get up be baptized.
The order is not important. The connection is. One's sin is washed away as they call upon the name of the Lord, when they put their faith in the Lord. This Paul had already done. Look at what A.T. Roberson says:

Your interpretation contradicts the rest of Scripture and thus is obviously wrong. The only way to be saved is by faith in Christ. If one doesn't obey that simple command: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," he will forever be condemned to hell/the lake of fire.

 

I take it your are a Calvinist

 

Romans 3:24. "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 5:15. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

2 Cor. 8:9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Gal. 1:6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;

The gospel is linked to the Grace of God. In other words God’s grace that saves is Christ, His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.

If Christ had not accomplished this would we have God’s grace? The answer is no.

So, when we refer to the “Grace of God” are we not referring to God’s work, which we call His grace which is in fact the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ?

If we are in agreement then I think we can agree that to have faith, faith must have an object. What is an object with respect to “faith”? Is it only a tangible thing like the physical Christ or can it be the granting of favor as a result of Christ? I would posit that the later is the case with respect to saving faith. Truth becomes the object of faith. Truth educates the sinner of his need and the provision and the data becomes the object. Because it is truth then the object is solid but of course trust, faith, or belief in a lie is as one put no faith at all but deception.

Also, some have suggested that regeneration must happen first for a person to have saving faith or to have faith to live the Christian life. This view of becoming saved so that one can then have faith is not supported in Scripture. Others have adequately explained this error.