Faith # 6

[Brightfame52]

We don’t need faith if we already have life.

I dont see why not, that's when Faith is most beneficial. I dont see why one needs faith when they dead. A person is dead, first line of business is to be made alive.

 

[cjab]

Of course it can, in fact Faith isnt possible save from a regenerated person, otherwise man is dead in sin and unbelief.

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32.

If only the regenerated can hear Christ, then your cast Christ as a liar, or as deluded, as his call to "sinners" could not be acted upon.

It would also help if you didn't used extra-biblical words like "regenerated" which doesn't figure in the bible. Who knows what you mean by it?

I have spoken of the "natural man" who rejects the gospel. It is a category of sinner that is not open to listening to God. There are other categories of sinner who do hear the gospel. Hence your allusions to "natural men" in the context of the gospel is misinformed. They are not amongst the "many" who Christ came to call.

As for the word παλινγενεσίας commonly translated "regeneration" in Tius 3:5, its really means "new birth" and the analogy is natural birth. As Meyer says, references to ἀνακαίνωσις and ἀνακαινοῦν, and the similar passage, Ephesians 4:23, show that the terms are always used of those who are actually living the Christian life (i.e. believers).

 

[cjab]

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32.

If only the regenerated can hear Christ, then your cast Christ as a liar, or as deluded, as his call to "sinners" could not be acted upon.

It would also help if you didn't used extra-biblical words like "regenerated" which doesn't figure in the bible. Who knows what you mean by it?

I have spoken of the "natural man" who rejects the gospel. It is a category of sinner that is not open to listening to God. There are other categories of sinner who do hear the gospel. Hence your allusions to "natural men" in the context of the gospel is misinformed. They are not amongst the "many" who Christ came to call.

As for the word παλινγενεσίας commonly translated "regeneration" in Tius 3:5, its really means "new birth" and the analogy is natural birth. As Meyer says, references to ἀνακαίνωσις and ἀνακαινοῦν, and the similar passage, Ephesians 4:23, show that the terms are always used of those who are actually living the Christian life (i.e. believers).

NB: ἀνακαίνωσις = renewal, also found in Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of (spiritual) rebirth (παλινγενεσίας) and renewal (ἀνακαίνωσις) by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

The Calvinist error is to subordinate faith to grace, in relegating it to being a byproduct of salvation by God's mystical choices authored by the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit was not given prior to Christ's resurrection.

For the Calvinist, salvation through faith is subsumed by salvation by grace. Grace has appeared to all men Titus 2:11, true, but not all have faith. By lumping faith in as a mere facet of grace, linked now to God's arbitrary choices, the human element to faith is diminished, and relegated to being a mere 'gift' of God. But this is not what Jesus taught, who rather taught faith requires concerted human effort in submission to God's grace. Why were the ancients commended for their faith? Why was Abraham commended for his faith? Because they put in the required effort to believe and they submitted to God's grace.

Heb 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Heb 11:2 "This is what the ancients were commended for."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." So, faith is open to everyone apart from those who have conscionably made the decision to follow satan: 2 Corinthians 4:4 (i.e. natural men who and blinded in consequence as a form of God's wrath).

 

[Brightfame52]

Faith is Promised !

One verse of scripture that is often times overlooked or not understood, its the promise that the just SHALL live by Faith. Rom 1:15-17

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The shall here is a promise made unto the Just, what they shall do !

The words shall live by Faith in the greek are a future indicative. Now the indicative means:

The indicative mood is a simple statement of fact. If an action really occurs or has occurred or will occur, it will be rendered in the indicative mood.

Paul is saying under inspiration, that an action will occur in the future for the Just, it being they shall live by Faith.

Now who are the Just ? Notice that this promise is in the context of preaching the Gospel Rom 1:15-17, and the Gospel is sent to them Christ

Christ died for, and everyone Christ died for was made just or righteous Rom 5:19

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The word righteous here and just in Rom 1:17 are the same greek word which is dikaios and means:

righteous (41x), just (33x), right (5x), meet (2x).

So the promise is those many Christ by His obedience made just, shall live by Faith, that's a promise. Thats why Jesus could say of the unbelieving jews, you believe not BECAUSE ye are not of my Sheep Jn 10:26, which He obviously died for Jn 10:15 ! A Life of living by Faith is ensured for all whom Christ died ! 24

 

[Brightfame52]

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32.

When Christ calls a sinner He regenerates them and gives them repentance ! Acts 5:31

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

In Luke 5 :32 Jesus isn't giving a invitation to repent, He is calling into repentance. The word call is an infinitive as say to call which mean its to purpose, the sinners He calls is to purpose and them the prep eis unto is used which means into/unto and the landing spot is repentance, a change of mind, Christ commanding voice of the call effects the repentance or change of mind, like when He called his disciples effectually "come follow me" So when the Sovereign King calls unto repentance instant regeneration from His voice activates the dead sinner and gives repentance.