Regenerated/saved "through faith"

So the person believes the Gospel while in the flesh ? if the person is not born again by the Spirit, then the alternative is that they are still just of the flesh, there is no in between Jesus says it pretty plain Jn 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 

If a person doesn't believe the gospel "while in the flesh," what other option is there? Does he have an "out of the body experience"?

 

Believing through the Spirit.

Now How can a man in the flesh please God ? Rom 8:7

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

Faith is faith. A man is not given any kind of special faith by God to believe.
He is not given the Spirit in order to believe.
He is commanded "to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."
Salvation is by faith and faith alone. At the same time he believes and trusts Christ as Savior he is also born again or regenerated. They are simultaneous.
John 3:5 teaches that one is born again by the Spirit.
1Pet.1:23 teaches that one is born again by the Word.
The Spirit works through the Word to effect salvation in man.
Salvation is not possible without the Word of God; without the Spirit of God.

 

So you believe a man can please God in the flesh ? Rom 8:7

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

You are contradicting yourself.....you do not seem to have clarity on this at all.

 

Look at James 4:1-4. James describes Christians acting in the flesh.
Look at 1Cor.3:1-5. Paul describes immature Christians acting carnal, "in the flesh."
Every time you post a post that does not glorify God it is "in the flesh," and does not please God. It does not mean you are not saved.
Rom.8:7,8 does not necessarily speak about the unsaved. They that are in the flesh, the carnal mind, the Christian that follows after the things of this world is the one that does not please God.

 

I am quite clear. You, a stout Calvinist, will never accept or even try to understand my non-Cal beliefs.

Regeneration and salvation are simultaneous. They take place at the same time. Faith in the Word must precede both. Without faith in the Word, the gospel one cannot be saved or regenerated. God does not work in a vacuum as some are prone to believe.

 

This is progress;

This is progress:thumbs:

 

Well if you believe you can please God in the flesh, your beliefs are contrary to scripture. Rom 8:8

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

They that are in the flesh cannot please God, as the Scripture says.
But those that are "in the flesh" are not confined to the unsaved.
There are many "in the flesh" that are believers who are acting carnally.

For example:
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The above verse is written to Christians. These believers are spiritual adulterers. They are the enemies of God for they are friends of the world. But they are still believers. A believer can be the enemy of God. They can be carnal and in the flesh.

 

dhk

Right, but Faith pleases God Heb 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Always.
Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.
The jailer believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved.
Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God.

 

A person living to please the flesh cannot please God, but a person who is not yet saved but who is learning about God through Jesus is not at that time living to please the flesh!
This is what scripture says. We did not come to know Christ while we were indulging in impurity...we came to know Christ when we HEARD of him and were TAUGHT, with regard to our former way of life, to put off our old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of our minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. See Ephesians 4:18-24.

 

I know a person who believes in God and Jesus but will not give up any sins.
Do you think that person is saved? The demons believe there is One God.

Abraham believed and obeyed. The jailer believed, and obeyed. He feared God, and called on the name of the Lord, repented, and was baptized.

 

So I would like to know how you pleased God with Faith before you were born again ? Before one is born again, God says He is Flesh Jn 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

And God's word says this about those in the flesh Rom 8:8

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Was Paul wrong here ?

 

Explain Ephesians 4:18-24 to me.

 

dhk

Yes, a True Believer can live in the flesh, however, they were given a new nature at New Birth James 1:17-18


17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

However, you state that you pleased God without having having been born again, but you were only Flesh, that is contrary to Truth, so you are bearing false witness !

Neither does scripture say that the Jailor pleased God while in the flesh, it flesh, the Jailor never says as you do, that he pleased God in the flesh.

Abraham is never said He pleased God in the flesh, you are the only one I see claiming to do something in the flesh that pleased God, which Faith does !

So your rejection of Truth is clear Rom 8:8

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. except dhk !

 

I have many beliefs, not just one.
I believe, that at the time of the apostle Paul, Nero was the emperor of Rome. That is a fact that I believe. In spite of that faith (belief) Nero will not save me. It is simple knowledge based on the facts of history. Likewise the demons believe God exists. They don't put their faith (belief) in God that God will save them. In fact they blindly follow Satan who still is so deceived that he believes he someday will overcome God.

The object of my belief, as far as salvation is concerned is Jesus Christ. I do believe that he will save me, according the promises written in his Word. This is not blind belief. It is based on fact--the fact of the resurrection of Christ, the witness of the Spirit.
Does God's Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God?
Salvation is not of works. The thief on the cross had no works.
There are many "death-bed" salvations. (no time for works).

When I got saved, I did not do good works because I had to.
I did good works because I wanted to. There is a big difference. If it was the former it would be called reformation, and a person's salvation would likely be questioned. Reformation is not salvation.
When I got saved the Holy Spirit immediately came and indwelt me. I did good works after that because I was a new creature in Christ. I was changed. There was a desire in me to read his word, and to pray--to do those things that I had never wanted to do before. Before that time I had to force myself to be religious or do it simply out of duty. Now I would serve God out of Joy. Now there was peace in my heart. This wasn't reformation, but transformation. Good works came naturally. I was a new creature in Christ. I didn't have to do good works. They came naturally.

They believed and were saved.
Good works always, always, follow salvation. They are never a requirement for salvation. If they are, then you just spit in the face of Jesus telling him that his blood was not sufficient enough to cover the penalty for your sin. That is what the belief of the necessity of good works for salvation is--the belief that the sacrifice of Christ wasn't good enough. You had to help him with your works. And that is blasphemous.

 

Please don't take Scripture out of context. Hebrews 11 is the chapter in the Bible that speaks of the heroes of the Faith. It speaks of Christians. Verse six is about their faith, not the faith of the unsaved. Without faith (the faith of a Christian) one cannot please God. The Christian walk must be a walk of faith. That is what God expects, and is demonstrated by all those mentioned in Hebrews 11.