Regeneration or Conversion?

I said, "By grace through faith is the Biblical expression."

You said, "NO, "For by grace are ye saved through faith" is the biblical equation."

We said the same thing. I think you are trying to be nitpicking, Yelsew.

 

I don't think so, you are saying that grace saves, I am saying that faith saves.

 

Yelsew,

I acknowledge that God is 100% responsible for my salvation. Do you do likewise?

 

Why does a Christian have freedom and liberty and moral ability (or as you put it - a free will)? Because we've been freed in Christ the author of our liberty.

(Gal 5:1 KJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 

Absolutely, God did all the work, Gave the word that persuades, Provides his Holy Spirit that assures, and leaves the YES or NO up to me. I said and continue to say YES. Therefore, because I believe in His Only Begotten Son, even on his incredible name, I have eternal life in spite of all my failings. AIN'T GOD GOOOOOOOD!

 

Oh, so you are saying, 'a Christian {has} freedom and liberty and moral ability' to backslide, but the sinner does not have freedom, liberty, moral ability/ free will. You are outright saying that the Christian has a free will, once saved, but the poor, unfortunate, nonelect are given nothing favorable to their lost condition that would enable them to find faith in Jesus.

 

Well said Bro. Ray!

 

Do you know why this is true? Anyone? Hint: Jesus came to seek and to save that which is ?????

Those in need of salvation are said to be ?????

They who are saved are said to no longer be ?????


Bro. Dallas </font>[/QUOTE]Being lost has absolutely nothing to do with your abilities. Being lost is a temporary condition one can seek help for. I know that to be true, I've been lost, asked for directions, followed the directions and found myself in familiar territory, no longer lost!.

 

And so it is with being spiritually lost! Seek and ye shall find, Knock, and the door will be opened to you. One need only ask.

 

That verse I quoted ended with the phrase "Yoke of Bondage". Who took off that yoke? Jesus did when the sinner was saved. Did the sinner take it off by his own faith or did Jesus take it off by Grace?

I can understand non-Baptists being confused about this, but for Baptists, Salvation is a Grace Based Transaction that is totally of God.

Which comes first? Grace or Faith?

That's easy because God initiates Salvation.

 

This works when going on vacation, but only in the flesh as you explain it, will not cause the person to 'pass from death unto life'.

Bro. Dallas </font>[/QUOTE]As I understand the Scriptures, it is only while "in the flesh" that man can pass from death unto life. The flesh itself cannot pass from death unto life, for it is appointed unto man once to die (the flesh dies) then the Judgment. The spirit is judged. Only those spirits bearing faith in Jesus are sentenced to life eternal. All others are cast into the lake of fire, the second death.

 

I am still in the flesh that I was born into, and I have been reborn in the spirit. I have little difficulty understanding the things of God because the Holy Spirit sheds light on them so they are easier to understand.

But, before I was born again, my understanding was somewhat limited. I did understand that for someone to die for me, there was a very special love in that one who did the dying. I did understand that most of my behavior, what I did, was sin. My parents taught me right from wrong as they were supposed to. I fought against them as my nature insisted that I do. But there was a point in my life that I realised that in order to get along I had to change and that is when I asked for help to get me from my lost condition to my found condition.

Was I totally depraved? NO! Thank God!
Was I an unsaved sinner? YES! Forgive me Jesus!
Am I now HOLY? NO! Forgive me Jesus!
Am I Sanctified? YES! Thank you Jesus!
Am I Justified? YES! Thank you Jesus!
Am I saved? Yes! Because I believe in Jesus who saved me!

 

No reason, because ALL I DID is Believe, which is not a work.

 

WRONG, Belief requires no work! You believe in a wide variety of things without expending a lick of effort. Belief in Jesus requires no effort. Belief is merely mental and or spiritual acceptance of fact, idea, concept, reality, situation, condition, etc. NO EFFORT is Expended in believing, There is NO END OBJECTIVE or GOAL. It is simply belief in that which your mind and spirit have heard, seen, smelled, tasted, felt, or sensed, and even conceived. To aid in your belief, here is the definition of Believe and Belief: