But I trust The Father to keep me from ever being so opposed to myself as to deny my own statements!
Not to drag out all posts that van made that conflict with himself in this post but to in attempt to keep the focus on the issue:
Van’s
own quote says:
“The ungodly lost spiritually dead individuals first put their wholehearted trust in Christ, and then if God credits that faith as righteousness, He transfers them into Christ where they undergo the circumcision of Christ, the washing of regeneration and arise in Christ a new creation, made righteous, blameless and perfect. Thus the justification occrs after God puts a believer into Christ.”
If one is “spiritually dead” such faith is also dead.
This is not true, Van, and you know it.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
'Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven"' (Matthew 16:16-17).
As it is written, '.......No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:3).
And as it is written again: "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me...........No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him'
If faith qualifies us to receive God's grace then by definition it becomes a work, something we do to get ourselves right with God.
It proves it.
'For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast' (v.8).
If faith is something we have to work up ourselves, it is something we can boast about.
We did it; others didn't.
Indeed it isn't.
It is the gift of God. :)
Indeed so.
By the grace of God we are given faith to believe in Christ, and His atoning death, for salvation; we trust in Him, and God credits our faith as righteousness and justifies us.
All of God, none of us.
Nothing to boast about except our wonderful Saviour (Galatians 6:14).
But it's not the work of man that saves, even if believe is something you do, which is what you hinted at.
That's all I wanted to hear.
Done here.
Too many wannabe preachers who like to pat themselves on the back, and won't let the gospel stand on it's own. They seem to want to rephrase it in words no one needs to hear or cares about.
Lot's of bragging,
Showing off, maybe.
Not directed at you, TC.
Just what I see here , in general.
No, I didn't. Faith is something you do. Just like obey is something you do. Just like repentance is something you do. But you don't do it on your own. You do these things as you are enabled to do so by the Grace of God. His Grace enables us to do what we ought to do and be what we ought to be.
Exactly. Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. That is the gospel. No mention of "ask Jesus to come into your heart." No, "walk the aisle and commit your life to Christ." No, "say this prayer and you will be saved." Just believe the Gospel as you are enabled by the work of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 9 was Saul reaching out to receive something he desired from God or was God calling him out of darkness and setting him apart for God's own purpose?
Did Saul reach out and take the Holy Spirit or was he anointed with the Holy Spirit?
Personally, I do not believe Saul could have said, I do not want to be saved nor can anyone whom God wants to save.
So you want to use an example of someone God called who was to have seen Christ post resurrection and compare that to an every day salvation experience?
I am not sure why this needs explanation. Yes Paul's conversion was different in that he was an Apostle and had to be a witness to the resurrection of Christ. he had to have direct interaction with Christ. No one today has that in that same way.
Peter set the criteria in Acts 1:21-22
“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22
beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
Accompanied the Twelve "all the time" that Christ was with them, "beginning from the baptism of John" until the time He ascended. And be any eye witness of the resurrection.
Paul did not accompany the Twelve all the time of Christ's earthly ministry.
Paul did not accompany the Twelve from the time John was baptizing.
Paul was not present at the ascension of Jesus.
Paul was not a witness of the physical resurrection of Jesus.
Act 9:4
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Act 9:5
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Act 9:6
But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
5And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.