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Featured The stepping stones of Justification

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Van, Nov 30, 2020.

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  1. atpollard

    atpollard Well-Known Member

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    Our personal beliefs are just opinions. The WORD OF GOD is truth.
    So can you present a case from scripture that supports this "opinion"?
     
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  2. atpollard

    atpollard Well-Known Member

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    Now we are getting at the meat. Could you expand on this concept so I can understand what you mean by "belief" and how the verse you quoted relates to men changing their minds in 5 minutes and "our" belief being necessary. As a start, WHAT IS BELIEF?
     
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  3. atpollard

    atpollard Well-Known Member

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    Actually, doesn't John 3 say that those who believe are saved? (not MAYBE or HOPE TO BE).

    [John 3:16-21 NASB] 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."​

    "Shall not perish" sounds like a certainty.
    How can a man be "not judged" but still condemned?

    Beyond that, we have the greater context where the judgement already on those that do not belive and not on those that do believe is explained. Those that are judged (the non believers) flee and hide from the Light (Jesus) because they do evil and love sin. Those that are "not judged" come to the light because their works have been "WROUGHT IN GOD".
     
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  4. atpollard

    atpollard Well-Known Member

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    Nowhere. Where did I claim that those verses said "faith is a gift from God"?

    No.
    I asked someone their opinion of those verses and suggested a common response while asking if they had a different thought.
    You should go back and reread the exchange more carefully so that you might gain insight into opinions other than your own. That was what I did with both Van and Aaron. I listened and then asked honest questions about what they had said to learn more.

    What is faith? (Biblically speaking)
    How does that fit in with Ephesians 2:1-10?
    How does that fit in with the hearts of Acts 2:37 and Acts 16:14?
    How does that fit with John 10 and the extended shepherd/sheep analogy?
    How does that fit with John 3 and being "born from above"?
     
  5. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    It means no answer to the question asked will be offered.

    The stepping stones to justification do not include the fiction of "the gift of faith via irresistible grace." If God had instilled the "gift of faith" He would not need to credit our faith as righteousness. No answer will be forthcoming.

    No one is going to explain why God credits our faith as righteousness, after He instills His faith into us. There is no answer, the premise of instilled faith is a fiction.

    And no amount of feigned ignorance can sidestep this obvious truth.
     
  6. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    This is a VERY inaccurate analysis. Not even up to the standards of a humorous parody.
     
  7. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    What? I need to show you where it was said that sons of God are born not by the will of man? That it's by grace that any might have a will to please and to please Him, because the natural man is at enmity with God? That many are called, few are chosen? That the sheep know His voice? Etc.?

    One boasting of "systematic theology" in the OP needs me to cite these kindergarten principles?

    It wouldn't have mattered, because you would ignore them, just as you ignored by point about limited atonement, as opposed to the universal propitiation you asserted, and I cited the example of the breastplate of the High Priest. Tell me, where was Egypt's stone? Tyre's? Sidon's? They were not represented by the High Priest, because they were not chosen. The atonement is limited to the elect of God.

    But you also believe in limited atonement. We just disagree on the limiter.
     
  8. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    Did I b ore you? Ahhhhh! only because you you reject the truth for your philosophy.
    MB
     
  9. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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  10. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    It would please God if none were ever lost and you deny He has that desire. You claim a false election for your self in the name of God thinking He only saves the elect. When He died for the entire world. Only Jews are elect and not one Calvinist has ever proved any different.
    Rev_2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan
    MB
     
  11. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Yet another defend by absurdity response.
    Is the issue that we are sons of God by God's will? Nope, but there it is to muddy the water.
    Does any verse say we must be enabled to will to be saved? Nope, but there it is to muddy the water.
    Does any verse say the natural man cannot set his mind on some spiritual things? Nope, but....
    Or that few are not chosen? Nope

    Therefore the opening paragraph is smokescreed, and nothing more.
    Did Christ lay down His life as a ransom for all? Of course, so the claim of "limited atonement" is simply a falsehood in support of a falsehood. And note folks, he does not define limited atonement as Christ only dying for the elect, rather than all mankind. But we know what is the claim....
     
    #31 Van, Dec 1, 2020
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2020
  12. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    The gift is salvation You'd know this if you would just quit the Calvinist thing. But Calvinism tickles your ego.You love to think you are better than others. Makes you feel important and smart. Why nothing make any sense when it is just to easy.huh!
    None of these verses pertain to election. You just imagined that they do. They do not say Faith is a Gift. These things are just not there and in eph 2:8-9 Faith is not the Gift Salvation is the Gift. The Bible says everyman has a measure of faith
    Rom_12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
    If this verse is true it means every man can believe. This is what faith is all about because we all know exactly that we can believe.

    MB
     
    #32 MB, Dec 1, 2020
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2020
  13. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Lets return to our stepping stones that take us across the torrent of confusion:

    Number 1 always starts with God. If God did not provide the grace of His revelation, both in what He has made, and the special revelation in His word, we would not even be able to have faith in God, and as Paul referenced, we might have faith in the "unknown god."

    1) God reveals Himself to human kind, in two ways.

    2) We are exposed to His declaration of the gospel of Christ. Thus without the work of the Holy Spirit, both in the inspired word, and in His leading of witnesses, we would not know what to put our faith in.

    3) Some of those exposed to the gospel are unable to understand it, those who are described as the first soil of Matthew 13.

    4) Others, understand the message, but do not commit fully, or do not discard their worldly treasures. These are described as the second and third soil of Matthew 13.

    5) A "few" understand the message and fully commit, they go "all in" and therefore love God with all their mind, heart and soul.

    6) These few are the ones whose faith God credits as righteousness, and are spiritually placed into Christ, thus these "few" are chosen for salvation.

    7) Once God gives an individual to Christ, Christ has promised to not cast out, thus our salvation is eternal.

    8) Once in Christ, we are justified, made righteous, forgiven, regenerated, made alive, and given the ministry of reconciliation.

    The gospel of Christ
     
  14. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    The stepping stones of Justification
    begin with the 'ungodly'.


    "But to him that worketh not,
    but believeth on Him that Justifieth the ungodly,
    his faith is Counted for Righteousness." Romans 4:5

    "Faith" must have an Object,
    as does "believeth", as we see in,
    "believeth on Him that Justifieth the ungodly".

    The "Righteousness" that God Counts
    is that Righteousness
    that Jesus Christ Lived Perfectly,
    to Be The Sacrificial Savior.

    THE "UNGODLY" must-have ascertained
    their Totally Depraved State
    of an Exclusively Sinful Constitution
    before The Almighty Trice-Holy Godhead,
    as guilty, hopeless, and "ungodly",
    to BE GRANTED REPENTANCE
    and Faith in Jesus Christ,
    as the Object of the Faith GIVEN TO THEM,
    who, THEN,
    "believeth on Him that Justifieth the ungodly".

    Otherwise, there is never any Repentance
    or 'Faith' or 'Belief' that is any more
    than 'repeat after me' Easy Believism
    that leaves the Totally Depraved
    showing evidence of their Total Depravity
    with unbelief in God's Word,
    the denial of Jesus Christ as The Saviour,
    and spiritual deadness
    and obliviousness to their Total Depravity.

    The stepping stones of Justification
    begin with the sinner being Convicted
    by The Word of God, for being 'ungodly',
    Totally Depraved, with No Ability
    to 'have a fantasy', count a bead,
    or believe in Santa Claus to Save their soul.

    The sinner must Be Enabled to see themselves hopeless, dead, and LOST.



     
  15. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    Joh_14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
    You turn this around making Christ a liar. Since the death burial and resurrectionf we come directly to Christ to be with the Father. Do you see how back wards Calvinism really is?
    MB
     
  16. atpollard

    atpollard Well-Known Member

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    Why are you always happy to tell me what I believe, but never willing to support what you believe?
    Frankly, I already KNOW what I believe.
     
  17. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    You're in The Garden of Eden touching The Tree of Everlasting Life, like you are an innocent soul Made in the Image of God.

    Eternally Fatal denial of the sin of Adam.
     
  18. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Lol. Whatever.

    Back to the OP. Our faith does save us, but it is our faith not because we possess it by nature, but because it is given to us through hearing the word of God. And who knows His voice? His sheep.
     
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  19. MB

    MB Well-Known Member

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    Are you ashamed of what you believe? since you don't like hearing it.
    MB
     
  20. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Utter nonsense. An absurdity to change the subject.
    Did anyone say we possess faith by nature? Nope, so on and on they post falsehood to defend falsehood. Obscene
     
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