Is Faith Necessary for Salvation?

I quoted the Word of God. Is God a universalist. Read my post again. Your argument is with Scripture not with me, unless you believe that God is a universalist. But that is not what I believe. So why the attack and unwarranted conclusions.

The Scriptures say: That HE is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the whole world.
Just because you are a Calvinist that doesn't give you the right to tear out Scripture and throw it in the trash can. If you didn't believe in the statement then look it up in 1John 2:1,2. Your argument is with God. It is plain statement from the Word of God. The atonement (propitiation) is not just for us (the elect) but for the whole world. I didn't write it. The Holy Spirit of God did.

He also said: And he that beleives not is already condemned because he has not believed the only begotten son of God.

There is belief and unbelief; but the Bible does not talk of blatant ignorance such as you do. It speaks of response to light that is given. God gives light to those that are receptive to it. Any person on this earth can be saved if they so desire it. God is love, and a God of grace. God is not williing that any should perish. That is a fact. And if there are some that are willing to be saved, he will not leave them in the cold without a Saviour, just as He sent the Ninehvites Jonah. There is a God-sized vaccuum within every man that only God himself can fill.
DHK

 

You can not seperate belief from the atonement...

The atonement is sufficient for all men at all times.
The atonement is efficient only to those who believe.

Man, I know it is tough to comprehend. Does that clear it up for ya?

 

Can God still not speak directly to whom He wishes? If there are still areas of the world where the gospel message cannot go, won't God reveal Himself to people who seek Him in some way? I just cannot get around this. If God is fair and just (and He is) would He not make a way for anyone who desired Him? I guess I was saved not because I called out to God but because I live in a country where the gospel is preached.

 

You poor soul: I didn't say that. The Holy Spirit of God did. You can find it in 1John 2:1,2

 

No, No, No! The atonement has been made for all, but only those that believe and accept the gift will be saved. Those that do not believe are condemned.
Oh....and what Blammo said.

 

You must believe to receive the atonement. The atonement without belief is not effective. The atonement is sufficient for all men at all times. You can't seperate belief from the atonement with regards to salvation. In order to complete the reconciliation, you must have belief.

Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

 

Is faith necessary for Salvation? I would assume your answer is yes. (Me too)
Is belief necessary to receive the atonement? Isn't that pretty much the same question?

For me, it used to be as simple as, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.", now I have all sorts of questions that are piling up faster than they are answered.

Here is one: If belief (faith) is necessary for salvation, what about infants and idiots, can they have faith in Christ? Are they not saved without the requirement of faith? This question leads me to another: Is it possible that Christ died for the sins of the whole world, and the only reason person goes to hell is for unbelief? (Not sin in general, just unbelief)

 

You're right, that was not very PC of me. I guess that's what they used to call them, but today it's not very nice. If I had a mentally retarded child I would not enjoy the label idiot. I apologize.

But they are in Adam, are they not? And in Adam all die. Did anyone go to heaven before the atonement was made?

Well, the gospel is good news, and you do need to hear the good news to believe it. Good news that is not heard is still good news. And, if you don't hear the good news, you can't believe it. Good news is only good because without it, something is bad. The bad news is God has concluded all in unbelief. Now, the only way they can be saved from unbelief is to hear the good news and believe it. (?)

 

I surely did and thanks for reminding me.

 

My answer will be quick so as not to sidetrack the post. The book of Jasher (mentioned in Joshua 10) is still in existence and tells us that Abraham, son of a pagan, lived with Noah and Shem for 10 years and they taught him about Jehovah.

And, of course, God spoke directly to Abraham, as well.

 

I think I agree with you, that if someone were to genuinely seek God, God would reveal himself to them. However, I don't think that scripture ever really speaks to this specific question, and I think there's a reason for that: It's a hypothetical that has no basis in reality. The same passage of scripture that those Romans 1 passages are in tells us that no one seeks God, and that's part of the justification for the statement that "all have sinned." Seeking God comes only under the influence of the Holy Spirit, so when we hear those stories of heathen who respond with joy to the message of the gospel from a missionary because it's what they've been searching for, I'd guess that the Holy Spirit has been doing preparation for the coming of a missionary. But human beings, as they are, don't "seek God in someway." In fact, they are working hard to suppress what knowledge of the true God (see the rest of Romans 1, where it says that idol making is not seeking God, but trading the "the glory of the immortal God [which that passage has already said that they know] for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles." So what we may intuitively see as "God-seeking" is really "God-rejecting".

Technically, you were not saved "because" you called out to God, but because of the work of Christ on you behalf. The only grounds for salvation is Christ's work. That doen't mean that it wasn't necessary for you to call out to God and hear the gospel in order for you to be saved, but all those things answer the question of how we are saved and not why we are saved.

But to get back to the point of your statement, it isn't one thing or the other that is necessary for salvation, but both...and more. The passage quoted for you from Romans 10 says so: believing is necessary, hearing is necessary, sending of the messenger is necessary.

 

Time for me to clear a few things up here. So there is no confusion on your part as to what I believe. (Remember, when I ask a question, it is a question.)