Sin, Salvation, and Eph 2:8,9,10

[Guest]

Perhaps yet another thread should be started where the defining other precepts of Christian faith are addressed. For just as I have endeavored to provoke many here to biblically clarify "What is Grace" and "How it can be frustrated," to no conculsional avail, (though Brother CWJ did both jealously and graciously defended his personal perspective), we may well need to define that for which we all seem to hope, "Salvation."

• What is it?
  
• What are we saved from?
  
• What is the good news of the gospel?
  
  • Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
    
  • John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
    
  • Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
    9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
    10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
    

  As it says in 2 Peter 1:20, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." Many choose to interpret the passages by their perception of Eph 2:8,9,10.

  But true reasoning requires one must also be willing to evaluate Eph 2:8,9,10 in the light of other verses. We cannot make one passage of scripture the controlling definer and have it therefore set it up to be the standard whereby the rest must be brought into alinement with. For on what honorable basis can this be done? Make one passage greater than another?

  Certainly, ALL scriptures are in agreement, for it is the word of God. But there are multiple aspects and variables that tend to make the scriptures appear to be, perhaps, conflicting.

  There has been made the

[tsth]

I would only respond with the statement that it seems to me that currently many believers dismiss the fact that Jesus Christ gets us in, sin keeps us out.  We tend to only focus on the first part, not the second.  Meaning that, many do not acknowledge the power of Jesus Christ within us, to cause us to live a life of righteousness, through the Spirit, and grow and mature in freedom from sin.  Romans 8:4

[Guest]

Amen Susan.

Welcome to Worthy Boards!

Peace,,

BlindSeeker/William

[tsth]

Hi Blindseeker,

Thanks for the welcome.  I might try coming back in more detail later.  Can't tonight.  I'm a little leary of forums, have to get back into the mode.  I just recently left a forum that became overrun with Calvinist doctrine, and I became extremely burned out, especially after being booted off for denouncing the doctrine.  And giving the charge of repentance unto salvation.  Hopefully the Gospel of repentance is received here?  Anyway, I can see you are one who gladly receives the message of Psalm 119.  It's good to hear a fellow follower of Christ!

[Guest]

Well if you have to get booted, let be for contending for the faith.

I've been around and around with the Calvinists as well.

Take your time, I find most are highly civil and gracious at this site. There are of course the exceptions.

Look forward to more fellowship in reasoning.

Peace.

BlindSeeker

[tsth]

The fullness of Christ is this:

To worship in Truth and Spirit.  The intent of the heart must not hold any condemnation for the worshipper.  In other words, the Jews worshipped in action outwardly with no inward love for Christ.  The Gentiles must beware to not be proclaiming to worship in heart (inward), with no obedience or outward action.  The fullness of Christ means the inside is fulfilled by the outward actions, they both work together in fullness.  How do you proclaim the love of Christ inward, yet not live it outwardly?  Christ makes it possible to live in this way, to turn from evil and pursue a lifestyle pattern of righteousness.  I feel as though the differences between the Jew and Gentile are in reverse.  The Jews lived it outwardly but not inward.  The Gentiles proclaim it inside, but don't renounce sin outwardly.  Just my thoughts for the morning.  

[Guest]

Amen.  I like to share it this way sometimes:

[*]virtue - inward godliness

[*]godliness - outwardly manifested virtue

II Peter1:3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Peace

[Guest]

Anyone else care to define what is "Salvation."

• What is it?
  
• What are we saved from?
  
• What is the good news of the gospel?
  

[tsth]

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

What good works?

Ephesians 4 (tells us more about them)

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ

(Back to that 'knowledge" again)

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest]

you just make me smile sometimes!