Earlier today I was reflecting on Joseph Alward topic on how one is saved according to the bible. Knowing that this is the most important topic that the bible addresses is the topic of redemption. How is one right before a Holy God? What does the role of faith and works play? A biblical understanding of justification and the nature of true conversion will be very helpful in understanding biblical salvation.
First off the bible is very clear that man is incapable of reaching salvation or even choosing God. (Romans 3:11) In fact the very message of the gospel (faith alone in Jesus Christ alone) is foolishness to the unconverted. (1 Corinthians 1:21-31) Since man can’t make the choice for salvation then he is dependent on the mercy of God. Then God chooses who gets saved and who doesn’t. Remember God does not OWE salvation to anyone. (Romans 9:15-16) God is only obligated to Justice and to send all to hell. God does not look down the corridors of time and say “hey Jimmy boy over their in No Cal he is cool I think I’ll save him”. No such obligation. Instead Salvation is volitional on Jehovah’s part, God chooses evil wicked sinners as he pleases those who do not deserve salvation and saves them and changes them to become godly citizens of the kingdom of God (sanctification both positionally and progressively) (Eph 1:4-11; Phil 1:29) Conversion comes from God alone (John 1:13; 3:3-8; Eph 2:1-4) Through the word of God (Romans 10:17; James 1:18) a sinner is converted or born again then he chooses salvation because his heart is changed by God (Ezekiel 11:19-20) this conversion is in its fullness in the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33) Therefore salvation is completely of faith alone in Christ alone (Romans 4:5; Eph 2:8-10) saved by grace alone through grace alone to the glory of God alone to be His workmanship as his covenant people.
Saved by a life you didn’t live and a death you didn’t die. Of course much more can be said about the technical aspects of the satisfaction of Christ and his substatutionary death and the legal aspects of Christ’s imputed righteousness, but I wanted to focus on the basics of regeneration and justification. To answer Joseph’s confusion on the matter.
Joseph, we don't want to be palagian in our soteriology like the WT, do we???
This makes you a Calvinist then I would assume? YUCK!!!!
Nothing so logical, I'm afraid. Clash is a Van Tillian Presupositionalist. He believes the bible is true because it says so in the bible. He not only believes without evidence but explicitly rejects reason and evidence. He's immune to rational argument because he doesn't believe in it.
-- Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. - Jack Handey, Deep Thoughts
So the Loving God you serves creates people specifically to be sinners and burn in hell?
No! he gives them over to thier own sin he holds back his common grace so that man (depnednt morally on that common grace) will be left to his own sinfullness and get worse and worse morally. (Romans 1:18-32)
Yer, I know that this is hard to except since you probly hold to a more huministic man centered view of man. But if salvation to be true it must be as the bible perscribes that is, full of grace and by faith alone!!! If your salvation is a "pick yourself up by your own boot straps" mission then it is not really salvation at all it's no different than the WT and you have no assurance of your future.
funkyderek posted:
He not only believes without evidence but explicitly rejects reason and evidence. He's immune to rational argument because he doesn't believe in it.
Sorry, but your slanderous straw man will not work. Sadly you have absolutly no clue of what presupositional apologics is or what Van Til wrote. My guess is that you are still up to your old JW ways and will be too dishonest like a typical JW (even though you are an EX) to take the time to read Van Til. The Christian world view is the only world view in which one can give an account for "reason and evidence and rational argument". I prey that the Lord will open your eyes so you can be reasonable and rational and see that Christ is the only savior and that the Christian world view is the only consistant philophophy.
