Originally posted by footwasher
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Biblical Performance: respond by doing sufficient work in order to achieve salvation.
Biblical Belief: respond by demonstrating loyalty in order to achieve salvation.
So salvation is conditional on response.
In the Old Covenant, the response requirement (righteousness required by God, dikaiosune theou) was work. In the New Covenant, it is loyalty, faith.
Romans 3.19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are [k]under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20because by the works [l]of the Law [m]none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for [n]through the Law comes [o]knowledge of sin.
21But now apart [p]from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the [q]Law and the Prophets, 22but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [r]who believe;
Knowledge of sin shocked the believer: the requirement was too hard! Covetousness is a sin? And we have a body of death? And we have to be perfect in all the requirements? Who will save us?!
Thanks be to Christ! Who gave us a different requirement of faith, loyalty, by fulfilling the Old Covenant and making a will with an inheritance of the New Covenant, and dying so that we can enter that inheritance:
Hebrews 9.15For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16For where there is a [r]covenant, there must of necessity [s]be the death of the one who made it. 17For a [t]covenant is valid only when people are dead, [u]for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.” 21And in the same way he sprinkled both the [v]tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
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