The Simplicity of the Gospel in One Word

[FarEastBird]

Which Jesus?
"Whosoever believes Jesus is the Christ is born of God, . . ." -- 1 John 5:1.

Claims about a "Christ" that is not God's Christ will not result in the new birth.

I'm really sad how preachers of today are very open in deceiving. Quite honestly, there are a lot of people promoting ignorance of God by their shaping of the Christian faith into a laughingstock. They would claim that whosoever believes Jesus is the Christ is born of God. But when faced the question of how about of their opposing religious sect or group, they would not hesitate to hide their error. Sigh....

The weight of truthfulness of being born again is not about simply because of believing, but of knowing. It is knowing because one can receive a different Jesus, instead of the true one. So, even if one claims to believe that Jesus is the Christ, yet if he received a different Jesus, then he is not born of God!

Given a fair judging, Arminians and Calvinists are preaching two different gospels because the gospel is the gospel of our salvation. Given that the Arminians and the Calvinists present two opposing "Ways" of salvation, either one of them is preaching the gospel, or even possibly none of them.

ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, that whosoever takes away, or adds thereto, will receive condemnation. So do not say of any part of the Scripture is not essential.

[37818]

I'm really sad how preachers of today are very open in deceiving. Quite honestly, there are a lot of people promoting ignorance of God by their shaping of the Christian faith into a laughingstock. They would claim that whosoever believes Jesus is the Christ is born of God. But when faced the question of how about of their opposing religious sect or group, they would not hesitate to hide their error. Sigh....

Then do you deny the statement of 1 John 5:1? There are false christ's of the false gospels. God saves those who trust in Him through His Christ. God does the saving. Not our act of believing. (John 1:12, 13. James 1:18.)

The weight of truthfulness of being born again is not about simply because of believing, but of knowing. It is knowing because one can receive a different Jesus, instead of the true one. So, even if one claims to believe that Jesus is the Christ, yet if he received a different Jesus, then he is not born of God!

It is God who does the saving (1 John 5:9-11; James 1:18). Believing in a false christ, in that God will not save them. Both JWs and Roman Catholics deny "whosoever" or "everyone" means that. JWs say that "everyone" only refers to the 144,000. The Catholic apologist say, "whosoever" only means the "baptized."

Given a fair judging, Arminians and Calvinists are preaching two different gospels because the gospel is the gospel of our salvation. Given that the Arminians and the Calvinists present two opposing "Ways" of salvation, either one of them is preaching the gospel, or even possibly none of them.

So then am I to understand that according to you being "Arminian" or being "Calvinist" is not to really be saved? That they have different Jesus' and different gospels? And that you have the right one?

". . . For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; . . ." -- Romans 1:16.

ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, that whosoever takes away, or adds thereto, will receive condemnation. So do not say of any part of the Scripture is not essential.

Jesus said to those who did not believe God's word, "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God." -- John 8:47.

". . . Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. " -- Matthew 4:4.

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: . . . " -- 1 John 5:1.

[tabibito]

Then do you deny the statement of 1 John 5:1? There are false christ's of the false gospels. God saves those who trust in Him through His Christ. God does the saving. Not our act of believing. (John 1:12, 13. James 1:18.)

So true ... but God does require that certain conditions be met -

1 Peter 3:20-21 A few, that is 8 souls, have been brought safely through the water that with antitypal baptism now saves us

According to this, water saves.
According to this, people will only be saved if they believe and are baptised.

Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

According to this we have been saved by grace .... All very well, but --- it isn't saying that grace has saved us.

[tabibito]

I'm really sad how preachers of today are very open in deceiving. Quite honestly, there are a lot of people promoting ignorance of God by their shaping of the Christian faith into a laughingstock. They would claim that whosoever believes Jesus is the Christ is born of God. But when faced the question of how about of their opposing religious sect or group, they would not hesitate to hide their error. Sigh....

"Believing on Christ" doesn't mean "believing that Christ exists". A person can believe everything that the gospels declare about Christ, and accurately teach the gospel, theoretically even to the point that the person can work miracles, and yet still not believe on Christ. And at the last, Christ will say to that person ... "I never knew you."

[FarEastBird]

Then do you deny the statement of 1 John 5:1? There are false christ's of the false gospels. God saves those who trust in Him through His Christ. God does the saving. Not our act of believing. (John 1:12, 13. James 1:18.)

Those "born of God" were actually referring to those who have already known God. What is implied in 1John 5:1 is that a person believed Christ because he/she is "born of God." It is not saying in 1John 5:1 that you "will be" born again if you will believe......see the difference? Salvation has nothing to do with TRUST; I had been giving Rom 10:1-3 as an example. Would you really convince me that the Jehovah's Witnesses, or those prosperity preachers, do not trust Jesus as Christ? Perhaps some do not, but definitely most of them truly trust God. Paul himself was "called" while he was unrepentant, and even after to persecuting the members of the church.

One thing, for sure, there is no peace in a kingdom where there are diverse understanding of God. Thus knowing the godhead is itself the evidence of one's salvation (John 17:3).

[Cow Poke]

Grace

[robrecht]

Grace

Sola gratia. Great word! Even Catholics and Protestants agree on this, but you've already had your one word for this thread. You don't get more than one.

[Cow Poke]

Sola gratia. Great word! Even Catholics and Protestants agree on this, but you've already had your one word for this thread. You don't get more than one.

Oh

[37818]

So true ... but God does require that certain conditions be met -

Yes. without merit on the part of the one who trusts God through Christ.

According to this, water saves.According to this, people will only be saved if they believe and are baptised.

Read it again. It does not say that. Nor does it make it any kind of requirement. As a valid promise it does say, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; . . ." But the requirement follows, ". . . but he who does not believe will be condemned." So it is written, " . . . the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; . . . ." There is no exception to this predominant teaching of the holy scripture. "Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." -- Hebrews 10:28.

According to this we have been saved by grace .... All very well, but --- it isn't saying that grace has saved us.

But that is precisely what it does say, "for by grace ye have been saved through faith; . . . "

[Jedidiah]

Sola gratia. Great word! Even Catholics and Protestants agree on this, but you've already had your one word for this thread. You don't get more than one.

Can I use that one?

[robrecht]

Can I use that one?

Sure! Somebody should.

[tabibito]

According to this, water saves.
Mar 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
According to this, people will only be saved if they believe and are baptised.

It seems that 1 Peter 3:21 fell out of your copy of my post - I'll restore the critical point "water through antitypal baptism saves."

Yes. without merit on the part of the one who trusts God through Christ.
Read it again. It does not say that. Nor does it make it any kind of requirement. As a valid promise it does say, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; . . ." But the requirement follows, ". . . but he who does not believe will be condemned."

quite so. A person is not required to continually be baptised, but is required to continually believe.

So it is written, " . . . the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

Ah yes, the gospel does save - Should I perhaps be saying sola gospel? Well no - it can only save those who believe.

. . . ." There is no exception to this predominant teaching of the holy scripture. "Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

-- OUCH! The JUST shall live by FAITH ... Is there a problem with "my soul shall have no pleasure in him?" Assuredly there would be, IF faith in this instance meant "belief".

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Then of course there is Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. which some might carelessly assume means the confessing Christ has something to do with salvation, and that confessing might be loosely connected with not shrinking back.

But that is precisely what it does say, "for by grace ye have been saved through faith; . . . "

Yup - grace is definitely a factor in salvation.

[Jedidiah]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, (except for baptism) so that no one may boast."

I have edited the Ephesians verse, adding the red, to fit with your teaching.

[FarEastBird]

"Believing on Christ" doesn't mean "believing that Christ exists". A person can believe everything that the gospels declare about Christ, and accurately teach the gospel, theoretically even to the point that the person can work miracles, and yet still not believe on Christ. And at the last, Christ will say to that person ... "I never knew you."

As the Bible said, "the fool said in his heart there is no God." Denying the non existence of God is foolishness. Denying God while knowing that God exist is no more being humane. Do you know the reason why? If you believe that one can know God and denies Him, then you have no idea at all of the godhead, or you are not being humane yourself.

A person who knows God is born of God. Knowing God implies being born again.......this is why salvation is knowing God.

If you believe that a person can know God and would deny Him, then look closely to yourself; for you speak of yourself. Observe yourself, and time will tell you who you really are. Give yourself a year and count how many times you denied Him...... Tell this to everyone who believe the same thing you believed.

[tabibito]

If you believe that a person can know God and would deny Him, then look closely to yourself; for you speak of yourself.

Is it possible to accurately know about God without loving him? Consider the example set by Judas. Those who do not love God may yet proclaim him, even though the person is himself not saved... Paul said (roughly) "there are those who preach the gospel thinking that therein lies gain."

I have edited the Ephesians verse, adding the red, to fit with your teaching.

It takes forgiveness/mercy/grace to free a person from the penalty for sins past without exacting a price.
If unwarranted comments are to be inserted into Ephesians 2:8, baptism is not sufficient to do the job properly.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
it is necessary to go the whole way and insert all the comments:
If you confess with your mouth (Romans 10:9) as just one additional example.

Or would you argue that faith can save a person when God does not extend grace?
The translation of my sig: "You see that by works a man is saved and not by faith alone."
It is because of that statement and others like it in the epistle of James that Martin Luther declared it an epistle of straw. I happen to disagree with Luther's assessment.

Perhaps it would be of greater benefit to remove the unwarranted interpolation of "alone" from the statement "we are saved by faith". That might go some way to allowing a proper assessment of what the scriptures really say.