THAT I'd not debate (although obviously one may not be ABLE to do so or not have opportunity to do so). And I do think in context that's Paul's point in the verse you noted.
The "debate" has been on salvation being achieved by a person chanting certain words in a certain order - a matter of the fallen, dead, atheist earning salvation by performing that good work. Bill, as my theology teacher kept saying, "Beware of 'Hoop Jumpting' Christians!" What he meant was people who confuse Law and Gospel by making what the dead, unregenerate, fallen person wills and does the essential cause of salvation. Such not only destroys the Gospel and Christianity (making self the Savior of self) but also creates a "terror of the conscience" as Luther put it since one can never know if they "feel" enough or if they "did" enough or was "sincere" enough. Faith is effective for only one reason: the Object, the Savior Jesus Christ. When the object is changed to the one each sees in the mirror, that faith becomes meaningless and we constantly must fear if we did enough, felt enough. See my point?
Technically, I have nothing against "altar calls" or "the Sinner's Prayer." I agree with the Baptist minister at the church through which I did homeschooling, the said that when one is compelled to come on down, as their heart is beating, as their palms are sweating - that's FAITH (Saving faith) crying out to proclaim its Object and to testify of itself. HIS point was the altar call or saying the Sinner's Prayer don't create faith or salvation, they testify of it. THAT I can agree with. That self performing a good work (walking down to the front of the church or saying the words of a written prayer) is why one is Saved makes self the Savior. The Bible says - repeatedly and as boldly as possible - that JESUS is the Savior (which means self can'tth be - job's taken) and that it is all "the free gift of God" and that it is NOT a result of fallen man's will or works. NOT. Whether speaking to the Catholic who holds that the dead, fallen mans works of love is why he is saved..... or another who holds that dead, fallen man's works of willing or deciding.... both look to the mirror rather than to the Cross..... both undermine that Jesus is the Savior (not self).... both create uncertainty and terror since the object of the faith is self and self can never know if self did enough, sincerely enough, genuinely enough. God saves. In God we can trust, lol. Now, the one given faith and life and the Holy Spirit is to act accordingly - including willing and repenting and proclaiming and loving and more! ABSOLUTELY! But that's what faith produces, not what produces faith. See my point? Are in fundamentally disagreeing?
- Josiah
