Are We Saved by Grace or Decision?

[Josiah]

Exactly.


Which is why dead people can't repent. Repent is a SPIRITUAL act that only those spiritually ALIVE can do. One who does not believe in God is not going to confess sins to God, is not going to look to God for mercy and forgiveness, is not going to claim the Blood of the Lamb. To them, God doesn't exist, doesn't care, doesn't have mercy, doesn't forgive, doesn't empower. One who is spiritually dead may FEEL remorse (heck, even your dog feels remorse) but remorse is a psychological/emotional thing that any Atheist can feel (even animals), repentance is a SPIRITUAL act that only a believer can do by the grace of God.


Soli DEO Gloria



- Josiah


.

I didn't say one could repent without having been given some sort of faith, but now that you mention it; one indeed can turn from what they know to be wrong in their life without having known GOD first.

Friend, I AGREED with you.


Yes, I too believe that an Atheist can feel remorse (even you dog can feel remorse). But I too agree with you that repentance requires faith. Thus, it is my opinion that it's likely that God's gift of faith precedes repentance since one can't repent without it. But as I've posted SO many times, I think the dynamics of all this is MYSTERY, I just don't KNOW (especially in any dogmatic way) exactly how GOD "cranks out" all this, exactly how GOD performs this MIRACLE of justification (Lutherans just don't "go there" MUCH to the anger of Calvinists, Arminianists and occasionally Catholics) - but this we DO say, and we proclaim it from the rooftops, as loudly as we can, unabashedly, boldly: Jesus is the Savior! Jesus saves! Sola Gratia - Solus Christus - Sola Fide! Soli DEO Gloria (all God's doing, all to God's credit). Lift high the Cross (not our mirror), Lift up Jesus (not ourselves).

I know you hate the word "I"

LOL...... You DO have a point! Depends on the context. In justification, yeah, I kind of DO "hate" anything that detracts from Jesus, from grace, from the Cross. Now, change topics to sanctification (the life of a Christian) and yup, that's synergistic, there definately is a role there for "I." But this thread is about justification.


Blessings!



- Josiah

 

[popsthebuilder]

Friend, I AGREED with you.


Yes, I too believe that an Atheist can feel remorse (even you dog can feel remorse). But I too agree with you that repentance requires faith. Thus, it is my opinion that it's likely that God's gift of faith precedes repentance since one can't repent without it. But as I've posted SO many times, I think the dynamics of all this is MYSTERY, I just don't KNOW (especially in any dogmatic way) exactly how GOD "cranks out" all this, exactly how GOD performs this MIRACLE of justification (Lutherans just don't "go there" MUCH to the anger of Calvinists, Arminianists and occasionally Catholics) - but this we DO say, and we proclaim it from the rooftops, as loudly as we can, unabashedly, boldly: Jesus is the Savior! Jesus saves! Sola Gratia - Solus Christus - Sola Fide! Soli DEO Gloria (all God's doing, all to God's credit). Lift high the Cross (not our mirror), Lift up Jesus (not ourselves).






LOL...... You DO have a point! Depends on the context. In justification, yeah, I kind of DO "hate" anything that detracts from Jesus, from grace, from the Cross. Now, change topics to sanctification (the life of a Christian) and yup, that's synergistic, there definately is a role there for "I." But this thread is about justification.


Blessings!



- Josiah

A pointed and concise response that still manages to convey a level of humility so the actual message might be heard...how very exemplary and refreshing....thank you friend

peace

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[atpollard]

"Are we saved by Grace or Decision?"

As a Reformed Baptist, I say Grace.
I remember reading that one of the traits of Lutheranism is an emphasis on the "Pastor's Heart" which is due to the tone set by Martin Luther as the founder who always had, first and foremost, the heart of a pastor for God's flock. I saw the following, today, and thought I would share it with you'all (southern thing). This is from Charles Spurgeon, also a Reformed Baptist, and thought by many to be the greatest Baptist Preacher to ever live. I think Charles also had a Pastor's heart:


All that believe are justified. —Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts Him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?—so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are today accepted in the Beloved, today absolved from sin, today acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol's vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall. This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now—even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of His people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.

 

[Josiah]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbIX4EH40Y

Pick it up at 2:19... That leaves about 10 minutes but it's GREAT, GREAT stuff.