Dear Jonathan, Thank you for your keen interest, and thank you for your willing to continue the interaction. To summarize what I believe about the issue of repentance and faith: God alone receives all the glory for saving a sinner from hell, from the power of sin, and eventually the presence of sin, and transforms him into a lover of God. And He does His saving work on a sinner, on whom He has pre-determined to set His love in eternity past, by bestowing him spiritual life, faith that obeys, and repentance that turns from sin toward God. A sinner who has become transformed into a new creature in the Lord and Master Jesus Christ will manifest his new nature by observable righteousness, sincere hatred of sin, unceasing hunger and thirst to become like Jesus Christ in His moral character. The doctrine of justification by faith alone is clearly presented to us in the Bible, and God reveals it to whom He wishes. At the same time according to the Bible, this faith which God grants is never alone, but is always, without exception, accompanied by evidence, fruit, or works of the Spirit of God who is residing within them, who is making them more conformed into the image of Christ. I affirm what the Bible teaches about the way of salvation, by faith alone, apart from works, and that the Bible is the inerrant, infalliable Word of God.
The Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible alone, and it is the Word of God in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation, 66 books, and everything the Scripture teaches is absolutely true. The Scripture teaches about the way of salvation, and apart from it there is no other way to be saved from God’s judgment, and enter the eternal kingdom of God: Jesus Christ, fully man, and fully God, and without sin, bled and died on the cross, to pay the penalty of the sins for sinners, and those who simply believe receive the gift of everlasting life through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through no works, achievement, or merit of the sinner, but only through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, can he be justified by God. [Ephesians 2:8-9] The way of salvation has always been through faith alone apart from works, both before and after the coming of Christ. And it is only on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, and His righteousness credited to their account, that the sinners, who lived before and after His first coming, could be declared righteous by God the Judge. [Genesis 15:6; John 3:16] According to my understanding of what the Bible says, the following convictions below are what I have been taught, which I believe to be true, historical Christian doctrine: 1. Faith is a gift of God. I believe the true faith that God credits as righteousness [Romans 4:5] is a gracious gift given by God Himself. I do not believe man could generate the supernatural faith by oneself. I believe God himself instructs internally in the mind of the sinner the truth of the gospel, as Jesus said upon Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God: [Matthew 16:17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Or as Jesus said, as he was leaning hard on the sovereignty and the power of God for comfort and confidence, when he sadly reflected upon the fact that many who sought for his supernatural powers and for their own earthly benefits were not at all interested in worshiping him, and loving him and desiring him alone: [John 6:45] It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. He has also said in the same occasion: [John 6:37] All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. [John 6:44] No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [John 6:65] And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. I believe it is God who has to will, and has to draw, and has to teach the sinner. I believe there is otherwise no power within the sinner to come to God in faith. These verses are also what I believe to clearly note that faith is a gift, wholly given by God himself: [John 1:13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [Acts 3:16, emphasis added] And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. [Acts 13:48] And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. [Romans 9:16] So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. [1 Corinthians 1:30] But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: [Ephesians 2:8,9] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Philippians 1:29] For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; [2 Peter 1:1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2. Faith obeys. A quote from a book that was written with concerns about the gospel, while not authoritative in and of itself, I think well summarizes this conviction, which I believe to be biblical: “Faith obeys. Unbelief rebels. The direction of one’s life should reveal whether that person is a believer or an unbeliever. There is no middle ground.” I believe the only true kind of faith the Bible speaks of is the obedient kind of faith, or the kind of faith that is marked by complete spiritual transformation, or redirection of the entire man, from slavery to sin, to slavery to righteousness. I believe the true faith is not a mere, empty profession of lips void of a commitment to active obedience, or a mere intellectual assent to facts of the gospel message. I believe when God saves a sinner, that God enables him to believe, and the faith God gives includes the irrevocable oath of allegiance, or promise to life-long surrender of the sinner’s will in serving his sinful lust, in order to serve the Lord’s will. Therefore, true faith does not fail to produce outward obedience to the Lord, so that there can be no such a thing as a believer that professes faith in Christ who does not walk in obedience to the Lord. In order to come to God in faith, the God-enabled sinner must renounce his old way of life of sin, and receives a new master. Otherwise, his so-called faith is a sham. I believe the Bible speaks of the gospel as a divine command to be obeyed: God commands sinners to believe. In response to what I have heard from the sermon: With all due respect to Anderson, I believe he has misinterpreted Romans 4:5, in order to assert a claim which I believe to be completely foreign to the Bible. I believe Romans 4:5 says sinners are justified on the basis of faith in God, and not on the basis of works. The verse does not teach that a professing believer can demonstrate utterly no evidence of the new life he has received or evidence of spiritual transformation, and still be a genuinely justified person, or a true believer. In fact, the Bible testifies to the very opposite. I believe the truth that a believer will demonstrate love for the Lord by both internal and external obedience to the Lord’s Word, is clearly found again, and again in the Bible: [Matthew 6:24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [Matthew 7:21-23] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thyname have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [Matthew 12:48-50] But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. [Matthew 21:28-32] But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. [Luke 6:46-49. Parable for two kinds of religious people: one that follows God’s way of salvation, and the other who does not.] And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. [John 3:19-21. The reason why sinners will not come to Christ: they love their sin, and they hate to be exposed for what they are. But for those on whom God has been working, they are eager to seek after Christ.] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. [John 9:38. The believers are those who prove their new nature by worshiping Jesus.] And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. [John 14:15. Jesus gives a statement of fact, that love and obedience are inseparably linked to one another.] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [Acts 16:31,32. Faith in Jesus, not only as Saviour, but also as Lord inevitably shows itself by its expression of love for God and His people.] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and they house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. [Romans 6:15-18. Unbelievers are called slaves to sin. Believers are called slaves to righteousness.] What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. [Romans 10:9,10. In order to be saved, one must acknowledge Jesus as Master or Lord (Kurios in the Greek), and confess himself as the slave (Doulos in the Greek) of Jesus.] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [1 Corinthians 16:22] If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. [2Th 1:8,9 The call to repentance (turning from sin to follow Christ in obedience), or the call to faith is a divine command.] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; [Titus 1:15-16. Unbelievers are shown to be unbelievers by their corrupt conduct.] Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. [Hebrews 12:6-11. Genuine children of God are cared for by their Father, so that they may become more holy in practice.] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. [James 2:14-26. Faith is characterized by good works.] What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?......Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble……For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. [1 John 2:3-6] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whose keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. [1 John 3:10] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. -- I believe the obedience of the believer is not a perfect obedience. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable Holy Spirit-given love that continually propels and directs that believer toward all obedience that sets no limit on what the Lord may command, no matter what the cost. Let me add another statement from the same book, which I believe to be biblical: “Again, this is not to deny the obvious truth that Christians can and do fall into sin. But even in the case of a sinning believer, the Spirit will operate by producing conviction, hatred for his sin, and some kind of desire for obedience. The idea that a true believer can continue in unbroken disobedience from the moment of conversion, without ever producing any righteous fruit whatsoever, is foreign to Scripture.” [Luke 22:54-62. Peter loved Jesus. Yet he sinned. We know he loved Jesus, because he had broken down in genuine sorrow of true repentance for his betrayal of the one whom he loved.] Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off……And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. [Romans 7:14-24. The apostle Paul was struggling through the war that each believer faces every day, the frustrating battle between his inner man and his old unredeemed flesh still attached to his new self. Nevertheless, as the apostle Paul testifies, there is an unquestionable sincere desire to do what pleases the Lord, and sincere hatred of sin.] For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I……I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into acptivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
CategoriesAll Discourse Doctrines Gospel Humour NT Commentaries OT Commentaries Tactical Life Date
August 2023
|