Comments on: What Must I Believe To Be Saved?

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:07:00 +0000

Ditto Rod

By: Rod Dixon

Rod Dixon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:04:47 +0000

Ahh, excellent point. I’d still say the whole truth of person isn’t limited to their conscious thought, though.

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:37:17 +0000

Rod,

I agree with everything you said accept one. I no longer believe the “heart is deceitfully wicked. Jeremiah 31 talks about a new heart and Hebrews 8 talks about the fulfillment of that in Christ. But great comment

By: Rod Dixon

Rod Dixon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:28:56 +0000

I think so, Gabriel. I don’t believe correct doctrine saves us anymore than doubting or denying doctrine condemns us. Demons believe God is one (James 2:19) and also believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 3:11; 5:7) but it doesn’t do them a bit of good. There’s no reason whatsoever to think the thief at Jesus’ side knew about the virgin birth or the trinity, let alone believed them. Yet he’s in paradise all the same because he responded to something in Christ that made him believe in Christ. Believing in Jesus and believing things about Jesus are not the same (Matt 7:22-23). When people suggest our salvation depends on doctrinal purity it sounds an awful lot like intellectual works to me. What’s worse, turning the faith into a list of intellectual boxes that have to be checked off is what turns so many people away from Jesus, because it gives the impression (sadly an often correct one) that to be accepted by Christians first requires that seekers pretend to be something they’re not. Perhaps people wouldn’t perceive Christians as hypocrites if more of us valued integrity over the pretense of conformity.

Besides, if salvation required correct theology how could you ever be sure of your salvation given the fact that ‘the heart is above all things deceitful’? The truth of a person is more complicated than their conscious thought. You could be fooling yourself and would never know.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:31:37 +0000

Perhaps its just me—but Luke 10:25-35 seems to make things the most simple….and it may not be the most “theological” answer—but considering it was given to an expert in the law…with Jesus using the example of every-day dudes in action, it seems relevant.

Can one be a Good Samaritan based on what they know of the Lord and still make it?

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:37:23 +0000

Brother Wyeth,

I think that goes back to inspiration, experience and so forth. I don’t know if people outright deny but they do question and many question in light of scripture that may sound contradictory at points. Though some may be able to explain it. I think it is part of our God given mechanisms to question and I am perfectly okay with questions.

By: Wyeth D

Wyeth D — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:31:22 +0000

This quote is not a direct answer to your questions, but my heart resonates with it:

“There must be a real heartfelt belief that God’s promises are sure and to be depended on—a real belief that what God says in the Bible is all true and that every doctrine contrary to this is false, whatever anyone may say. There must be a real belief that all God’s words are to be received, however hard and disagreeable to flesh and blood, and that His way is right and all others wrong. This there must be, or you will never come out from the world, take up the cross, follow Christ and be saved.”
—J.C. Ryle, from “Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots”

As a guiding principle, I think we must settle in our minds that whatever the Bible says is true, whether we understand it or not. It seems to me, there are few things we need to understand in order to be saved. However, I get very concerned when someone starts rattling off a list of things they don’t believe which are stated in the Bible. I believe it all, whether I ever understand it or can explain it.

By: NEW LEAVEN

NEW LEAVEN — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:02:08 +0000

Paul’s Silence on the Virgin Birth of Christ: Does it Matter?…

My own view is that the apostle Paul may have echoed both Matthew and Luke in Galatians 4:4. At any rate, What is to be gained by a loose grip of the Virgin Birth of Christ?……

By: NEW LEAVEN

NEW LEAVEN — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:56:26 +0000

Paul failed to mention the Virgin Birth of Christ…

My own view is that the apostle Paul may have echoed both Matthew and Luke in Galatians 4:4. At any rate, What is to be gained by a loose grip of the Virgin Birth of Christ?……

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:24:21 +0000

T.C.R,

Depends on which scholars. But as to speculation I am only saying it is lacking in what was recorded of him and by him, I think that says a lot. If abscence is speculation then there is much to speculate about :0