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FAITH: A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
GO TO FURTHER STUDY ON EASY BELIEVISM 
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith.."
"Through faith" = An objector might say, 'Well faith is something a believer contributes to his salvation.'
But Scripture defines faith as:
(v. 1) "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
i) FAITH IS A CERTAIN HOPE OR EXPECTATION THAT GOD WILL DELIVER WHAT HE HAS PROMISED
"what we hope for" = "elpizomenon" =
The Greek word "elpizomenon" refers to a sure hope or expectation
Notice that faith = a certain hope, (corroborated by the word "certain" in the next phrase), in what an individual accepts as true: the promise that God will deliver one unto eternal life or from temporal difficulties as the context indicates. Note that this does NOT imply that one is contributing something. It is passive and NOT proactive toward any end, certainly not toward being saved unto eternal life or from temporal difficulties, as some contend!
ii) FAITH IS A CERTAIN ACCEPTANCE AS TRUE THAT GOD WILL DELIVER WHAT HE HAS PROMISED
"certain of what we do not see" =
Notice that faith is also described as a certain acceptance as true that God will deliver what He has promised. The deliverance we do not see until it has occurred, namely the deliverance unto eternal life or from present difficulties, depending upon the context.
(v. 2) "This is what the ancients were commended for.
(v. 3) By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible =
Faith is portrayed as an acceptance of an outcome that God testified to in Scripture as true in Scripture which cannot be seen, namely the invisibile command/power of God which created the universe.
(v. 4) "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead."
Abel offered the proper sacrifice, i.e., an animal sacrifice, (Gen 4:2-4), symbolizing his faith, i.e., an acceptance as true, that God would provide eternal life through a blood sacrifice of His one and only Son, (Gen 4:2-4), as a once for all time sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. This enabled God to declare Abel a righteous man and provide him with eternal life so that he still speaks even after physical death because he lives eternally]
(v. 5) By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
[Because of his faith alone - notice that what he did, his faithfulness is NOT in view - a man named Enoch was taken from this life such that he did not experience death, implying a reception of eternal life. This is provided here as an example of faith - having a sure hope of eternal life - an acceptance as true that God would provide him with eternal life, being certain of its reception, unseen before his eyes, trusting in God to deliver it. Enoch was commended as one who pleased God with a view to his faith alone, (his actions are not in view, hence are excluded). This is supported in the phrase which follows, "And without faith it is impossible to please God"]:
(v. 6) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
[Notice that pleasing God is a matter of faith alone:
1) Believing - accepting as true - that God exists.
2) Believing - accepting as true - that He rewards those that earnestly seek Him
(v. 7) By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
[Notice that it is implied that Noah had a certain hope - an acceptance as true - that God would deliver him and his family from a coming flood and unto eternal life, which faith alone was credited to him as righteousness, a righteousness which provided him with the as yet unseen future result of eternal life]
(v. 8) By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
(v. 9) By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
(v. 10) For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God, [i.e., eternal life]
i) TRUSTING IN GOD TO PROVIDE ETERNAL LIFE TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB IS IMPLIED
[Notice that in verses 8-10 eternal life is implied: trusting alone in God alone for it, a certain hope, an acceptance as true, that God would deliver Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to an eternal dwelling in the promised land - a city Whose Architect is God, an eternal city whose inhabitants have eternal life by faith alone]
(v. 11) By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because He [God] considered him faithful Who had made the promise.
(v. 12) And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
[Notice that because Abraham accepted as true, i.e., exercised faith that God would provide a son through natural childbirth with his wife Sarah, God fulfilled that promise and the promise of eternal life to Abraham that was attached to it: Through Abraham's seed would come a Savior Who would provide eternal life such that Abraham would live forever and be able to contemplate his countless descendents in eternity]
(v. 13) All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth."
[Notice that we have in view a sure hope, i.e., a certain acceptance as true of the unseen results which God promised:
A deliverance unto eternal life or from temporal difficulties, (depending upon context).
Does that sound like one is doing something - contributing something? Or does it sound like one is relying on God to do it all for one? Saving faith according to Scripture, then, is simply a sure and certain hope - an acceptance as true that God will save one unto eternal life through His provision via Abraham's Seed, God's one and only Son.
(v. 3) "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(v. 4) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you"
"Hope" = "Elpida"(Gk) = a sure and certain hope.
This passage corroborates the fact that eternal life is a sure hope, i.e., eternally secure because it "can never perish, spoil or fade."
II) SINCE FAITH IS AN ACTION BY MAN CAN IT BE CONSIDERED A WORK OF MAN TOWARD HIS SALVATION?
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this [*salvation is] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
["this" = "touto," neuter = salvation, not faith since faith is feminine]
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
1) FAITH IS NON CONTRIBUTORY TOWARD ONES SALVATION
Since salvation is stipulated in Eph 2:8-9 as being 'by grace', i.e., unmerited favor and 'not of works' and 'not of yourselves' = 3 ways of saying non contributory indicating that a man contributes nothing to receive salvation,
then the faith itself that a man exercises to be saved must also be non-contributory toward salvation.
Contrary to what some objectors to free grace/gift salvation maintain, the phrase 'not of works' cannot be limited to 'not of works of the Law' as the context from 1:1 through 2:9 has nothing to do with any law, much less the Mosaic Law.
The faith therefore must be passive and not active in the sense that it simply causes an individual to receive the results of what God has already done - this acceptance of a free gift of all that God has already done relative to the matter of salvation. So one trusts in God doing it all for him in order to be saved: he contributes nothing and trusts in God to do it all.
Just as one can say that he trusts in a friend to take care of his house while he is unable, (for some unspecified reason), such that that trust does nothing to contribute to what was required to take care of the house, it is simply a mental assent - a mental belief in the faithfulness of his friend doing all the work for him, (i.e., water and mow lawn, keep it secure, feed and exercise pets, take care of the plants, etc., etc.); so in the same way one can say that one trusts alone in Christ alone to take care of his salvation such that that trust does nothing to contribute to what was required to pay the penalty for his sins and provide forgiveness for him, etc., etc. in order to insure that he was saved unto eternal life; it is simply a mental assent - a mental belief in the faithfulness of our Lord in doing all the work of salvation for him.
2) FAITH IS NOT CONSIDERED BY GOD AS A WORK EITHER
Furthermore, the phrases "by grace", "not of works","it is a gift", "not of yourselves" and "lest any man should boast," being inspired by God, settle the issue of whether or not salvation is of a contributing works nature by man, further emphasizing the concept that faith is not a work, since gift and grace exclude works by definition as well as the "not of works", "lest any man should boast" and "not of yourselves" phrases which fully and directly exclude it.
Contrary to objectors to free grace/free gift salvation who maintain that "saved through faith" refers to some concept they call 'faith works' in order to insert human doing into what it takes to be saved; there is simply no dictionary that carries such a concept, nor does it fit into the normative rules of language, context and logic, nor does the term appear in Scripture. As a matter of fact James chapter 2 distinguishes faith and works as two separate concepts. Consider that if faith were a kind of work, then James 2:17, "Faith without works is dead" deteriorates to nonsense. How can faith if it were a work be without works???? That's like saying daisies without flowers are dead.
In conclusion, since works towards some end such as salvation require it to be of a contributory nature
and since faith is non-contributory being a passive non-contributory action,
then salvation which is solely by faith as the bible teaches, is completely exclusive of man's works of any kind whether God inspired or not.
And the faith that an individual exercises in order to receive the gift of salvation is not a work at all.
III) FAITH BELIEVE TRUST DEFINED
A) ENGLISH DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF FAITH
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary:
ftp://ftp.uga.edu/pub/misc/webster/
faith \Faith\, n.
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony. 2. The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth. Faith, that is, fidelity, -- the fealty of the finite will and understanding to the reason.
believe \Be*lieve
v. t. [imp. & p. p. Believed; p. pr. & vb. n. Believing]
To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; as, to believe a person, a statement, or a doctrine."
trust \Trust\, v. t.
1. To place confidence in; to rely on, to confide, or repose faith, in; as, we can not trust those who have deceived us. I will never trust his word after. --Shak. He that trusts every one without reserve will at last be deceived. --Johnson. 2. To give credence to; to believe; to credit. Trust me, you look well. --Shak. 3. To hope confidently; to believe; -- usually with a phrase or infinitive clause as the object. I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face. --2 John 12. We trust we have a good conscience. --Heb. xiii. 18. 4. to show confidence in a person by intrusting (him) with something.
Syn: Confidence; belief; faith; hope; expectation"
B) NT GREEK DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF FAITH
The New Analytical Greek Lexicon which is a dictionary of the koine Greek language of the Bible, (Wesley J. Perschbacher, Editor, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Ma; 1992, p. 329), states as the meaning of the word pisteuo which is translated believe in the English Bible translations as follows:
"(4100)... [pisteuo] 1 pers. sg. pres. act. indic., fut... [pisteuso] ...to believe, give credit to, Mark 1:15; 16:13; Luke 24:25; intrns. to believe, have a mental persuasion, Matt. 8:13; 9:28; James 2:19; to believe, be of opinion, Rom. 14:2; in N.T. [pisteuein en, eis] to believe in or on, Matt. 18:6; 27:42; John 3:15, 16, 18; absol. to believe, be a believer in the religion of Christ, Acts 2:44; 4:4, 32; 13:48; trans. to intrust, commit to the charge or power of, Luke 16:11; John 2:24; pass. to be intrusted with, Rom. 3:2; 1 Cor. 9:17"
Note that the Greek word used in the Bible which is translated into forms of the verb 'to believe' is also defined according to the Greek dictionary to mean a trust in the information presented, i.e., a mental assent - devoid of additional actions on the part of an individual other than the mental agreement. Furthermore, the forms of the verb 'to believe' in Greek which are used in gospel passages all depict a moment of faith. Verb forms and contexts which depict an ongoing faith or faithfulness do not appear in gospel passages, hence the latter are excluded in what it takes to be justified unto eternal life.
C) BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF FAITH UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
1) SAVING FAITH = ACCEPTING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD ABOUT HIS SON PROVIDING ETERNAL LIFE FOR YOU
The Word of God confirms that forms of the verb to believe when used in passages concerning how an individual receives eternal life is defined as an acceptance - a mere mental assent - of the testimony of God:
(v. 9) "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son.
[Accepting the testimony of God about His Son is presented here as an agreement that what God is saying about His Son is true - mere mental assent. The next verse then defines accepting the testimony of God as believing:
(v. 10) Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart..........
["has this testimony in his heart" = in his mind. Anyone who believes that the Son will provide eternal life for him has this testimony in his heart such that it is a part of his mental understanding that he is now saved unto eternal life]
(v. 10 cont.) .....Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son.
[So to be saved one must believe in the testimony of God about His Son. The verb believe is herein defined relative to salvation unto eternal life as a mental assent, an acceptance, that what God says about His Son is true. Nothing else is required here in order to receive eternal life such as demonstrating this faith by some kind of action]
(v. 11) And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
[i.e., if you want eternal life: trust in God's Son to provide it for you]:
(v. 12) He who has the Son has life..........
[He who believes in God's testimony about His Son - that the Son will provide eternal life for him if he merely believes in the Son doing this has eternal life, (v.10)]....
(v. 12 cont.) ...he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
[To have the Son means to believe that He will provide eternal life for you. To not have the Son is to not take God at His Word that the Son alone will provide eternal life for you. So if you believe what God testifies to, then you will therefore have eternal life because God says so. God being Who He is, He will deliver.
And then John writes further that an individual can know that he is saved unto eternal life at the very moment of his mental assent]:
(v. 13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
So, taking God at His Word about eternal life through His Son provides assurance that you do now possess the gift of life everlasting in heaven never to lose it.
So nothing in the word 'believe' relative to securing eternal life implies that any action is required beyond the simple trust - the simple mental assent stated in Jn 3:16 and numerous other passages in the Bible. Just as one would simply believe that a door is green via a simple mental assent; or that an individual who is physically incapable of vigorous movement, can still believe that exercise is good for his health, i.e., a simple mental assent, without actually performing the exercise itself; so in the same way one can trust alone in Christ alone as one's Personal Savior unto eternal life - without doing anything beyond the simple mental assent. Consider that this is true especially since God has completed all that is necessary for any individual's salvation, (Eph 1:3-2:9). And consider this in the light that all men are totally depraved and incapable of contributing a single acceptable thing toward anyone's salvation, (Ro 3:23; 8:8; Isa 64:6; Ps 14:1-3; 58:3; Jer 17:9).
2) SAVING FAITH = A MOMENT OF BELIEF ALONE IN GOD'S ONE AND ONLY SON BEING GIVEN FOR YOU ALONE
"For God so loved the world that he gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
Kenneth S. Wuest states, (Wuest's Word Studies, Vol. 3, 'Great Truths To Live By, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., 1992, p. 67):
"In the words, 'should not perish, but have everlasting life,' there is a radical change in tenses, from the aorist which speaks of a once-for-all act to the present subjunctive which speaks of a continuous state [it is actually present nominative participle - A NOUN!]. The contrast is one between the final utter ruin and lost estate of the unbeliever, [now you have become the believer] and the possession of eternal life has an enduring experience on the part of the believer"
"whoever believes" = "pas ho pisteuon" = a nominative relative pronoun with the definite article and a participle verb functioning as a noun, lit. "everyone who is the believing [one]."
The present, active participle verb: "is believing" is a participle noun and not a statement of present tense requiring ongoing action as some might maintain.
Contrary to objectors who insist that Jn 3:16 stipulates "everyone who maintains a constant state of believing as result of the phrase "whoever believes" = "pas ho pisteuon", the form of the verb to believe is not a present tense form anyway, but it is actually a *nominative, singular, masculine, present active participle - with the definite article, i.e., a participle acting as a noun indicating "the one who believes" [in Christ as Savior], i.e., a believer. The participle acting as a noun does not require a perfection of continuous action such as continuous believing in order for an individual to be qualified as a believer.
For example, just as John the Baptist was still considered the one who baptizes ["iOannEs ho baptizOn" = "John the one who baptizes"] even after he was killed (Mk 6:14), and just as Paul referred to the Corinthians as "sanctified in Christ Jesus", (1 Cor 1:2), and "in Christ", (1 Cor 3:1) yet they were not acting faithfully at all, (1 Cor 3:3), so a believer in general is legitmately referred to as a believer from the moment he trusts in Christ for eternal life.
[Dr. Robert Wilkin states, The Grace Report, Monthly Report of the Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, Tx. ges@faithalone.org, Mar 1999, Notes and Letters, p. 4]:
'''The articular participle (=the article "the" [='ho'] plus a participle [ex. pisteuon = believing] functions as a verbal noun. Thus ['ho pisteuon' =] 'the one who believes' does not mean ''he who keeps on believing and believing and believing' but means 'the believer.' [i.e., one who at some time exercised a single moment of faith alone in Christ alone]. Anyone who comes to faith in Christ is from that moment forward 'the believer.' '''
"should not perish" - "un apoletai" - aorist tense, 3rd pers. singular, subjunctive mood, middle voice =
The believer receives a state of completed action of not ever perishing if God's purpose is fulfilled - and God being sovereign, it will be fulfilled.
Considering the context of John chapter 3 of being spiritually born again once for all time in order to enter the Kingdom of God, (3:3-8), this being closely paralleled in John 3:14-15 to the passage in Numbers 21 of the once for all time look of faith of an Israelite at the bronze snake in order to be physically saved from physical death via a particular snake bite with a moment of faith in Christ being lifted up [on the cross to pay for sins] resulting in eternal life [identical construction here as in v. 16],
and considering the use of the aorist tense twice in the main clause of v. 16 to indicate with the context: God's completed action of love in His giving His one and only Son once for all time completed action of paying for the sins of the whole world,
we can therefore conclude that the aorist tense in "un apoletai" means a completed action resulting in a condition of never perishing as a result of the application of God's once for all time sacrifice for sins upon the one who believes, the believer. Since this action of God is not repeatable and has been appropriated by the believer then we may conclude that the state of the believer not perishing is permanent - and his possession of eternal life is forever!
Thus the subjunctive mood of the verb "un apoletai" in this clause expresses action which is objectively possible for the whole world but which becomes a reality for the "pas ho pisteuon" = the one who is believing, i.e., the believer considering the context and especially considering the unfailing sovereignty of God in fulfilling His declared purposes. The subjunctive mood allows for the assumption that there is some doubt as to the outcome depending upon the reliablity of the One acting for the purpose stipulated and that is God. Since God is absolutely reliable then the outcome in the subordinate clause is actual and not potential.
The context of the immediately preceding verses, (vv. 14-15), of a single look of faith at the bronze snake in order to be definitely saved from physical death, (no indefiniteness here), which is then dramatically juxtaposed to the identical phrase as it appears again in verse 16: "eche zoen aionion" = "may have eternal life" leaves no doubt in v. 16 that eternal life is also portrayed as definitely - NOT indefinitely - received by "everyone who is the believing one", i.e., all believers at the moment of belief, once for all time.
"but have eternal life" = "eche" = lit. may be having, present tense, 3 pers sing., subjunctive mood, active voice.
This second action, "but may have eternal life" has already been touched upon and it works similarly to Action #1:
The believer receives immediate possession of eternal life as the fulfilled purpose of God at the point he became the one "who is believing", i.e., a believer.
"but" = "alla" sets Action #2 in opposition to Action #1: to the condition of once for all never perishing opposite to Action #1: a once for all condition of having eternal life.
The active voice of the verb "eche" = "may be having" indicates that the individual directly causes the results of his commencing to having eternal life as a result of his believing in the Son being given for him when he becomes a believer, i.e., "one who is the believing [one]."
Since eternal life has a unique quality about it of being everlasting in duration then such a life will not cease once it has begun to be the possession of the individual who, at the beginning moment of faith that it took to become a believer, he was believing in the Son being given up for him in order to be born again and enter the eternal kingdom of God as the context of John chapter 3 indicates. Otherwise eternal life would not be eternal life, it would be called 10 year life or 10 minute life as the case may be - if you should stop believing. So if the believer does not maintain a continuous state of believing in the Son after that first moment of faith, as some contend - (and I don't know anyone who can, neither does Scripture except the Lord Himself), the duration of the believing will not have an effect on the duration of the eternal life once the latter has begun to be the eternal possession of the one who is believing, i.e., the believer. Not only is eternal life therefore begun within the individual at the instant he trusts alone in Christ alone as Savior to become "one who is the believing [one]," but the verb 'un apoletai' - 'shall not perish' in the opposing verb of this clause is in the aorist tense which speaks of a once for all time exclusion - a completed action - from perishing in the Lake of Fire also begun at the moment of believing.
So
once an individual
believes in Christ as Savior, nothing else being stipulated here as a
requirement to be saved and even before a single divine good work is
performed by that believer if any - then he immediately begins to have eternal life in his
mortal body surely to be exchanged for a perfect immortal one after
physical death, (1 Cor 15:51ff) - or at the Rapture . And this life once begun is eternal by
definition so it cannot end regardless if that individual remains
faithful or not.
So at the point in time when an individual believes in Christ as Savior he instantly enters into a state of having eternal life...for all eternity. He is permanently sealed, (Eph 1:13-14), and irrevocably saved unto eternal life - no matter what, (Eph 4:30)! As a newborn believer, (Jn 3:3), a child of God, (Jn 1:12), he has become a new creation, (2 Cor 5:17), and has received to his credit the grace gift of absolutely perfect righteousness, (Ro 3:21-24), which qualifies him to enter into heaven when he dies. Nothing now can separate him from God's eternal love, (Ro 8:38-39). He no longer has to fear eternal condemnation, (Ro 8:1).
Notice that this doctrine of faith alone in Christ alone which provides eternal life for an individual was stated to a Jew who was under the Law at a time which was before the cross! This reaffirms that salvation occurs in one way only for all individuals before and after the cross, from Adam on down through the ages: faith alone in God's plan of salvation alone which is through His Son. All an individual of any era had to do was to take God at His Word, i.e., believe in God's plan of eternal life and that that resulted in his salvation. (Cp. Heb chapter 11; Isa 28:16; 53:4-5, 10-12; Ps 32:2; Ez 36:26-27; Gen 15:4-6 & Ro 4:1-8, 13).
Objectors who insist that the word believe relative to salvation takes on more than the normative meaning must consider here in this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus that our Lord did not redefine or specially define the word rendered believe relative to salvation here in His conversation with Nicodemus; and that certainly would have been the most opportune time, the Son of God knowing that this would be the verse most often quoted and memorized - and which is an instruction on how to have eternal life.
So when any person trusts, (believes), in Christ - trusts that He payed the penalty for his sins, (cf 1 Jn 2:2), then at that very moment of exercising one's trust that person is born spiritually alive and now at that same moment has eternal life! According to Scripture that person will continue to die physically...living out God's sovereignly appointed lifespan - or the rapture. Then his now alive eternal spirit will go to be with the Lord in heaven. After God is finished with this particular age, the church age believer will be provided with a perfect physical body with capabilities which are beyond our imagination, (1 Thes 4:13-18). Our bodies will be like the resurrected Lord's Himself! (Cp. Phil 1:20-24; 2 Cor 5:6-9; 1 Cor 15:42-53; Phil 3:20-21). And so we believers will live in perfect harmony and fellowship with one another and Almighty God forever!
(v. 30) "And he [the keeper of the prison, (v. 27)] brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
(v.
31) 'Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
"believe" = "pisteuson", imperative mood = a command; aorist tense, not present tense = a completed action of a moment of believing and one will - at that moment - be saved unto eternal life. Thus continuous action of believing is not in view, nor any kind of commitment in order to be saved unto eternal life. "Pisteuson" = comes from the Greek infinitive "pisteuO", to believe.
So the Greek word used in the Bible which is translated into forms of the verb 'to believe' relative to salvation unto eternal life is defined according to the bible, usage and New Testament Greek dictionaries to mean to trust, believe or exercise a moment of faith in the information presented that Jesus Christ will save you from your sins and provide eternal life for you, i.e., a mental assent - devoid of additional actions on the part of an individual other than the mental agreement. This is why salvation unto eternal life is stipulated in Scripture as a gracious free gift through a moment of faith, (perfect tense) which is not of yourselves, not by works so that no one can boast - no strings attached:
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this [salvation, neuter] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God --
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
on this verse.
Acts 16:30-31 cont.
"you will be saved" = "sOthEsE", indicative mood = a statment of fact; future tense = signifying being instantly saved unto eternal life whenever the individual expresses, (it is future until the moment one believes), a moment of faith alone in Christ alone + nothing else.
Notice that the indicative mood is a statement of fact by definition, making emphatic the result of a moment of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ to be eternal life at that moment. It is by faith alone + nothing else that this is accomplished in an instant and forever because the result of it is stipulated as being saved, the duration implied as eternal relative to the previous teaching of the Apostle Paul in Acts 13:46-48.
"you and your household" = This phrase does not imply that if the jailer believed that the rest of his family would be saved, but it does imply that the jailer and any one in his household who of his own volition, believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved. It further implies that anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved.
In view of the normative rules of language, context and logic by which God's Word must be read and interpreted, the integrity of this passage cannot be violated or added to by imposing what other passages might or might not stipulate relative to salvation unto eternal life or any topic. Hence Acts 16:31 remains a message that all who express a moment of faith alone, (aorist tense), in Jesus Christ alone + nothing else will assuredly be saved unto eternal life, no matter what - because there are no conditions stipulated except the moment of faith. No where in this passage can it be inferred that anything else but a moment of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ's capacity to save one is required to be saved unto eternal life.
3) CONTINUOUS BELIEVING IS NOT REQUIRED IN ORDER TO BE OR STAY SAVED
Present tense signifies action in present time for the duration of whatever the context indicates. The Greek present tense by itself does not automatically convey continuous action - nor does the English equivalent. It may or may not be continuous - depending upon the context and/or the presence of qualifying words. Present tense action in the absence of qualifiers demands a singular action in the present moment without requiring that it be continuous throughout the present. No first century Greek reader or hearer was likely to get a meaning such as 'continue to believe' without the necessary additional qualifiers to the present tense.
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name."
"anapherOmen ..thusian .aineseOs diapantos"
"we should offer sacrifice of praise continually"
Notice that "anapherOmen" = "we should offer" is present tense. Yet in order to emphasize continual action the word "diapantos" = "continually" must be inserted.
"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. "
"hEmeis eucharistoumen tO theO .....adialeiptOs" =
"we .......give thanks .............to God ..unceasingly"
Notice that "eucharistoumen" = "give thanks" is present tense, indicative mood. Yet in order to emphasize unceasing activity the word "adialeiptOs" = "unceasingly" must be inserted to picture unceasing action.
iii) [Compare 1 Thes 5:16-18]:
(v. 16) "Be joyful always;
(v. 17) pray unceasingly;
(v. 18) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
"adialeiptOs proseuchesthe" =
"unceasingly pray"
Notice that "proseuchesthe" = "pray" is present tense, imperative mood. Yet in order to emphasize unceasing activity the word "adialeiptOs" = "unceasingly" must be inserted to picture unceasing action.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have [should] eternal life."
"whoever believes in Him" = "pas ho pisteuon" = lit, whoever [is] the believer, nominative particple, i.e., a noun
"should have eternal life" = "all echE zOEn aiOnion" = present tense verb (echE)
If the present tense were the verb in the original Greek text of John 3:16, "whoever believes" - and it is not, it is the noun, 'pas ho pisteuon' = whoever [is] the believer', then a special context and/or additional words such as "diapantos" = continually and the future tense 'will continuously have eternal life' instead of 'have eternal life', must be inserted into the text in order to convey the idea of continuous believing in order to have eternal life.
Consider the individuals who are found guilty of various offenses before a magistrate in a court in the times of the ancient Roman Empire - New Testament times. The magistrate declares before the group of guilty people in koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, in a statement that directly parallels the second half of Jn 3:16, 'Whoever pays his fine shall not perish in jail, but have freedom to go, with his life.' Does the present tense of 'Whoever pays' demand continuous - uninterrupted payment of the fine in order for an individual to "have freedom to go, with his life?" The answer is obvious, the present tense does not always demand continuous uninterrupted action in the present.
Just as the payment of the Magistrate's fine was done once in present time such that it results in freedom - the payment not having to be continuous;
so the believing in Christ as Savior, when it begins in present time, immediately results in the aorist completed action of never perishing and the present tense reception of eternal life such that the believing need not continue in order to keep the result of never perishing and possession of eternal life continuous because the never perishing is a completed action and the eternal life by its very nature once received is continuously eternal.
b) SALVATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IS PORTRAYED AS BEING RECEIVED IN A COMPLETED ACTION MOMENT
(v. 30) "And he [the keeper of the prision, (v. 27)] brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
(v. 31) 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' "
Notice that the keeper wasn't asking how he could be initially saved and then maybe not stay saved. There are no qualifiers that would lead to this conclusion. He was asking what it took to be saved once and for all. He simply did not want to go to hell! He was frightened out of his wits.
And Paul did not answer in a continuous tense demanding ongoing effort with the possibility he could lose his salvation. He answered in the aorist - completed action tense:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." =
"believe" = "pisteuson", imperative mood = a command; aorist tense, not present tense = a completed action of a moment of believing and one will - at that moment - be saved unto eternal life. Thus continuous action of believing is not in view, nor any kind of commitment in order to be saved unto eternal life. "Pisteuson" = comes from the Greek infinitive "pisteuO", to believe.
"you will be saved" = "sOthEsE", indicative mood = a statment of fact; future tense = signifying being instantly saved unto eternal life whenever the individual expresses it, (it is future until the moment one believes), a moment of faith alone in Christ alone + nothing else.
Notice that the indicative mood is a statement of fact by definition, making emphatic the result of a moment of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ to be eternal life at that moment. It is by faith alone + nothing else that this is accomplished in an instant and forever because the result of it is stipulated as being saved, the duration implied as eternal relative to the previous teaching of the Apostle Paul in Acts 13:46-48.
"you and your household" = This phrase does not imply that if the jailer believed that the rest of his family would be saved, but it does imply that the jailer and any one in his household who believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved. It further implies that anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved.
In view of the normative rules of language, context and logic by which God's Word must be read and interpreted, the integrity of this passage cannot be violated or added to by imposing what other passages might or might not stipulate relative to salvation unto eternal life or any topic. Hence Acts 16:31 remains a message that all who express a moment of faith alone, (aorist tense), in Jesus Christ alone + nothing else will assuredly be saved unto eternal life, no matter what - because there are no conditions stipulated except the moment of faith. No where in this passage can it be inferred that anything else but a moment of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ's capacity to save one is required to be saved unto eternal life.
4) BELIEVE = BELIEVE IN = BELIEVE INTO = BELIEVE ON = BELIEVE THAT = BELIEVE UPON
[Charles C. Bing, Pastor of Burleson Bible Church, Burleson, Tx., states in the Journal of the GRACE EVANGELICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 9, Spring, 1996, Number 16, in an article entitled 'THE CONDITION FOR SALVATION IN JOHN'S GOSPEL', pp. 28-34]:
"Much discussion has focused on the use of the verb pisteuo [to believe either absolutely, or with the prepositions eis [in, into] and epi [on, upon], or with the dative case [indirect object of the verb] or hoti [that]. While some would claim these constructions indicate different kinds of faith... [Scripture teaches] ...that all these combinations refer to saving faith.
...believe without an object implies no less than believe with an object as when prepositions are used. The prepositions eis [= in, into] and epi [on, upon] may emphasize the object of faith, but do not distinguish another kind of faith... The construction of pisteuo with the dative is also clearly used for salvation, as in 5:24.
'''[Jesus said] 'Whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent me has eternal life.' '''
The similarity of believe with the dative and believe in is seen in 6:29-30...
[Jn 6:29-30]:
(v. 29) "Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has sent.'
(v. 30) They said therefore to Him, 'What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?' "]
(v. 30) "As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
(v. 31) Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.' "]
It is exegetically impossible to separate their meanings in those passages. To believe Christ is to believe in [into] Him, and vice versa. Thus the slightly less certain construction is clarified by John's favorite term for saving faith, believe in.
The pisteuo plus hoti [believe that] construction also denotes saving faith. While some may argue that this combination denotes an intellectual acquiescence that falls short of effectual faith, it seems obvious that one cannot believe in [into] unless he or she also believes that.... Each implies the other...In fact, if one really believes that, one can hardly not believe in [into]... We find the hoti [that] construction in two passages that clearly discuss the condition for salvation. John 8:24 says 'If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' The other passage is no less than John's purpose statement, 20:31...
[Jn 20:31]:
"But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."] ...(cf. also I John 5:1)...
...Faith, then, when represented by pisteuo in its various forms denotes trust in something or someone. It assumes assent to the truthfulness and trustworthiness of a person or what is claimed. In John [and throughout the Bible for that matter], faith is trustful reliance on Christ's promise to give eternal life to those who believe."
Furthermore,
according to
normative rules of language, context and logic by which the Bible was written and by which
it is to be interpreted...[]
...faith in (into) a concept or in (into) an individual, (using the Greek preposition 'eis' = in, into), does not constitute becoming one with that concept or individual, spiritually or organically as some maintain. For example, believing in, (Gk = "eis" = in, into), Jesus Christ as one's [personal] Savior does not then result in that individual becoming one spiritually or organically with Jesus Christ Himself as part of the Godhead such that one assumes any of the full and infinite qualities of God any more than does one who believes in, (Gk = "eis" = in, into), a door being the color green changes him into the color green himself along with the sprouting of door knobs and keyslots on his person. Individuals can be spoken of as 'one' with each other when they act in accord with one another on or have the same beliefs about specific subjects. But this does not signify that they are now wholly joined organically, spiritually or mentally.
6) FIGURES OF SPEECH REFERRING TO SAVING FAITH
[Bing, cont.]:
"While there is one condition for salvation, John may represent that condition with figures of speech designed to illustrate the response of faith.
In Jn 3:14-15 the anticipated response is to look upon Christ and His work for eternal salvation, as the Israelites looked upon the serpent on a pole in the desert for their physical salvation (Numbers 21). The point of the illustration is the simple look of faith...
Similarly, John uses hearing to represent believing. More than the physical sense is involved. To hear is to listen, but also to accept as true, as we understand with the colloquial expression, 'I hear you.' Belonging to Jesus as His sheep is conditioned upon hearing His voice of truth (10:16, 27), as also is obtaining eternal life (5:24). The unbelief of the lost is due to their not hearing God's word (8:43, 47).
Speaking metaphorically of Himself as the door to the sheepfold, Jesus also pictures the response of faith as entering the door (10:9). To enter correlates with faith in that both express one's trust for protection from the threat of the enemy.
The notion of feeding on Christ (6:57), including eating His flesh and drinking His blood (6:54), is another analogy of the faith that obtains eternal life, as is clear in 6:35 and 6:47. This is similar to the drink of living water (eternal life) offered to the Samaritan woman (4:10, 14). To eat and drink is to appropriate or receive something upon which life depends. There is no work or merit associated with these activities. Rather, the benefit is from what is appropriated, which corresponds to the object of faith, which is Christ.
Another metaphor for faith is expressed by the word come. In 5:40 coming to Christ obtains eternal life. In 6:35 come is equated with both eating and believing. Coming, drinking, and believing are used synonymously in 7:37-38 as the condition for salvation. To come is to trustingly approach Christ for help. It entails no human merit or effort.
Another word that may represent faith is receive. The promise that any who receives Christ will become children of God is closely linked to believing in 1:12. Believe appears to be in apposition to receive here in order to explain it. In 1:12 to receive is to welcome or accept as true the person or words of Jesus Christ (3:11, 32-33; 5:43). This is in contrast to those who 'did not know' and 'did not receive' Jesus as the Christ in 1:10-11..."
g) CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
(v. 12) "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him.
(v. 13) For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
(v. 14a) How then shall they call upon Him in Whom they have not believed?" '''
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" = To call on the name of the Lord is to make use of His name, i.e., to trust in His capacity to save one from God's temporal wrath and unto abundance in riches
[Vines Expository Dictionary of the New Testament, Fleming H. Revell, Old Tappan, NJ, 1971, p. 163]:
"epikaleO = epi, upon and kaleO denote to call upon, invoke: in the Middle Voice, to call upon for oneself (i.e., on one's behalf). Making use of the Name of the Lord."
When you call upon someone to help you, it is saying that you trust in him to come to your aid. Inherent in your calling upon someone is the faith that he can and will help you.
If a believer expresses a moment of calling on the name of the Lord,
then God will provide salvation for the believer from present difficulty unto blessings.
So, in essence, to call on the name of the Lord unto salvation in this particular context is to trust that He will make provision for you to save you from whatever temporal situation is in view, more often than not, His wrath upon to discipline you and thereby provide blessing.
Notice that calling
upon the Lord in v. 12 results in abounding riches. This is paralleled
with v. 13, wherein calling on the name of the Lord results in being
saved from God's temporal wrath.
Incidentally, the name of the Lord in Hebrew is Jehoshua which means 'Jehovah is salvation' so calling on Jesus' name in order to be saved is to literally call upon the God Whom He is Who is salvation' and depending upon context the salvation may be temporal or eternal - sometimes both at the same time!
MOVE
TO EXAMINATION OF THE WORD REPENT RELATIVE TO SALVATION 
C cont.) BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF FAITH UNTO ETERNAL LIFE, (cont.)
[Charles C. Bing, cont.]:
"...These pictures of faith all denote receptivity, agreement, or trust. All are essentially simple activities and essentially passive. None communicates the idea of merit, work, effort, or achievement. Neither do they communicate an exchange of one's life or the ongoing submission of one's life to Jesus as Master in order to obtain eternal life.
When we observe the clear statements in John about the condition for salvation, the effect of this condition, and the pictures of this condition, we conclude that John presents faith alone in Christ alone as the only condition for salvation unto eternal life...
It is extremely significant that we do not see qualifiers with the word believe. John does not condition salvation unto eternal life on whether one 'really believes' or 'truly believes.' Neither does he speak of 'genuine faith,' 'real faith,' or 'effectual faith.' There is only one kind of faith. One either believes in something or he does not. Therefore, those who speak of 'spurious faith' or 'false faith' are psychologizing faith as the Scripture neither does, nor provides a basis for doing.
In contrast, John does use qualifiers to distinguish the real from the fraudulent in other concepts. He speaks of the 'true light' (1:9), 'true bread' (6:32), 'true vine' (15:1), 'true worshipers' (4:23), and 'true God' (17:3). When he shows that even the unsaved can be referred to as disciples (6:60-64), he later calls the saved who adhere to His word 'disciples indeed' (8:31)...
Neither do we find condition for salvation stated as surrender or commitment of all of one's life to Jesus as Master. Salvation is totally and absolutely free and is not conditioned on human merit. It is what one receives, not earns, merits, or barters for. It will be given freely to whoever asks (4:10)...."
"Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you, '''Give Me a drink,''' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' "] So the issue is not the quality or quantity of an individual's faith, but to Whom that faith is directed which will produce eternal life. If it is directed toward Jesus Christ: eternal life."
D) SALVATION REQUIRES FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE + NOTHING
1) SALVATION IS NOT CONDITIONED UPON CONTINUAL OBEDIENCE
[Charles Bing, cont.]:
"Similarly, we do not find salvation conditioned on [or will result in] continual obedience. If anything, we could argue that John's Gospel purposefully introduces us to those who believed in Jesus as Savior, but were less than fully committed as disciples or were partially obeying Him. Martha believed and was obviously saved (11:27; and we can assume Mary and Lazarus were too), but there is no indication that she followed Christ in the fullest sense of leaving home and family. Less than full confession and commitment are also found in the 'secret disciple,' Joseph of Arimathea (19:38). Some would argue that Nicodemus was also in this category (cf. 19:39). In addition, the Jewish rulers mentioned in 12:42 believed in Christ, but did not confess Him publicly for fear of being ostracized by the other Jewish leaders." [Yet nothing in Scripture indicates that they were not truly saved and Jn 1:12-13 stipulates that anyone who believes is SAVED]
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this [salvation is] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
Since salvation is by faith alone
and since salvation is "by grace" i.e., not merited therefore it is "not by works," it is a "gift" and "not of yourself"
then faith - especially saving faith unto eternal life - cannot be of works nor can works be permitted to validate that faith in any way.
Just as milk is milk before anything is added to it and so adding something like chocolate to it merely changes it into chocolate + milk, i.e., chocolate milk, so faith does not need works added to it in order to become faith - especially saving faith unto eternal life. It already IS faith. Once works are added then the faith becomes faith + works - the works being an expression of that faith which already existed in the first place; that faith being all that was needed to result in eternal life, (Jn 3:14-18, 5:24; 6:27-29, 47; 20:31; Eph 1:13-14; 2:8-9; Ac 10:43; 16:30; Gal 3:6-9, 14, 22, 2 Thes 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9; Phil 3:9; Ro 1:16; 3:22-26b; 4:1-5; 5:1; 10:11-14).
Faith therefore is a separate concept from works in spite of what objectors to free grace salvation often maintain. They defend their position by quoting Jas 2:17: 'faith without works is dead' without realizing that they have just affirmed that faith can exist without works - albeit being a dead faith relative to demonstrating ones friendship with God. Notice that faith without works is indeed expressed as being dead not non existent. So it can exist without works but it is dead = useless relative to the context of what James is writing about: being a friend of God as he illustrates especially with Abraham and summarized in verse 24 as a justification by works before men, not before God, (Ro 4:1-2). But if faith alone in Christ as Savior alone is all that is commanded by God relative to salvation unto eternal life as dozens of Scriptural passages indicate then that faith was certainly effective toward resulting in the individual being saved unto eternal life. This is especially true considering that the faith that that individual did express came as a gift directly from God. Certainly anything from God would be effectual in it's intended result of receiving eternal life! So faith can exist without works.
Finally, since there are no dictionaries in any language that define that one does not legitimately believe in something unless he actually demonstrates it by some action, and if dictionaries simply reflect how a language is used,
And since no one could understand the bible if it contained words so uniquely defined outside of normative usage as reflected in dictionaries and grammar books without 'breaking' some secret code and thus not be able to be held accountable to God for the understanding and acceptance of His Word,
And since the bible utilizing normative rules of language declares an inerrant message including prophecies being perfectly fulfilled in every detail and the doctrinal statements especially the salvation passages having absolutely no contradictions at all, being faith alone in Christ alone and at the moment of faith you begin to possess everlasting life forever (since the normative understanding of everlasting life is that it is forever) = before a single work is performed,
then we must conclude that the normative understanding of the word believe as simply a mental assent without works is truly what the bible expresses as the meaning of that word where ever it occurs.
3) SCRIPTURE ITSELF DECLARES THAT WORKS DO NOT PLAY A PART IN AN INDIVIDUAL'S SALVATION
The final authority as to whether works do play a part in an individual's salvation must, however, come from God's Word:
(v. 1) "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
(v. 2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God."
[So justification unto eternal life before God does NOT include any kind of works - whether meritorious or not. This verse says that Abraham's works justified him before men, not before God, that he was a saved man - saved unto eternal life. Therefore, God is the One Who justifies unto eternal life, not men - and it is by faith alone as it says in the next verse]:
(v. 3) What does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and [as a result of his belief - not anything he did] it was credited to him as righteousness. [Ref. Gen 15:6]
(v. 4) Now to the one who works [for salvation unto eternal life], his wage is not reckoned as a favor [i.e., grace] but as what is due.
[Thus canceling out the grace basis of salvation, (Eph 2:8-9), and remaining under condemnation]
(v. 5) But to the one who does not work, [for salvation unto eternal life] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith [without works] is reckoned as righteousness."
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit"
So if ANYTHING is done by an individual other than God with the result that salvation unto eternal life is supposed to be received, then those actions are by definition attempts to receive eternal life meritoriously. These are actions which will inevitably fail. The concept of all works toward one's salvation being meritorious cannot be changed unless the meanings of words which God has inspired to be used in the Bible can be arbitrarily redefined contrary to the intention of the Almighty Himself, (Ro 4:3-5; Titus 3:5).
In John 6:27-29, our Lord explicitly states that the work that one must do for eternal life is exclusively a matter of faith. So to obey the Lord unto eternal salvation must necessarily be to obey His command to trust alone in Him alone for eternal life, no deeds required:
[Jn 6:27-29]:
(v. 27) "[Jesus answered] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.
(v. 28) Then they asked Him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'
(v. 29) Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent'"
[Our Lord picks up on the word 'work' which the disciples were mindful of; but He used it not in a literal sense but in a figurative one and provided the answer which is no work at all: but to simply believe in Jesus Christ as Savior = the One that God sent:
Faith alone in Christ alone.
Just as a father can answer his precocious young son's question using drive in a non literal fashion as follows: 'Which car can I drive to class, Dad?' with: 'I'll tell you which car you can drive. You can drive the school bus to class;" so our Lord uses the word work in a non literal fashion also]
4) CONFESSION IS NOT PART OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
And then there are those who require confession - even in public - of Jesus as Lord in order to be saved. Some redefine confession as a continual effort in every area of ones life to do works in order to be eventually saved in spite of the fact that the action is presented as a single one time event resulting in a once for all time salvation. This false concept is 'extracted' from Scripture by taking Romans 10:9-10 out of context and redefining words beyond their available meanings.
The truth of the matter is that the passage presents the confession as coming after the fact of being justified by faith alone and it is in the subjunctive mood, (objective possibility):
a) [Compare Ro 10:8-10]:
(Ro 10:8 NASB) "But what does it say? 'THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART' — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
(Ro 10:9 NASB) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
(Ro 10:10 NASB) for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
To paraphrase the key idea of these verses: 'The possible result is that you will confess (maybe you will and maybe you won't) with your mouth Jesus as Lord as a result of the cause that you believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead which belief alone is what results in your being declared righteous unto salvation unto eternal life.'
So
confession that Jesus
is Lord is an expected, but not certain, response for believers to
express as a result of, but not a requirement for salvation unto
eternal life. Some will
confess and sad to say, some will not, (Ref. 1 Cor 3:11-15); just as
some will be water baptized, go to church regularly, lead faithful
lives and some will not. Faithful believers who confess Jesus as Lord
and innumerable other faithful things will have the value of their
temporal / faithful lives preserved / saved for rewards - eternal
rewards in heaven and blessings in their temporal lives.
MOVE TO EXAMINATION OF THE WORD
CONFESSION
RELATIVE TO SALVATION
5) OBEDIENCE IN ORDER TO BE SAVED = OBEYING THE GOSPEL = FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
Finally, in answer to those, after all of this, who still maintain that there are passages in God's Word which demand an obedience of works by an individual in order to be saved unto eternal life:
a) OBEY CHRIST AND HE BECOMES YOUR SOURCE OF ETERNAL LIFE = TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
"He [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him."
["obey" = "hupakouousin" = This word which is translated obey is Greek, however, it is a word reflecting the Jewish author's mentality which encompasses not just obedience in deed but also may be simply an obedience of faith. Some say that salvation requires one to obey in deeds due to a verse like this with the word "obey" in it. But in the Jewish mind if you trust or believe then you thereby obey. The Ten Commandments, for example, prohibit a number of mental attitude sins, such as coveteousness. To disobey one of these mental attitude commandments is to have that mental attitude of coveteousness - no actual deeds required! If one believed that coveteousness was a sin and did not practice such a mental attitude, then one was obeying that commandment within one's mind, and without any actions. Therefore, faith in Christ as Savior is indeed obeying the Gospel of salvation by simply exercising a mental assent - a simple trust in Christ.
ii) [In John 6:27-29], our Lord explicitly states that the work that one must do for eternal life is exclusively a matter of faith. So to obey the Lord unto eternal salvation must necessarily be to obey His command to trust alone in Him alone for eternal life, no deeds required:
[Jn 6:27-29]:
(v. 27) "[Jesus answered] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.
(v. 28) Then they asked Him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'
(v. 29) Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent'"
Our Lord picks up on the word 'work' which the disciples used but not in a literal sense and provided the answer which is no work at all: but simply to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of Man as Savior.
Just as a father can answer his precocious young son's question using the word "drive" in a non literal fashion as follows: 'Which car can I drive to class, Dad?' with: 'I'll tell you which car you can drive. You can drive the school bus to class;" so our Lord uses the word work in a non literal fashion also. And also figuratively speaking "eat My flesh" .. "drink My blood" are figurative expressions referring to believing in His Sacrificial death for the sins of all mankind which included His literal flesh and blood.
b) OBEY THE TRUTH UNTO ETERNAL LIFE = TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
(v. 17) "Since you [believers, v. 18] call on a Father Who judges each man's work impartially, [relative to rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ, 1 Cor 3:11-15] live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
(v. 18) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers.
[Notice the word "redeemed." The subject is salvation unto eternal life. Peter is reminding Jewish believers that they were saved not by things nor by their "empty way of life", i.e., by trying to be saved by the deeds of the Law handed down by their forefathers; but they were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ]:
(v. 18 cont.) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers;
(v. 19) but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
(v. 20) He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
[And the basis upon which the blood of Christ saved you, Peter says to fellow believers, is faith, i.e., belief in the gospel of salvation]:
(v. 21) Through Him you believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God [relative to salvation unto eternal life]
(v. 22) Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth" = Now that you have received perfect righteousness, i.e., purification unto eternal life by "obeying the truth" = by believing in the gospel of salvation, (cp v. 21).
(v. 23) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God."
So obeying the truth according to Scripture is believing in it. Verse 21 states that believing in God, in what He did relative to His Son: His Son's death, burial, resurrection and glorifiication (the Gospel of salvation) will result in purification, i.e., eternal life. And verse 22 describes this action of believing in the gospel of salvation as "obeying the truth." Then verse 23 confirms that the subject is being born again, i.e., salvation.
6) EVEN THE FAITH EXPRESSED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT SO SALVATION CANNOT BE OF WORKS IN ANY CASE
Scripture says that even the faith that a believer exercises in Christ is given that believer - so the believer cannot say that he even provided his own sure hope - his own faith:
"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him."
Nevertheless, the act of believing in something / someone, etc. is volitional.
But Who gets the glory - the credit for exercising faith in Christ as Savior? - (NOT THE BELIEVER):
GOD AND GOD ALONE
How many times have I heard, 'You can't just take that passage [let's say Jn 3:16, or your favorite passage that only stipulates / declares a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life] and tell me that all you have to do is to believe!! They evidently get the point of what I say Jn 3:16 is saying! So then I respond, "Well, that's all that Jn 3:16, read properly, says!! You cannot add something into that verse from some place else in Scripture." But then the individual says that you have to take the whole of Scripture into view, not just one verse!! But then I say again that you cannot add something to Jn 3:16 that you cherry picked from somewhere else, can you?? I mean that Jn 3:16 says what it says: moment of faith in Christ and you have eternal life; nothing else is stipulated that you must do. Then there comes the surprising reply that Jn 3:16 somehow represents every cherry picked out of context passage in Scripture that includes numerous things you have to do in order to be saved. Hence is proclaimed the idea of synechdoche, [whether or not they know that technical word what is implied here]: that what Jn 3:16 represents the whole of Scripture so I have to get busy and master every verse in the Bible that they think gives one more thing you have to do to get eternal life. (Of course they cannot claim that they have mastered every verse in the Bible either. Nor have they found any verse that actually stipulates something else besides a moment of faith alone in Christ alone that you to do to receive eternal life. All I have to do is test them on something in the Bible they have not covered, like the genealogies have a message, might not they include one or more things you have to do?)
8) HEAD FAITH = HEART FAITH, THERE IS NO SCRIPTURAL DIFFERENCE
9) SAVING FAITH DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY DEMONSTRATION OF THAT FAITH IN ONES LIFE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE TRUE AND EFFECTIVE IN THE RECEPTION OF ETERNAL LIFE. ASSURANCE OF HAVING ETERNAL LIFE COMES FROM RECALLING IN WHOM ONE BELIEVED IN TO RECEIVE IT, JESUS CHRIST.
The New Testament epistles which are for the most part exhortations toward leading a faithful Christian life, are addressed to true believers, not unbelievers, nor false professors, nor to those who could lose their salvation for some reason, if that were possible, (and it is not: at the point of faith one receives possession of eternal life which is eternal by definition, cf. John 6:29). Exhortations in the bible to true believers to lead faithful lives indicate by their existence and context that there is no guarantee that believers will lead lives faithful to their beliefs. The very existence of these letters in the New Testament indicates that there is no guarantee that true believers who are truly saved and truly secure in their salvation will truly lead faithful lives. Hence not being faithful to any degree is not a true indicator that one is not truly saved. So fruit inspection to determine if one is saved or not is fruitless.
The nature of believing is defined as a moment of mental acceptance of that which is presented to one as true. According to the usage of language, the words faith, trust, receive, know, accept, assent are all synonymous with believe WHEN THE CONTEXT DEMANDS IT.
Four important aspects of the nature of believing are key to understanding the nature of true saving faith:
a) Truly believing in something can be contradicted by ones behavior. For example, one can believe that exercise is good for ones health but not exercise for any number of reasons, not the least of which is having conflicting priorities, being lazy, or having current health problems. In the same way, the believer may have conflicting priorities, is lazy or has a current spiritual sickness which obstructs his faithfulness.
b) Faithfulness is not part of the makeup of saving faith, nor a reliable indicator that one expressed saving faith. Faithfulness to a mature Christian might be somewhat of an indicator that one is a believer; but an outward sign can often be misconstrued or counterfeited. Furthermore, a lack of faithfulness which all true believers are guilty of every day, (1 Jn 1:8, 10), does not compute that one never expressed a moment of faith alone in Christ alone to be saved forever unto eternal life. No where in Scripture is ones faithful behavior in view in order to confirm whether or not one at some time expressed a moment of saving faith. Saving faith is a moment of accepting that Jesus Christ died for ones sins resulting immediately in the reception of eternal life for ever, (Jn 6:29). Absent in every gospel passage is any reference to human behavior.
c) Since only a moment of faith alone in Christ alone provides eternal life forever, then after that moment neither faith nor faithfulness need be expressed.
d) Scripture repeatedly says that salvation unto eternal life is all about Jesus Christ and His faithfulness and not about us and what we do. Even works done for Him and through Him are not what we are to look to for assurance of our salvation - eternal destiny. After we have believed in the One God has sent, (Jn 6:29), we are to look to Him alone Who, once received via a moment of faith alone in Christ alone, endures in us unto eternal life without any further response by us, (Jn 6:27-29).
E)
THE CONTENT OF WHAT ONE MUST DO FOR
SALVATION UNTO LIFE DOES NOT REQUIRE A KNOWLEDGE OF
OR BELIEF IN NON-ESSENTIAL-FOR-SALVATION-UNTO-ETERNAL-LIFE
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH SUCH AS THE DEITY OF
CHRIST, TRINITY, UNLIMITED ATONEMENT, UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION, THE
RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, ETC.
ON THE OTHER HAND CERTAIN NON-ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION BELIEFS WHICH ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE REQUIRED SAVING CONTENT SUCH AS THE DEITY OF CHRIST, HIS RESURRECTION, THE TRINITY, ONE GOD, OR THAT NO KIND OF FAITHFULNESS IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO BE / STAY SAVED, ETC MUST NOT BE DISBELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT SAVING FAITH IS EXPRESSED WHICH DISBELIEF WOULD NEGATE BEING SAVED AT ALL. ALBEIT A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER MIGHT LATER FALL INTO SUCH APOSTASY YET STILL REMAIN SAVED
To
believe unto eternal life
that God has made provision for ones sins through His one and only Son
includes / implies believing in Jesus Christ's sacrifice / propitiation
/ provision for ones sins - that He, Jesus Christ, indeed has the
capacity and willingness to make that provision - hence it can only be
true that He is therefore God, whether or not one knows / believes in
this even at the time one expresses saving faith. The successful
outcome of salvation unto eternal life, however, is not dependent upon
knowing / believing in any non-essential-to-salvation-unto-eternal-life
doctrines. The essential content of what one must believe in order to
have eternal life is present in every single salvation unto eternal
life passage without the need to add or take away anything in that
passage. Note that passages that do not
indicate that eternal life is in view omit such words as, "have eternal
life," omit "justified," in the sense of to be credited with the
Righteousness of God / Jesus Christ, omit words to the effect of
receiving everlasting residence in the Eternal Kingdom of God; omit
"saved" when the context indicates a one time reception of eternal
life, (as opposed to harvesting a more abundant eternal life by works
in order to add to an already received one time reception of eternal
residence / life in the Eternal Kingdom of God ;
and as opposed to the preservation of the value or length of ones
temporal life ;
etc., etc. It all depends upon Context, Context and Context.
Nevertheless many of Scripture's non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-being-saved-unto-eternal-life doctrines are irretrievably / inseparably related to the essential-to-salvation-doctrines in the sense that they all have to be true for any of them to be true. Although one does not have to know of / or believe in these non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-salvation-unto-eternal life doctrines along with those essential doctrines that give one eternal life at the time they believed and were saved unto eternal life; nevertheless at the moment when one does become saved unto eternal life one cannot be denying the truth of any of non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-being-saved-unto-eternal-life doctrines. For then there is no salvation unto eternal life received at all.
For given the time one needs to spend properly studying and learning Scripture one might not yet have a knowlege of or belief in a number of non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-being-saved-unto-eternal-life doctrines up to the time one was saved unto eternal life, or even thereafter. Most Christians are not good students of Scripture. But the content of the original belief which results in eternal life cannot include disbelief in any of the non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-being-saved-unto-eternal-life doctrines such as belief that Jesus was only human, or less than God, i.e., a god, or that there is more than one god; or that the Trinity is a false doctrine, or that Jesus was never raised from the dead, or a belief that something else besides a moment of faith alone in Christ alone for forgiveness of sins needs to be done, such as to repent of all of ones sins, or to persevere in good works, or to demonstrate ones faith via some kind of human doing. For to insist on human doing, or to believe in a human being or a created god to provide eternal life thru a self-sacrifice for the sins of the whole world will not provide eternal life at all.
On the
other
hand,
if one who has expressed faith in the essential doctrines of the faith
in order to have eternal life without denying any doctrine that would
negate receiving eternal life at that moment of faith alone;
and thereafter denies any of the doctrines of the faith, especially
those essential to salvation unto eternal life;
one nevertheless remains saved, albeit an apostate until one repents
from such apostasy, and under God's
discipline, which might result in an early physical death, and /
or great
loss of eternal rewards for the rest of eternity; but never loss of
eternal life .
Relative to
the essential to the reception of eternal life doctrines of Scripture an individual needs to properly
respond to in order to have
eternal life;
logic demands that the least common denominator of stipulations which
complete-salvation-unto-eternal-life passages contain in order to have
eternal life is wholly sufficient in order to receive eternal life. In
order to determine what the least common denominator of those
stipulations are one must review clear salvation passages and then
compare them to the more difficult passages
to arrive at those stipulations which are
common to all
of
them . Nothing
else in any salvation unto eternal life passage or any passage in
Scripture needs to be responded to in
order to have
eternal life. On the other hand, non-essential-to-but-interdependent-with-being-saved-unto-eternal-life
doctrines may
not be denied /
disbelieved at the point of exercising faith in Christ for salvation
unto eternal life. Otherwise salvation is not received at that point at
all.
So all such complete
salvation passages - those that declare one to have eternal life once
what is
stipulated within them is obeyed in the sense of believed in - all have
in common a
moment of faith alone in a provision made for forgiveness /
payment for ones own sins resulting in eternal life through Jesus
Christ /
or an equivalent name or Person for Him which implies residence in the
Eternal Kingdom of God, i.e., heaven. This is the least common
denominator of passages which provides directions for one to follow in
order to have eternal life - in the sense of expressing a moment of
faith alone in those essential doctrines. So
other stipulations which are in view in addition to the least common
denominator of stipulations for eternal life in
any salvation passage
or in any other passage which
are
not essential for eternal life when accepted by a moment of faith alone
do not serve to provide eternal life; but they certainly
are valuable when obeyed, in the sense of for the personal growth and
understanding of
the born again believer for blessing and eternal rewards. Upon careful
examination in accordance with the normative rules of language, context
and logic certain
stipulations in complete salvation passages often say precisely the
same thing in other
words as other
stipulations in other complete salvation passages do which ARE thus
essential and part of the least common denominator - wholly sufficient
for one to respond to [via a moment of faith alone] - unto eternal
life.
For example, 'God gave His one and only Son,' in Jn 3:16 is tantamount to saying 'the Christ' in 1 Jn 5:1 and Jn 20:31 as clearly defined from Scripture.
(Jn 3:16 NIV) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes, [lit., whoever is the believing one] in Him [lit., should not perish], but [should] have eternal life."
(1 Jn 5:1 NASB) "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him."
(Jn 20:31 NASB) "But these [words] have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Fully defining the phrase rendered, "the Christ" is not something one would expect an unbeliever or a newborn believer would be very knowledgeable of - just the One Who made provision for ones sins and little more than that.
Consider
what
little information Abraham received from God - far less than the
Epistles provide for us today - and he was declared
Righteous unto eternal life when he believed in that information. For
the term Righteousness implies forgiveness of sins - for Abraham was
not without sin. Hence the information in Gen 15:6 includes the
stipulation that that forgiveness is unto eternal life through a
Descendant of Abraham in order to enjoy the blessing of knowing and
experiencing innumerable descendants in the eternal kingdom of God -
through Abraham's Seed / Descendant (Jesus Christ) in the sense of a
being a propitiation for Abraham's sins ."
The unfathomable character, even supernatural and capacity of this
Descendant Who will from Abraham's historical perspective must be in
view.
(Ro
4:22
NAS)
"Therefore 'It was reckoned to him [Abram] as righteousness.'
(Ro
4:23
NAS) Now
not for his sake only was it written that it was reckoned to him,
(Ro
4:24
NAS) but
for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in
Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."
Notice that additional information beyond what the OT Scriptures indicate was revealed by God to Abraham relative to justification unto eternal life is stipulated here by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Roman believers, namely, that "our Lord Jesus Christ ... was raised [from the dead] because of our justification."
Since justification unto eternal life is repeatedly stipulated in this chapter in Genesis and elsewhere as received when one believes what Abraham believed as recorded in OT Scripture for others to believe and be justified as well as in the NT, then an understanding and belief in our Lord's resurrection from the dead and a number of other details not in the OT account of Abraham's justification but nevertheless present in later Scriptural passages are not essential to know and believe in, in order to be justified unto eternal life. On the other hand, further details of God's plan for justification unto eternal life in addition to what God revealed to Abraham as revealed in later passages of the Old and New Testaments provide for a more complete understanding of ones justification unto eternal life and the believer's walk by faith unto spiritual maturity in every dispensation / economy. The occurence in history of what God had promised to Abraham which included these additional details might more easily afford the faith of an individual in the gospel. Since these further details have intrinsically implied in them the basics of the gospel given and believed by Abraham unto eternal life, then if accepted as true, they also provide justification unto eternal life; but no more and no less than the justification that Abraham received. Since the additional details imply an understanding of the basics of the gospel message, then rejection of any of these additional details implies a rejection of the gospel itself.
It may be helpful to recognize that justification, considered objectively and from the standpoint of God's provision, was indeed accomplished in the death of Christ (Ro 5:9) and therefore did not require the resurrection to complete it. Paul does not mention the resurrection in his definitive statement on justification in 3:21-26. Nevertheless, Christ's resurrection and appearances to many provided eye witness proof of His Resurrection and His propitiation for the sins of the whole world.). For that would mean / be defined as not
believing. I don't need a calculator to determine whether or
not you or I believe in something. Common sense - normative rules of language, context and logic !
One does not believe in something that
he is not sure is true. That is not believing! No matter 1% 2 % 3 %
99.999999999999 %. Those that contend this are playing games with the
rules of language, context and logic and the character of God and His Word. The question is simply, 'Do you
believe or not!' Keep it simple: do you believe the sky is blue.
Yes.
How much, dark or light blue??? Nonsense. Believe is either on or off -
regardless of what it is that you believe. On the other hand, the
content of what you believe is also all important. For to believe that
a piece of rock made into an idol is what created the heavens and the
earth may be a true belief, but it is something that evidence shows is
not the Creator God that is so well attested to in the Bible.
Also, having to be persuaded to believe by overriding the individual's
own volition because he is not willing to
believe, nor is not quite willing to believe, as some contend is
feasible - this is not in view in the Bible on the issue of what saving faith
is, as some
contend. This is also nonsensical. There is no
mystery
ingredient to believing in Christ in order to be saved such as God's
supernatural superintending over certain individuals, but not all
individuals, i.e., elect vs. non elect, in order to equip them to believe - in effect forcing that
individual to believe outside of / even supernaturally overriding his
own volition and capacity.
This presumes that no one is able to believe in God's one and only Son
for salvation, (Jn 3:16), despite the fact that God's Word asks anyone
in the world to believe as if that is possible. Note that God did not
inspire the last phrase in Jn 3:16 [in italics] to say, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever He forces / persuades to believe against that person's unwillingness / incapacity to believe should not perish but have eternal life." A legitmate persuasive argument relative to the definition of saving
faith is not defined within the normative rules of language, context
and logic as one in which a person is forced against
his will to believe or have his volition changed - in essence changing
his will so that he does
believe as is the contention of Calvinists by forcing Jn 1:12-13 out of
chronological order in order to
read that an individual is forced to become born again whereupon his
will is transformed into one that chooses and does believe . An actual persuasive argument must be defined within the normative rules of language, context and logic which must be that
as a result of that argument one chooses of ones own volition
to
believe without force, threat, supernatural intervention to
change
anything in that individual. I've done this for many years as a
salesman of equipment and for decades as a believer sharing what I
know from Scripture. Don't really know what is more persuasive and
what is less relative to the gospel and the other doctrines of the
Bible, I just repeat what I have learned from Scripture. Sometimes I
get a positive response, most times not.
And this is why a believer can stop believing - because God has not frozen that individual into a robot who can only believe and continue to believe. One might ask the question if the latter were true: what about all those whom God has not chosen to freeze them into a robotic faith? These concepts are nonsensical ideas which some contend indicate that in order for one to express true saving faith, it must be forever and never waiver. That's their problem, not God's. The amazing thing is that God is so unimaginably grand - that He operates in accordance with His absolute decrees and sovereignty without ever violating the volition and capacity of any single man to believe.
If saving faith demanded more from an individual than simply to decide with his own mind to believe as believing means in accordance with what Scripture repeatedly stipulates normatively interpreted in accordance with the normative rules of language, context and logic - as dictionaries reflect; then wouldn't it be beyond the capacity, even the will of an individual on his own / under his own auspices to believe in Christ for salvation? Then might there be a question as to God's Absolute Righteousness, Holiness & Justice to condemn an individual to eternal condemnation for NOT doing something he could NOT do in the first place? Would that not be the Devil's statement to God at his Judgment? Best to take such passages as Jn 3:16 which imply that those of the world who are of the accountable age have the capacity to choose to believe without any supernatural alteration, because no such things are stipulated in that verse or the hundreds that can be found in Scripture.
According
to some I am required to go to a number of their favorite, cherry
picked passages in order to
determine what another passage that is elsewhere in the Bible that
instructs one on how to have eternal life actually means - even
if it alters the meaning of the passage in view. For example, I've been
scolded innumerable times when I explain what Jn 3:16 says because it
only stipulates "pas ho pisteuon," i.e., everyone who is the believing
one [that God gave His one and only Son for the sins of the world].
They condemn me with, "You can't limit this verse to what it actually
says. You have to go through the entire Bible and add to it what else
you must do to get saved and keep saved unto eternal life." Of course
those condemning me are not even close to adequately studying the whole
Bible themselves, or evidently any single verse thoroughly in
accordance with the normative rules of language, context and logic.
They are evidently not aware that something
elsewhere may be true, but in the passage at hand it's simply not in view and
thus they are not to add it to any passage as if they had the right and
authority of God's personal editor. It's all about
context, context, context . God does not need these people to rewrite His Word. He got it right the first time.
So there are some who contend that believing in Christ in order to receive eternal life is not a decision one chooses to make by simply believing. Rather they say that it is a persuasion from without which is compelling one to somehow believe outside of ones normal capacity to believe; albeit not involving ones will / decision to believe thus somehow managing to be assured but not of ones own will / volition, but by some outside Agency - namely God the Holy Spirit. I can't imagine Noah Webster deciding to add this absolutely confusing definition to his dictionary. How does one believe that the sky outside is blue? Or even know what the word "blue" means. I might have to go to the Sherman Williams paint store and get a paint color chart. Wonder how I can even believe that the 215 bus will take me to the Trolley Station at SDSU without making a decision but yet utilizing my will. It did yesterday, I believe it will today. I checked the schedule for today, but I haven't sensed someone outside of me persuading me and overriding my human will to make me believe. So maybe the bus won't take me there today; and maybe I am not saved. Circumstances in life change momentarily, things go up and way down and so may go my assurance because my life has taken a downturn. Yesterday I sensed I was saved, but the pain today has made me reconsider a bit. Must I always be assured? Has God stopped intervening so I 'feel' assured and thereby no longer have eternal life? All these years of attempting to perservere and be faithful - and when I feel good, I am more confident of my salvation. But as I grow older, my physical and emotional being declines and facing inability to take care of myself wears and tears at my assurance. Might I go unexpectedly to hell or heaven because of what some say about God's salvation of me is untrustworthy because I have not perfectly persevered, or perservered at all???? After all, the means by which I trusted in Christ is not what some would define as effectual. I simply believed in what Jn 3:16 says in accordance with what the words actually say. But that is not enough according to a number of so-called Christians who never seem to be satisified with what any believer has trusted in. Can they be right when the average accountable person could not imagine what they are talking about.
It's all NONSENSE.
Has not God promised to preserve me for my eternal destiny with Him no
matter what and take me home when He is ready ??
****** EXCERPT FROM BELIEVE-PERSUADE STUDY ******
TO BELIEVE, TO PERSUADE INVOLVES MAN'S WILL
I) THE NORMATIVE USAGE OF THE WORDS RENDERED PERSUADE AND BELIEVE IN THE LANGUAGES OF THE BIBLE AND OF THE WORLD INVOLVES THE HUMAN WILL
Since there is a commonly used category of expression found in ancient and modern languages of the world occurring in various settings such as in a tribunal or court hearing wherein an individual presents arguments in order to persuade others to decide on the innocence or guilt of an individual;
and since the context of these settings includes the choice of the will of those one is attempting to persuade, especially a jury in a trial;
then the use of the word persuade cannot be limited to exclude the exercise of the will.
As a matter of fact there is no lexicon, dictionary or grammar book in any language that specifically stipulates or even implies that the word persuade or the word believe does not involve the human will. Furthermore, if one is persuaded to believe outside of ones will, then one is actually persuaded, i.e., coerced to believe against ones will because the original belief from which one is persuaded to another belief would necessarily be the case, at the time of persuasion, a matter of ones free will choice; unless all humans are robots from the moment they are conceived - which wreaks havoc with God’s system of individual accountability and His reputation. And then why does God in His Word even ask individuals to believe in His Son for eternal life if they are forced against their will to do so in the first place????
Furthermore, the words in ancient and modern languages of the world which mean to coerce can be defined as to persuade against the will, i.e., a persuasion which excludes the freedom of choosing via the exercise of ones will. Hence if the expression ‘to be persuaded against ones will’ is used to define what coercion means then the verb to persuade does not automatically include an exclusion of the exercise of ones will unless it is stipulated as such, i.e., as an adverbial modifier of the verb to persuade such as “I was persuaded against my will to believe in Jesus Christ in order to receive eternal life” which is utter nonsense.
II) KEY PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE WHICH CONTAIN THE STRONGS # G3982 = OFTEN RENDERED “PERSUADE” WHICH INCLUDES THE EXERCISE OF THE HUMAN WILL
Mark 10:24 w/Strongs #’s
And 1161 the disciples 3101 were astonished 2284 at 1909 his 846 words 3056. But 1161 Jesus 2424 answereth 611 again 3825, and saith 3004 unto them 846, Children 5043, how 4459 hard 1422 is it 2076 for them that trust 3982 in 1909 riches 5536 to enter 1525 into 1519 the kingdom 932 of God 2316!
[Notice that the Greek word “pepoithotas”, Str. #3982 lit., having trusted, rendered “trust” in the NIV is a declension of the Greek word for persuade, Str. #3982. It implies a voluntary choice of the human will to allow riches to control ones life. This cannot be an involuntary act, outside of the human will, that Jesus is referring to wherein one is persuaded against ones will to succumb to the possession of riches in ones life such that it does not involve the deliberate choice of the human will!! Otherwise the passage deteriorates into nonsense]
Luke 16:31
And 1161 he said 2036 unto him 846, If 1487 they hear 191 not 3756 Moses 3475 and 2532 the prophets 4396, neither 3761 will they be persuaded 3982 , though 1437 one 5100 rose 450 from 1537 the dead 3498.
[The context of the passage demands the exercise of the human will in order to be persuaded, for the message is about those individuals who refuse to choose to be persuaded - which involves the will - to believe in Jesus Christ unto salvation neither by the evidence of the Scriptures, (Moses and the prophets) nor by the resurrection.]
AC 13:42 NIV "As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
AC 13:43 NIV When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them [epeithon = lit., were persuading them, Str. # 3982] to continue in the grace of God."
AC 13:43 with Strongs #'s: "Now 1161 when the congregation 4864 was broken up 3089 , many 4183 of the Jews 2453 and 2532 religious 4576 proselytes 4339 followed 190 Paul 3972 and 2532 Barnabas 921: who 3748, speaking 4354 to them 846, persuaded [“epeithon”] 3982 them 846 to continue 1961 in the grace 5485 of God 2316."
[The context of “epeithon” in v. 43 demands a voluntary persuasion by the will of the individual - certainly not a coercion of those Jews and devout converts who followed Paul and Barnabas only to be forced to continue in the grace of God against their wills.]
AC 18:1 NIV After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
2 NIV There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
3 NIV and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
4 NIV Every Sabbath he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
[Act 18:4 w/Strongs #'s] "And 1161 he reasoned 1256 in 1722 the synagogue 4864 2596 every 3956 sabbath 4521, and 5037 persuaded 3982 the Jews 2453 and 2532 the Greeks 1672."
[Notice that Paul reasoned, i.e., appealed to their minds - their will to accept or reject what he was “trying to persuade” them to accept. So to persuade is to reason with someone which involves a voluntary mode of accept or reject, i.e., the human will]
Hbr 13:18
Pray 4336 for 4012 us 2257: for 1063 3754 we trust 3982 we have 2192 a good 2570 conscience 4893, in 1722 all things 3956 willing 2309 to live 390 honestly 2573.
HEB 13:18 NIV Pray for us. We are sure [peithometha] that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
[The Greek word "peithometha" rendered ‘we are persuaded’ is connected with having a clear conscience, which involves the human will. So one has persuaded oneself that one has a clear conscience. If the human will is not involved in this persuasion then one can be said to persuade himself against his own will????? ]
III) OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES WHICH CONTAIN PERSUADE OR BELIEVE
JDG 19:1 In those days Israel had no king. Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months,
3 her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her father's house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.
4 His father-in-law, the girl's father, prevailed upon him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking, and sleeping there.
2KI 18:28 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew: "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!
29 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand.
30 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, 'The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
2KI 18:31 "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,
32 until I come and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death!
"Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, 'The LORD will deliver us.'
33 Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?
35 Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
2KI 18:36 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."
IV) MAN HAS THE CAPACITY TO OBEY GOD AND UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE IN WHAT GOD HAS SAID BUT
HIS SINFUL NATURE HAS TURNED HIS WILL TOTALLY AGAINST THE EXERCISE OF
THAT CAPACITY
A) [Compare Ro 8:5-15]:
(v.
5) "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the
things of the Spirit.
(v. 6) For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
(v.
7) because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does
not subject itself [volitionally] to the law of God, for it is not
even able to do so, [because the will does not permit oneself to do so]
(v. 8) and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
"The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
(v. 8) Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please
God." =[because they will not choose to do so]
1) [Compare Jn 12:37-40]:
(v.
37) '''Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their
presence, they still would not [free volition] believe in him.
(v.
38) This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has
believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
(v. 39) For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
(v.
40) "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can
neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor
turn - and I would heal them."
Man has the capacity to obey God but his sinful nature has turned his will totally against the exercise of that capacity, hence he cannot please God because he will not.
(Jn 1:13) REGENERATION DOES NOT PRECEDE SAVING FAITH, SAVING FAITH COMES FIRST AND RESULTS IN REGENERATION - BEING BORN OF GOD
(Jn 1:12 YLT) But
as many [individuals of His own creation, (Jn 1:11a)] as did receive
Him to them He gave authority to become sons [lit., children] of God -
to those believing in His name:
(Jn 1:13 YLT) who - not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but - of God were begotten [born]." =
Notice that those that insist that regeneration precedes saving faith find themselves refuted when observing the context of Jn 1:12-13 which portrays in a completed action moment of faith alone in the name of the Word, Jesus Christ alone, a completed action - hence eternally secure reception of becoming born of God as a child of God, unto an eternal life familial relationship with God:
Verse 12 declares, "As many [individuals of His own creation] as did receive [the Word, Jesus Christ, (aorist = in a completed action moment)], to them He gave [aorist = in a completed action moment] the authority to become children of God, [aorist infinitive = in a completed action moment] - to those believing in His name, [dative, present participle = a noun = a moment of faith alone in Christ alone to become the believing ones]! Then verse 13 continues to convey what has occurred to the "as many [individuals of His own creation] as did receive Him... to those believing in His name," of Jn 1:12. These individuals are stipulated in Jn 1:13 as those "who - not of blood, nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but - of God were begotten, [born]."
In view of the message verses 12 and 13 together convey, the two verses read best together and as follows, 'But as many as did receive Him - to the ones believing in His name - were born not of the mixing of bloodlines via procreation, nor of a will of an individual to have sexual intercourse, nor of a will of a man to decide to have children, i.e., descendants (heirs), but were born of God as children of God to whom He gave authority to become children of God - resulting in an eternal life familial relationship with God. These individuals when they believed in His name were born of God hence they evidently were born unto an eternal life familial relationship with God forever because eternal life and being a child of God is 'forever' by definition. Hence when an individual expresses a moment of faith in the name of the Word he becomes born of God, i.e., born again or regenerated. The faith comes first resulting in being regenerated. It is not the other way around as some maintain.
One
can hardly become born of God then believe in order
to become a child of God. To be born of God is to be a child of God by
definition! The image itself would be absurd if one insisted that one
is born of God when one believes but not yet a child of God!
1) [Compare 1 Jn 5:1]:
(1 Jn 5:1 NASB) "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him."
Notice that an expression of faith that Jesus is the Christ comes before becoming born of God
Just
as some individuals with the capacity and intelligence to do well in
school cannot do well because they will not, i.e., they have an
incorrigible attitude problem - they will not do homework, nor study,
nor carry books, nor appear studious in any way because it would
jeopardize their self-image and association with a peer group or for a
number of other arbitrarily rebellious reasons;
so
all unsaved individuals all of which have the capacity to trust alone
in Christ alone unto eternal life, (otherwise God would not ask them to
trust in His Son, (Jn 3:5-18, etc.), cannot please God by trusting in
Christ as Savior because they will not, i.e., because they all have
totally depraved natures that simply will not accept anything that God
commands them to do. They cannot believe in Christ as Savior because
they will not even accept the sovereignty of God in their lives over
their eternal destiny.
Or
consider the wife who in spite of the evidence presented cannot believe
her husband has been unfaithful because she just will not accept the
truth.
Since finite man has the capacity but cannot believe certain things relative to his temporal life because of prejudices, so it is indeed possible - which you have not ruled out - that man has the capacity to hear God with understanding and believe in the gospel but cannot because of his prejudice against God, i.e., his depraved will. He cannot because he will not.
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