|
|
SYNECDOCHE, IS BELIEVE A SYNECDOCHE SIGNIFYING MORE THAN FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE?
SYNECDOCHE DEFINED
Synecdoche = si-nek'-do-kee Gk. "to take with something else" A whole is represented by naming one of its parts (genus named for species), or vice versa (species named for genus).
A form of the metaphor in which the part mentioned signifies the whole. A good synecdoche is based on an important part of the whole, the part most directly associated with the subject under discussion.
Synecdoche is a type of metonymy where the part stands for the whole. Where metonymy suggests pattern and interlocking, synecdoche suggests a central, controlling experience or place where all parts converge in a concentric pattern. Places that are strongly "synecdochic" include altars, niches, monuments, towers, and other places with a central dominant point. In art, synecdoche governs the structure of conclusions, where many different aspects of the artwork converge onto a single element.
A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which the one of the following (or its reverse) is expressed: A part stands for a whole
An individual stands for a class
A material stands for a thing.
Examples:
Cat referring to a lion Generic
'The rustler bragged he'd absconded with five hundred head of longhorns.'
Both "head" and "longhorns" are parts of cattle that represent them as wholes
'Listen, you've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels.'
One refers to a vehicle in terms of some of its parts, "wheels"
" 'He shall think differently,' the muskateer threatened, 'when he feels the point of my steel.' "
A sword, the species, is represented by referring to its genus, 'steel'
A good synecdoche must be based on an important part of the whole and not a minor part. Motor, for automobile. Foot soldiers, for infantry. Hands, for manual laborers. Fifty sail, for fifty ships. A hundred bayonets, for a hundred soldiers.
RELATIVE TO THE GOSPEL OF ETERNAL LIFE, BELIEF CANNOT BE A SYNECDOCHE FOR WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL MUST DO TO BE SAVED
NO PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE EXISTS WHERE ONE CAN DETERMINE HOW THE WHOLE OF SALVATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE RELATES TO ALL OF THE SUPPOSED PARTS, I.E., THE REQUIREMENTS ONE MUST FULFILL TO RECEIVE SUCH A GIFT
Nowhere in the bible is there a passage which presents what one must do to have eternal life in such a way that
1) All of the alleged requirements in addition to faith are in view and
2) the component believe is portrayed as a central, significant one which could be referred to as a synecdoche and
3) the concept of believing unto eternal life is compatible with the other alleged requirements so that it can be representational as a synecdoche.
So there is no precedent in the bible setting up the word believe as a synedoche for the requirements for receiving eternal life.
ALL OF THE ALLEGED SALVATION PASSAGES LIST ONE OR ONLY A FEW OF THE SUPPOSED REQUIREMENTS FORCING EVERY ONE THESE SUPPOSED REQUIREMENTS TO BE SYNECDOCHAL IF THEY ARE REQUIREMENTS AT ALL - BUT THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, VIOLATING THE CONCEPT OF SYNECDOCHE ITSELF
All the supposed passages unto eternal life list some but not all of the supposed requirements one must allegedly satisfy in order to be saved unto eternal life. Each of these passages stipulates a supposed result of eternal life as a result of meeting the particular requirements listed in the particular passage, (often differing from other 'salvation' passages) - leaving one in a quandry as to what is specifically required due to the variations offered amongst all the alleged salvation passages. This also demands that every set of requirements in every passage - being incomplete - must be a synecdoche of all the alleged requirements of receiving eternal life; but that violates the very concept of synecdoche of having only one central/most significant representative of all of the requirements which is compatible with all of the others.
ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS PASSAGES, A SINGLE MOMENT OF BELIEVING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE AS SAVIOR RESULTS IN THE INSTANTEOUS RECEPTION OF ETERNAL LIFE - NEGATING THE NEED FOR ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND MAKING THE CONCEPT OF BELIEVING INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE OTHER ALLEGED REQUIREMENTS WHICH ARE STIPULATED BY OBJECTORS AS LIFE LONG PROCESSES AND NOT INSTANTANEOUS
Since believing results in the instanteous reception of eternal life...
...it is incompatible with the other alleged requirements for salvation unto eternal life which are stipulated by objectors to free grace salvation as a continuous lifelong process of meeting. Therefore believing cannot be representative of those process requirements as a synecdoche.
Furthermore, there is no need for those alleged lifelong process requirements since eternal life has already been secured by a moment of faith alone in Christ alone.
(See study on Jn 3:16
linked to above and this study on clear
salvation passages 
).
SCRIPTURE EXCLUDES ANY WORKS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE RECEPTION OF ETERNAL LIFE
[Eph 2:8-9]:
"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this [salvation is] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God and not by works so that no one can boast."
"not by works" = Salvation is received by an individual not as a result of any works whether meritorious or not. No works means no works! As a matter of fact verse 10 defines works:
[Eph 2:10]:
"For we [believers] are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Notice that what God has prepared for the believer to do once he is saved is called "works" which are ruled out in becoming a believer but ruled in once one is saved unto eternal life. So any "good works" such as the ritual of water baptism or taking the Lord's Supper or any effort such as that resulting from a commitment to behave better or not sin any more or not commit the unpardonable sin (if that were possible - which for the believer it is not), etc., is a work and cannot be permitted as part of one's salvation whether meritorious or not. Any work which an individual contributes toward his salvation cancels God's grace-gift of salvation and that individual remains under condemnation:
[Ro 11:6]:
"And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."
[Compare Titus 3:5-7]:
(v. 5) "He [God] saved us, not because of righteous things we had done [i.e., works], but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
(v. 6) Whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
(v. 7) so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
BELIEVING UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE AS EXISTING WITHOUT WORKS, THE SUPPOSED ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS - THUS SUCH REQUIREMENTS ARE BOTH NON ESSENTIAL AND NON EXISTENT
Faith unto eternal life does not need works added to it in order to become faith and effect the result of eternal life.
[Compare Eph 2:8-9]:
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this [salvation is] not from yourselves, it it the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
Since salvation is by faith and since salvation is "not by works" then faith 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. 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, (v. 24). 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 as Savior 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 and indeed result in the reception of eternal life forever.
So faith/belief/trust (all synonymous) cannot be synecdochal relative to representing other alleged requirements for the receipt of eternal life.
RETURN
TO ETERNAL SECURITY STUDY 
RETURN
TO SAVED BY GRACE STUDY