Salvation is by faith alone, but?

Most American and Taiwanese Christian protestant denominations believe that one is saved by belief in Jesus alone. However in the bible is says clearly

In Janes 2
24" You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone."

Comments ?

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If salvation is by faith alone, why is righteousness even relevant? You donā€™t need to be righteous to be saved.

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Iā€™m noticing a trend here.

I think their idea is that you will do righteous things anyway on becoming being saved. But from what Iā€™ve seen I really donā€™t know about that !
There is some pretty bad behavior by "ā€œSavedā€ peopleā€™s.

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Can you do righteous things and not be saved? Like turn it down?

Doesnā€™t matter how much of a saint you are, most Christian denominations will see you eternally damned if you didnā€™t accept the messiah. Bummer deal.

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Iā€™m totally fine with it. I believe that life IS immortality as we cannot imagine what if anything we were or will be before birth or after death.

This is it folks. Enjoy. :blush:

Definitely feels like it some weeksā€¦

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Waiting is the worst part of existence. Life is pretty standard and easy to prepare for things but sometimes, one must wait for the right date o r age.

Fuck that.

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If you donā€™t do good works you wonā€™t be saved no matter much you believe.

Iā€™m waiting for any poster that believes that acceptance as Jesus Christ as lord leads to heaven rather than good works and acceptance of Jesus as Lord leads to heavenā€¦
Anyone ? Man up !
If you kill people and donā€™t do good works you go to hell even if you believe. Correct ?

Can any Christian dispute this verse

When look objectively at my life, Iā€™ve always been saved. I dunno what youā€™re waiting for. Wings?

The Catholics would like a word :2cents:

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There are Catholics who believe that just going to church on Sunday is good enough and you can pretty much do anything you want the rest of the week and get away with it. Priests who molested children, for example. I often wonder how they could have routinely read the following Bible passage during Mass and think things were going to end well for them:

But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
ā€“ Matthew 18:6

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Not going to dispute it. I will say, James uses a different definition of faith than Paul.

There are two definitions of the Greek word for faith, pistis. One can mean belief, and one can mean faithfulness. When Paul uses pistis, heā€™s referring to faithfulness, like a slaveā€™s loyalty to his master. James here means belief.

Either way, to be saved one has to be loyal to Jesus, and that includes keeping his commandments.

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The Catholics also I think have a belief in a purgatory where good people who are not Christians go rather than all who are not believes go to hell. Is that correct?

Ok so do you believe in ā€œOnce saved always saved?ā€ I donā€™t myself.

No

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Yeah

I repent.

The doctrine of ā€œonce saved, always saved,ā€ often referred to as eternal security, is not explicitly stated in a single Bible verse but is derived from several passages. Here are a couple of key verses often cited to support this doctrine:

John 10:28-29 (NIV):
ā€œI give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Fatherā€™s hand.ā€

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV):
ā€œFor I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.ā€

But the problem with this doctrine is in the definition of ā€œsavedā€. What exactly are we being saved from? Hell? No. That is a byproduct of what we are being saved from.

The Bible specifically says these things:

John 8:34-36 (NIV)
ā€œJesus replied, ā€˜Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.ā€™ā€

Romans 6:22 (NIV)
ā€œBut now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.ā€

Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
ā€œIt is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.ā€

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
ā€œHe himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.ā€

Romans 6:18 (NIV)
ā€œYou have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.ā€

John 10:10 (NIV):
ā€œThe thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.ā€

When we accept Jesusā€™ sacrifice, we are accepting that he is saving us from slavery to sin (and its consequences). And when we accept Jesusā€™ offer of salvation, we are accepting Jesus to be our new Lord (master).

It makes no sense to continue choosing to sin after we have accepted Jesus freeing us from slavery to sin. Those have truly accepted the offer of salvation, will not choose to return to their old master.

Does that mean we can lose our salvation? I think it is possible for people to voluntarily forfeit their salvation by ignoring Jesusā€™ commands.

John 14:15 (NIV):
ā€œIf you love me, keep my commands.ā€

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV):
ā€œTeacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?ā€ Jesus replied: ā€œā€˜Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.ā€™ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ā€˜Love your neighbor as yourself.ā€™ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.ā€

If we earnestly try to keep these commands, then we realize that it is impossible to choose to sin at the same time. And vice versa.

Matthew 7:19 (NIV):
ā€œEvery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.ā€

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