G'day,


This is my first post here and I have a question for you all.


Do you think that in order to be justified -- declared righteous -- a sinner must do or think something?



This is certainly an important question! And there are only two possible answers:


1) There is nothing required for salvation. It is ONLY because of "the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just." (Rom 5:19). It is SOLELY because Christ was "made under the Law to redeem those under the Law" and "lay down His life for the sheep". This is why some people are saved and others are damned. Christ loved the church and gave His life for it (Eph 5:25) and His people need to nothing in order to be justified. "...it is not of him who is willing, nor of him who is racing, but of God, the Merciful." (Rom 9:16). After all, the Law says that "the soul that sins shall die" (Eze 33), and if you break one law you have broken them all (Jam 2:10). To escape the curse of the Law it's up to God to impute -- put in your account -- the obedience of Christ. Salvation is in God's hands, and all men are naturally spiritually dead.


Then there's the other gospel: this "gospel" says that God is not perfectly well pleased with Christ's work, but that the sinner must do something in order to be justified. This "gospel" says that man must will to be saved, whereas God says SALVATION IS NOT OF HIM WHO IS WILLING (Rom 9:16).


Which gospel do you believe?


Andrew Bain
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sydney, Australia
http://www.Godnoliar.com
http://www.xanga.com/andrew_c_bain

Ephesians 2:8-9 is pretty concise, I will quote what I can from memory.

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.

But there is the act of us recieving. The Word records that Abraham believed and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Belief is not a work, but a simple act of recieving.

This entire set of verses needs to be addressed:

Justification can only be obtained through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Does this mean that every man on earth is now justified? No it does not. It means that the absolute bondage of sin unto death(hell) no longer has absolute hold on every man.

We are now able to be justified by His blood. How will man be justified by His blood? Only by the choosing of the Father (John 6:44).

How do we respond to the urging of the Father? By faith alone. How do we get faith? God made sure you heard the gospel by human instrumentation and that gospel came by way of the Word of God.(Romans 10:17).

We are without excuse.

Has everyone heard the Word of God? According to Romans 10:18,19 they have.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been presented to the entire earth in whom God imparted, Jews and Gentiles alike.

So where is our Justification? In Jesus Christ alone. It has nothing to do with us.

SO, you ask,

I think the answer is that in order to be justified, a sinner who is chosen by God cannot help but think and do something. The ordered process is not understood by the question you asked.

Love in Christ,

Jim

... YES - short answer

really? why the constraint to only two answers? - always question the question.
longer answer...

The sinner is under conviction by the Holy Spirit, He/She will be convicted in the areas of sin, righteousness and Judgement.

the sinner will recognise their personal sin, their lack of righteousness, their inablity to save themselves from the impending wrath of God which they will recognise is their deserved fate, they realise they need to respond.

they will capitulate and cry for mercy or they will harden their hearts... their responce will determine their destination...

the recognision of the only 'righteous One' who died in their place and on their behalf is of course central also.

it is not a work to capitulate and cry for mercy/forgiveness.

Pat