"I marvel that you are so soon turned away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel...Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh [works of the law]"? Gal 1:6;3:1-3.
"Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words...As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." Col 2:4,6.
"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." Rom 11:6.
Again, salvation initially and perpetually is either by grace or by the works of the law. It cannot be by both. The two are mutually exclusive.
Now a reminder of a warning.
"You are turned away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel...but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Gal 1:6;8-9.
A double curse is pronounced by God in Galatians through Paul to anyone who brings another "gospel" (there is only ONE true gospel) of salvation by works rather than by grace.
So what about Hebrews 10:26-27? Well, to rightly divide the word of truth, we must understand who scripture is addressing. In this case, the author (probably Paul) is talking to the Jews who were the first recipients of the oracles of God and witnessed and experienced the blood of sacrifice and the Holy Spirit for 1500 years. If they reject Christ whose sacrifice took away all their sins, then "there is no more sacrifice" for their sin of rejecting Christ.
What about the Book of James and works with faith? James is talking about "show me" and "I'll show you". He's not talking contrary to the gospel of grace but about effective faith that others can see. But others don't decide one's salvation. Believing in Christ is the ONLY standard of salvation. Effective Christianity is not a condition for salvation, but for victorious Christianity.
There are many defeated Christians. They belong to Jesus who promised NEVER to leave them but they have failed to avail themselves of the "abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness" by which they may "reign in life" (Rom 5:17).
As far as worldliness goes, the world (and a significant number of Christians) knows nothing about grace. You ask the average guy on the street if he's going to Heaven and he'll say, "Yes, I've been good." But to a confidant he'll say, "I feel guilty, I just committed adultery." The world knows all about the ten commandments. The ten commandments makes sense to the fleshly mind. So your doctrine of salvation by works is very worldly.
But salvation by grace is contrary to the carnal mind and the pride of performance because there is none - Jesus did it all. That pisses off the self-righteous Pharisees of the past and of the present. It takes God's Spirit to reveal the grace of Christ to a person.
This may be it for me with you. I'm pretty sure you are among those who are pissed off by the gospel of grace because it excludes your performance. Self righteousness and self effort are excluded from grace. You may also be pissed because the gospel of the grace of Christ is contrary to a lot of the traditional doctrines taught today by the religious establishment who as in Jesus day, "teach for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt 15:9), because the gospel clearly says "you are NOT under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14).
Good luck.
” I’m pretty sure you are among those who are pissed off by the gospel of grace because it excludes your performance. “
Nope.
Once again: someone who has not repented from their sins, who embraces and promotes sin, is not a Christian. Works are evidence of salvation, not justification or sanctification. Yes, we have to combat the works of the flesh. It is a lifelong struggle. Who or what helps us? The Holy Spirit.
You continue to misrepresent the position of Christians in this thread who have clearly shown that it is you who is promoting a different Gospel.
Who says we are under the Law? Nobody who is saved. But the New Covenant did NOT cancel the law, except as to judgment. The law is our guide as to conduct. If you murder, or steal, or engage in the homosexual lifestyle, it is very likely that you never were saved in the first place.
Do you deny the existence of the Holy Spirit?
What is your denomination?
Indeed, but it is your apparent inability to see that since faith is what is appropriates a right standing with God, making is "accepted in the Beloved" on His account, then it is imperative that one has faith, that such is a believer, and thus a possessor of the promises given to those who believe.
And since the only kind of faith that is salvific is that which, as described and ignored, is that out of a poor and contrite heart, (Ps. 34:18; Is. 66:2) and which effects characteristic obedience to the Object of said faith, which obedience includes repentance when convicted of not walking in obedience.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:17-18)
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)
Which thus excludes those who "deny the faith" either by assent to a false gospel and or by willfully impenitently living contrary to His known will, which believers are warned against, as shown.
Now a reminder of a warning. "You are turned away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel...but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Gal 1:6;8-9. A double curse is pronounced by God in Galatians through Paul to anyone who brings another "gospel" (there is only ONE true gospel) of salvation by works rather than by grace.
Exactly, and thus it follows that those who profess to be believers but whose evidential fruit is contrary to what Scripture manifests saving faith to be, are in the same class as those who do not even profess, let alone possess, Biblical faith.
So what about Hebrews 10:26-27? Well, to rightly divide the word of truth, we must understand who scripture is addressing. In this case, the author (probably Paul) is talking to the Jews who were the first recipients of the oracles of God and witnessed and experienced the blood of sacrifice and the Holy Spirit for 1500 years. If they reject Christ whose sacrifice took away all their sins, then "there is no more sacrifice" for their sin of rejecting Christ.
Wrong, absurd by expected. It is incontrovertible that as in Galatians 5, Paul is addressing believers as believers, exhorting them, not to come to faith and warning against not doing so, but to persevere in the faith, and warning them against falling away, as Israelites dd in time past of testing. Such as,
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:12-14)
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:9-10)
What about the Book of James and works with faith? James is talking about "show me" and "I'll show you". He's not talking contrary to the gospel of grace but about effective faith that others can see. But others don't decide one's salvation. Believing in Christ is the ONLY standard of salvation.
And where did i ever say otherwise, or even mention James? But he is not simply referring to what justifies as regards what men see, for he describes what saves a person, which is not an inert faith, but one which is Abrahamic, and thus effects works. While James would be contradicting both Moses and Paul if he taught works is what appropriates justification before God, but as with Paul, James can described the nature of saving faith.
Effective Christianity is not a condition for salvation, but for victorious Christianity.
Wrong. Where in the world did you get that? Where do you see ineffectual, inert faith ever been described as salvific? Its not Lot. Instead, the promises of salvation are given to believers, and believers are characteristic followers and repenters as needed, as show, to which more can be added such as, .
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1 John 3:10)
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
"These things have I written unto you" refers to the previous 4+ chapters which describe saving faith, in contrast to the lost.
There are many defeated Christians.
For sure, for we can have besetting sins, (Heb. 12:1) but ultimately victorious believers are those who repent when convicted of not following their Lord (as David did) and who overall practice righteousness. They wish the never sinned, and look forward to deliverance from this "vile body" as Paul called it.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:18)
But where there is no continuing fruit, which saving faith effects, but impenitent sinning, then there is no salvific faith.
There are many defeated Christians. They belong to Jesus who promised NEVER to leave them but they have failed to avail themselves of the "abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness" by which they may "reign in life" (Rom 5:17).
The promise never to leave them is given to believers, who are too clearly warned against "departing from the living God," drawing back into perdition," making Christ "of no effect," to profit them nothing, versus holding firm that faith unto the end. (Heb. 3:12,14; 10:25-39; Gal. 5:1-5)
As far as worldliness goes, the world (and a significant number of Christians) knows nothing about grace. You ask the average guy on the street if he's going to Heaven and he'll say, "Yes, I've been good." But to a confidant he'll say, "I feel guilty, I just committed adultery." The world knows all about the ten commandments. The ten commandments makes sense to the fleshly mind.
Wrong, for they make sense to the Holy Spirit who affirmed Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. (Romans 7:12)
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (Romans 7:14)
And what you denigrate is what the Spirit exalts such as in Ps. 119. But while revelatory the Law cannot provide salvation, being like a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24) ,
So your doctrine of salvation by works is very worldly.
What? Mere bombast. It is you who is not preaching Biblical salvation by faith, faith which is counted for righteousness, an effectual faith which manifests one is a believer. Instead you seems to be preaching a faith in a promise abstract from the person of the Lord Christ, who and what He did, which is who and what real believers believer in, and thus seek to please Him.
In contrast to which are those who turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and thus deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4) You seem to bed down in that camp!
This may be it for me with you. I'm pretty sure you are among those who are pissed off by the gospel of grace because it excludes your performance. . Self righteousness and self effort are excluded from grace. You may also be pissed because the gospel of the grace of Christ is contrary to a lot of the traditional doctrines taught today by the religious establishment who as in Jesus day, "teach for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt 15:9), because the gospel clearly says "you are NOT under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14). You mind reading it also erroneous (I thank God i am not saved because my lowly works merit it) , contrary to your inference that it is you who has spiritual judgment, as is your understanding of what is means to be NOT under the law, but under grace. For rather than a lower standard, under grace the believer is rightly motivated and enabled to follow the Lord by the Spirit, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:4)
And from the beginning repentance is enjoined on converts:
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (Acts 26:20)
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
And such obedience manifested they were believers:
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-8)
And thus those who will not repent are warned,
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. (2 Corinthians 12:21)
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)
And in contrast to "old sins," (2Pt. 1:9) "sins that are past," (Rm. 3:25) before conversion, God does see your sins and thus will chasten you in seeking to bring you to repentance.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:32)
And while those who die in effectual penitent holy saving faith will not be damned for their sins, their works by which they built the church with, even if indirectly, will be judged as to what manner they are of, with the losing or gaining of rewards accordingly, (1Co. 3:8ff)
By attaching salvation by Biblical faith and contending for salvation by unBiblical faith then one is preaching a false gospel, which is manifestly NOT what Paul preached, and which is accursed.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do [habitual practice[ such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)