Can it be said during these latter times (and even through the history of the church) that though there be many who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, they have not yet come to the knowledge that He is the Son of God (the manifestation of the Father), as they have not yet received that Revelation?
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well there is tremendous slight of hand by the liberals as to the meaning of "Jesus is the Son of God" so as to construe it to mean that Jesus is not coequal in the Godhead with God the Father. While this slight of hand happened in the seminaries of all the mainline protestant--I am most familiar with the Presbyterians. A good guy to give the skinny on how and when this came about is a guy by the name of CJ. Gresham Machen who wrote the book "Christianity and Liberalism"
That said, we are saved by faith alone (sola fida)
Yes, Faith. Some say faith without works is dead. Others say I'll show you my faith by my works. Could it be they are both saying the same thing, if we can for a moment consider the possibility that faith and works are synonymous? By works I refer to the activity that one engages in, mental, spiritual, physical, (no doubt all three) that propels one toward the KNOWLEDGE and prepares one to receive that knowledge.
Upon receiving the knowledge, we find our belief was true, and faith (the works one does, the 'labors' investment) was justified.
For isn't our goal to RECEIVE the personal knowledge of the Author and Finisher of our faith in the same qualitative way as Peter, John the Baptist, Paul, the rest of the apostles, and the post-resurrection church?
Analogy: On payday we receive what we've been working for all week, believing our employer will render to us the fruits of our labors. Once receiving our paycheck, yes, we can say our labor investment (faith) was justified for now we KNOW the promise to pay was a true promise for we are now the possessor of (we have the KNOWLEDGE of) our reward.
So, obviously, if we need rent money, we must go to work to earn it. If we are sick, we must go to the doctor to be made whole. Faith could be another word meaning 'walking the proper path' to get to the doctor's house. For some of us, it's realy hard labor. (Heh!)
Thanks for the FAITH word, ckilmer. Looking at it from this angle helps, and may fill up a few pot holes in the path. And thanks again for your informative reply.
And a post script: Grace? Yes, God is gracious. Thus far we've had the time dispensation (another aspect of Grace) to become fully pursuaded in our own minds that the knowledge of Jesus Christ and He who sent Him is attainable while we are still here.
And further, Grace is the gift of God who stopped time (in a sense) perhaps in the same way time stops temporarily when we are in the 'grace period' when we stop paying our insurance premiums. The policy continues in force anyway -- until that dispensation ends.