The ‘faith without twitching a muscle’ crowd is actually quite athletic; triple jumpers, one might say.
Jumping over the commissions of the Lord: Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Luke 24:47; and John 20:23.
Jumping over Acts 2:38 (and really, most of that book).
Jumping over the examples in the epistles that reminded those folks how they were born again, such as in Romans:
Rms 6:3; “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
4. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:....” (That’s certainly not Spirit baptism, because the Spirit is life.) “..that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the GLORY of the FATHER, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
5 “For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his death, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of his resurrection.”
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but 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.” 6:17,18
They high hurdle over the efforts of obedience that Abraham performed, BEFORE God first commended him as faithful in Gen. 15:6
As if that’s not enough, they pole vault over the witness of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Let’s just look in Matthew for a few examples:
8:5-13 “There CAME unto him a centurion, BESEECHING him..”..you know the rest, where Jesus says. “..I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”.
9:2 “They BROUGHT unto him a man sick of the palsy.....and Jesus SEEING their faith....”.
9:21 The woman with the issue of blood: “If I may but TOUCH his garment......Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole”.
15:21-28 The Canaanite woman: “..CAME she, and WORSHIPPED....., “Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table. Then Jesus answwered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith...”.
Your thoughts?
This whole issue seems to be divided into 2 ‘extremes’.
1) Salvation by grace alone, not by works. There is LOTS of scripture to support this, case in point, see the Thief on the cross.
This position IN NO WAY says that one should not do good works or ‘twitch a muscle’. The point is that counting on good works to give you righteousness and a ticket to heaven is a LOSING proposition.
Being saved, possessing salvation produces a desire for good works. We do those because we Love Jesus, because we eant to have the love of Jesus show in our lives, NOT to get salvation from Him.
2) Salvation requires good works in addition to faith.
Personally, I dont see it. Salvation is by faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
I would say to people in this camp, WHAT are you trusting in to save you? Will you stand before God proudly showing all you have done for Him as the reason He should allow you into heaven?
That was the stance of the Pharisee looking at the publican.
Sola Christus.
Here’s a start: Stop reciting passages from your story book and show me that you have a working brain. Explain what YOU think.
Allow me to pose a good question to you: Do you believe in God only because scripture tells you to believe in God?
If so, you only believe in scripture.
I’ve attended churches for years and have listened to people who puff with pride in their ability to cite scripture — instead of arguing their theological case. If you can do no better, I understand. You’re in good company.