Is that correct? And very importantly, is faith a work? Is repentance a work? You did not answer those questions. On other threads, Calvinists have asserted that faith and repentance are works. Is that your position? Hank
Prove it. Quote them. Name, date, reply # and thread reference.
Unless you can do it you need to retract that statement to avoid being charged with using the same sort of disengenuous tactics that are used by Clintoon to mislead his useful idiots.
Is that correct? And very importantly, is faith a work? Is repentance a work? You did not answer those questions. On other threads, Calvinists have asserted that faith and repentance are works. Is that your position? Hank
There's a trap laid, whether intentionally or not, in the way you're asking. What you're trying to get us to say is that faith and repentance are works, agree that you cannot be saved without faith and repentance, then show that therefore we are saved by our works of faith and repentance. Faith and repentance ARE works. Repentance is a necessary byproduct of faith, for we cannot have faith in Christ and not realize the need to turn from our sins. So the issue really is faith and whether or not it's a saving work. Faith in and of itself does not save, just like election does not in and of itself save. What saves is God's grace...his imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the elect (however you define them). Faith is the vehicle. If you agree as you stated above that faith is a gift, then it is not a saving work in the sense you're trying to portray it.
This always ends up back at the James debate over faith and works. If one truly has faith, works are inevitable. They are the work of the Holy Spirit through that individual. Faith without works is a dead faith, not a living one.
I suppose this will lead us off on another tanget in this thread:)