Faith Not Works (Eph 2:9)

yoel haalmoni (core@rof.net)
Tue, 1 Apr 1997 07:15:57 -0700 (MST)

David Court had said-
>>What you have implied is that, say, Billy Graham
>> and Adolf Hitler are both Christians - is that what you're saying? If so,
>> that's one pretty broad definition - that's one pretty all inclusive group -
>> so what is a Christian, Ian?

Ian replied
>(Christ-Ian 4/1) A "Christian" is anyone who calls themselves a christian
>just >like an atheist is anyone who calls themselves an atheist.

yoel-
I would agree on the first with Ian, but not the second.

As for WHO is saved, that is, who is a CHRISTIAN, the Bible is clear:

"Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the
son of God." 1John 5:21

"Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" Acts 2:21

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved- and all your household"
Acts 16:31

"Whomsoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

"If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans
10:9

"By grace you are saved, through faith." Eph 2:8

"... that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting
life" John 3:16

Whoever believes in Jesus is a Christian. "Not by works, lest any man
should boast." (Eph 2:9)

The Bible has spoken. Faith is the criteria. Not works. Not niceness. Not
decency. Not even keeping the commandments. Faith. Belief in Jesus.

As for atheists- one just has to be lacking in faith in a deity. If someone
says that he is an atheist but believes in god... then he is clearly not an
atheist.

This is why I found Ronal confusing. he claimed to be an atheist, but also
claimed to believe the stories in the Bible like Noah. He claimed that the
Bible was a History book. Well, the Bible is ALL ABOUT GOD and his
relationship with humanity. One can't deny that!

Or who knows, maybe one could.... everyone, including some skeptics, seems
to want to make excuses for the Bible- and therby for humanity's mass
acceptance of it and books like it.

Nothing anyone could claim about the Bible would surprise me. If
MacDonald's claimed that the recipe for their secret sauce recipe was
encoded in the Bible... I wouldn't be surprised, merely amused.

yoel

Hide, witch hide!
The good folk come to burn thee
Their keen enjoyment hid behind a gothic mask of duty.
Jefferson Airplane