Which is correct? "IF you believe, THEN you are saved" or "You're saved! Believe it!"!"
Did Christ die for the sins of the whole world, and when He rose from the dead, did God forgive the sins of the whole world apart from and prior to my personal faith in Christ? Did Christ die for the sins of the whole world, and when He rose from the dead, did God forgive the sins of the whole world apart from and prior to my personal faith in Christ? Is God's work of salvation in Christ "complete," or do I "complete" God's work of salvation in Christ by believing in Him? Is the Gospel of Christ "conditional" upon my faith in Christ? If Christ did not die for all people, and if God has not already forgiven the sins of the whole world apart from and prior to my personal faith in Christ, then what is the "contents" of the Gospel? Yes, my personal faith in Christ is a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9, ) but since that faith operates in me and not in God, is my faith a "good work" which "merits" God's forgiveness and which separates me from those who don't believe in Jesus? By believing in Christ, do I "cooperate with God" in the accomplishment of my own salvation and thus become at least in part my own savior? Am I "saved by (my) faith," or am I saved "by (God's) grace through faith"? My questions are based upon the controversy over the distinction which is made between "Objective Justification" and "Subjective Justification." In "Objective Justification" God forgave the sins of the whole world in Christ when Christ rose from the dead; God is therefore already "reconciled" to the world, but we need to be personally "reconciled to God" in order to be saved. That takes place in "Subjective Justification" when the Holy Spirit works faith in Christ in our hearts through the Gospel and we "subjectively" receive by that faith the personal forgiveness of our sins. God's forgiveness of the world in Christ prior to and apart from my personal faith in Christ is the "contents" of the Gospel of Christ to which the Holy Spirit brings me to personal faith.
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Asked September 14 2013
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Warren Malach
Jennifer Rothnie
Supporter
Good questions! Let's take them one by one. 1) "IF you believe, THEN you are saved" or "You're saved! Believe it!"!" If you believe, -then- you are saved! (John 11:40, John 3:16, John 5:24, John 12:44-50, Mark 16:16, Rom 10:9-13, Acts 2:21, Acts 16:29-31 etc) "...He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” - Acts 16:29-31 2) Did Christ die for the sins of the whole world? Yes! "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2) Also Mark 12:24, 1 Tim 2:6, etc 3) When He rose from the dead, did God forgive the sins of the whole world apart from and prior to my personal faith in Christ? No. What Christ did was become the 'atoning sacrifice' (covering sacrifice), 1 John 4:10, that allows man to be reconciled to God. Man, under condemnation, goes before the righteous judge (God). We then plead before the judge that Jesus paid our penalty, and the judge imputes to us the righteousness of Christ. Our debt is then wiped clean! (Rom 3:25). 4) Is God's work of salvation in Christ "complete," or do I "complete" God's work of salvation in Christ by believing in Him? Both, depending on how you define 'complete'. Salvation is deliverance out of bondage and into safety. Jesus did everything on the cross required for our deliverance. We still have to let him deliver us and remain where He takes us! This is the covenant between God and man, which Christ mediates. His blood enforces it, allows it, and completes all terms; however unless you enter into the covenant contract, you cannot receive its promises (Gal 3:23-29, Heb 9:15-22, I Tim 2:5). Furthermore, when Christ said 'it is finished' upon the Cross, he was not referring to the individual salvation of souls, but referring to His laying down His life as the perfect sacrifice, to His earthly ministry as a human like us, to victory over sin, etc. (Isaiah 63:4-5, II Timothy 1:9) 6) Is the Gospel of Christ "conditional" upon my faith in Christ? "Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." John 6:29. When we believe (faith) we are not doing a 'work of man'. We cannot obey God or abide with Christ without faith. 7) If Christ did not die for all people...then what is the "contents" of the Gospel? Christ did die for all men, and acted as the propitiation for our sin to appease God's wrath. The gospel contents are that man must accept that sacrifice and believe on Jesus Christ (Yahweh brings salvation + the anointed one) to have eternal life. (John 3:16-18) That is the summary of the gospel! Those who do not believe are condemned; those who believe are not condemned but saved through the sacrifice of Christ. 8)...faith in Christ is a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9,)...is my faith a "good work" which "merits" God's forgiveness and which separates me from those who don't believe in Jesus? See above (John 6:29) - faith is a work of God. Faith is being persuaded of what is trustworthy/credible. It is not an outward act or a ritual or a work of man of any sort. In Eph 2:8 faith is not the gift, but rather salvation http://ebible.com/answers/24715?ori=167400 9) By believing in Christ, do I "cooperate with God" in the accomplishment of my own salvation? No more than accepting a gift means you "gifted yourself" in any part, or accepting a pardon on death row means you "saved yourself". The first depends entirely on the grace of a giver, the second on the grace and mercy of someone in authority. You played no part except receiving their offer with humility - like receptive soil. (James 1:21, Mark 4:20, etc). 10) Am I "saved by (my) faith," or am I saved "by (God's) grace through faith"? We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8), by which faith we have access into grace (Rom 5:2, Rom 4:16).