Home » Uncategorized » “The just shall live by faith”— A Study of the Relationship of Faith to Salvation in its Justifying, Sanctifying, and Glorifying Fulness, part 21
Baptists and evangelicals are correct: sinners MUST believe to be saved. But you will not find one passage of Scripture that states that the sinner must make a “decision” to believe. The sinner must believe, but it is God who makes the decision for him to believe.
Acts 13:48 (ESV)
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
This passage of Scripture points out the great fallacy of (Arminian/Free Will) Baptist and evangelical theology: The sinner does not assist or even cooperate in his salvation. The sinner is a passive participant in his salvation. Yes, he believes, but he believes because he was appointed before the world existed to believe, not because HE makes a free will decision to do so.
God chooses who will believe…the sinner chooses to reject Christ and send himself to hell. Christ died for all and desires all to be saved. God has predestined NO ONE to hell.
"But you will not find one passage of Scripture that states that the sinner must make a “decision” to believe."
This logic is flawed and deceptive. Every time a command or instruction is given to men, the recipient has to make a decision whether or not they will follow it.
Based off this twisted thinking, no one should ever decide to go and preach the Gospel. Why? Because we're only told to "go ye therefore", but not told to make a decision to go. No one's actually going to go until they decide to, and we're not told to decide to, therefore this Biblical command (and just about everyone other command) is rendered null and void if your logical is followed through to its conclusion Everyone who reads and responds to that command must of necessity at some point make a decision that's what they will do.
The Bible is exceptionally plain what a man should do when confronted with his need for salvation:
Phil 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
The command can't be followed unless a decision is made. No command can be followed without a decision. Even children have no difficulty understanding this concept.
The reason you believe people don't make a decision to believe is that you think the sacrament of infant baptism gives you faith. Unless you find passages that say that, perhaps the "silence" argument is not the best for you.
By the way, Acts 13:48 says that those ordained to eternal life believed–it does not say that people who were ordained to eternal life believed BECAUSE they were ordained. It just say that the two categories are the same; those ordained and those that believed.
Will you respond to my comment to you from before, that I have reprinted below, that didn't get a response?
Your Lutheran doctrine of baptismal regeneration is soul damning heresy. Please read the pamphlet "Bible truths for Lutheran friends" here:
What is more, your idea that the lost person does not make a decision to believe may be good Lutheran theology, but it certainly is not biblical. When Jesus said that unless you repent, you will certainly perish, it is extremely difficult to understand how somebody can repent, change his mind about his sin, and turn from his sin to Christ, without making a decision. Every time repentance was preached – and faith, for that matter – the need for lost to make a decision was proclaimed.
You could as well conclude from the fact that the word "decision" is found only in Joel 3:14 that nobody, not God, not the Lord Jesus Christ, not the Holy Spirit, not the angels, and not men, whether redeemed or lost, make any decisions.
I'm afraid Gary, that you may be a good Lutheran, but are not a Christian, but are unconverted. Enabled by God's grace, repent and believe the gospel immediately.
No, God doesn't need your help to save you.
Baptists and evangelicals are correct: sinners MUST believe to be saved. But you will not find one passage of Scripture that states that the sinner must make a “decision” to believe. The sinner must believe, but it is God who makes the decision for him to believe.
Acts 13:48 (ESV)
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
This passage of Scripture points out the great fallacy of (Arminian/Free Will) Baptist and evangelical theology: The sinner does not assist or even cooperate in his salvation. The sinner is a passive participant in his salvation. Yes, he believes, but he believes because he was appointed before the world existed to believe, not because HE makes a free will decision to do so.
God chooses who will believe…the sinner chooses to reject Christ and send himself to hell. Christ died for all and desires all to be saved. God has predestined NO ONE to hell.
The Arminians and the Calvinists are both wrong.
http://www.lutherwasnotbornagain.com/2013/10/salvation-is-much-simpler-than.html
"But you will not find one passage of Scripture that states that the sinner must make a “decision” to believe."
This logic is flawed and deceptive. Every time a command or instruction is given to men, the recipient has to make a decision whether or not they will follow it.
Based off this twisted thinking, no one should ever decide to go and preach the Gospel. Why? Because we're only told to "go ye therefore", but not told to make a decision to go. No one's actually going to go until they decide to, and we're not told to decide to, therefore this Biblical command (and just about everyone other command) is rendered null and void if your logical is followed through to its conclusion Everyone who reads and responds to that command must of necessity at some point make a decision that's what they will do.
The Bible is exceptionally plain what a man should do when confronted with his need for salvation:
Phil 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
The command can't be followed unless a decision is made. No command can be followed without a decision. Even children have no difficulty understanding this concept.
Dear Gary,
The reason you believe people don't make a decision to believe is that you think the sacrament of infant baptism gives you faith. Unless you find passages that say that, perhaps the "silence" argument is not the best for you.
By the way, Acts 13:48 says that those ordained to eternal life believed–it does not say that people who were ordained to eternal life believed BECAUSE they were ordained. It just say that the two categories are the same; those ordained and those that believed.
Will you respond to my comment to you from before, that I have reprinted below, that didn't get a response?
Your Lutheran doctrine of baptismal regeneration is soul damning heresy. Please read the pamphlet "Bible truths for Lutheran friends" here:
http://faithsaves.net/different-religions/
and the work:
Heaven Only for the Baptized? The Gospel of Christ vs. Baptismal Regeneration
which is also here:
http://faithsaves.net/different-religions/
Gary,
What is more, your idea that the lost person does not make a decision to believe may be good Lutheran theology, but it certainly is not biblical. When Jesus said that unless you repent, you will certainly perish, it is extremely difficult to understand how somebody can repent, change his mind about his sin, and turn from his sin to Christ, without making a decision. Every time repentance was preached – and faith, for that matter – the need for lost to make a decision was proclaimed.
You could as well conclude from the fact that the word "decision" is found only in Joel 3:14 that nobody, not God, not the Lord Jesus Christ, not the Holy Spirit, not the angels, and not men, whether redeemed or lost, make any decisions.
I'm afraid Gary, that you may be a good Lutheran, but are not a Christian, but are unconverted. Enabled by God's grace, repent and believe the gospel immediately.