Stuff Only IFB People Understand

[Gringo]

Great questions Gringo. One aspect of the answer to the question was answered quite well by Baptist Renegade. Our state of being (ontology, who we actually are as a moral creature) is that of a spiritually dead person before "being saved" (having the Holy Spirit inside and guiding us--Jn 16:13), but being made alive unto God/Christ after being born again--Eph 2:1-3 et al. Once that transaction of our souls occurs with God (via our faith being placed solely in the person and work of Christ in His substitutionary death on the cross in our place) our person/spirit are enabled to cooperate with God in our sanctification (growing into conformity to the person of Jesus, Romans 8:29, ie what we "do then")—Phil 2:12. All of this stuff; being born again, being made like Jesus, etc, is the work of Salvation that the Bible tells us about, and is the work of God in our souls and He has promised not only to begin this work in us, but to finish it until we are glorified with Him--Phil 1:6-7, Rom 8:17. So the short answer to your question is that "the just (Christians, the born again, those possessing the Spirit of God and made alive by Him) shall live by faith"-- Romans 1:17 et al. These ways in which we become like Jesus is by obedience to His person and work, which we are able to apprehend through His word(s) to us in the Bible--Jn 10:27-28. Our part in that is to trust Him by faith that His words are true and that they are the means to sanctify us--John 17:17, Eph 5:26-27. When this trust in Him occurs then we not only recognize His Lordship over our lives (master of us--Lk 6:46) but we also by faith act accordingly and do His will/works--Jn 14:12-15. All of this doctrine/truth is borne out by the fact that we can have this intimate daily walk with Him through the word of God, by the Spirit of God's enablement--Gal 5:25, Rom 8:16.

Put another way, without faith it is impossible to please Him--Heb 11:6. That is true in regards to all phases of salvation, whether it is in the moment of regeneration ("saved" as many IFBs/evangelicals like to say) or even growing as a Christian after first being saved. Where people often go wrong, as I also did for a short time after being saved, is thinking our deeds add to our spiritual/moral status before God. One former FFF member I befriended (from Crown College in Tennessee) characterized the problem well by saying that "some Christians put the fruit before the root", by which he meant "fruit" as the deeds and works of our hands without respect to faith, and by "root" he meant a personal reliance/faith (through prayer, meditation, fellowship, Bible reading, etc) on Christ. So in that regard, some people put their own works (devoid of any faith in Christ or the Spirit) first before reliance upon and trust in God living within them. God is clear in His word that our good deeds (done apart from Him) are like filthy menstrual rags in His sight--Isaiah 64:6. The GREAT news is that when we have entered into this living relationship with Him, even when we fail Him (as Peter did, Paul did, David did, etc) He promises to never leave nor forsake us--Heb 13:5. He urges us to continually look to His grace (not ourselves and our abilities) and mercy that was proven by His Son's death in our place for all sins and all time--Heb 10:1-18.

Gringo, thanks for giving me the privilege to brag on Jesus. That was short, but I hope it answered some of what you were asking. Feel free to ask for clarification on anything I said, or anything else you'd like to talk about.

Thank you for your response, Alayman. And also, to AbCaines and to Baptist Renegade. I appreciate your sharing with me.

Y'all are kind.

I don't know what to say.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Thank you for your response, Alayman. And also, to AbCaines and to Baptist Renegade. I appreciate your sharing with me.

Y'all are kind.

I don't know what to say.

You're welcome. You don't have to say anything. I enjoy the frank and sincere conversation, whenever and whatever it may be from all of the folk on the FFF. It's a good bunch of people. And you are right in your acknowledgments, I should have noted that abcaines also nailed it in regards to the nature of being which accompanies the change from spiritual death to spiritual life, and the growth that occurs in the life of a Christian over differing lengths of time. Paul the apostle used the metaphor of food intake regarding spiritual growth and said that some people stay on the milk of the baby bottle too long, while others are enjoying the maturity of a well-aged steak-- 1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:13-14.

Anyway, thanks again for the sincerity of your questions.

 

[Bob Jones V]

Most of IFB understands.

Edumacayshun.

Soul Winning is only done door to door.

Wimmen keep silent.

No hair touching the ears.

 

[abcaines]

I knew ALAYMAN would nail it with his answer. And though I had some to contribute, I knew he would bring up things I didn't think of. Same with BR.

I rejoice whenever the Gospel is preached. However, all too often, the Gospel is presented as if God is this really nice guy that wants everyone to be saved and that's it. And while there is that aspect, we don't do anyone any favors by leaving out the fact that God's is seeking to reconcile the world to Himself which transcends the mere saving of souls. Salvation is more than declaring the guilty acquitted; it's reforming the guilty so they are restored to God's original design. That's sanctification and it's a life long process.