The Cross of Christ Alone Can Save

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by notofworks

Repentance is the turn, the acknowledgement that Christ is Lord, the placing of our faith in Christ, belief.


"But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work." Romans 4:5

Repentance is not belief. It is something we do once we have belief. We believe Jesus is correct when He said He is the way, the truth and the life, and that the work of the cross (eating his flesh and drinking his blood) grants eternal life. And he said except we repent we will perish. So, we CHOOSE TO REPENT BECAUSE WE ALREADY BELIEVED THE GOSPEL FIRST. Repentance is NOT belief.

And the WORK of Romans 4:5 is a work that is done in and of itself to make us righteous. That is the all important stipulation and distinction.

Show me one dictionary definition that says repentance is belief. One cannot provide one!

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Repentance is not belief. It is something we do once we have belief. We believe Jesus is correct when He said He is the way, the truth and the life, and that the work of the cross (eating his flesh and drinking his blood) grants eternal life. And he said except we repent we will perish. So, we CHOOSE TO REPENT BECAUSE WE ALREADY BELIEVED THE GOSPEL FIRST. Repentance is NOT belief.

And the WORK of Romans 4:5 is a work that is done in and of itself to make us righteous. That is the all important stipulation and distinction.

Show me one dictionary definition that says repentance is belief. One cannot provide one!

I agree with the bolded. But since we are debating the semantics of such, we are trying to define how one repents. I argue that it's almost inseparable from belief. It's an osmosis of faith.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I agree with the bolded. But since we are debating the semantics of such, we are trying to define how one repents. I argue that it's almost inseparable from belief. It's an osmosis of faith.

So is anything, for that matter, that is a work in the context of FAITH THAT WORKS. That is my point. Correct baptism is a work in the same category of FAITH THAT WORKS. The "work" in faith that "works" is inseparable from faith, since it would not occur if the faith did not exist.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by mfblume

So is anything, for that matter, that is a work in the context of FAITH THAT WORKS. That is my point. Correct baptism is a work in the same category of FAITH THAT WORKS. The "work" in faith that "works" is inseparable from faith, since it would not occur if the faith did not exist.

Be hearing I need to be baptized, agreeing to it, changing my clothes and participating in a baptism service is simply not in the same remote category as believing and turning my heart toward Christ.

It's silly I have to insist on that. It's so obvious, Mike. You MUST insist to support your entire theory about "works." I just don't see it as a very sound theory.