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Rom 4:4 What then shall we say was gained by[a] Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,..
Justification comes by grace, and not by merit.
(Indeed, if we merited it, then it would not be grace.)
I don't care how systematic your theology is, until you show me how biblical it is.
2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Rom 4:4 What then shall we say was gained by[a] Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,..
Justification comes by grace, and not by merit.
(Indeed, if we merited it, then it would not be grace.)
Come again?
"Abraham believed God". That apparently has gone unrecognized by you as being a qualification.
___you are assuming he believed only after God spoke to him however, that is of little significance if it can be accepted that he knew of God long before that point in time and lived his life in that hope.
"Abraham believed God". That apparently has gone unrecognized by you as being a qualification.___you are assuming he believed only after God spoke to him however, that is of little significance if it can be accepted that he knew of God long before that point in time and lived his life in that hope.
Belief/faith is a qualification...a precondition, nevertheless, it is not an act of merit or a work for which one receives wages or reward. Faith is as a beggar opening and extending his hand to receive a gift.
Salvation is a gift, not a reward for anything earned on our part. Only Christ is to be honored and glorified for His work for our salvation through the cross, death and resurrection.
No one will climb a ladder to heaven by his own merit and be able to say, "Look what I did!" This attitude demeans the finished work of Christ. We cannot add anything to what He completed.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
"Abraham believed God". That apparently has gone unrecognized by you as being a qualification.
___you are assuming he believed only after God spoke to him however, that is of little significance if it can be accepted that he knew of God long before that point in time and lived his life in that hope.
You're assuming believing in God is merit.
Paul says quite the opposite.
"Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due."
I don't care how systematic your theology is, until you show me how biblical it is.
2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
"The Bible is very clear, Christians aren't supposed to be busybodies, nor are they supposed to strive with any man who hasn't harmed him (Or someone else, by implication.)" RandPaulfor2016, May 10, 2013
Belief/faith is a qualification...a precondition, nevertheless, it is not an act of merit or a work for which one receives wages or reward. Faith is as a beggar opening and extending his hand to receive a gift.
Salvation is a gift, not a reward for anything earned on our part. Only Christ is to be honored and glorified for His work for our salvation through the cross, death and resurrection.
No one will climb a ladder to heaven by his own merit and be able to say, "Look what I did!" This attitude demeans the finished work of Christ. We cannot add anything to what He completed.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
SPOTD
Exactly!
The one who did the labor or the purchasing is the one who gives the gift; not the one who receives the gift.
The one who receives the gift did no labor or purchasing at all.
Is it any wonder you are in trouble by using your untoward 'thinking'?
You are willfully blind!
"The Bible is very clear, Christians aren't supposed to be busybodies, nor are they supposed to strive with any man who hasn't harmed him (Or someone else, by implication.)" RandPaulfor2016, May 10, 2013
Because I am without merit... I cannot be good enough on my own to merit any favor. It is all God to a worthless helpless sinner. God did it all, my preparation, my destination, the sacrifice for me, my justification to his favor
Because I am without merit... I cannot be good enough on my own to merit any favor. It is all God to a worthless helpless sinner. God did it all, my preparation, my destination, the sacrifice for me, my justification to his favor
Good enough?? Who knows anything about you but God? It is His criteria in the issue, not yours/mine__AND salvation is not the issue the OP is referring to__just His favor, otherwise known as His, grace.
What have I ever stated, that you haven't 'willfully' distorted, that drives you to say that?
I simply gave Webster's definition of the word "merit" to show that merit is works. You said that Abraham did not work. Then in the same breath you said that he displayed his allegiance which you said is "merit." This is double talk. Webster's defines merit with the words "earn" and "deserve." But you were trying it have it both ways.
Paul said that Abraham "was strengthened" in faith "giving glory to God." The verb "was strengthened" is passive meaning that God acted upon Abraham. Then Abraham gave the glory to God. There is no double talk in Paul's assessment.
Your double talk reveals that you are as dizzy as NewDay.
"The Bible is very clear, Christians aren't supposed to be busybodies, nor are they supposed to strive with any man who hasn't harmed him (Or someone else, by implication.)" RandPaulfor2016, May 10, 2013
I simply gave Webster's definition of the word "merit" to show that merit is works
Fine! And I fine no need to correct myself for those who are short on ambition for understanding: Abraham believed God. That found him favor with God. Call it what you wish. Since I know God looks at the heart, I therefore, don't call it works__but merit nonetheless.
SPOTD
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