DOES “FAITH” EXCLUDE OBEDIENCE?

A. Ralph Johnson

 

We are not justified by works of our righteousness earning salvation (Titus 3:5) but are we saved by faith alone?

 

Where does the New Testament say we are "saved by faith only"?

 

_________________________???

 

James 2:14-26.

      A.  Are we “justified” (“saved” vs. 14) by “faith only”? (vs. 24)

 

            “Ye see that a man is justified by works and ________ by faith only.”

 

      B.   How is faith made perfect / complete?

 

James 2:22  22 Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by ________ was faith made perfect?

 

      C. What kind of faith is it that has no works? 

 

James 2:20   20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is_______ ?

 

            James 2:26 “As the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith without works is _______.”

 

Rom. 6:17-18. (concerning the teaching of baptism -6:3-8, 11)

 

      How do we become “freed from sin”? --  “ye have _________  from the heart to the form of teaching which was delivered you.”

 

Hebrews 5:9

      To whom did he become the “author of eternal salvation”?

 

Hebrews 5:9   9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that ________ him;

 

1Peter 1:22

      How did they purify their souls?

1 Peter 1:22  22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in ________ the truth...

 

Galatians 3:26-27.

      How do we become children of God by faith?

     

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  27 For as many of you as have been ___________ into Christ have put on Christ.

 

John 3:36 (cf. the Revised Version)

     

A. Does this say that “he that believes ONLY has eternal life?” (cf. 3:5, 16, 21)

 

      B.   Is the belief spoken of here a “dead,” or a “living” faith? (cf. James 2:14-26)

 

QUESTION IN POINT:

      In any given passage of scripture--

(a)   Does mention of one step in salvation, without specifically citing all others necessarily rule out the importance of others?

      (b)   Or, do  all of the things said in all of the scriptures about salvation simply                supplement each other?

     

      EXAMPLE:

                 

            We are “saved” by.....       

1.   Jesus  (Matt. 1:21)

7.    grace (Eph. 2:8)

2.   ourselves (Ac. 2:40; cf. 2:38)

8.    blood (Rev. 1:5)

3.   mercy (Tit. 3:5)

9.    faith  (Acts 16:31)

4.   works (Jas. 2:24, 14)

10.  repentance (2Cor. 7:10)

5.   preaching (1Cor. 1:21)

11.  confession (Rom. 10:10)

6.   the gospel (1Cor. 15:1-2)

12.  baptism

(I Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16)

 

      Are these all separate and distinct ways of salvation? Or, is only one of them to be accepted as the way of salvation and all others discarded?  Or--are they all a part of the way of salvation?  Instead of insisting that one of them excludes all others because all of the others are not mentioned in any one passage, is it not more reasonable to accept them all as simply supplying additional truth about the subject of salvation?

 

Objection:

Was not the thief on the cross saved without baptism?

 

Answer:

Hebrews 9:15-17; Rom. 7:3, 4.

 

      A. Was anyone responsible to the terms of the New Testament before Christ died?

 

            “It does _________ avail while he that made it lives.”

 

      B.   Did the thief on the cross live before, or after the giving of the New Testament?

            (cf. Jn. 14;26; Lk. 24:47-49; Ac. 1:4, 5, 8; 2:1-4.  The Holy Spirit gave the New Testament.)