Hi to my Forum Friends,
In the discussion I began titled "Is Salvation By 'Blind Faith' -- Or By 'Living Faith'?" I will admit that what wrote in my initial post in that discussion is what I feel is the foundation for MY Saving Faith in Jesus Christ. And, our Legalistic Theology Friend, Contendah (or as I prefer to address him, BeterCon, with allusion to his other posting name) has attempted to twist this into meaning that Conservative Christians believe that only those who believe in a PreTribulation Rapture and a PreMillennial Return of Jesus Christ will be saved.
That is not what I believe and not what Conservative Theology teaches.
In that discussion, BeterCon erroneously declares, "And still you vacillate and avoid the central question I have posed to you, Bill. Your initial post indeed makes the assertion that belief in the rapture/tribulation/millennial reign is part of 'faith' and thus is necessary for salvation."
Yes, a PreTrib/PreMillennial belief is a part of MY faith. However, it is NOT necessary for a person's salvation.
My Friend, as you, and all on the Religion Forum, know -- I have always stated clearly that salvation is by the grace of God, through FAITH in Jesus Christ - plus NOTHING ELSE (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Faith does not demand a particular eschatological belief, nor being a member of any particular church or denomination, i.e., Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, and most certainly, not your Church of Christ. We are saved by FAITH ALONE.
Our salvation is gained by having a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, when we become the adopted child of God, joint heir with Jesus Christ, a member of the body of Christ -- the church, His bride. We do this, as explained in Revelation 3:20, when we open the door of our heart and allow Him to come into our hearts, into our lives, and become our Best Friend, our personal Lord and Savior.
At that moment, we are sealed (indwelled) by the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). The day of our redemption happens only in one of two ways. Either we die in this mortal body -- or we are Raptured into heaven. Until that day, we are sealed into and maintained in the family of God, in the body of Christ -- and no one can snatch us away from Him (John 10:28-29).
Therefore, SAVING FAITH can be explained as complete FAITH in the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- His virgin birth, His atoning death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven to be our one and only mediator between man and God. If one sincerely believes that and asks Jesus Christ to be his/her Lord and Savior -- that person is saved and will spend eternity with God.
But, I can see how a person such as you, BeterCon, who is locked into a Legalistic Theology and wants to deny the clear teachings of God's Word, the Bible, could twist what I wrote in my response to Deep's claim that Christians walk in "blind faith" -- and make it sound as though I was saying that our belief in eschatology determines our salvation.
However, let me assure you that I do not believe that and have never really written that. What I wrote in my initial post in the other discussion, addressing Deep's claim of "blind faith" for all Christians, was what I see as MY SAVING FAITH -- what I believe, although I admit that I was not as clear on that matter as I should have been. This is that part of my initial post in the other discussion:
Salvation? Salvation is by the grace of God, through FAITH in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Is FAITH blind? No way. FAITH is based upon me personally seeing God work in my life -- daily.
But, what is FAITH in Jesus Christ? Glad you asked.
Well, that is FAITH in knowing that He came to earth as the Incarnate God; that He was born of the virgin Mary; that He went to the cross, taking my sins and my sentence of death with him, and died for me -- that I might live; that He rose from the grave in three days, and for forty days was seen by and talked with over 500 believers, even eating breakfast with some.
FAITH is knowing that He, on the 40th day, ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God, continually interceding, as the one and only mediator between man and God, for all Christian believers.
FAITH is knowing that He WILL come again in the clouds to Rapture His church, His body of believers worldwide into heaven to be with Him during the seven year Tribulation; that He WILL return to earth after the seven year Tribulation to establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth, from the throne of David in Jerusalem, where He will rule the earth for 1000 years in peace; and, then, that He WILL take all believers into eternity to be with Him forever.
Bill's Note, which was not in my initial post: This is MY faith and my belief -- better known as a PreTribulation and PreMillennial eschatology. I do not believe that a person has to believe this teaching to be saved. But, I do believe that those theologies which teach a different eschatology, in many ways, deny the believers their sense of eternal security in Christ.
That, my Friend, is FAITH -- and there is nothing blind about it.
And, finally, my Friend -- FAITH is knowing that, no matter how much YOU denigrate His name, no matter how much YOU deny Him, no matter how much YOU spit in His face -- He will forgive YOU and accept YOU into the family of God.
But, there is just one catch. YOU have to open the door of your heart (Revelation 3:20) and invite Him to come in -- while you are still breathing in this mortal body. For once you breathe your last breath in this body -- your next breath WILL be in eternity. That eternity can be either heaven or hell -- your choice. But, you MUST make that choice while still breathing in this life.
BeterCon, I will admit that one looking for a "Gotcha" as you and Deep most often do -- could twist what I have written in that initial post into saying that Saving Faith includes eschatology. But, the Essential Christian Beliefs which will be inherent in all who are saved Christian believers does NOT include belief in any particular eschatological teachings, nor baptism, not method of baptism, nor membership in any particular local church.
To refresh your memory, those Essential Christian Beliefs are:
1. The Deity of Jesus Christ -- God incarnate -- fully man; yet, fully God.
2. The Trinity -- God eternally existing; manifested (revealed) in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
3. The Bible -- Is the inspired Written Word of God and is the sole authority for Christian faith, salvation, and our Christian life.
4. Salvation by Grace -- By grace you are saved, through faith in Jesus Christ -- plus nothing else.
5. The Resurrection of Christ -- He rose from the dead, that we may also be resurrected into eternal life.
6. The Gospel -- The birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ according to Scripture.
7. Heaven and Hell -- Both are real places and are the only two eternal destinations available to all mankind.
And, I will state here that I personally believe the Bible to be the Holy Spirit INSPIRED (God spoke, men wrote), Holy Spirit INERRANT ("Oops" is not in God's vocabulary), and LITERAL (God spoke what He meant, and He meant what He spoke) Written Word of God. This I believe with all my heart. The Bible is the sole authority for all Christian faith. This I believe.
So, my Friend, if you are a Christian believer -- I thank God for you. If you are not yet a Christian believer -- I pray that you will take a moment to consider how long eternity will be, and that our brief life in this mortal body is but a blink of the eye compared to eternity. Eternity will never end.
Given that fact, please take a moment to seriously, sincerely consider inviting Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and into your life, to be your personal Lord and Savior. He wants to be your absolute Best Friend. Why not take Him up on this "free gift" offer which He has already purchased, and which He has "paid in full" -- just for YOU?
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill