Is it true that we are saved through faith in Jesus alone?

[Major]

My answer would be yes. And yet repentance is part of the faith practice, if you will. First we repent of our sins and God says He shall remember them no more. After that the sins we commit have a mediator with God, in that of Christ. So in that sense we are no longer able to say we are sinners sinning. Because a sinner is one who has not been reborn into the grace covenant so as to now be asaint.(One who is set apart). All this is possible because God called us to him. No one can come to Christ unless the Father calls them. John 6. (Verses 44 &45
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me...)


James tells us that faith without works is dead. I don't think that tells us we have to work to keep faith or that we have to work in order to be qualified for eternal salvation. I think it means that if we say we have faith in the same Lord that served His people while He walked among them and showed God's power through healing, casting out devils, and more, and we do not do the work of the Lord as he calls us to, that our faith in that same Jesus is dead.

Christian then becomes a word or lip service under the banner of religion. We believe in the Jesus that carried out the work of the Father yet do nothing in service ourselves, even when little opportunities present themselves, like smiling and looking into the eyes of a sad stranger, then we are not at all demonstrating we are Christ-like.

The point is that there are only two options.

1). We are saved by faith alone,
2). or we are not.

Since we have faith and works, both conceptually and in practice, then we are either saved by faith alone or by faith and works.

It has been stated in this very thread that faith alone and that the phrase "faith alone" occurs only once in James where it says that we are not saved by faith alone. If this is so, then why do the Protestants say we are justified by faith alone and not by works?

Because the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith alone-and not by works.

Rom. 3:28...……..
"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law."

Rom. 5:1...….
"therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;"

The key to this whole conversation is "Justification" which is the process of being declared NOT GUILITY!


James does not contradict what Paul said. James is examining two kinds of faith:

1). one that leads to godly works
2). and one that does not.

One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20).
But, he is not contradicting the verses above that say salvation/justification is by faith alone.

He is simply saying that FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ will lead to us wanting to do good deeds.!

 

[Rand Sutor]

My answer would be yes. And yet repentance is part of the faith practice, if you will. First we repent of our sins and God says He shall remember them no more. After that the sins we commit have a mediator with God, in that of Christ. So in that sense we are no longer able to say we are sinners sinning. Because a sinner is one who has not been reborn into the grace covenant so as to now be asaint.(One who is set apart). All this is possible because God called us to him. No one can come to Christ unless the Father calls them. John 6. (Verses 44 &45
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me...)


James tells us that faith without works is dead. I don't think that tells us we have to work to keep faith or that we have to work in order to be qualified for eternal salvation. I think it means that if we say we have faith in the same Lord that served His people while He walked among them and showed God's power through healing, casting out devils, and more, and we do not do the work of the Lord as he calls us to, that our faith in that same Jesus is dead.

Christian then becomes a word or lip service under the banner of religion. We believe in the Jesus that carried out the work of the Father yet do nothing in service ourselves, even when little opportunities present themselves, like smiling and looking into the eyes of a sad stranger, then we are not at all demonstrating we are Christ-like.

A most excellent post my brother!!! Praise God. Our good works, though they do not justify us, do help us to keep our faith in Christ alive because it takes faith to walk with Him and to do the works that He has called us to.

 

[Saul Mine]

Ephesians 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

There is no theory but Truth.
Jesus took upon Himself our sins and paid our dept in hell that......
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Holy Spirit can not live in an unrepentant heart nor can sinful man enter into the kingdom of God or partake in the things of God.

Blessings to you
FCJ

Always remember "It's not what one scripture says, it's what ALL scripture says." You quote Ephesians 5:5 but miss the rest of the chapter.

Ephesians 5:5-8 King James Version (KJV)
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: