Trusting in Your Decision -vs- Looking for Fruits of Salvation, Alistair Begg

[avgmedia1]

whyd did you cut this short? I was needing to hear this. why did you not post the whole thing??

[oxh973]

If I look to myself, then I see sin. Period. If I look to Christ, then I'm assured. Where is Christ's atonement delivered to me? In His Word, in Baptism, in the Lord's Supper. My trust is in Christ, not in my works.

[polopowers1]

He just asked a man who cannot tell himself of his condition to look at his lost condition.Or he is telling a man born again to look for fruit within themselves.I can tell you if man looks for evidence within themselves there are many Catholics,Mormons, righteous by works who can pass his test.This is religious preaching to stir guilt in God's people to serve in church and give.God's Spirit is the only exclusive confidence of perseverence, not actions appearing.Signs are NOT proofs.

[sdj7598]

I agree "God's Spirit is the only exclusive confidence of perseverence" But the way believers know that they genuinely believe is that they bear fruit of the spirit given them through Believing Jesus Christ. What a man does and how he lives (the fruit he bears) is what signifies the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Though men are not perfect, if Christ lives in them they will begin to live a life reflecting Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self control.

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 The bible does not say,nor is Alistair saying,that outward works are a sure proof that you are saved.However,the lack of any outward works IS sure proof that you are not saved.Alistair explicitly says that we are saved by what Jesus has done for us and nothing else.But,according to the bible,if one has truly received Christ, then he WILL bear fruit.We are COMMANDED numerous times in the bible to examine ourselves to know if we are in the faith by looking at our lifestyles.

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 Here are some Scriptures that I hope will help.These deal specifically with the doctrine that if you are a Christian you WILL bear fruit in your works.Please at least read the quoted texts from Matt and 1John. God bless.

Matt7:15-23 ; Rom6:1-2, 20-23, 8:13-14 ; 2Cor6:14-18, 13:5 ; Gal5:16-24(*24) ; Eph1:3-5 ; 2Thess2:13 ; 2Tim3:1-5 ; Titus1:16 ; Heb8:9-10, 10:26 ; James2:14-26 ; 1Peter1:2 ; 2Peter1:4,10 ; 1John1:6-7, 2:3-6, 3:5-10, 17-19, 24, 5:2, 18 ; 2John9 ; 3John11 ; Rev3:15-22

[polopowers1]

@josh96748 Not every believe will bear fruit in works, the mentally ill death bed conversions some who just cannot do good works. Christ stands on His own merit before and after the cross.The fruit of Spirit is never borne by works, it is always Spirit fruit first; works follow.Not all Christians bear works they all bear fruit of Spirit in v irtue. Just looking at some of your scripture that does not apply Matt7 is for the jew Christ had not died or given His Spirit it is not for the Church

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 Yes sir.I agree with you totally(except for Matt7 not applying to all believers).But as you said"The fruit of Spirit is never borne by works, it is always Spirit fruit first; works follow...They all bear fruit of the Spirit in virtue".This is why Jesus says a good tree bears good fruit.Because if you have the virtue of the Spirit it will manifest itself.If you are poor in spirit,meek,merciful you will be forgiving.This is James' point in 2:14-26.This is what Alistair is speaking of.

[polopowers1]

@josh96748 Except virtue does not mean works must follow, works are not virtue. Christ is the only One whom can satisfy God James is not saying saving faith is vindicated by works. The sinner prayer would go someting like this if he did, Dear Lord please save me by the exclusive merit of Christ but since that means I must do works help me perform those works to prove Him real in my life.? That is impossible. Virtue or fruit of Spirit can be the sole evidence.

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 I agree James is not saying that real faith is vindicated by works.We are saved by faith ALONE.And faith in Christ's sacrifice ALONE.And on the Last Day no Christian will call on his works as merit for Heaven.The point James/John is making is that the Spirit DOES cleanse the heart to virtue.If the heart is cleansed to virtue then works by natural necessity WILL follow.Not as merit.But as a natural result of a pure heart just as sinful works naturally followed a corrupt heart.

[josh96748]

@polopowers1The gospel is not ONLY forgiveness of sins to reconcile us to the Father.It is also a promise sanctification..purification of the heart(1Pet1:2"...sanctificatio­n of the Spirit UNTO OBEDIENCE).This is the OT prophesy taught to us by the author of Hebrews in 8:8-10.The old Cov did not cleanse the heart so the people strayed and God rejected them.But the promise of the new Cov says that the heart and mind will be cleansed so we that we WILL be to Him a people and HE WILL be to us a God.

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 1John cannot be denied on this.He repeatedly tells us to look at our lifestyles for assurance."One who has fellowship with the Light cannot and will not walk in darkness"(1:6).And"This is how WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM,if we keep His commandments.Anyone who does not is a liar and the truth is not in him"(2:3-4).And"WHOEVER abides in Him SINS NOT.WHOEVER KEEPS SINNING has never seen Him or known Him"...why?..."Because God's SEED is in him and he CANNOT keep sinning"(3:6-10).

[polopowers1]

@josh96748 Matt 7 is the gospel for the Jews not the Church. Christ had not yet died. When he sent His disciples to preach they did not yet believe, they did not even understand what it meant for Him to die. The seventy went out preaching to the Jew the Messiah has arrived and repentance from unbelief not looking for Him for four hundred years. Christ had not died in Matt 7 and there was no resurrection no Holy Spirit yet given.It was not yet the gospel of grace, it was a works gospel on law

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 Matt7:Was not Jesus' last words"teach them(the world)to observe ALL that I have commanded"(28:18-20)?Was not Ch7 of His commands?The sermon on the mount is for ALL.Notice the one being condemned in v21-23 is a believer in the name of Christ.Secondly,ALL Jews were saved by FAITH in the OT just as we are.This is the point that Paul labours throughout Rom ch4,9:30-33,11:19-20, and Heb ch11(note v39).And ALL believers before the NT were included in Christ's sacrifice(Rom3:23-26)!

[josh96748]

@polopowers1 Forgive me for writing so much.It's really not that much at all.It's just such small comment boxes!And please,I hope that you do not take our discussion as an argument.I am not writing out of bitterness or cruelty. I'm just discussing God's Word with a fellow believer. I hope that you know this. Thank you for you responses. If you would like,maybe we could discuss this further on another forum?That way we can say more than 200 characters at a time.Let me know.God bless!

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 The gospel of grace is what has saved in every generation. It is what saved Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, etc. The same blood of Jesus that saves after the cross is the same blood that saved before the cross. It is the Eternal Covenant, the Everlasting Covenant, of which all covenants mentioned in the OT were but shadows and foreshadowings of that Eternal Covenant.

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 The Holy Spirit also makes it clear that all Scripture is for his church-which is everyone, both Jew and Gentile. The Law of Moses was never established to save anyone, Moses understood this, as did David, and the rest of the prophets. They knew that they were pointing to the greater and perfect glory of mercy/grace that was to be found in the Lord. Even Job, who was before the generation of Moses knew this. Jude even reveals that Enoch knew this.

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 how did they know it? by the same means that we know it today, and our neighbor who sits beside us doesn't. By the opening of our hearts by the Holy Spirit and giving us the eyes of faith to understand what is the hope of mercy in the Lord.

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 as for the distinction drawn between the Jews and the Church. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, makes it clear that there is to be no distinction. where the measure of the Jew is not one according to the flesh, or circumcision thereof, but according to the Spirit, and the circumcision of the heart thereof. (Rom 2:28-29) and in case we miss it, the Spirit again addresses this with respect to Israel along the same lines (Rom 9:6-8)

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 There was never any gospel in the Law-that is with the hope of ever finding peace with God on the basis of us keeping it. the only gospel in the Law was in the foreshadowing, and prophesying, of the coming Lamb of God, the High Priest who would be our Mediator, the Altar upon which all would be sanctified, the Sabbath wherein we would find our eternal rest, etc. Even David in the Psalms recognized that God didn't delight in the sacrifices of bulls and rams.

[HermitintheRain]

@polopowers1 David knew that his hope was in the Priest who was according to Melchizedek, wherein his hope of mercy/grace rested. Moses himself saw the true Tabernacle, of which he was instructed to fashion the one made in the wilderness like unto it. Those who saw the coming of the Lord's mercy-which OT Scripture repeatedly declares in the numerous occasions when it says: Olam Chesed (for his mercy endures forever)-they knew that works was no hope, only his mercy was, OT-mercy=NT-grace.

[meadran]

Awesome video. Thanks for posting.

Grace

[BlabItAndGrabIt]

Sinner prayer deceives countless individuals.

[imlivn4him]

Love Alistair Begg. Great preacher of the gospel.

[SPQRKABAH]

Uncle Ali, thank you!!

[the13thof12]

Pastor Begg, you are the man!

[Vaekkrinhart]

"...there's a major gap."  haha. uh, yeah.

[Oct31st1517]

Straight up truth.