Faith Does Not Save You - The Jesus Trip

What reformer Martin Luther referred to as the "idol of the will" is still worshiped throughout Christendom - the idea that your willpower, choice or human decision is what gets you into Heaven. Faith doesn't "make it happen." Faith simply realizes it has already happened. You were saved by Grace - a free gift - and faith (trust) is simply the conduit through which we enjoy that salvation gift. If anyone's faith saves us, it is not our own - but rather the very faith of Christ Himself!
For more information on Sons of Thunder Ministries & Publications, visit us online at www.thenewmystics.com.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• faith
• grace
• salvation
• soteriology
• federal calvinism
• evangelical calvinism
• arminianism
• trinitarianism
• universalism
• theology
• TF Torrance
• Karl Barth
• trust
• willpower
• martin luther
• idol of the will
• apostle paul

[rbmath]

He seems to deny the idea of "Election" from the foundation of the world. Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love :5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,...He also seems to deny God's sovereignty or decrees in suffering.... and I'm guessing from the video that he holds the error of "Unlimited Atonement" also.....

[SonsofThunderPub]

@rbmath Actually I may believe in election MORE than you. LOL ... at least I understand it now. God was not making arbitrary decrees in the beginning "I choose this one ... I don't choose that one." I have a Christocentric understanding of the Bible (not a me-centric understanding). He wasn't making arbitrary decrees of this one vs. that one. CHRIST is the decree of the Father!

[SonsofThunderPub]

@rbmath cont'd ... In the beginning, the Father chose CHRIST. Christ is the "Elect" one. Christ is the "Chosen" one. Christ is the "Predestined" one. You mentioned Eph. 1 - one of my fav chapters by the way - notice we are elect "in Him," we are chosen "in Him," we are predestined "in Him," and adopted "in Him." He is the chosen Messiah. We are participating in HIS election, not our own. Peace!

[SonsofThunderPub]

@rbmath This is not armenian unlimited atonement (he saves everyone but YOU have to choose Him). And it's not federal calvinism's limited atonement (he really only died for the few elect). This is true unlimited atonement - found in Rom. 5, 2 Cor. 5:18-19, and a host of other passages - God was in Christ reconciling ALL to himself. This is not "universalism" but the atonement is definitely universal.

[exxmodel]

im not religious or nothing but i feel the positivity. be positive.

[MegaHotHands]

God cut a covenant with Jesus! John ( the disciple whom Jesus loved ) was the only one who stuck around through the crucifiction, the others split b/c they were relying on THEIR love for HIM ( not his love for them ).

[Gonamez]

Holy shackalacka-bonky I love you! Thanks!

[MichaelSethKendall]

@neonleonification I believe the confusion lies in what saved really means. Christ died for EVERYONE. We are ALL forgiven. We are ALL holy, perfect and blameless no matter what we do, what we believe or what we know. If we accept that Christ ALREADY saved us then we experience the freedom that we ALREADY have. It's like someone who can't swim and he thinks he's drowning in a puddle. If he finally realizes he's not drowning then he's not but if he doesn't then he might as well be drowning.

[neonleonification]

dear sonsofthunderpub please help me understand this lol. I desperately want to understand this as i have seen extremes of both sides of a Calvinist and an Armenian prospective. If we arent choosing and God isnt electing us then how exactly is it that we are being saved?

[WilteredFire]

I think the issue of faith has always been overcomplicated. The simpler we keep Faith, the better it is, this has always been the stumbling block. Faith is a Gift, its Found in the person of Christ. And maybe this is where the church has it wrong like you said, The real issue people need to understand that its not faith that saves, but that Faith or Trust rather...In the Finished works of Jesus, is ultimately what saves us. Everything has and points to Christ, and his finished works of the Cross

[whatthehellbook]

Interesting thoughts, thanks for sharing.

whatthehellbook . com

[chrisanthemum7]

@marksciencehale I think in those cases he was referencing healing and not so much being "saved" in the context we now use it. In some translations it says, "your faith has made you well." In that sense, what Crowder is saying would support a statement like that. Christ never specifies whether it is just a generic optimism in the outcome or if specifically it is faith in HIMSELF and his ABILITY to save them that brings healing but that would be the implication.

[MrTydelik]

Thank you for this.

[chapwesi]

Wow JOhn - I never saw it that way - how our election & predestination is rooted in GOD's election & predestination of His Son CHRIST being the Chosen One! Thank you for that insight. By the way, I don't know if you did this or not, but I sure would like to have seen and heard you confronting (in love, grace & patience of course) your opponents in Sheffield - not to debate or prove anything, but perhaps to clear up any confusion. Of course that might not make any difference.....

[patrickholmstos]

Great Word John.... blessings to you and the increase of the revelations of Jesus Christ and freedom be upon all that you do!

[marksciencehale]

What do you do with Jesus' sayings where people would come to him and touch him or cut holes in roofs and what not and Jesus would say things like "your faith has saved you"?