Subject: Do Jesus and Paul agree on salv by faith |
Bible Note: NASB John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." NASB John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." You can't find anywhere where Jesus Himself talked about faith alone getting one to the Kingdom of Heaven?* Try John 1:7; 1:12; 3:15; 3:16; 3:18, 3:36; 5:24; 6:29; 6:35; 6:40; 6:47; 7:38-39; 8:24; 11:25-26; 12:46. Note that in the above cited verses from the Gospel of John, it is true that Jesus didn't use the words "faith alone" or "believe alone." Neither did he say anything about belief PLUS commandment keeping, PLUS good works, PLUS works of the law, PLUS holding on and holding out, PLUS church membership, etc. In the above passages in John, JESUS DID NOT SAY WE ARE SAVED BY BELIEF plus SOMETHING ELSE**. ------------- *I'm not sure I find anywhere where Jesus Himself talked about "getting one to" the Kingdom of Heaven? I am familiar with the concept of "entering" the kingdom and "seeing" the kingdom. But "getting to" the kingdom of heaven? This is one I am not familiar with. **JESUS DID NOT SAY WE ARE SAVED BY BELIEF plus SOMETHING ELSE. I know he said "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" in a disputed passage in Mark -- a passage that does not appear in the earliest manuscripts (Mark 16:9-20). "The external evidence strongly suggests these verses were not originally part of Mark's gospel. While the majority of Gr. manuscripts contain these verses, the earliest and most reliable do not" (MacArthur Study Bible, Word Publishing, 1997). |