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Dear Buzz Bender,

Back to Ephesians 2:8-9 -  ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.’

It is my conviction that the relative pronoun ‘it’ in Ephesians 2:8 does not refer to faith but to salvation. My reasons for saying so are as follows:

1.   First, it is axiomatic that man cannot by his own works save himself from his sins. If he can save himself by his works, then he has something he can boast of. If he cannot save himself, then there is nothing he can boast of. He recognizes that salvation is by the grace of God and is His gift. It is ‘not of works lest anyone should boast’. The understanding that the gift in Ephesians 2:8 is salvation accords very well with the context of the passage.

2.   Secondly, there is scriptural precedent that salvation is God’s gift. Consider the oft-quoted statement of Paul (who also wrote Eph.2: in Romans 6:23 – ‘the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’. What is the gift of God? Answer – Eternal life in Christ Jesus i.e. salvation!

3.   Thirdly, if faith is a gift of God and it is by that gift that man receives salvation, then the giving of that gift to some and the withholding of it from others makes God a respecter of persons. The bible however states: ‘For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe’ (Deut.10:17). The apostle Peter expressed it well also when he said, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him" (Acts 10:34-35).

4.   Fourthly, if faith as God’s gift is proffered only to some, then the scripture is incorrect when it says that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). On the one hand there is the assertion that God so loved the world and wants the world to be saved. On the other hand there is the total inability on the part of man to do anything to be saved and the total dependence by him on a bestowal by God of the gift of faith that can save him. Rather than hold to a view that pits scripture against scripture, it is far better to just give up the false doctrine of Calvinism (that man cannot do anything in order to be saved but has to depend on the gift of faith from God in order to be saved).

I hope you will carefully consider what I have written. Don't be in a rush. Just take things slowly.

I believe that we should put aside our presuppositions (Calvinism included) and just read the scriptures as they present themselves to us.

[logoskch]

One more thing Buzz, why do you keep equating baptism with 'works'? Where in the Bible does it say that baptism is a 'work' that saves us? I can't find any passage in the Bible that categorizes baptism as a 'work'. Is repentance a 'work' also? How about confession? From my limited knowledge, 'work' means doing something. That means believing should also be categorized as a 'work', shouldn't it? I am totally lost in this discussion. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

From the many passages that you have so kindly pointed out, all I can see is that 'works' clearly means observing the 'old' law i.e. honor your father and mother, not to steal, not to kill, animal sacrifices, tithing, etc. as observed by the Jews in order to obtain salvation before Christianity. The objective of the passages you quoted, as I understand, is to point out to the Jews the differences between the Jewish belief and Christianity. Baptism for salvation wasn't even a Jewish practice then!

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Dear Buzz Bender,

You wrote: Also, are you saying that our church fathers, who developed this doctrine, were wrong? How about Martin Luther, who started the Reformation movement by nailing his 95 theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg? How about today's leading theologians and scholars and major seminaries? Are they all wrong when they affirm the doctrine of justification by faith alone?[/b]

For your information, Martin Luther believed and taught that baptism is for the remission of sins. I am reproducing below the segment entitled ‘The Sacrament of Holy Baptism’ from Luther’s ‘The Small Catechism’.

Note that Luther states that baptism ‘works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.’

Now I am not an authority on Martin Luther. But knowing what little I know, I wouldn’t be so quick to call him to your defence. Read and enjoy.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..


The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.

First.

What is Baptism?--Answer.

Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's Word.

Which is that word of God?--Answer.

Christ, our Lord, says in the last chapter of Matthew: Go ye into all the world and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Secondly.

What does Baptism give or profit?--Answer.

It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

Which are such words and promises of God? Answer.

Christ, our Lord, says in the last chapter of Mark: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Thirdly.

How can water do such great things?--Answer.

It is not the water indeed that does them, but the word of God which is in and with the water, and faith, which trusts such word of God in the water. For without the word of God the water is simple water and no baptism. But with the word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost, as St. Paul says, Titus, chapter three: By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that, being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.

Fourthly.

What does such baptizing with water signify?--Answer.

It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?--Answer.

St. Paul says Romans, chapter 6: We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death, that, like as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

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Dear Buzz Bender,

Since today is a holiday, I have a little bit more time.

You wrote: Also, are you saying that our church fathers, who developed this doctrine, were wrong?  Are they all wrong when they affirm the doctrine of justification by faith alone?

My Reply: I think you have just provided us with another blatant example of assertion without proof.

The church fathers actually taught that baptism was for remission of sins.

Consider the following:

The Nicene Creed (2nd ecumenical council of AD 381) states: [i]We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.[/i]

Tertullian wrote:

"Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. . . . [But] a viper of the [Gnostic] Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism—which is quite in accordance with nature, for vipers and asps . . . themselves generally do live in arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes after the example of our [Great] Fish, Jesus Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water. So that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes—by taking them away from the water!" (Baptism 1 [A.D. 203]).

"Without baptism, salvation is attainable by none" (ibid., 12).

Justin Martyr wrote:

"As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly . . . are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Except you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:3]" (First Apology 61 [A.D. 151]).

Hippolytus wrote:

"[P]erhaps someone will ask, ‘What does it conduce unto piety to be baptized?’ In the first place, that you may do what has seemed good to God; in the next place, being born again by water unto God so that you change your first birth, which was from concupiscence, and are able to attain salvation, which would otherwise be impossible. For thus the [prophet] has sworn to us: ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you are born again with living water, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Therefore, fly to the water, for this alone can extinguish the fire. He who will not come to the water still carries around with him the spirit of insanity for the sake of which he will not come to the living water for his own salvation" (Homilies 11:26 [A.D. 217]).

Origen wrote:

"It is not possible to receive forgiveness of sins without baptism" (Exhortation to the Martyrs 30 [A.D. 235]).

[Thomas@TK]

buzz_bender,

Another quotation from the church father on baptism:


Justin Martyr:

"We call this food Eucharist, and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration [i.e., has received baptism] and is thereby living as Christ enjoined. For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nurtured, is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus" (First Apology 66 [A.D. 151]).

Have a good day.

Thomas@tk

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Siew Kit asked: Can u explain more on the subjective and objective faith? with suitable example also. The bible says we are justify by faith. What does that mean? what u trying to say is 'by faith' is different from 'believe'?

My Reply:

Justification refers to God's act of declaring a sinner righteous before Him.

(a)   Objective faith

Passages such as Romans 1:5 and Romans 16:26 speak of ‘obedience to the faith’ (NKJV)
The result of obedience to the faith would be justification. Thus justification is ‘by faith’.
In the example given, we would be using the word ‘faith’ in an objective sense.
The term ‘faith’ would be synonymous to the gospel.
We respond to ‘the faith’ i.e. the gospel.

Galatians 3:23 is another example.
The passage states: But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

The Greek rendering is ‘Before but came the faith, under law we were being kept, being confined as to the faith being about to be revealed.’

Galatians 3:24 states - Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The context suggests that justification is by the faith.

Galatians 3:25 is translated ‘But now that faith has come…’
The meaning is ‘But now that the faith has come..’


(b)   Subjective faith

We respond to the gospel by our faith.
Therefore it is also true that justification is ‘by faith’ i.e. by means of our belief.
The word ‘faith’ here is used in a subjective sense.
The term refers to one’s personal faith.
An example of personal faith being referred to would be Romans 14:23 – whatever is not from faith is sin.

If we understand how the word ‘faith’ has two different senses, we can rightly appreciate the sentence – We are saved by the faith (i.e. the gospel) through our faith (i.e. our belief).

We have to decide in any given passage whether the word ‘faith’ is used objectively or subjectively.

This is not an easy task since none of us are Greek scholars.

I hope this helps.

[pfalcon]

Subjective faith or objective faith??? What is this? Can we find such phrases in the Bible???

Certainly not! For faith is defined as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1)

Allow me to explain.

"Substance of things hoped for" - Referring to what we put our hope, our trust in. In this case, we talk about God.
"Evidence of things not seen" - Based on the evidence surrounding us, we arrive at a conclusion that there is such a God, although we cannot actually see God.

So you see that from Heb 11:1 that faith is nothing but blind faith, but faith really is something that is solid and concrete, based on evidences! So there is no reason for people these days to say that faith and science cannot go together, because they actually complement each other! God created science that we might have faith through it!!!

So then you see that Eph 2:8-9 say salvation by grace through faith. Correct. Faith saves...

Now see that faith can only be seen and demonstrated by the workings of faith, e.g. if you have faith that God exists, you will pray to Him, worship Him... e.g. if you have faith that gravity exists, you do not attempt to jump off the 22nd storey of a building... e.g. if you have faith that Jesus Christ, the son of God can save us from our sins, then we will go all out to obey what He tells us to do! If He tells us to repent, confess and be baptized (Acts 2:38, Acts 10:37-39, Mark 16:16), then wouldn't we want to obey Him?

I love the illustration given by a preacher... The gift of God is eternal life, it's free (Rom 6:23), yes, but we have to take it.

For example, if I put a piece of gold on the table, and I say, "It's yours," is it yours yet? Certainly not! But unless you walk up to the gold and take it, then it is yours.

It's as simple as that...

[Thomas@TK]

Pfalcon,

We are saved or justified by the gospel only, right?

Thomas@TK