. . . .The Bible clearly tells us that it is by grace through faith that we have been saved and not by our own works. How can someone who has had no faith in God get saved? . . .
Kristin234,
The idea of “getting saved” is another issue. When we consider all of Scripture, we find that salvation is a process, not a moment.
If we just pull out a few verses, the picture of salvation is incomplete. For example, I could quote James 2:24 and it would appear that we are justified by works:
James 2: 24 You see that
a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
In the next verse, we find that faith without works is dead: **James 2:**26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Yet, I do not believe in a “works” salvation. Christ accomplished our salvation on the cross. So, yes we have been justified by faith----but that is not all Holy Scripture says about salvation.
The Great Commandment says that we must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27.)
Being a doer of the word and perseverance are also factors in our salvation:
James 1: 22 But be
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and
perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
When Jesus sent out the Apostles, he warned them of the persecution they would face and said the one who endures to the end with be saved (perseverance.)
Matthew 10: 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Baptism, the circumcision made without hands–which brings us into Covenant with God-- also plays a role in our salvation. Through Baptism, our sins are forgiven. We are buried with Christ in baptism, in which we are also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Acts 2: 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2: 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
1 Peter 3:
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
The Holy Eucharist/Lord’s Supper also plays a role in salvation and is connected with having life in us and being raised to eternal life.
John 6: 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
After all of this, there is what I call the “really scary Scripture” which describes those who think they are saved, but are not:
Matthew 7:
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
I urge you to read all of these passages in context. A thorough reading of both the Old Testament and the New Testament–beginning to end–will help put things in context and give you a more complete picture of salvation.
So, from these passages, we find loving God and our neighbors, faith, being doers of the word/works, perseverance, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper----all are connected to salvation–though this is not an exhaustive list.
Again, I will stress that it is through Christ and His ultimate Sacrifice that we are saved—And it is only through Christ that we can do any of the things necessary for salvation.
So, we live in the hope of the resurrection; and as St. Paul said, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Peace,
Anna
…
