Luke 8: 13 & Ephsians 2: 9

[Jim_Baur]

Luke 8: 13 They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

I am perplexed by this passage.

Is it literal?

Does it teach that one can believe for a period of time and then stop believing?

Also, the passage from Ephesian 2: 9 For you are saved by grace through faith.

Do the people that teach saved by faith mean that it is by an act of faith we receive grace? Thus we must make a personal act of faith in order to receive grace.

I have no desire to fight, I just want to know how some people understand these two passages.

As I said, I am flummoxed.

Thank you and God bless

 

[Dorothy]

I’ll respond to Luke 8:13…

Yes, people who believe can fall away. They are tempted by the pleasures of the world and become focused on them. Then the things of the Lord do not seem to be important anymore.

 

[PJM]

=Jim Baur;8317417]Luke 8: 13 They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

I am perplexed by this passage.

Is it literal?

Does it teach that one can believe for a period of time and then stop believing?

Also, the passage from Ephesian 2: 9 For you are saved by grace through faith.

Do the people that teach saved by faith mean that it is by an act of faith we receive grace? Thus we must make a personal act of faith in order to receive grace.

I have no desire to fight, I just want to know how some people understand these two passages.

As I said, I am flummoxed.

Thank you and God bless

***Hi Jim, GREAT QUESTIONS!

In the first reference Jesus speaks BOTH about good and not so good SEEDS as well as different kinds of soils. This is a PROFOUND teaching in that it points out the Freewill and frailties of humanity and the powerful constant presence of Satan.

Faith is ALWAYS a gift where God HAS to initiate the OFFER through grace. BUT we MUST cooperate with God’s offer and not everyone does.

FAITH once accepted can still be lost.; So YES the passage id lieral!
Some catch “on fire” BUT don’t “feed the flames of faith” and faith soon dies out. That is they don’t actually LEARN the WHY we belief and do not even make the effort to know. Others Know, but because of the demands of valid practice, are too lazy to keep up and loose their faith. Some listen to false teachers who promote easier, “better” and quicker ways… NONE of which CAN BE TRUE, but nevertheless the lies are accepted, and they to fall away [many are not even aware that they LOST TRUE Faith and have subbed a lesser, soul endangering faith… And a few Catch on fire, learn why we can believe, make the necessary life-style changes and sacrifices and do find. the Narrow Gate” and enter.

The Eph. 2:9 is simply pointing out HOW GOD works: Grace id offered to all in sufficient quantity for them to KNOW GOD. Not everyone accepts the offer on GOD’S TERMS which is the ONLY WAY to salvation. Grace is “the key” that opens the door to Faith. It can ONLY be gotten when God offers it. ON GODS TERMS>That is the RISK of man-originated religions. NO WHERE in the bible does God ever approve of more than One God [Him], or one set of teachings [Faith beliefs… HIS singular], or more than the One Church that Jesus Founded [The CC].*

God Bless you,
Pat

 

[perdido1144]

Just to re-iterate PJM’s reply: It all starts with sanctifying grace. Grace is a gift, freely given by God. We can choose of our own free will to accept that gift or not, or - once having accepted it - to reject it by our sins.

But sanctifying grace is the primary movement in our soul. It is always God’s initiative and always our free choice to accept or reject what is God’s indwelling in our soul.

With sanctifying grace, we gain new powers, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity; and the moral virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.

 

[Swiss_Guy]

Luke 8: 13 They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

I am perplexed by this passage.

Is it literal?

Does it teach that one can believe for a period of time and then stop believing?

Also, the passage from Ephesian 2: 9 For you are saved by grace through faith.

Do the people that teach saved by faith mean that it is by an act of faith we receive grace? Thus we must make a personal act of faith in order to receive grace.

I have no desire to fight, I just want to know how some people understand these two passages.

As I said, I am flummoxed.

Thank you and God bless

People can lose faith - apostasy does happen . Eph. 2:8 is that we are saved by grace which we respond to with an act of faith (trust in God’s grace). But, we first receive sanctifying grace in Baptism where our guardian’s faith takes care of our faith that we might not have yet, since they promise to raise us in the faith. That’s why we are confirmed, to reaffirm our faith.

 

[JerrySeibert]

Luke 8: 13 They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Receive the word with joy and NO ROOT which I interpret as no foundation. They are excited about this new found faith but have nothing concrete to hold it in place and thusly fall away.

Does it teach that one can believe for a period of time and then stop believing?
As described above
Also, the passage from Ephesian 2: 9 For you are saved by grace through faith.
Could this mean the “Grace” of God saves you because of your faith? By your faith and appreciation of what he gives you, he awards you with grace.
Do the people that teach saved by faith mean that it is by an act of faith we receive grace? Thus we must make a personal act of faith in order to receive grace.
Both could exist dependent upon the other: gravity cannot exist where there is not mass to create gravity and warp space. To my high school knowledge, sorry I am not an astro physicist. If the above is true grace may be as dependent on faith as faith is of grace.
Job was said to have the ‘grace’ of God before Satan was given permission to torment him. And without ‘grace’ he still had faith. And by his faith he was again given ‘grace’. I hope that made sense.
I have no desire to fight, I just want to know how some people understand these two passages.
Awesome it seems some in the forums continuously look for one.

As I said, I am flummoxed.
Welcome to the club We all look for and seek answers to help us better understand.
Thank you and God bless