salvation

My opponent has departed from the topic at hand. My opponent seems to be arguing that the Bible does not teach a "Do Nothing Salvation" Gospel... however, this is a classic strawman argument. My opponent seeks to build the thing he is refuting into an easy to defeat target, and then defeat it. Do not be drawn in by this logical fallacy. No where have I argued that the Scriptures assert a so-called "Do Nothing Salvation." As such, my opponent has spent a round arguing against something that is not only NOT what I am proposing... but is markedly outside the scope of the resolution. What I am arguing is that we are saved by grace alone (Means of Salvation) through faith alone (Instrument of Salvation). Lets break that down a little. What this doctrine is saying is that the only requirement of receiving the grace required for salvation, that is the only "action" that must be taken by the person being saved, is to have faith in the one providing the grace. It is in this way that we are saved. My opponent is confusing the order of things and is gift certificate metaphor proves this. In his example he asserts a gift certificate for a thousand dollars. The gift certificate in his metaphor is equivalent to grace. Now this gift certificate has stipulations, like all gift certificates. My opponent asserts that in order to use the gift certificate, you must obey the stipulations. He recons that the stipulations are equivalent to the coventantal stipulations of salvation. However, what my opponent fails to see is that salvation is not after one obeys the covenant. In my opponent's argument, salvation is when you spend the gift certificate. However, in the Scripture, the outflowing of obedience, the enjoyment of ones new life in Christ, the spending of the gift certificate... is not itself salvation. It is a result of salvation... not salvation itself. Lets reshape the metaphor using this correct understanding. If someone gives you a gift certificate. You must do nothing to accept the gift certificate except take it from the one who is giving it to you. In order to spend the gift certificate, you must follow the conditions of the certificate. What my opponent fails to capture in his original metaphor is that faith is the point of receiving the gift certificate, not spending. My opponent is correct that we must be faithful unto death to receive our ultimate salvation. Let me say that again with some added emphasis. We must be FAITHful unto death. One more time... a little clearer. We must be Faith Filled until death. My opponent is arguing my case for me. My opponent also argues that the "True definition of Grace" is God's choice to be crucified, in order to bring His Plan of Salvation to earth, all while we were still sinners and enemies toward Him. This is a good definition. All we must do in order to receive the benefit of this grace, is have faith that it is true. As I showed in my initial responses, there are many things referenced in the process of salvation. Christ/God is the actor in the act of salvation. He acts upon us in salvation. Grace is the means by which he acts upon us. Baptism is a confirming outward sign of an inward reality, but the hinge of this debate rests on one thing alone. Do we have to do anything besides have faith in the promise of God to be saved? The answer from Scripture, in the words of the Apostle Paul (Writing to the Church in Ephesus.) "You are saved by grace, through faith, not by works." My opponent claims that The Rich young ruler, the Chief Rulers, the Pharisees and Lawyers, and the Devils all had faith. However, none of the passages he referenced teach this. The Rich Young Ruler was not saved because he would not follow Jesus in faith. The Chief Rulers references in John do not confess their faith, however the passage does not teach they were not saved. The Pharisees and Lawyers declared God just, but the passage in question does not speak of them having faith in God, finally in James 2:19 all we see is a distinction in how the word is used. Words often have several meanings. Pisteuo (I have faith, I trust, I believe) has a range of meanings. When used of saving faith it means "I trust in" and carries the idea of leaning on or placing your full weight on something. However, another meaning can be simply to acknowledge something as fact. This is not a saving faith, and this is how the word is used in James 2:19. The devils acknowledge the facts about Christ, but that does not mean they have saving faith. Furthermore, the plan of salvation (including Faith alone) is never extended to fallen Angels and only applies to humans. My opponent universally argues that "enduring" or "persevering" to the end means "obedience." However, this is an implied understanding that is not in the scriptures. "He who endures to the end will be saved." Endures in what? Endures in faith... there is nothing in the passage about obeying commands or doing good works. It simply says endure. I argue that it means to endure in faith... however on the surface of the text it is ambiguous. Lucky for me, I do not need to prove that it means faith, I simply need to prove that it does not NECESSARILY mean something other than faith. My opponent argues again that Baptism is a component part of salvation. However, he also argues that whatever saving grace is being conveyed in the act of Baptism, it is being conveyed "by faith." Again, my opponent argues my case. Just as grace is the means by which God saves... if Baptism is a part of that means, Faith is still our instrumental response and the only thing we must do to be saved. My opponent again makes the mistake of disordering things. Just as he mistakenly viewed spending the gift certificate as salvation... he is viewing Israel entering the promised land as salvation. If Egypt is sin... and being saved is being brought out of Egypt... then being brought out of Egypt is salvation, not entering the promised land. According to his schema, we are not saved until we have entered heaven... however Paul constantly refers to salvation as a past event (by grace you HAVE BEEN saved... you are SAVED by grace). A better ordering would be as follows. 1. God brings Israel out of Egypt (Egypt equals sin, Leaving Egypt equals leaving sin -> Salvation) 2. through the sea (re-affirms the reality of salvation) 3. and into the promised land (ultimate culmination of salvation, entrance into heaven/new earth) Thank you for reading.