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beloved57 said:
wow pilgrim, you get off telling me I am dead in tresspasses and sins for believing the gospel , and you have not once said anything about an arminian being lost for believing in works. I really thought you were more advanced in your undersanding than what is being revealed now. Answer me this question. Was saul of tarsus saved prior to his damascus road encounter with christ ? Please explain your answer.
Perhaps you are incapable of comprehending things as you ought?? [Linked Image] Or perhaps you are as doulos suggested, i.e., you are nothing more than a troll [Linked Image]. But whatever the reason is, you certainly have many things wrong and fail to comprehend what other people write. What I said was that IF you believe that you are saved BECAUSE you have embraced "right doctrine", then you are no different than any other unbeliever who has not embraced Christ by grace through faith. Frankly, as far as my not being as "advanced" as you thought I was, I couldn't care less. For from what you have revealed about yourself, I dare say, being "advanced" according to your standards would be a huge step backward.

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And then more error is expressed by you:
oh by the way , I do believe in eternal justification. But for right now I want to see where your understanding is. Can we say or would paul say he was a christian, a beliver, before he believed in christ through the gospel revealation given him? Again explain your answer. Thanks...
Was Paul saved before he believed upon Christ, you ask? Absolutely not! We here believe firmly in the biblical doctrine of "Sola Fide"; justification by grace through faith, alone. We do not find "justification by decree" anywhere in Scripture. Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit puts it quite succinctly and quite sufficiently when he writes:


Romans 8:30 "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."


Clearly, predestination facilitates calling and resultant of that calling comes justification. And immovably wedged between "calling" and "justification" is faith. This is Christianity 101. It is one of those essential elements of the Gospel without which no one can be saved. Have you a true living faith in the Lord Christ? If you were charged with being a Christian, what biblical evidence would one find to convict you?

Oh... btw, we have already thrashed through this subject of "eternal justification" here on the Board. You will NOT hijack this thread and continue its discussion under this topic of "Gospel Truth". And in case you haven't been exposed to Berkhof's discussion on this topic, you can read it here: Eternal Justification.

In His grace,


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simul iustus et peccator

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