Grace alone - no one can boast?

Question

So if salvation is by grace alone does that mean that it the application of salvation if by grace alone.

Paul boasted that he had run the race and fought the good fight, he also mentioned about working out your salvation with fear and trembleing. If it was grace alone all the way and once saved always saved why would anyone need to tremble.

Answer 1

Sometimes I think we're awfully proud of our humility.

Answer 2

"Once saved always saved" is a fantasy and false doctrine contrived from folks who want to keep their sin and still claim to love Jesus. The idea is not scriptural - it is contrary to what is written. It is "sloppy grace."

Grace is not for "fire insurance." Grace is so we can work out our salvation. We do so with "fear and trembling" because we are accountable to a Holy God. We are to be obedient to His call and His written word, but we are human and will fall short - that is where grace comes in, so we can repent and get it right (under the leading and power of the Holy Spirit) the next time.

Salvation is by grace through faith. Faith is belief in action. I can believe all I want, but if I don't do something with what I believe, the idea of faith is dead. That is what James means by "faith without works is dead". Faith is action on what we believe, it is not just what we believe. So grace comes when we step in faith - "Yes, Lord. I will do this..." - and we do what He has said. We believe in Jesus, and we exercise faith when we accept and commit our lives to Him and then are under grace. Grace THROUGH faith.

Answer 3

There are Two Steps to Salvation:
1. Getting your Spirit Recreated (getting Saved, Born-Again)
2. Getting Saved from Sin, Sickness, Disease, Poverty, Accidents so on...

Number 2 is the One that YOU have to WORK out!!!

Becomning a Child of GOD (getting Saved) is Easy and that is GOD's Part to do for you---All HE needs is for YOU to say "O.K. Save me Oh GOD through Your SON, Jesus".
GOD Recreates your Spirit when you do that and then You are a Child of GOD, Thanks to What Jesus did on the Cross.
You can't Work or Buy this Part (Number 1) of
Salvation, it is FREELY GIVEN, after You give your Permission.

Answer 4

too often "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" is quoted, but the context is missed:

"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." - Philippians 2:12,13.

God is doing the work in the elect, that is the nature of salvation, God calls and saves, not according to our own works:

"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity," - 2 Timothy 1:9.

Answer 5

Salvation is all of grace. The faith is a gift of God. The fruit of a born-again heart is a life of service, producing fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace patience, etc.

Answer 6

Great question, it is not by grace alone that we are saved except from death. Everyone will resurrect and have eternal life. It is then by works that we will be judged and if found worthy exalted to a higher state of being.

James: Faith without works is dead...

Answer 7

There is a difference between salvation/justification before God and following Christ, doing good/sanctification.

We are "declared" just by God because of His grace. The sentence of death for sins has been proptitiated by the blood of Jesus the Christ on the cross.

Now, having been saved/made just, we still live in and by God's grace, but as people who are growing in love for others by our obedience of faith in God.

There is NO boasting on our part that we have been saved. It was completely the work of God in Christ.
Our boast is in Him alone.

Rom 4:1-8
2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about-but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
(from New International Version)


1 Cor 1:27-31
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
(from New International Version)

Answer 8

Yes, Salvation is by grace only.

But to be sure that you are the one who received that grace, you must keep His commandment.

People will know from the fruit you produce.

Answer 9

Maybe these scripures will help ....James 2-17-18.....Even so faith without works is dead, being alone. Yes, a man may say, you have faith and I have works: show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Now which person is truly exhibiting faith here in this example? Is it the one that sees his brother naked and hungry and clothes and feeds him in Jesus name or the one who just says I have faith and I will pray for you? Then maybe he even forgets to pray for the person. Here is another scripture that may be helpful John 14-15.....JESUS WORDS....iF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. Now here is another scripture that deserves consideration, if we were thinking why anyone should be thinking about the fear and trembling. These are also Jesus Words from Matthew 18-4-6......WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD , THE SAME IS GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. AND WHOSO SHALL RECEIVE ONE SUCH LITTLE CHILD IN MY NAME RECEIVETH ME. BUT WHOSO SHALL OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES WHICH BELIEVE IN ME, IT WERE BETTER FOR HIM IF A MILLSTONE WERE HANGED ABOUT HIS NECK, AND THAT HE WERE DROWNED IN THE DEPTH OF THE SEA.

Answer 10

you are right...
there is no "once saved always saved". that is not biblical.
salvation is "applied" to us when we obey the Gospel ...
the gospel (death, burial, resurrection) of Christ is "the power of God unto salvation (rom 1:16)

we are justified (made righteous) freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.... (the Gospel) (rom 3:2)

the apostles peter spoke of how to partake in this salvation by telling us how to obey the Gospel of Christ .... (acts 2:39)

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Answer 11

For one thing how do you know you're even in the faith if there's little correlation with your behavior. Thus Paul warned the Corinthian Christians, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2Cor 13:5