GraceOverwhelmsMe
Puritan Board Freshman
I was in Bible study last evening and the pastor that was leading said there were two kinds of faith:
1) Salvation faith - the faith that, should one possess it, saves
2) Living faith - the faith that produces and moves a Christian forward
I asked the pastor following class if he believes you can divorce these two types of faith (is it possible to possess salvation faith without a living faith). He answered in the affirmative. He continually returned to the idea of not wanting to question somebody's salvation based on the works we see.
I appealed to James 2 to say that faith without works is dead to argue that unless one's faith produces works (great or small), that one does not possess a faith that saves. We are justified by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone. I agree that we are not to judge a man's salvation based on works we personally see, but there are times to confront a brother when he is living in sin and does not appear to be repentant
I guess I'm confused. Is he proposing a form of antinomianism, or is he just afraid of seeming judgemental? Or am I wrong? Is there a way to divorce these types of faith, or would you argue that one shouldn't even create a differentiation (this would be my view).
He is not a member or elder of the church I attend, but is brought in regularly lead Bible studies, and I'm not sure what his theological leanings are. This was the first time I've been in a Bible study that he leads.
1) Salvation faith - the faith that, should one possess it, saves
2) Living faith - the faith that produces and moves a Christian forward
I asked the pastor following class if he believes you can divorce these two types of faith (is it possible to possess salvation faith without a living faith). He answered in the affirmative. He continually returned to the idea of not wanting to question somebody's salvation based on the works we see.
I appealed to James 2 to say that faith without works is dead to argue that unless one's faith produces works (great or small), that one does not possess a faith that saves. We are justified by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone. I agree that we are not to judge a man's salvation based on works we personally see, but there are times to confront a brother when he is living in sin and does not appear to be repentant
I guess I'm confused. Is he proposing a form of antinomianism, or is he just afraid of seeming judgemental? Or am I wrong? Is there a way to divorce these types of faith, or would you argue that one shouldn't even create a differentiation (this would be my view).
He is not a member or elder of the church I attend, but is brought in regularly lead Bible studies, and I'm not sure what his theological leanings are. This was the first time I've been in a Bible study that he leads.