Grace For Obedience To The faith?

[Firstfruits]

With regards to the following scriptures, why do we need to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith?

Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

God bless you!

Firstfruits

[RabbiKnife]

I think that would be rather obvious from 2 Cor 13...

[Firstfruits]

I think that would be rather obvious from 2 Cor 13...

Is it to examine and prove our work as in the following?

Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

1 Cor 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Firstfruits

[andrew_no_one]

Indeed. But practically, how do we examine ourselves? We look at our actions, what have we done and what do we do.

[Firstfruits]

Indeed. But practically, how do we examine ourselves? We look at our actions, what have we done and what do we do.

So regarding the following, though we may have received the grace of God, without faith do we become unworthy or our faith made vain?

1 Thess 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Firstfruits

[andrew_no_one]

So regarding the following, though we may have received the grace of God, without faith do we become unworthy or our faith made vain?

1 Thess 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Firstfruits

Yes.
As you've seen across the board lately, this seems to be a tricky topic.

[Brother Mark]

So regarding the following, though we may have received the grace of God, without faith do we become unworthy or our faith made vain?

1 Thess 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Firstfruits

Does the scripture say that faith is in vain? Or that Paul's labor would be in vain. There's a difference in falling short of the grace that is given us and falling from grace completely.

[VerticalReality]

Indeed. But practically, how do we examine ourselves? We look at our actions, what have we done and what do we do.

I don't think examining yourself to see if you are in the faith is only looking at your actions. If examining your actions determines whether you are in the faith, I think ALL of our actions would relegate us to eternal damnation. We can't just pick out the good actions. We have to pick out those not-so-good ones as well. If the determination of whether or not we are in the faith is predicated by our actions then we will all fail miserably.

[Firstfruits]

Yes.
As you've seen across the board lately, this seems to be a tricky topic.

Thanks Andrew,

Would you say then that grace is only a part of the equation, as it is given for the obedience of faith?

1 Cor 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Phil 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Firstfruits

[andrew_no_one]

I don't think examining yourself to see if you are in the faith is only looking at your actions. If examining your actions determines whether you are in the faith, I think ALL of our actions would relegate us to eternal damnation. We can't just pick out the good actions. We have to pick out those not-so-good ones as well. If the determination of whether or not we are in the faith is predicated by our actions then we will all fail miserably.

What do we persist in doing?
Romans 2:7-8
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

[RabbiKnife]

I think that taking single verses or portions of verses and stringing them together to try to prove a point is a very dangerous method of looking a the Word.

So I can't answer any of your questions based on the isolated verses presented.

[andrew_no_one]

Would you say then that grace is only a part of the equation, as it is given for the obedience of faith?

Grace is not cheap. It was costly to God and costly for us. Anyone else read Bonhoeffer?

[Brother Mark]

What do we persist in doing?
Romans 2:7-8
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

So is one accepted by God because they do good works?

[andrew_no_one]

So is one accepted by God because they do good works?

No. We can never be "good" enough to be acceptable...

[Firstfruits]

Does the scripture say that faith is in vain? Or that Paul's labor would be in vain. There's a difference in falling short of the grace that is given us and falling from grace completely.

The following tells us the dangers of doubting God.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised

Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Firstfruits