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Matt Slick debates David Robinson, a Mormon, on "Does the Bible teach salvation by faith or works?" The debate lasted for 2 1/2 hours. Matt presented Scripture and so did David. What do you think?
My name is Russell East, serving as station manager for AMA 20, Christian Radio, 1039 and 95 .3 Truth Network. It's a pleasure to be with you this afternoon, and so I just want to encourage you, after the debate's over, to join us across the street from Weber State at 3701 Harrison Boulevard, where we will continue the discussion.
We have a little bit of pizza coming over, and so a little bit of refreshments, and just some more time, additional time to talk about the things in this afternoon's debate. So you're all welcome to join us there.
I want to get my phone number out, because at the end of the debate, there'll be some time for you to ask a question. So I'm going to give you my number, so you can text me the question, and then I'll just read them as I get them.
So I'll give this number again, but the number is 801 -645 -7433. And so you can say if it's for Matt or for David, just designate that in your question. That number again is 801 -645 -7433. So if I could direct your attention to your program, does anybody need a program?
Does everybody have one? I'll direct your attention there. By way of introduction, I'll start that in just a moment. I'll start it off with a little bit of introductions, and I'll pray, and then we'll turn things over to start things up with Matt.
Okay, so our first participant in this afternoon's debate is Matt Slick. He's the radio host of Matt Slick Live. It's a nationally syndicated radio program. He's the founder and president of CARM, Christian Apologetics and Research Ministries, and counterculture ministry.
David Robinson has served two full-time missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He's served 27 years as a tour guide at the Church History Museum. I just wanted to mention that David is not speaking formally as a representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he will be presenting the viewpoints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
So, as to the rules, you can see on the program, I'll be trying to do my best to keep track of times and so forth, so it should be a very good time to get some good perspectives here on what the Bible teaches.
As you can see, our title for the debate is, Does the Bible Teach Salvation is by Faith Alone or by Works? So, with that, let me pray, and then we'll begin this afternoon's debate. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for giving us this time.
Thank you for the friends and family that have gathered here today. Lord, this time is committed to you for your glory, so please intervene and speak to us through your word. Speak to us this afternoon, make things clear, and help us to keep talking and asking questions and getting to the bottom of this very important question.
We commit this to you in Jesus' name. Amen. And with that, let's welcome both of our participants, Matt Selig and David Robinson. Matt, we'll go ahead and have you begin with a five-minute introduction.
Hello. How are you all doing out there? Good. Great.
How are you doing? Good. I've got a few questions. How many of you listen to me on the radio? Oh, yeah. Do I sound or look like what I sound like? Yes. One guy said I'm supposed to be about this tall, fat, big glasses, and bald head.
So my last name really is Slick. I was born with it and learned to run as a kid. I've moved 40 times in my life, and I did apologetics. I started back in 1980, just want to let you know. And I want to quote to you, and I paraphrase a little bit, but I want to quote to you what got me started in apologetics.
What got me started 44 years ago. I was at a Bible study, and I met this friend, I'm still friends with him, his name is Charlie Spine. So Slick and Spine used to hang out. And he wrote this poem. In all these affidavits and all these indictments, it is all the devil, all corruption, false swears, all hell boiled over.
You burning mountains rolled down, your law before I will come out on the top at last. I have more to boast than ever any man had. I've been Lord of keeping church together since the days of Adam, neither John, Paul, Peter, nor Jesus ever did such a work as I.
The followers of Christ ran away from him, but my followers, Latter-day Saints, never ran away from me. That was Joseph Smith, History of the Church, volume 6, page 408 -409. I got so mad at that quote, I snatched a paper out of this guy's hand.
And I said, who said this? And he said, Joseph Smith. I said, who's that? And he said, the founder of Mormonism. And I said, well, Mormons are Christians, but this guy's not. He said, no, they're not Christians.
And I said, yes, they are. He said, no, they're not. I said, why aren't they? And he told me what they believe. And I went, what? That started me studying. So now, the CARM website, how many have been to the CARM website?
OK. Yesterday, it hit 163 million visitors. Wow. 163 million. So Christian Apologetics Research Ministry. And I'm going to tell you something. I'm autistic. I have Asperger's. And so the reason I bring it up is because it makes me write very succinctly to the point.
If you want to know what the Trinity is, you go there, you get it, and that much. You have to read 18 pages. And finally, the Trinity is. And you're not. So you can go, and you can read. You can check it out.
So go to carm .org, C-A-R-M dot O-R-G. I've written nine books, some science fiction stuff. And I've also written a humor book, which I, if you guys are, how many single guys we got in here? Single guys?
OK. We'll get my book, How to Woo and Win Women by Being an Obnoxious Jerk. It's on Amazon. It's on Amazon. No research necessary. I'm natural. It's all there. It's a great book. You can check it out.
And I've been on radio about 21 years now. So I'm doing that. Love debates. And I'm constantly, constantly on the internet, Discord, Pal Talk, Clubhouse, Facebook, dealing with, no offense, but the cults.
I deal with Roman Catholicism and its apostasy. I deal with Eastern Orthodoxy and its apostasy. And I talk about what the soteriological monergistic truth is of the scriptures based on the Trinitarian essence.
And I talk about that and other isms and istics. I love big words. Particularly when you date with your wife and you say something to her. You know, you say, so let's get going. And she goes, shh, shh, shh.
So I like big words. I'll be using a few. But if I do, I will tell you what they mean. All right? Sound good? You guys ready? Ready.
Want me to edit that for you? Fine. Yeah, hold it.
Hello, everyone. Hello. I can imagine that some of you have asked yourselves just who would be dumb enough to debate Matt Slick. Well, here I am. And I've been asking myself that same question. So I'd like to thank the Rocio Christie Club for putting this debate together.
Weber State University for hosting. Russi's for moderating. Matt Slick for traveling so far for this. And all of you for being here. Now, as far as this debate is concerned, I have to admit, I feel like a little kid who's been out playing sandlot baseball who suddenly got called straight to the big leagues.
And don't get me wrong. It's not like I don't debate religion much. I just never had a debate with actual rules. You see, some of my debates were judged on who could yell the loudest. And at times, I've done really good.
But don't worry. My wife made me promise I'd be on my best behavior tonight. Even still, I might get a little excited. My eyeballs will get big. I will not be as eloquent in my speeches, Mr. Slick. In fact, at times tonight, some of you might even think that I'm quite the, well, to keep it biblical, you might think that I'm just like Balaam's cocky ass.
And I'm okay with that. So I have a lot of friends who are evangelical Christians, including ministers. So what I have to say tonight is not an attack on any of you or your love and faith in Jesus Christ.
But it is an attack on the man-made philosophy of Solach and David. Faith alone. And some of the false teachings that evolve from that faith alone philosophy. So are we saved by faith alone or works?
Is this as if it has to be one or the other? And what are we saved from? Well, there's two deaths. The physical and spiritual. And they're both covered by grace. But through the atonement of Christ, the physical death has been taken care of.
And then everyone will now be resurrected. The spiritual death, which determines our eternal reward, it requires some effort on our part. So the physical death was taken care of over 2 ,000 years ago.
Jesus took upon him the sins of the world. While on the cross, he said, it is finished. He broke the chains of death and hell, allowing everyone to be resurrected. This is his free gift of grace. Jesus is 100 responsible for this.
There's nothing you or I can say or do to accept it or reject it or to merit it. We cannot attend the temple. You cannot accept Jesus as your personal Savior. It's his free gift. Jesus is the Savior of the whole world.
In 1 Timothy 2, the Apostle Paul says that God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth. In chapter 4, he says that God is the Savior of all men, especially those that believe.
So just like the title of my favorite Clint Eastwood movie, everyone will be resurrected. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Which gives me hope. Now some have confused this gift of grace, and they made up a mathematical theorem.
A plus B equals C. Faith plus alone equals salvation. It's called the faith alone philosophy. And while it's a popular tradition, it is anything but biblical. Now Matt would have you to believe that by faith alone, salvation, and media.
Nothing else you can do. Oh, and us Mormons, we're going to work our way to heaven. As if I have that kind of power. Faith and belief are essential, but it's not an end-all. We still need to repent and be baptized, obey the commandments, and repent some more.
Our spiritual salvation is a process that we need to continue and endure. Not when it's convenient, but to the end. Through trials and tribulations. Knowing that it's after we do the will of God that we receive our reward.
Now because we're judged and rewarded by our works, we teach to be good and do good. And while I seek to be justified, I want a good and honest heart. Because there are so many scriptures that say that we can believe and still fall away, we need more than just faith alone.
We need to add to that faith so we don't fall away. Oh, I've got time. Thank you. Okay, well, there's a... Thank you. There's a good chance that I may offend someone tonight. Or some too. So whether you like my charming personality or lack thereof, it doesn't matter.
Tonight's debate is not about who is right, it's about what is right. So please judge the truth on the message given, not on the messenger given. Thank you. At this time, we'll have Matt give a 15-minute presentation statement.
Followed by a four-minute rebuttal by David.
Praise God, Isaiah 43, 7. Can't hear you. Can't hear me?
No. Use this one? Test it. Is this the one we're using then, Charlie?
Are you working it? What's that? Test one, two. There we go. Sound good? Better. Keep talking.
Better? All right. We'll do this one. If you speak into that mic, then you can be involved. Okay.
All right, so I do want to thank everybody for coming. And I know it's an inconvenient time on a Friday, but that's just how it worked out. What I'm going to do is read my opening statement.
It'll be more impromptu later on.
So our topic is, does the Bible teach salvation is by faith or works? So this is an incredibly important topic because it deals with the nature and extent of the atoning work and capability of God in flesh, Jesus Christ.
Now, the Bible is the topic, not to the Mormon or the Koran or feelings or anything else. Not the trustworthiness of anything like that. It's just what does the Bible say? I assert that the Bible teaches that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone and that adding works to salvation is a false gospel and it results in damnation.
I assert that adding works to achieve salvation is in and of itself damnable. Now, in order for us to get through this, we've got to define our terms. I always tell people on the radio, what do you mean by this?
Define terms, define terms. The Bible is that set of books, 66, 39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New. Salvation is being delivered from the righteous judgment of God and this includes forgiveness of all of our sins, justification, and ultimately dwelling eternally with God in peace.
This is for his glory. It is not, as some say, merely physical resurrection. Faith is, in the context of our debate, faith is the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual trust that a person has in the work of Jesus on the cross.
Now, by the way, just so you know, God grants that we have faith, Philippians 1, 29, and that faith is in Christ, John 6, 29. He gives it to whom he desires. Works, again, in the context of our debate, is the actions that are done by individuals, usually according to the Old Testament law.
Loving God, loving your neighbor, not lying, not stealing, not committing adultery, being good, doing things like that. Alright, we can get into a lot about that. And if you hear me on the radio, you know I can talk about this issue quite a bit, but I don't have time here.
So, what does the Bible say? Do we obtain salvation by faith or works? Now, notice, the topic is not a combination of faith and works. It is faith or works. I'm very technical, and so it's either this or that.
However, if you're going to have works, you also have faith. Okay, so I'm going to grant that. I'm not going to get into the minutia, but I'll grant that in relation to this topic, salvation, that those who do good works also have faith in God.
Alright. But is it our faith combined with our works that gets us saved, or is it our faith alone in God that gets us saved? Alright. Let's find out. What does the Bible say? In Acts 16, 30 -31, the Philippian jailer asked, What must I do to be saved?
Paul, in silence, answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. In Ephesians 2 -8 -9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, and it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Titus 3 -5. This is a critical verse. A lot of people should memorize Titus 3 -5. He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness. This is something Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox teach, and other groups.
But he did this according to his mercy. 2 Timothy 1 -9. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works. And 1 Peter 1 -9. Obtaining as an outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Clearly, the Bible teaches salvation by faith without works. That's what it says. That's what it says. Alright, now, justification is a part of salvation. Justification is a legal standing before God.
Now, in Romans 5 -9, Paul relates, he connects justification and salvation. He says, Much more than having now been justified by his blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God through him. So, justification and salvation are connected.
Justification is a legal standing according to the law. Salvation is being delivered through the righteous judgment of God. They both have to occur. They're concomitant. That means that they are related and simultaneous.
Alright? Romans 4 -1 -5. What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, according to the flesh, is found for? If Abraham was justified by works, he is to be boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say?
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to his righteousness. Now, to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
There it is. There it is. Romans 3 -28. Amen. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from the works of the law. The works of the law are summarized by Jesus in Matthew 22, 37 -40 when he says, Love God, love your neighbor.
It's a summation of all things. Quoting Deuteronomy 6 -5 and Leviticus 19 -18. 18 -19? In the Old Testament, respectively. Galatians 2 -16 says, Nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus.
Now, note what Paul does. He contrasts faith and words. He says, if not this, it's this. Done. Done. If you want to add words, if you don't have the true gospel, I'll show you why a little bit later. So, clearly, that's what the Bible says.
Now, at this point, I want to introduce a concept. Now, I'm a theologian. I love theology. I love teaching on the doctrine of the Trinity. And I could teach on the Trinity for a long time. I'd get into some really interesting stuff about it.
Don't have time here. But I want to show you something. Hopefully, this will make sense. It makes sense to me. If it doesn't make sense to you, tell me later, and I'll work on it. The Trinitarian God is an entirely unique concept in all of theological examinations.
And I've been doing this for 44 years. And I've studied hundreds and hundreds of groups. I've never seen anybody approach the Trinity. They've had three gods. That's not the Trinity. Or one god and three manifestations.
That's not the Trinity either. The Trinity is one being who's eternal, doesn't have a beginning, does not have an end, and he eternally exists as the one, only God in all existence, place, and time in a Trinitarian essence where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct, simultaneous, co-eternal persons.
I can talk about aseity, divine simplicity, inseparable operations, economic trinity, and ontological trinity. But I don't have time for all that. And I love doing that. So if you go across the street later and you go, please teach me about this trinity, I'm going to go, yes.
That's right. All right. Now, why is that important? Because in the doctrine of the Trinity, we have the second person, the Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us. So Jesus is God in flesh. They call this the hypostatic union.
He has two natures in one person, divine and human. He's still a man right now, just so you know. Okay? And ask me later why he was baptized, and I'll tell you why it has to do with him being a man, the high priest, and everything else.
Now, why is this important? Because Jesus, who's God in flesh, made under the law, Galatians 4 .4, for a little while more than the angels, Hebrews 2 .9, he's the one who fulfilled the law perfectly and never sinned, 1 Peter 2 .22.
So he did everything perfectly. I've done nothing perfectly in my entire life. I don't believe I've done a single thing that's been pure. That's my honest opinion of myself. I don't believe a single thing I've ever done is pure because I'm a sinner at the core of my being.
Try not to be, but that's just the way it is. Now, when you have God, he's the one who becomes one of us, and he's the one who lives the law perfectly, then he's done everything. He's done it right on his intention.
He's done it right by his hands. He's done it right by his word. And he's God, so he therefore has a sacrifice of infinite value to be able to propitiate the sacrifice that turns away wrath, to propitiate the wrath of God, 1 John 2 .2, 4 .10.
He can do that, and he's on, as a man, he can offer a sacrifice on behalf of people. That means he's done it all perfectly. It's finished on the cross to tell us, it is finished, John 19 .30. It is done, it's finished.
What do we do? Are we going to go to the cross? Are we going to crawl up to that cross where the blood of God himself is coming down, draining down the wood, draining from his feet, draining onto the mud?
Are we going to walk up there? Are we going to crawl up there? Are we going to take a list of our good deeds, our baptism, our communion, our going to church, our tithing, or whatever it is you do, and nail it to the cross next to that blood, and hopefully God the Father will accept not only the blood of Christ, but your works as well.
And the combination will get you salvation because that's what the other gospel is. And Paul says in Galatians 1 .89, he repeats it, if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Amen. The gospel is a death, burial, resurrection. Only in the Trinity do we have the one who was offended also be the one who became one of us so that he could satisfy the law, so we could go to the one who's offended and ask him to forgive us of our sins.
Jesus is prayed to in the Bible, and I'll show you all kinds of stuff about that, where he has all authority in heaven and earth, Matthew 28 .18, and you can ask Jesus anything, John 14 .14, and he will forgive you of all of your sins.
You don't need a priest, you don't need baptism, you don't need good works, you don't need anything, because all of it is by the works of your own hand touched by your sin. If you are adding to that, to what Christ has done, then you're saying what you have done is not sufficient.
That's what you're saying. The Bible clearly teaches, if it's by grace, it is no longer the basis of works, Romans 11 .6. And Galatians 5 .2 -4, Behold, I, Paul, say to you, that if you receive circumcision, circumcision was a representation of the law.
I can teach on baptism and circumcision quite a bit. So he says, Christ will be of no benefit to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, he's under obligation to keep the whole law.
And I can go on to James 2 .10 and Galatians 3 .10, which talks about the issue of if you're going to be justified before God and saved before God by anything you do under the law, then you are obligated to fulfill all that law.
But I'll give you a little bit of a hint. Those of us who have died with Christ, Romans 6 .6, Romans 6 .8, Colossians 3, 1 -5, if you have died with Christ and you have died to the law, Romans 7 .4, and when you read Romans 5 .13, the law has no jurisdiction over you if you have died.
We therefore are not under obligation to follow that law. We can do whatever we want as Christians, but you know what? I'm going to go up by the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to honor my wife. I'm going to honor him.
I'm not going to lie about him. I'm not going to misrepresent him. I'm not going to lie to any of you. I'm going to honor people because I'm saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. That's why I do what I do, for his glory, not for mine, not for exaltation.
Now, the Bible teaches salvation by faith alone and Christ alone. I've already gone through the verses. Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. Titus 3, 5. You're saved by grace through faith, not by works. It specifically says it.
Specifically. It says justification, which is a legal declaration of righteousness. So the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
This is the true gospel. This is what the trinity has given to us. But triads, or modal anarchism, or civilianism, or unitary universalism, and all the false theologies, and Islam, and everything that is out there, their gods are insufficient, and so their gospels are also insufficient.
They don't have the god dying for them. They have a god, or a prophet, or somebody else dying for them, and they switch the responsibility of the one forgiving, the one who's offended God, to a created thing, and they transfer it over, and it does not work.
I could expand on that a lot. This stuff gets me going. I'll tell you one thing. I'm going to end with this. I've got about a minute, two minutes. I've got a lot more I can say. When I was 17, when I was 17, I was involved in the occult, pornography, foul language, everything except drugs.
I don't know why I never did drugs. It never happened. I went to a church one day just to see about Jesus, that guy, whatever. No problem. And I end up walking forward to receive Jesus. Yawn, yawn. I'm bored.
Might as well give him a try. That's my attitude. And then, the Holy Spirit himself came upon me with such power that all I could do was throw my face to the ground and moan and wail in the agony of being in the presence of incredible holiness.
And this went on and on like waves, tidal waves upon my heart. Light beaming into my soul, exposing my sin, causing me to force my face to the ground or the carpet.
And moan and almost yell out.
The agony of being in the presence of incredible holiness. And then to the left of me, Jesus was there. Couldn't see him. Couldn't touch him. His holiness. His purity. I still remember to this day that was 50 years ago.
I still remember him. Remember his presence and his holiness. This is true. I've calmed down a lot since then. 50 years. And one thing I know. You want a testimony? I'll give you a testimony of Jesus Christ.
You don't add to what he's done. Amen. Because in his presence, everything you have is touched by sin. And the only thing you can do is bow down. And you rely on him. That's what it means to be justified by faith.
Faith in him. Because faith is only as good as who you put it in. Faith is only as good as who you put it in. And it's the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whom you must serve. You must serve him. You must glorify the Lord Jesus. Trust in what he has done. Not in yourselves. Not in any works. Not in any capability. Not sincerely. Not your baptism. These things are important.
But they do not add to the blood of God on the cross. That's why he grants you faith. That you be justified by faith. Not by your efforts. But by what he's done. Amen. Amen. This time, we'll have Lehman present a four-minute revival.
I'll clap for that, too. That was excellent. And I've got the wrong group here, because you guys are saying amen, and my people don't say that, so... Come on. Lighten it up a little bit. Um... No, that was really enjoyable.
And I loved his conversion story. And I hear that in all different religions. And it's wonderful. And I think God works in all different religions. Um... The one thing I wanted to say amen with Matt was when he says, if you add words, it's damnable.
It's damnable. You know, of all the people that always quote to me and say, hey, don't add or subtract. Revelation's 22. That's gonna be pretty well the theme of my talk today. Um... Justification. I mean...
Do I go there? I mean, I'm gonna go there. Okay. Um... Matt knows all these big words. I think if we were in the military, he'd be a Navy SEAL. I'm not even a weekend warrior. I dropped out of this very institution my senior year in college and started a lawn mowing business.
So, I don't know these big words. If you came here looking to see two intellects going toe-to-toe, you're gonna go home disappointed. Um... I'm sufficiently ignorant enough that I've never been accused of being an intellect.
I like them. They make for great conversations. But I'm more of a guy that goes with William Tyndale who said... How did he say that? He said that if he could finish translating the Bible, that a boy in the plow of the field would know more than the Pope.
Um... I used to mow lawns for a living, so I'd humor myself and say I was a lawn mowing boy. Um... I don't know all these big things, but I can read the Bible. And on justification, it never says you're justified by faith alone.
It never does. You can add it all you want, but I just... I've got a few things in James that says that by words a man is justified and not by faith only. You can work on that one. Matthew 12 says that by words you're justified.
I didn't bring my water up yet. And... it says that we believe we're justified. And then it says we're justified without deeds of the law. And that would be the law of Moses, and we agree with that, too.
And now he says we're justified by his blood. We agree with all of that. I love it. Love the Bible. Agree with all of it. Just not the, um... Go ahead. Go ahead. Oh... Oh, yeah, I'm almost out of time.
This is amateur hour, folks. Um... Anyways... I've got my presentation a little more set forth than he does. Um... But the key thing is is that, um... being saved by faith alone is adding to the Bible.
And we're gonna see how that's being added to the Bible. Um... Faith is a beautiful thing. I'm so glad we're not...
We're not living the law of Moses. If I lived the law of Moses I'd have been stoned a couple times already. Um... It's a terrible thing. It's a hard law to live. Um... Faith is where it is at. But it's not faith alone.
Never was faith alone. Never taught in the Bible. You can come up with all these scriptures and say, see this and see that and see that. But why don't we just stick with what's in the Bible? If you're a biblical church you need to look and read exactly what the Bible says.
Um... 30 seconds. I'm pretty well lost. Maybe by the next rebuttal I'll do a little better. Um... But, yeah. I'm ready to start my thing and so we'll move forward. Thank you. I say these things in Jesus' name.
At this time, David will present a 15 minute statement. So I meet people all the time that say they belong to a biblical church and that all of your teachings come from the Bible. And I'll ask them, would you belong to a church where some man cherry picks the scriptures and then tells you what he thinks God is trying to say?
Not what God actually says. And their answer is always, absolutely not. It has to be written in the Bible. You can tell what group of people I'm talking to, can't you? But when we compare their beliefs to what is actually written in the Bible, not only is it different, but quite often, it's exactly the opposite.
And we'll look at this later. So I'm going to share some numbers with you. And I'm going with the King James Version. The other Bibles have higher or lower numbers. But the results are the same. And since we can all agree that God is the author of the Bible, it's safe to say that God chose to use the word faith 247 times in the Bible.
He used the word alone 108 times. That's 355 times. So how many times do you think that God said we're saved by faith alone? And before you answer that, who do you think said it more? A little trivia.
Jesus or the Apostles? Most people think the Apostles. But they said it the same number of times. And this is a little off topic, but the sinner's prayer. A sinner's prayer, for you that don't know, it's a prayer that evangelical Christians can give.
It doesn't save them. It's just a way to talk to God and commune with God. And as part of the process, they'll accept Jesus as their personal Savior and a hell-bound sinner. But there were 650 prayers given in the Bible.
How many of those do you think were the sinner's prayer? And again, who said it more? Jesus or the Apostles? Well, they said it the same number of times, too. But here's where it really gets interesting, and I'm not evangelical.
Jesus and the Apostles said that we're saved by faith alone the exact number of times that Jesus and the Apostles said the sinner's prayer. I mean, unbelievable. What are the odds of that? Could this just be a coincidence?
I don't think so. Because when something this unlikely happens, we should seriously take note. And more important, just what is the message that God was trying to give us? Oh, and the number of times they said it?
That would be zero. Never. Not just never, but never ever. God never said that. And so my question to Matt will be, since Jesus never said the words faith alone for the Apostles, I'm curious. What's the name of the man who made up that philosophy?
And since it isn't written in the Bible, it would be nice to know what book it was first written in. You know, just the year, maybe. If it was written in the Dark Ages or the Renaissance, I don't know.
So before we go on, I want you to know I'm not an illusionist up here manipulating the Scriptures so you can't read that it says we're saved by faith alone. And as much as I'd love to tell my grandkids that Grandpa's a Jedi Master, you will not see the words faith alone in the Bible.
My side should allow it. It's just not written in the Bible. And to think that Martin Luther, probably the greatest proponent of the faith alone philosophy, said that this is the basis of your entire religion.
And it's not even written in the Bible. Unbelievable. Seriously, Matt, if we were up at a football stadium, somebody would be spiking a football. And it wouldn't be him. This alone should be enough to show that faith alone is nothing more than a man-made philosophy.
Especially if you believe in sola scriptura, the Bible alone. That all your teachings come directly from the Bible. But your teaching is if you have a prophet. And I'm a huge fan of modern-day apostles and prophets.
But if you're not, you should be extremely concerned. But I don't want to call the game just yet because when you take the teachings from this faith alone philosophy, it absolutely goes from bad to worse.
Now, because A plus B equals C, you know, faith plus alone equals salvation. At this point, it doesn't matter. You can say whatever you want. Jesus could command us, he could command all men everywhere to repent, which he did.
But this philosophy says you don't have to. It won't affect your salvation because you're saved by faith alone. Now let's look at two of these. First off, if you want to obey the commandments, but you don't have to, you're still saved.
Well, did you know, let's look at a couple of commandments. 44 times God used the word fornication in the Bible. Singular or plural, fornication, fornicators, excuse me. And of those 44, how many times did God say you could commit fornication and you're still saved?
Well, the answer is zero. Exactly the opposite. In fact, in 1 Timothy, he says, this is the will of God in your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. Acts 1 says it's worthy of death.
You should flee fornication. Deliver such an one into Satan. And Galatians 5 says the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. Fornication is one, and it says that you will not enter into the kingdom of God.
In the same thing, let's go on to adultery. 54 times it was used. Now, of those 54 times, how many times did God say you could commit adultery and you're still saved anyway? Because you're saved by great faith.
Well, the answer is zero. Exactly the opposite. God himself wrote on some tablets 10 commandments. Number 7, thou shalt not commit adultery. Jesus reiterated it in Mark 10, 19. It says, do not commit adultery.
James says that adulterers and adulteresses are the enemy of God. Jesus said, cast them into the bed with them that commit adultery and great tribulation, unless you repent. And again, in Galatians, he says you will not enter into the kingdom of God.
Okay, well, we can't expect every commandment to have that. But obey was used 158 times. And I even used disobey, because God might have come and said, you might disobey, but you're saved anyways. Well, out of the 158 times, how many times do you think he said that?
The answer would be zero, exactly the opposite. In Romans 15, I've got to work on this. He says that the Gentiles are to be obedient in all things. Peter says we're to be obedient children. We're to obey him.
The wrath of God cometh upon the children of obedience. And Paul writes, to know the proof that whether you're obedient in all things. Okay, have you ever wondered why the winds and the waves obey Jesus, the devils obey Jesus?
But imagine, if you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, you don't have to obey Jesus anymore. Makes no sense. And finally, almost 900 times, the word commandment was used. Okay, 899, but who's counting?
And out of those 899, how many times did he say we could break the commandments and we're still saved anyways? Well, here again. Before I tell you this, a little hint, we've got a pattern. So far, everything the faith alone philosophy has taught has not been written in the Bible.
So you may want to stick with the pattern. Okay, how many times did it say? That's right, zero. Exactly the opposite. John 14, if you love me, keep my commandments. 1 John 2, I know him that keepeth not the commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
2 Thessalonians, he wants you to both do and will do the things we command you. And Matthew 28, Jesus taught him to observe all things whatsoever I've commanded you. This faith alone philosophy was never taught in the Bible.
Let's look at another Paul's teaching, and we'll get to that. We're gonna see a little bit about faith. I've always considered it a work. Webster said a work is anything brought about due to an effort, and this is an effort, and we'll see what Paul has to say.
Actually, twice in Thessalonians, he says, well, remember without ceasing your work of faith, your labor of love. Hebrews 6, we have faith and patience inherits the promise, not faith alone. Revelations 14, keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
In my introduction, I said that we needed to add to our faith. I was talking about Peter in 2 Peter 1. It says, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and knowledge temperance, and so on. And then it says, if you do this, you will not fall.
Notice that faith is never alone. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6 to fight the good fight of faith. In 1 Timothy, he says that some shall depart the faith. In 1 Timothy 5, he says, some having damnation because they cast off their faith.
This faith, once you have it, you'll never lose it, is not in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, 12, 20, excuse me, well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. And thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear, for God spared not the natural branches.
Take heed, lest he spare not thee. Behold the goodness and severity of God on them that fell severity, but towards thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou shalt also be cut off.
1 Corinthians 15, he says, moreover, brethren, I declare unto you this gospel, which I preached unto you, which you have received, and wherein you stand, which also you are saved, if, if you keep in memory what I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain.
Paul couldn't have said it any clearer. This refutes the once saved, always saved. So let's get this straight. You have to have faith alone to be saved. But many people had faith and believed, and everyone thought they were saved, but after weeks or months or years, they departed or they cast off.
And it turns out, that being saved is not enough. No. Why? These people were never truly saved, because they didn't truly believe. They did not have saving faith. So why don't you teach how to be truly saved and have saving faith to begin with?
Instead, you teach that all you need is faith alone. What you've done is called bait and switch. So make up your mind. Because faith alone and saving faith are two different things. One is alone. One requires action on your part.
Just read the parable of the sower. If you had an honest and a good heart and believed and produced fruit, you were saved. But if you believed and you received it with joy, but you believed but for a while, you endured but for a while, and in times of temptation you fell away because of tribulations and persecutions that arise from the Word.
He's offended. Also, by the cares of this world. You don't fall away because you didn't truly believe. You fell away because of these reasons. Jesus never taught faith alone. And just so you know, the Bible never says truly believed, truly saved, or saving faith.
It never says it. They are just more made-up words, which fit right in with your other made-up word, faith alone. And as Matt says, is the most damnable thing to add the words to the Bible. Your faith alone philosophy does not exist unless you add the word alone.
Thank you. At this time, Matt will give a four-minute rebuttal. They call me slick. I'm going to have to be quick. Let's see if I can get through some of this stuff. It's easier to break a vase than it is to put it back together.
Four minutes. I'll go through this quickly. Whether or not God uses the word faith or works,.
Does this work? Not. More not. It doesn't make any difference. The issue is where does the Scripture say? And I mentioned the sinner's prayer. There is a sinner's prayer in the Bible. A lot of people don't know this.
Go to Luke 18, 9 -14. The tax gatherer and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee said, look, I do these good things, I don't do these bad things. And the tax gatherer said, Lord, be merciful to me, thus, sinner.
And Jesus said, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. No works at all were taught by Jesus in this point, but by belief only. Jesus didn't teach it. He taught it with justification.
The apostles used the word faith alone. Actually, that's not accurate. James, he does use the word faith alone. James 2, 14 -26. Men are justified not by faith alone. Now, the context is not what I've written on a great deal.
And it's called justification on the horizontal. You go to verse 18. You show me your faith, I'll show you my faith. And that's what he's talking about. So justification there is between people. I can exegete that verse by verse because I have time and a four-minute rebuttal.
But that's what that is. He said that faith alone is a philosophy. Well, everything's a philosophy one way or another. It's a love of knowledge and a love of wisdom and we're looking at it. But what we want to say is that it's biblical.
All right? Well, he said, and I find this a lot from people, that faith alone is a philosophy which means you don't have to repent. That's not true. God grants us repentance, 2 Timothy 2 -25. He grants that we come to Christ, John 6 -65.
You cannot come to me unless the Father grants it to you. He grants that you have faith, 1 Corinthians 1 -29. But God indwells us, John 14 -23. He makes us new creatures, 2 Corinthians 5 -17. So he grants us repentance along with our salvation because that's what is part of it.
It's God's work. It's false religious systems who say, no, you don't have to repent. That's what you guys are teaching. It's never what we teach. When they say that, they don't understand our position.
We teach that we're justified by faith but along with it, God indwells us, John 14 -23. We're born again, John 3 -8. We're made new creatures, 2 Corinthians 5 -17. As soon as I became born again, I stopped so many things because I'm indwelled by God.
I don't have to do those things to keep myself right because Jesus did it all. So I would recommend to people on the radio when I do debates, when I do impromptu discussions, I say, that's not our position.
Please understand our position before you try to address it. If you don't address it properly, you're essentially bearing false witness. Now that means they know something's wrong. Now he maybe doesn't know.
I'm not accusing him. I'm just saying that's not our position. That's not our position that we don't have to repent. It's okay to go out and sin all you want and all that stuff. That's never been our position.
1 John 2 -4, if you say you know him and don't keep his commandments, the truth is not in you and you're a liar. I've quoted that hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times to people. You say you're a Christian?
Let's see it. That's what James 2, 14 -26 is about. You say you're a Christian? I want to see it. Let's see your faith. Let's see how you are. And does the Bible teach you've been saved by grace and faith without works?
Yes it does. Ephesians 2 -8 -9. You have been saved through faith and not of yourselves and the gift of God. Not as a result of works. Right there, faith and works. We have two things. We have two things, Matthew.
Faith and works. If one's removed, the other's by itself. It's a simple logic. If I have an apple and an orange in a bag, take the apple out, the orange is what's left. It's alone. That's what faith is.
That's what faith alone means. You can go to Titus 3 -5. He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we've done in righteousness, but according to his mercy. 2 Peter 1 -9. He saved us and called us to the holy calling not according to our works.
Here's a question to ask God. Do you keep yourself right with the infinitely holy God? By your goodness. That's the question.
At this time, Matt will present a 15 minute speech. A 15 minute presentation. You have 15 minutes. I will. I will. Amateur Albert's on display.
As I said, I'm autistic. A lot of advantages to that, especially when I talk to my wife and I say, what? I don't get it. Can I make it sense? Those are foreheads. But when it comes to theology, I have a 217 page document just on Roman Catholicism.
Just on that. I have many, many topics. And what I've done is gone through, because the Catholics teach salvation by faith and work. They do it all the time. And this is not about Catholicism, but it says in Paragraph 2068 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that you obtain or you obtain salvation by faith, baptism, and the observance of the commandments.
Sometimes when I'm talking to them, I go to the Book of Mormon and say, by grace and faith, that's all you can do. 2 Nephi 25 -23. I talk to them about this. The reason I'm bringing this up is because what I've done is I've analyzed 170 verses in the scriptures that they have used, 174, that they have used to support their view.
And I've put them in my online program. I have the claim, I have the responses, and I have the analysis in the context of all of them. I can go through all these, and we can talk about each one. We don't have time in a format like this.
It just does, the nice thing about a debate is we get to go back and forth, but the not-so-nice thing is we really can't get too in-depth sometimes, unless we're to define something very narrowly at the beginning.
That's just what it is. That's okay. But we can get into it real good over there, if you want. Trust me, I can really get good and anal about this. Straparus, that was the word I used. All right, now, what I want to do is go through James 2.
Because this is something a lot of people will use when they go to James 2, I want to just go through it slowly and show you what it really is teaching. James 2, 2, of 14 through 26 is very often misused by all kinds of people.
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? That faith. What faith? The faith that has no works. That's a dead faith. Amen. True faith comes from God.
Philippians 1 .29, to you it has been granted to believe. It's an aorist passive indicative in the Greek, which means that God has granted it to you. That's why you believe. And that belief is in Jesus, John 6 .29.
So if God grants you faith, and it's in Christ, then it's real, true faith, isn't it? And along with it, concomitantly speaking, is salvation and regeneration where the Lord indwells us. All of it is a package.
So our indwelling, our change of our nature, our no longer wanting to fall away from the world, our ability to understand the true gospel and believe in Christ because we have to. Because in Acts 16 .14, God opened the mind of Lydia to understand the things spoken of by Paul.
You see, God has to open it because if he does not open it to your mind, you will not understand it. Jesus says, you cannot come to me unless it's granted to you from the Father. John 6 .65. You can't.
It's not in your own ability, and it's not in your own wisdom. This is Calvinism. Sorry, it's a dirty word, but that's what that's what I believe, and that's what I teach, and that's what I'll defend.
But that's what the scriptures teach. Right? Even that, boy, I really teach about that. So, verse 15. If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, go in peace, be warm and be filled, go on.
You know, you don't give what's necessary. What use is that? Even so, faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. That's not the faith that God grants you, is it? The faith that's dead, that's not in Christ, and fallen in Christ, and concomitant, that means at the same time dependent upon one another.
It is not concomitant with regeneration and the indwelling of God. Jesus says in John 14 .23, the Father and I will come and make our abode in you. Come live in you. Most of the time, that's fine. Sometimes, ouch, I've gotten the holy slap a few times in my life.
I don't know about you guys, but I have. My two-by-four, my four-by-four in heaven, round. But someone may well say, verse 18 is critical, you have faith and I have works, show me your faith, but without the works, I will show you my faith by my works.
This is called the horizontal. It's justification between people. It's called horizontal. Romans 4, 1 through 5, which I quoted earlier, is the vertical. What shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, according to the flesh, is found for?
If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God and was credited in his righteousness. And the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but what is due?
But to the one who does not work, but believes. No works, just belief. The one who does not work, but believes, that's faith alone. And him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited in his righteousness.
That's the vertical. This is horizontal. Verse 18, you have faith, I have works, show me your faith, but without the works, I will show you my faith by my works. That's horizontal. It's justification before people, not before God.
Because if God grants you that faith, he knows it's yours. And since we're justified by faith, Romans 5, 1, having therefore been justified by faith. What it says. Okay? I have a friend who mocks me and goes, I used to say in the radio, what does it say?
What it says. Verse 19, you believe that God is one, you do well, that demons also believe and tremble. That's false faith. That's called Ascensia. In theology, there's terms, Ascensia and fiducia. Ascensia is, yeah, God exists, whatever.
Fiducia is, I'm sorry, Lord, I trust you, I believe you, I receive you. That's fiducia. That's what God grants to us. That's true faith. The devil himself believes God exists and is powerful. So what?
That's why he says, do you believe God is one, you do well, that demons also believe and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham, our father, justified by words when he offered up Isaac upon his son on the altar?
Across the street yesterday, I'll tell you some neat stuff. You see that faith was working with his works and as a result of the works, his faith was perfected and the scripture was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God and was reckoned in his righteousness.
That's quoted in Romans 4, 3. What was credited as righteousness? His faith and his works? No. Even James says no, his faith was. What he's doing is showing that true faith and true works go together, but you're justified by your faith.
That's why he then says, he goes on, he says Abraham believed God, was reckoned in his righteousness, and he was called a friend of God. You see a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Before who?
Before God? Obviously not. But before men. That's the context of James 2. So many people rip that context. And sometimes maybe you hear it on the radio, I don't say it on the radio so much, but I'll do it when I'm talking to people in Prophecy.
And they'll call me a verse, and I'll say, did you hear that? Hear what? That ripping sound like a verse that ripped out context. You didn't hear that sound. You're stupid. So, you said that faith alone is a philosophy.
That you don't have to repent. I've already addressed that. Yes, you do. Because God does not save us and dwell us so that we can continue in sin. Read Romans 6, 1, 2, and 3. Shall we who have been saved, shall we continue in sin?
May it never be. How should we who have been saved be justified? How do we continue in sin? Since I've become saved, oh my goodness, I can't even utter a half truth, a quarter truth, and live with it.
I have to confess it. I must. I have to. It is so bad and so strong. I will not dishonor my Lord. That's not to say I won't say something false. Not intentionally. We make mistakes. But I will never purposely deceive.
And if I have that, I've got to take care of it. Why? Because Jesus lives in me. Because of Jesus. But the good that I do doesn't get me saved. It doesn't keep me right with God. See, I don't do this on Salvation Day.
I don't do that because my works don't play any part of my salvation. They're the result of God's living in me. I don't have any right to say before God, look at what I have done. Look at me. In fact, Jesus talks about that in Matthew 7, 22 and 23.
Many will say to me, on that day, the Day of Judgment, have we not prophesied in your name? In your name, perform many miracles. In your name, cast out demons. Get away from me. I never knew you. What is he condemning them for?
Because on the Day of Judgment, the Day of Salvation, what are they appealing to for their salvation? Faith and their works. See what I did? Think about it. If God grants that you have faith, He will that faith is in Jesus.
They say, what must we do to work the works of God? Jesus says, this is the work of God that you believe on Him whom He has sent. If God gives you that faith, is He going to grant you the repentance also?
Yet He says He grants to the Gentiles 2 Timothy 2 25. Yes. Is He going to live in you? Yes. Jesus says so in John 14 23. If Jesus is in you, you're going to accidentally do all the commandments by loving God and loving your neighbor.
I don't care about the Ten Commandments. I care about loving God and loving my neighbor. And so I accidentally do all the rest of them. And when I get to heaven, I'm not going to say it. You know, I was on Reagan for 21 years.
I wrote 9 books. And I wrote 6 ,000 articles on karma. I debated. Man, I show people the truth. Look at my works. No. What I'll be doing is hiding behind the robe of my Lord and my Savior Jesus. Holding it around me so I wouldn't face the incredible glory of the Holy One.
And I'm just going to say, I'm with Him. That's it. I'm not going to say, did I not do this and that and that. I'm not adding to salvation. I'm not adding to the work of Christ. I believe in what He did.
Not what I can do. I remember one day, this is for real. No offense men coming up and obviously no offense men, but I was praying. I'm home alone and I was praying for 20 minutes. I could not even think of anything else to pray.
I was confessing everything. You know, those things that only you and God know. I sometimes don't even want to talk to God about it because what I'm supposed to do. And so I'm talking to God about everything.
I'm scraping. I've got nothing left. 20 minutes, nothing left. And then I said, Lord, thank you for not making me like the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Pharisee, Luke 18, thank you for not making me like that tax guy.
And I kept praying and I went, wait a minute, something's not right here. And I went back, oh my goodness, even in the depths of my humility there was pride in those arrogance. There's nothing good in me except the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I get to heaven, nothing that I have done will ever be considered good. I don't know how it's possible. If he looks towards my direction and says, well done, I mean, because I know my heart. I have a sermon I love to preach.
Who's the biggest sinner you know? And the goal is you're supposed to point to yourself, because you know yourself. And that's the idea of that. But nevertheless, I need to get going on this. Now, talk about verses that say we lose our salvation.
No. And talk about obedience. I can talk about obedience verses. I can talk about these verses, you know, Hebrews 6, 4 through 6, Hebrews 10, 26, you know, if you endure this, like that. I know them, okay?
I can talk about them. I do it all the time. But there is a verse that few of them recognize. 1 John 2, 19. They went out from us because they never were of us. If they had been of us, they would have remained.
You see, there's good faith, there's bad faith. You go to 2 Corinthians 7, 10. There is true repentance and false repentance. God doesn't make any mistake when he grants people salvation and he doesn't make any mistakes.
When Ephesians 1, 4 says, he chose us, that's election, before the foundation of the world, in him. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we'd be holy and blameless and loving predestinates with options.
Those two verses are killer significant. Please, someone ask me about and I'll teach. I will teach you federal headship, I will teach you election, I will teach I will teach you the truth of the word of God and you will come away going, oh my goodness, he loves me, he loves me and I'm secure in him.
He will never leave me and forsake me. This is how good he is. Titus 3, 5 says, he has saved us not on the basis we have done in our righteousness. A significant verse. Titus 3, 5, we are saved, we do good works because we're in that place of salvation and That's how we stay safe.
No, he's saying this not on the basis of which we have done in Righteousness that refutes that it's gone all the other verses must be understood in context. You'll notice that when people do this When people quote these kind of things they'll say That you have to do it is great.
Did he say follow the commandment? Did he say keep it? Yes. Where's the same and that's what gets you saved? Let's say that Why are they quoting the verses that say you got to follow me and obey to say this I get sick.
It doesn't say that you do that to show and to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. If you say you know him and don't keep his commandments the truth is not in you when you're a liar. That's first John 4. First John 2 4.
Thank you. So I advocate the truth That Jesus has done everything. There's only one true God he became flesh in the Trinity second person. He fulfilled the law perfectly never said first Peter 2 22, and then he grants his faith.
But it's 129 the faith is in Christ John 6 29 and that means well. How are justified completely and totally by what God has done by what we do and we do not keep ourselves, right? I.
Understand To. This notion that we do good works to be saved and you do good works because you're safe. Works are things that the Heavenly Father has asked us to do. We don't live the law of Moses most of the times when they're talking about works.
They're talking about the works of the law. And these things like the scripture he brought up he was never one of us, you know, they left, you know when I was young I was the biggest Minnesota Vikings fan.
You ever knew I lived and died through four Super Bowls. I collected their cars cards. I had their folders. I was a Minnesota Viking fan, and I don't think I've ever watched a game for the last 20 years.
Couldn't care less. Don't tell me I was in a Minnesota Viking man. That's that's that's his way of saying hey you guys come on we're together they've left but we're not like them. Put that one into context and there's a lot of things I'm putting in context.
But one of the things I'm going to talk about right real quick. Is this thing that for somehow we do good works because we want to have blessings. Jesus didn't do enough. Jesus did everything. Everything there's nothing we can do that will merit salvation for us.
But this obsession with giving rewards and stuff. John John 3 I'm gonna quote scriptures. I mean, I'm not gonna say there. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments. That's exactly what we teach Peter he asked Jesus.
He says what do I receive for following you? Oh Wow, he must be a Mormon Paul one. Oh in Corinthians He says as far as his teaching. He says if I do this willingly, I have a reward. It's okay to have rewards.
Is this biblical? I'm gonna say yes Jesus when he talked to be attitudes sermon on the mound. Of the nice of the first twelve verses nine of these things Jesus promised us blessings. He says do this and you're going to get this.
He even told you you'd go to heaven if you did something. Ooh He must be a Mormon, too. You know, in fact He said rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven. I'm going to rejoice.
In the book of Revelations When it starts out the right to the seven churches and what does he do the first thing he doesn't say. Oh you guys believe in you're saved. He says I know your works. I know your deeds.
They don't work. And if you don't repent, I'm gonna do this this this and this and then he says, oh by the way If you do change, I'm gonna give you a reward and he lists what he's gonna do and they're good rewards.
And to sit here and say well Jesus did it all. You know you Mormons you you do good works to be saved, but we do good works because we're saved and I'll tell you. There's been a couple times. I look at that and I say oh, so that's what the Pharisees look like.
Yeah, you. You can't have this obsession if I see somebody down here that wants a cup of water and I'd be afraid to give them a cup of water because someone would say oh you're doing that to get a reward.
But if you'll remember it was Jesus that said if you give someone a cup of water you'll receive a reward. I Do good works not because I live the law of Moses. Sometimes I do it because I'm selfish sometimes I do it because I don't want to go to hell.
But I never do it for the law of Moses and I do it because Jesus teaches it and does it himself this time. I I Cannot believe that Matt Slick would show up to a debate to prove that we're saved by faith alone.
And then he does not even quote Jesus or the Apostles saying I Mean Matt if yours is a biblical church, please by all means read what to us where Jesus or his Apostles Actually say in their own words that we're saved by faith alone.
If you're a church built on some man's philosophy. Then cherry-pick different scriptures and tell us what you think God is trying to say. I mean you're doing really good at that. But all that everybody here would prefer To hear that from the mouth of Jesus as opposed to you putting those words in his mouth.
Because if that's the case You're not gonna like this. But if that's the case and your faith is no longer in Jesus your faith is in Matt and his faith alone. Philosophy you have to have faith in math that what he thinks God is trying to say is more important than what God actually does say and That's not good.
Now. I've been told told it's hard to translate Greek and Hebrew into English. But you know. That's why they never say faith alone. However somehow God managed 355 times to use the words faith and alone.
One time God tried really hard and he actually got the two words together. James 2 17. Even so faith that has not works is dead being alone in other versions of the Bible. It says James 2 24 that a person is justified by works not by faith alone.
And let's up the ante a little bit. 335 times the word you believe was used that makes 685 times in the Bible that God somehow managed to get the word faith belief and alone. But for some reason he could never say.
Oh. Then you've got the book of Romans. I hear this all the time. Jeff people almost get giddy. 34 times the word faith was used you know and. But never faith alone we read that by faith the walls of Jericho fell by faith alone.
No in the same verse it says that it was encompassed after seven days. By faith the destroying angel passed over the children of Israel by faith alone. No, I'll bet there were a lot of lambs that wish that it was faith alone.
So why do you say by faith alone the Bible never says it? He said it's damnable to add to it. Yes, 34 times the faith alone faith was used in the book of Romans. But instead of being excited, maybe you should be concerned that it never says faith alone.
We agree with all all 34 rules all 34 times. He said we agree with that. The question is The question. Okay, so We wonder why you don't agree with it why you decided to add the word alone to him. Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament.
But he was incapable of conveying the Word of God as he received it. Apparently somebody thinks so. So I'll ask an evangelical Christian. How many ways can you be safe? And the answer is always one. They'll say faith alone or believe for grace and they'll quote some scriptures.
Roman 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart God has raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. We agree Ephesians 2 way or by grace you are saved through faith.
Not in yourselves. It's a gift of God. We agree. We agree with every one of these scriptures. Just not you adding the word alone to it. That's why your theorem is a plus B equals C because none of these say alone you have to add in fact Ephesians 2 a it takes 347 verses before God remembered to put the word alone.
Yeah now Romans 10 9 it's not so bad. It only took 13. So why do you add the word alone? And I'm not mad I just get excited. Then I ask how many ways does the Bible say you can be saved. And of course, you don't have life salvation eternal life.
It's always one. But you know what? I found over 50 in the Bible. Okay, I'm gonna read a few 10 just because time first. Peter 3 even baptism does now save us. Philippians 2 as you have always obeyed not my work work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Revelations to be thou faithful unto death and I'll give you a crown of life.
Romans 2 through patience continuous well-doing seeking for glory honor and immortality eternal life. Romans 13 is high time to awake out of your sleep because your salvation is nearer than when you believed Titus 3.
Not by works of righteousness that we've done but by his mercy we are saved first. John 2 if Which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you and you have the father and the son he promises us eternal life.
James said Blesses the man that endureth temptation. He shall receive the crown of life. Matthew 19 if you enter into life keep the commandments. John 6 you so eat of my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life.
Hebrew 5 He became the author of eternal. He just said something about a baby. You'll have to rewind that Jesus became the author of eternal salvation unto all of those that obey him. Now this is where it gets tough.
Who do we believe? I just quoted Who'd I quote Peter James John and Jesus and Paul and Matt quoted? I don't know but in Matt's defense He is pretty for sure that Jesus possibly Intended to say we were saved by faith alone, but Jesus never did.
The Apostles never did the Bible never did. It was never ever written in the Bible and you know what it even gets worse because you know that the word saved was used in the Bible 104 times and 36 of them actually say how to be saved and with the topic today that how are we saved by faith alone?
I would have assumed Matt would have got up here and opened the Bible and read 36 times where we're saved by faith alone, but you know why he didn't and I think everybody knows my name because They never said that.
But I'll tell you the place where it actually does say the very first place. It says we're saved in the Bible. Matthew 10 22, but it says here. Let's see. He that endured to the end. Oh. During the end I can't be right.
That's what I said my intro. You know because faith alone immediate enduring to the end I could take a lifetime. So who said this maybe it's just some heretic, it's just trying to Say that we're saved by dirty just to go against that true gospel of faith alone.
So who said it? That's Jesus and Jesus says it three times. Matthew 10 22 you shall be hated of all men for my namesakes, but he that endures to the end shall be saved. He says in Matthew 24 13 and that mark 13 13 and he is talking about tribulation.
But there's a lot of scripture in the Bible that says through tribulation you're saved. So let's go over a few more of these. Mark 16 Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Luke 7 that faith has saved me.
John 10 I am the door if any man shall open he shall be saved. Romans We're saved by hope. We're saved by his life. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord is saved. Not alone. In fact call on the name of the Lord.
It goes over many times. Jesus says why call me Lord not do what I says and twice in the Bible literally. They say Lord Lord the ten virgins in the wedding feast and and the Lord sends them away says I don't know you.
Ephesians 2 by grace you are saved. 2nd Timothy 1 We're saved not according to our works, but his purpose and grace. First on Timothy 2 who will have all men to be saved. John 3 God's in not his son into the world.
But that the world through him might be saved. Now I realize we're not keeping. But if we were it would be ways to be saved that are actually written in the Bible. 20 Saved by faith alone written in the Bible zero.
I'm not mad. I'm sorry guys if we had time I think more than double that number. So I guess my question to Matt would be at what point did you decide it was okay to take away the words of Jesus? Out of the Bible and to take all of the ways that the Bible says we can be saved.
Only so you can turn around and add the word alone when it serves your philosophy. You cannot make up words and philosophies to add and subtract to the Bible and then say you believe in Sola Scriptura.
Sola Scriptura claims that all of your knowledge on salvation comes from the Bible alone. But obviously it doesn't. The two cannot coexist. If I was to flip a coin the Bible alone would be on one side and faith alone would be on the other.
If the Bible alone was on a journey north. The buck faith alone would be heading south wandering aimlessly. If we were at a motor speedway. The Bible alone would be in full speed overdrive and faith alone.
You guessed it. It would be stuck in reverse. You cannot make up words and philosophies and add to the Bible and subtract and then say you believe in the Bible alone. You can have faith alone and you can have the Bible alone, but you can't have both now.
You know in biblical times They had a really good system on how to add and to the scriptures and to get to make scriptures the Apostle Peter said. The Apostle Peter said that Holy men of God spoke they were moved upon by the gift of the Holy Ghost.
That's how we got scripture. Now obviously, I'm not a whole man of God. But you know what? It works so good for Matt. I think I'm gonna give it a go. Yes. Tell me what you think. So here's a scripture.
It says we're saved by hope alone. We all hope we're all saved good. Here's another one John 5 he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me Alone is saved. That's not believing on Jesus. That's believing on his father.
So we're saved if you just believe in God. And I know you're not gonna like this one, but I don't like you guys out of the word at all neither. So here goes Matthew 21 31 Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you the publicans and harlots alone.
Go to the kingdom of God. Well, can you believe that do you see what happens to the Bible when you add the word alone it changes the entire meaning. Now would any of you accept it when I added the word alone?
No, but more important with God accepted. Absolutely not. And so my question to you would be if God won't accept it when I added the word alone. What makes you think that's going to accept it when Matt asked the word alone and you're the ones that quote Revelations 22 to us all the time about adding and subtracting words.
I just read 20 places where Jesus and his apostles Specifically said how to be saved now Matt will attempt to explain away the very words of God with his faith alone philosophy. The faith alone philosophy.
Oh. The faith alone philosophy does not exist unless you add the word alone. By adding the word alone. It changes the entire meaning of the Bible. Thank you Matt will be given a four minute rebuttal. Then we'll have a seven minute conclusion by Matt and seven minute conclusion by David and then we'll move into our Q &A time.
Four minutes.
All right. David asserted that it is a philosophical approach to say that a specific doctrine must be taught in specific words. That's a philosophical approach. He's saying Philosophy to say I didn't have to have the word alone.
It's not there. He's saying I'm doing philosophy. But yet it's a philosophical approach to say this is what's required of the scriptures in this position. That's not itself on the scripture that's called philosophy.
So he's not aware that he's actually guilty the very thing he accuses me of doing. So the word atheism is not found in the Bible, but it was psalm 14 1 we see that atheism. The concept is there the doctrine of Trinity one God and three distinct simultaneous co-eternal persons is not found in the scriptures either.
I mean as the sentence, but the doctrine is taught to the whole of Scripture. We do not have to have the philosophical assumption as being a base. Understanding that the words order has to be there. In other words We don't want to say that a descriptive summary of something the scripture says the descriptive summary has to be in Scripture for to Be true.
That's a philosophical approach and it's incorrect. Now did Paul teach faith alone? Yeah, he did. Look, we give an apple and an orange faith in works. You take works out faith is alone. It's simple logic.
We maintain the amendments justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Romans 328. Romans 4 5. But the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies and godly faith is alone. I ask this of Catholics all the time.
There's faith alone there. They don't want to answer. Because it up. Yeah, it is. It's just this is logic. Okay, we can be logical. You mentioned first Peter 321. I love talking about baptism. I can mess you guys up.
But first Peter 321 corresponding to that baptism now saves you corresponding to what it's the previous verse Noah entered the ark. It was the ark that saved them not the water. Corresponding to that Noah.
I mean that doesn't now save you not the brutal dirt in the flesh. Always caught the whole thing in the context. Otherwise, you get something wrong. Philippians 2 12 and 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for his God who's working within you both to will to work according to his good pleasure.
So God's working in you. It's not that we do these things in order to get saved. Now your salvation is the completion of God's work. Oh, by the way, that's something he's going to talk about when we talked about 1917 you know, what are you gonna do to be saved.
Jesus said keep the commandments to be saved. Context context. Go to Matthew 19. The lawyer said what good thing am I gonna do to be saved? He's presupposing that he can be good to get saved and you'll notice that if Jesus answers people according to their Question because they don't have eyes to see in fact He speaks of parables if Mark 4 10 to 12, so they will not see and not be forgiven.
I can show you about this because that's what God does. Because there are people who are given the eyes to see and others who are not and they're not being able to see because this Man doesn't see that it's through Christ.
It's faith alone in Christ, although not by his works of the law. Then Jesus said this do these things. I've done them all. Really you have have you sold everything? Well, no. Then you haven't done it all because people measure themselves by their own ability thinking they're the ones who know what the standard of the Law is.
Yeah, I've done it essentially what they're doing is. They are keeping themselves right with the infinitely Holy God by their efforts and by their works. And I would love to talk about he wants all of you say this first of Peter 3 9.
You can also cross records it with the first Peter. I mean first Timothy 2 4. Go across the street ask me I'll tell you something about the word all how it all works and to go home tonight. They'll say.
But it's in the Bible I'll show you stuff. It's in scripture, okay, that's an invitation for tonight.
Slick and quick Matt will give a seven-minute.
I'm older. By the way Caesarean. That's just a billion verbiage. Oh, it's kind of as a tariff, but it's okay. All right. Here we go seven minutes. All right if you can see I Love theology. I've debated this hundreds of times.
I like to have fun as well. All right. But it's a serious thing. And you have to decide. What are you gonna do when you get to heaven? What are you gonna appeal to for the forgiveness of your sins? Are you gonna appeal to?
The work of Christ and then this whole other topic of who Christ is. That's a whole other topic. You can appeal to the work of Christ and yourself. That's what it comes down to. Are you gonna appeal to the infinitely Holy God whose presence is so vastly?
That you throw yourself to the ground and wail. Because he's holy and you don't dare dare to offer up anything. On your behalf nothing. What are you gonna say? Well, you know, I tithed. I was baptized.
I Didn't defraud my neighbor. I helped many people. People I'm sure he has to. I've done all these good things. I've tried to keep your commandments. I Bowled next-door ladies long ones. I shaved that lady's car tire once, you know, whatever about mocking those things.
I'm sick, whatever it might be. You say Lord. Did we did I not do this and this and this? In your name get away from me. I never do you see. It comes down to your view of God. The Trinity is a necessary precondition for all intelligibility.
Only in the Trinity can the issue of the one in the many Universals and particulars be solved. Unitarianism doesn't work by anitarianism doesn't work. Only Trinitarianism does only Trinitarianism. Can we have the incarnation with a fullness of God himself?
Colossians 2 9 all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form in the person of Jesus. Only the Trinitarian concept not a triad of three gods or one God and three Manifestations of all the monarchy is a civilianism.
One is Pentecostal. All those false things. Only the Trinity can we have himself. Become one of us and live under the law that he himself gave. Jesus says in Matthew 12 34 how did the abundance of the heart of the mouth speaks?
God said let there be light. God says don't lie. This is out of his abundance of his heart out of his character. So the law is a reflection of the character of God and God says. Peter says That God is holy.
He says for first Peter 1 16 be holy for I am holy. What's the standard you? Know God be holy for I'm holy. God's standard is himself. The standard is perfection. Does he ever fail? No, he does not. That's why Jesus is the only one God in flesh two natures.
God in man attributes of both natures described in a single person's called the communicatio idiomato. It's only because of what Jesus is and what he did. That he is the one who could fulfill the law and he can fulfill it.
Matthew 5 17. And he never said never broke the law first. Peter 2 22. Therefore God did everything. This is biblical theology. God did everything that we need to have done to tell us die is finished.
She just says on the cross to tell us I is a legal term. Legal term. I can tie it into all kinds of neat stuff so much I could show you and He did everything under that law. He fulfilled it perfectly.
So what's left for us to do. Because everything that you are. Everything in your heart. Good deeds you've committed or try to do is touched by sin. We are by nature children of wrath. Ephesians 2 3 the heart is desperately wicked deceitful.
No man can trust a Jeremiah 17. I say to people. You know, they say I don't sin anymore. There's actually groups. I don't even sin anymore. Five minutes with me. Because I am a sinner and they are too welcome are we gonna offer our good works.
Stained works before God. He said be holy for I'm holy. He doesn't say offer me good works, you know, can you say that's a philosophy? That's a philosophy of men. It's taught by the Jehovah's Witnesses the Mormons the Unitarians is taught by the Muslims.
Sure, 23 101 203. It's taught by the Christadelphians. It's taught by the Roman Catholics. It's taught by the East Orthodox a Roman I mean the Russian Orthodox. It's taught by a bunch of cults. You don't even know about Eastern.
I'm getting this up. It's all taught all of them. Teach the same thing. You have faith in God and what you do and that you are actually good enough. What this ultimately is and this is I'm going to careful what I'm saying is because I don't mean to insult anyone.
And if you're a Mormon, please understand. I don't hate you. But this is arrogance. It's profit to say. Look, I see the Catholics too. I mean everyone I should say look. It's pride to say that you are going to add to what Christ has done by obedience and therefore thereby His work and your work combined is what gets you saved what keeps you saved.
My heart aches. Amen heart it aches for those who say that. Because they have not ever been in the presence of incredible holiness. Because they would Throw that away instantly. Knowing that nothing they can do in any way shape or form is good enough.
This is why our faith is in Jesus God in flesh and only by him we're saved by grace to faith. That's the Bible says not of yourself. Not of works. Ephesians 2 8 9 it says it right there is saved by faith.
And we don't keep ourselves right with the infinite holy God by our goodness. That's just more pride. Let's get rid of the pride. Let's turn our hearts open. Bear before the cross of Christ and ask Jesus to forgive us of all of our sins so that he might receive all the glory.
I.
Agree with a lot of what Matt said and we aren't saved by works. We're not saved by faith alone. So what exactly did Matt Slick prove tonight. Certainly not what he wanted to and how sad to believe that you can do nothing.
Just read the Bible and mark what Jesus expects of you. So are we saved by faith alone or works we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ in that we will all be resurrected. There's no other name by which man can be saved and there are no works that anyone is capable of doing to save themselves.
Our works save us from eternal suffering not because of our own selves. Lest any man shall boast we are not saved by our works. We are judged and rewarded by them. It is through our faith and obedience to God's commandments that we are judged and rewarded and that will determine our eternal reward.
Jesus said that and this is only possible because of the grace of Jesus Christ and It is Jesus who set forth these rules for us to follow. He predetermined the rewards if we choose to submit to his will.
Now before I go on I want you to know that what I've said tonight is good news. If you're an evangelical Christian Quit believing you're saved by faith alone. I know you love our Savior. This will only bring you closer to him.
Jesus said if you keep my commandments, you'll abide in my love. If you're a preacher stop preaching it. Please don't turn the Ten Commandments into the Ten Suggestions. Jesus said in vain they have worshipped me teaching for doctrine the commandments of men making the commandments of God of none effect.
What modern-day tradition tradition teaches the commandments of God are of none effect and that's the faith along philosophy. And while we're talking good news got to throw this in. I invite you to learn the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with living apostles and prophets priesthood authority angelic visitors.
Modern-day revelations and the Book of Mormon as the Bible says by two witness Witnesses shall his word be established. We have the testimony of two nations and You owe it to yourself to learn from the source not some disgruntled ex-mormon or someone who profits financially.
And should we believe the man-made faith alone philosophy that Matt so eloquently describes. Or the very words of Jesus which are written in the Bible two very different things. Your philosophy is wrong.
Not because I say it's wrong. It's wrong because its teachings are not written in the Bible. If Matt didn't get straight A's in theology school, he should have. I do agree with a lot of what he says but his goal is to convince you that God said something in the Bible that God never said and You are supposed to believe it even though your faith says you only believe what's written in the Bible.
The only way to actually read that you're saved by faith alone is to take the Bible close the Bible set it aside and read it in some other periodical. The only two times these words are even used together in the same verse.
Specifically says you're not saved by faith alone and you're not justified by faith alone. It only up it only takes one scripture that says you're saved by a way other than faith alone to disprove the faith alone philosophy.
And it takes at least one scripture that says you're saved by faith alone to make that philosophy even plausible. Apparently no one can produce that one scripture this says we're saved by faith alone because God went out of his way not to say it and Although I only needed one I produced 20 scriptures that show Salvation other than by faith alone.
Now Matt shared his opinion with us 11 times 11 times he says we're fake saved by faith alone. Nothing more than his opinion. Let that sink in but for some reason he feels good about all this. I don't know these numbers.
They don't add up and if I was a betting man I'd throw a couple bucks on his philosophy, but there is no way I would bet my eternal salvation on his opinion. Heaven forbid that anyone should leave here tonight thinking we are saved by faith alone because of someone's opinion.
Everyone saw how ridiculous it was when I added the word alone, but some of you are thinking well. It'll work. God will accept it, but he will not. For those of you still grasping on to this philosophy.
I have one last set of numbers and I have time to drink. Okay, one last set of numbers in the three years of his mortal industry. Jesus never said we're saved by faith alone in the 34 years of his life.
Jesus never said we're saved by faith alone in the 4 ,000 years of the Bible from Genesis to Revelations. God never said we're saved by faith alone in the 7 ,000 years of the creation written in the Bible the thousand years of the Millennium and eternity on God never said we're saved by faith alone.
So I guess my question to you would be if God the Father His Son Jesus Christ The Apostles and Prophets and the Holy Bible never says we're saved by faith alone then why do you and more important when will you stop and.
These things I say in the name of the Savior of the world Jesus Christ. At this time I have some questions. Six four five seventy four. That's eight. Oh one six four five seventy four thirty three. If we don't get to all of your questions, I will do my very best to get you an answer.
It might be tomorrow the next day, but I will do that and also three seven zero one. Harrison Boulevard. Right about seven o 'clock. Well, six thirty or so. We'll be over there or Pizza and some more times to try to discuss some of these things.
So that's right across the street on Harrison next to Jimmy Johnson. So you have to go. Want to thank you for joining us tonight. You're welcome to join us over there at our ministry house. We have a Bible Museum over there as well.
Just about four minutes from now. 37 -0 -1 Harrison 37.
37 -0 -1. Harrison Boulevard. What's the name of the place? I I I Would have stood up if you wanted me. I always tell everybody just hold still while I step over you.
I. Would have been a good idea yeah.
I Will go ahead and start our Q &A. We may have to end our time together here rather abruptly because of just certain. You know time constraints here is a wildcat theater or to the for this evening. But if that happens, hey, you can go across the street three seven zero one Harrison.
I love that you see our small Bible Museum and Have some refreshments and continue this discussion, so let's just start and see if our men are up there. Yes. Okay, and we've got important. Our first question.
The first question is for David these responses. One fairly quick. Some of them are. Okay, one minute each. Here's the first question. Okay, let's start with this first question is what works. Did Abraham do?
Okay, real quick. Abraham did no works that saved him. This is this thing of going from James back to Abraham when he saves. Nobody was saved by the blood of the blood of bull or lambs or sheep or anything that's not salvation.
Everything somebody did outside of this of the sacrament of Christ is just. It's nothing. It's counted as Faith, but it's not no work saved anybody even here. I mean the guy just mentioned Matthew where it says that you clothed them and gave them drink and they're saved.
It has nothing to do with our faith alone. I'm so glad that we live the law of faith. I love Christ. I love that his his word is faith, but it's not faith alone. You can't you can't let Jesus say I want you to do this this and this and you say oh I have faith alone.
Go to the gym. Accept a personal trainer and he'll show you how to get in shape and a year later you have faith go back. And how did it work? I Would do my best to be fair on these questions in the answer time so here we go.
Matt this question says this lately. I've determined that the admission of the LDS Church that there's a yes.
One minute. What was the question of the first? Oh the first question? What were the works of Abraham. What works did Abraham did. Well you lots of works. He moved he you know circumcised the kids lots of works.
But those aren't what saved it because Genesis 15 6 Abraham believed God. It was credited with righteousness. Notice the legality of crediting. Before the law was codified he was justified by faith and after the law is codified he justified by faith.
Next question. With that codification stuff to just so you know I just don't know that terminology. All right. You want to have both people answer each question. The question is this lately I've determined that the admission of the LDS Church that their faith is not in the biblical Jesus is in Fact in their name their Jesus is the church Excuse me is the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Who's that? I'm reading it as I read it again. Lately I've determined that the admission of the LDS Church that their faith is not in the biblical Jesus is in fact in their name their Jesus is the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Who's that. Yeah latter days is the last days? We've had Saints throughout the time. They were Saints when Christ lived, but these are the latter days. Our Christ is the same Christ of the Bible. He was born from the Virgin Mary.
He grew up he died for the sins of the world. He was resurrected and he went to his God. One of these things. You say oh, yeah. Well, it's interesting because your God came to earth got a body was resurrected and now he's God is a man God.
That's what we believe. It's like it's okay if that's with with your God, but our God that couldn't happen to. Did that make sense? All right. Yes. Yes church. In their name their Jesus is the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whose back.
First word. The first word in the question. Yeah lately late late lately like oh more recently. No, sorry, we're not talking about this isn't supposed to be the debate topic. But you know I answer it the Jesus of Mormonism is not the Jesus of the Bible.
You know the God of Mormonism is not the God of the Bible. I can prove it. I can show it. I can teach on it. It is absolutely different. It's a simple logic. You cannot have it be the case that a circle is round and also not the case of this round.
You cannot have a case that God's a Trinity and also not a Trinity of Mormonism. You cannot have the case that Jesus is not the brother of the devil and also the brother of the devil. You cannot have these things just logically impossible to love not contradiction and go in and show you all kinds of differences.
This is why fame is only as good as who you put it in you put it in the God of Mormonism. You're gonna go to hell and now I'm not trying to be offensive. It is not the God of the Bible. It's not the true God you have to understand this.
It's not true. It's a false God and ultimately it's demonic. I'm not trying to be offensive, but if you want to talk to me, please I will beg you. I will come I will drive back down here from my devil.
I will spend time with you talking about who the true God is from Scripture. Next question David.
For David It says do you agree with Joseph Smith's translation of Romans 328 which reads. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith alone without the needs of the law. Romans 328 Joseph Smith translation.
If not, why not? You're both can answer.
JST is invented by Joseph. It's not even one of the four standard works. So why is anybody gonna use it? Why'd we go to Joseph Smith? Sorry. He didn't know what he was doing. Oh, man, and so he's the one who added all this works to this stuff is to other scriptures.
I Can't. I don't offend the Mormons. I can't say what I really think. It's not good. Okay, so He's not true. He's not a true prophet. The Bible says the law and the prophets were proclaimed until John Luke 16 16 and also said 1st Timothy 4 1st Timothy 1st Timothy 6 16 that the father doesn't unapproach the light whom no man has seen or can see.
Joseph Smith said he saw the father. It's impossible. You pick Scripture. You trust Joseph Smith. Not both either one. He's not true.
This is a question for David do you agree with Joseph Smith's translation of Romans 328 which reads therefore. We conclude that a man is justified by faith alone without the deeds of the law. Romans 328 Joseph Smith translation.
If not, why not? Okay, I agree that we're not justified by the works of the law. We're not saved by the works of the law. I Don't know it says faith alone. I haven't read that one before Joseph Smith saying Joseph Smith is a true prophet.
You know, there's so many things. You can attack Joseph Smith, but you can take the same things and it happens all throughout the Bible. Other prophets have done it other, you know, the Apostle Paul. He says he says he endured all things for us.
I thought that was Jesus the Apostle Paul said They love me so much that they rip their eyeballs out and give them to me. He calls them their son. The things that Paul said you guys would attack Joseph Smith instead.
He gets a pass. Yeah, I'm not concerned with the things that people say about Joseph Smith as far as this false God. It is so obvious if you read all the scriptures that talk about the the Savior his father the son Jesus when he talks to Mary, he says I go to my father your father my God your God.
He says I do nothing of myself, but what I've seen my father do. He can get up here and say oh I can tell you this and I can teach you that well. You know what? I can take the Bible and go through it with you and there's a difference.
He's a lot slicker and smoother. Okay, thank you I'm going to another question. This is a specific question to David, but. Okay. You said in your opening statement that the term faith alone isn't in the Bible.
Therefore faith alone isn't a biblical doctrine. The word missionary isn't in the King James Bible. Are you then saying there that there are no missionaries in the Bible? Isn't this argument just a red herring?
Oh No. This argument is exactly correct. It doesn't matter that it's not in there. Okay, I understand there's things that happen that isn't written in there. But when it specifically says all these times and then it says different that means it's not a true doctrine.
Faith alone is a philosophy. Because how many times does Jesus say I named out 20 ways that Jesus said you could be saved. He said oh Obey, that's that's heresy or whatever. But he did say you're not saved by obeying but the scripture says you are saved by obeying.
So it's a philosophy and it's a good one and it's a feel-good one. Oh, we just got to believe and I feel the same way. I just want to love Christ. I want to love him. I want to depend on him, but then I guess I'm bad because.
And if I do it some people are gonna say you're working your way to heaven and I'm like, no I'm just doing what my Savior asked and there's a difference. Okay. Thank you. This question is for both of you so we can start with that.
Okay, Matt the question is can we truly understand the difference between the LDS view and evangelical view of faith. Versus faith works without addressing the volume. The difference in the nature of God.
Difference in the nature of man. The difference in the nature of salvation. The difference on the pre-existence interest. No. All right. No, all right, thank you. Next question is A Question if our faith is subject or in addition to works or sincerity.
Sounds conditional, but I have two questions about that one. When have you done enough good or sincerity or repentance to win God's approval? What is the criteria or level how much? Sounds uncertain to me or worse dependent on me.
To. Wouldn't that be like living under a question mark much of the time? Does God really want to rely on us at all? Isn't that the point of the Romans road? We're falling and Fallible, I don't ever see the Bible enumerating any level of works with mentors necessary.
Okay. When have you done enough good or sincerity or repentance to win God's approval, what is the criteria or level how much? What have you done. Good answer. I've never done enough. I never will do enough to merit salvation, but I'll do enough that Christ will know that I love him.
He's my Savior and I rely on him. Holy. I could reverse that question and say When do you know if you have enough faith? I? Mean if you have faith the grain of the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains any takers.
Christ says be there for a perfect as I'm perfect. He says if you if you believe on me do the works I've done have any of you guys done that. Christ always talks of you a little faith. You have enough faith that you can commit any sin once you're saved and you're saved no matter what and the Bible never says that.
But you have enough faith. I don't agree. It does not say that my faith alone or there's a certain amount of faith you need. But as far as works goes Christ told us what to do. We either do it or we don't do we receive the blessings in this life for doing it.
We receive the blessings in the next life. It's 100 up to Jesus. My life is 100 Jesus period. Okay, here's another question this says in case you have time another question for David. Romans 11 35 says God will be a debtor to no man quoting from Job.
Don't works or any act we do in addition to faith requires some recompense slash or debt from God to us. Thanks. Romans 11 35 says God will be a debtor to no man quoting from Job. Don't works or any act we do in addition to faith requires some recompense or debt from God to us.
Okay, God God hasn't he's in debt to nothing to us. We are nothing nothing we can do will amount to anything. But he offered a gift and we're and we can receive that gift. Romans 11 35 says God will be a debtor to no man quoting from Job.
Don't works or any act we do in addition to faith requires some recompense or debt from God to us. Yeah. Faith is a work. Paul said it's a work. Just read about faith. Faith is a work. It takes effort.
You guys are here. I mean, there's so many other places you could go or be but it takes effort to believe in God. I know he's gonna say well God called you and he's gonna have a lot of scriptures, too.
But there's just as many scriptures. I've got a list of scriptures. I just can't remember. But yeah next question for Dave. Would you say your ability to do good works comes from God? I'd like to thank Matt for coming.
I Got a question for you. Would you say your ability to do good works comes from God, oh. Absolutely, you know, okay. I think I mentioned I do good works because it makes me feel good. I do good works because Jesus asked me and sometimes I do good works because I don't want to go to hell.
I've never done good works because of the law of Moses. If Jesus wants to put a carrot in front of me and say if you do this you get a reward great. That's up to Jesus, but I don't yeah my works are done.
Okay, this question is for Matt unless you want to comment on that one, Matt.
No one's done any good works unless it's in the truth and in the true God and true Christ. Otherwise, it's vain Philosophy, it's not a good work. We can do good work in the human level, but not on the divine.
Goodness is not measured by our sincerity and effort but by God's and so you have to have faith in the true God true Christ. Or for work to be good and there's other criteria across the street between.
Question for Matt did the doctrine of Sola Fide Exist prior to the Reformation and was it known by the majority of the church layman?
Yes, the Bible says in first John. I mean first Corinthians 4 6 you're not to exceed what's written Jesus when he was he's got in flesh was dealing with Satan. He quoted scripture and In Acts 17 11 Paul in silence where it's preaching and teaching and the Bereans checked what he said against scripture.
He called a little noble-minded. So yes the doctrine of Scripture is there and in it. So the feed day is there because it's taught in Genesis 15 6 is taught in Galatians 3 28 Galatians 3 20 Romans 4 1 through 5 Galatians 2 16 2 21 Ephesians 2 8 9 and go into all these.
Yeah, it's there in scripture. So when did it come about? I'll tell you when it came about. Forever ago in the mind of the Trinity. That's where it came about.
Thank you, and by the way this whole event tonight this afternoon. It has been videotaped and so if you'd like to get a link or a copy just talk to either David Robinson or talk to Matt Slick or myself and we'll help you get that this next question is for David.
You know this so lost script Torah then everything comes from the Bible we don't believe the Bible's in there infallible or complete. The things that it says in the Bible that says that it doesn't say what Matt's saying.
I wish I knew all these scriptures, but there's plenty to say that it isn't God said. Where. Okay, let's get let's keep our questions on. This we could please face and save it for the cross the street.
Thanks. Yeah. Okay, this question is for David. Where the Bible does Jesus say that the gospel needed to be restored. Please also explain what you mean by gospel. Gospel is the good news of Christ. It's his love.
It's it's what we need to make a part of our lives to love him and to return with them. Where does it say it needs to be restored? Well, it's a couple places. It says that. There are a couple places it says that there will be a falling away and a restoration of all things before the coming of Christ.
We know there was a falling away. He says that we would always have apostles and prophets tell the coming of Christ. Where's our apostles and prophets they died. They continue to call more, but they died off.
So we needed a restoration. Next question.
Ephesians 4 roughly 10 through 12 and they are what laid the foundation I'd get in the doctrine of apostles and prophets. The apostasy is out of second Thessalonians chapter 2 and concomitant with it is the arrival of the Antichrist.
So it hasn't happened yet. So there was no apostasy because it says the apostasy must come first and the man of all this is revealed. So they're concomitant. They're always tied together. That's not happened yet.
And I'll just tell you having studied many Religions many of them say there was an apostasy and we are the restored truth. It happens across the board. Okay.
Let's say the thief on the cross. Let's say the thief on the cross.
Jesus saved him and it was his faith in Christ. And that's all. No works nothing just faith. Right there.
Well, what's on the cross he said today that shall be with me in paradise. He did no works. God knew his heart. I don't know what he was like. He felt repentant. He recognized Christ. But three days later Christ appeared to Mary and said touch me not.
I've not yet ascended to my father and he wouldn't talk the gospel of the spirits in prison. Paradise in heaven we believe is different. So the thief wasn't saved because of nothing. I don't know what his heart was like Christ knew I don't.
Okay, you can see if you're drawing for this next one this says. But to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly his faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4 5 what is credited as righteousness?
Probably the works that he did. I mean his life. He lived up to that point. He credited that as righteousness. He credited his heart. The guy didn't works out of the goodness of his heart. That's why the law of Moses led if you took too many steps on Sunday, you'd be stoned now.
We're supposed to keep the Sabbath just because we love Jesus. The other stuff is credited as righteousness. Everything we do in this life Christ will credit it for righteousness or not. If we do works because I want to be seen the man is in the Beatitudes or the Sermon on the Mount.
He says don't be like the Pharisees. Don't spray an open pray in secret, then I'll reward you. Thank you.
That's What was credited as righteousness and I wait for them to answer and then they give me a lot of answers. Sometimes I say let's read again. Let's read again. What does it say? It's the very faith that God granted.
The Romans 4 3 and Abraham believed God By faith the faith that God gives therefore he gets all the glory.
Okay. For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the law But through the righteousness of faith Romans 4 13. Beside the righteousness of faith. What works did Abraham do?
There's a separation there because that's a very interesting Topic to talk about because what is it's kind of a cross-reference of Romans 4 14. In Genesis 12 3 God says in you all the nations shall be blessed.
That's quoted by Paul in Galatians 380 calls it the gospel. That's what that is meant in that issue of of the blessing and everything that comes forward. I'm trying to remember the question exactly. Because there's a lot of theology in that particular area a lot.
Besides the righteousness of faith, what works did Abraham do? Yeah, he did lots of works.
Because he's a follower of God those things are what got him saved or kept him saved. David.
But we are not. It's very simple. It doesn't matter how many times we say we have to believe or how many times you can say you have to have faith. If you believe you're gonna do the works of Jesus and greater worship to if you believe you're saved and your whole house is safe.
There's so many times. Is that me and my family? Is that me and my mom and sisters and brothers? Just because it says that we're saved by a certain way It means we need to do more to. It's like the example of the gym you either go and do the works you don't but by faith.
You're gonna get there. Okay, the next question is for Matt. Here's the question. How is the Trinity a real concept if the Bible states in multiple scriptures that Jesus is the Son of God while? Jesus was being crucified.
He said father forgive them for they know not what they have done. Matt you believe that Jesus is God. When the Bible clearly says that Jesus is the Son of God is everything in the Bible. Totally the opposite of what it states.
That right there is a half hour to an hour discussion. The terms of God meant he was God and flesh. You can verify it by going to John 5 18. He was calling God his own father making himself evil with God.
The doctor the Trinity's arrived at systematically through a pole of scripture. I can define it. I've had to teach on it a lot. It's a wonderful doctor, but There's just way too much to have to answer in that question.
Oh.
How is the Trinity a real concept if the Bible states in multiple scriptures that Jesus is the Son of God. While Jesus was being crucified. He said father forgive them for they know not what they have done.
Matt you believe that Jesus is God when the Bible clearly says that Jesus is the Son of God is Everything in the Bible totally the opposite of what it states. Faith alone. Yeah, but Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus is the Son of God who refers to him as his father. He says he says I do nothing but what I see my father did he didn't want to be crucified. But he went into the garden and he prayed and he says father not my will but your will.
It's constant. But one thing that I want to say is why did Jesus say to forgive the people that crucified him? Did they believe in him? Did Jesus forgive them just so he could send them to hell or? Why is that they didn't have faith alone?
So Jesus is going to go around and forgiving people just so he can send them to hell later. Yeah, faith alone is not a true philosophy. It doesn't matter how many times you say it or how eloquent or how many words you throw in read the Bible too many scriptures absolutely contradict.
Which works. Which works save you then. Sorry, which works saving them. Which scripture says saved by faith after all you can do. No works a period. Have we not understood this yet? We don't live the law of Moses.
We don't believe that you have to do works to be saved. Christ saved everybody. We're judged and rewarded according to if Christ says I'm going to give you a reward and you do it. You're going to get saved for the one that says saved by Faith after all you can do.
Yeah, which works save you then. Which scripture says saved by faith after all you can do. I think that's in the Book of Mormon. But there's at least a dozen scriptures where it says you're saved if you do this.
You'll receive your reward after you do that. It's all through the Bible. But instead of reading what Paul and John and James says you're going to sneak over here and say there's this one little thing.
Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. It's taught in the Bible. It doesn't say you're saved by faith alone and you can never fall away. I read a bunch of them, but you go look up if then and accept and you'll be surprised with the Bible teaches.
Next question. David only said not to leave alone. Why didn't he say anything about salvation by works, which words? We are not saved by works. We're judged and rewarded period in fact. You can find that they'll say in the Bible that you were judged and rewarded by your works and your deeds and they'll never say you're Judged and rewarded by your faith.
It's just accounted to here. Okay, this question is for Matt. Can you please clarify the meaning of biblical repentance and contrast it with LDS repentance?
LDS repentance is not super clarifying. You don't have a systematic theology. So it's difficult to understand what they teach in a lot of things the different prophets and apostles have taught different things over the years.
So it's difficult. So they need what they need to produce is a static theology. It's official. That's what exactly we mean by this. But biblically speaking repentance is the Greek word metanoeo which means the change of mind and attitude.
God grants it to a second divinity 225. It means to turn away from those things that you're not supposed to be doing basically that's what Mormonism says as well. That's fine. However, I think it's in D &C 82 -7 that if you say you have repentant and then you commit the same sins and the former ones come back upon you.
So that's what their definition of repentance is is to never do it again. But that's not how it works biblically, even though that's the intention. They're back under the law who gets more new minutiae here next important complicated to talk about but there's a difference because the difference in theology.
Okay, thank you.
Yeah. If you sin and then you go back and sin again, well, where's the forgiveness of it. You you. You crucify Christ. Last question for that. Yeah, all right. Last question is for you says ask David what is the definition of truth to a Mormon?
Good question. The definition of truth would be whatever God establishes as truth. If God said this is the way you live. These are the things you need to do and that's the way you need to live and that's the way you need to do.
I may not say that as eloquent as Matt might come up and say but truth is eternal. Truth isn't going to change and We all need to find the truth. I believe I found the truth through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I respect your opinions.
But I still don't see. Obviously, we don't agree but I don't believe that what you're teaching is biblical anyhow. And it doesn't matter how many ways and scriptures you could form together and say well, this is this this this.
But in reality, not only does it not say it but it does say exactly the opposite. And with that, let's show our appreciation to both men. Let's close in prayer shall we see as many as possible over the blue house.
3701 Harrison. Thank you, Lord for giving us this time together tonight. We want you to be glorified. We ask for your spirit to continue to move and give us the freedom to Ask questions and to dig into your word for truth.
Thank you in Jesus name. Amen.