Questions tagged [soteriology]
The study of the mechanisms by which an individual is saved.
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What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of Eternal Security?
The Doctrine of Eternal Security (also called the Perseverance of the Saints) teaches that once a person truly experience salvation, that person's eternal destiny of eternal life is immutable.
What is ...
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How do believers in eternal conscious separation/torment reconcile their belief with Jesus' words at Matthew 10:39?
Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Jesus has just warned His disciples of the hardships they will face if they choose to follow ...
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Did Judas play an important role for God’s salvation?
In reading the bible, we see Judas as the great enemy who betrayed our Lord Jesus. But looking in a different perspective, was his role gave benefit for the fulfilment of death and crucifixion of the ...
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According to Calvinists, why does God not predestine all to Heaven?
It seems to me that if God chooses not only those who will go to heaven, but those who will go to hell, a Calvinist would hold the position of Universalism, that being that all people will be saved. ...
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How does St Peter's view on salvation reconcile with that of Jesus?
We read in Mt 21:31 :
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of ...
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Soteriology: How does God save free moral agents?
Gen. 3:1-7 shows that sin was a choice. How does the freedom of choice intersect with saving faith and the work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin? This question is for all who believe the Bible ...
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Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints postulate a multi-verse?
Latter Day Saints will, on the one hand, assent to a multiplicity of Gods with humans being capable of being exalted to the same level of God as God the Father in the Bible. God the Father may have ...
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How were people saved prior to 33 AD?
The exact date isn't important but at some point about 2000 years ago Christ died on a cross. Since that point Christians everywhere have put their faith in Him. He claimed to be the Way, the Truth ...
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How is Union with Christ understood across Christianity?
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NIV): It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Union with Christ is an ...
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Question about Hebrews 10:26
Hebrews 10:26 says:
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a ...
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According to Christian mortalists (aka 'Soul sleep' advocates), does eternal life begin now (before death), and if so, does it continue after death?
Many passages seem to suggest that one becomes born again and obtains eternal life on this side of eternity (before death).
For example, regarding eternal life, the Apostle John said:
24 Truly, truly,...
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Why might have God confined his atonement to only the Israelites?
I am trying to avoid getting struck down as opinion based by asking for POTENTIAL answers here. If you think my question can be rephrased in a non-opinion based way, feel free to edit.
In the Old ...
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What is the biblical basis for monergism?
Monergism is the concept that salvation is not a cooperative effort between God and Man that leads to Man’s salvation. What is the biblical basis for this claim?
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How defined is the threshold of graveness for mortal sins? (Catholicism)
The Catholic Church has defined criteria for when a sin is a mortal sin:
The sin is grave.
It's committed with full knowledge of the sin and its gravity.
It's committed with deliberate and complete ...
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What is the biblical basis for NOT believing that everyone has a fair chance to be saved?
In my previous question If everyone has a fair chance to be saved, then how is this reconciled with Romans 10:11-17 & John 6:44?, I laid out two conditions for scoping purposes:
This question is ...
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If everyone has a fair chance to be saved, then how is this reconciled with Romans 10:11-17 & John 6:44?
This question is scoped to Christians who believe that:
humans have libertarian free will (or at least are given temporarily some form of genuine freedom of the will through divine grace in specific ...
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According to Protestantism, are we saved by faith into a repentance of law-following?
Just have a question regarding faith and works:
A person has eternal life solely by faith in Jesus Christ (as in believing every word Jesus said, including his claims that he is God), but by believing ...
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How do Christians who believe that eternal life begins now explain the fact that Christians die?
Many Christians believe that eternal life begins now.
For example, in the article The Destiny: Eternal Life, John Piper states:
In believing we have eternal life NOW, not just in the future.
In John ...
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Are the Five Solas considered "Axioms" or "Theorems" in the logic of salvation in Protestant theology?
It might be utterly reprehensible to apply reason to faith in this way and feel free to VTC this question if it's just not a question. I believe reason can't contradict faith and vice versa, but I'm ...
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Do those who are saved still face judgement? [closed]
Do those who are saved still face judgement?
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According to Evangelical Christians, what does a person need to believe about Jesus in order to be saved?
The Bible teaches about Jesus of Nazareth many things. It teaches that Jesus was born to a virgin. It teaches that he was without sin yet suffered, died, and rose again for us. It also teaches that ...
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Do Mormons agree with the Apostle Paul when he said at Acts 16:31 to the Philippian Jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."
At verse 32 Paul spoke the word of the Lord to him "together" with all who were in his house. Vs33, "And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and ...
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How do people who believe in the act of confession understand 1 John 1:9?
1 John 1:9:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)
In places like Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church, there is ...
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Is Abraham in heaven? [duplicate]
If Jesus brought everlasting life and Abraham died before the coming of Jesus (and in fact before Judaism), would we therefore expect to see Abraham in heaven? What passages in the bible direct us to ...
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How do opponents of Penal Substitution explain God's declaration that He "will not leave the guilty unpunished"?
In referring to opponents of Penal Substitution theory, I'm referring specifically to those who view it as a false view of the Atonement, not merely that it is incomplete (eg those who hold to ...
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How do people who hold salvation as a one time event respond to passages of "being saved"?
Philippians 2:12 Says:
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
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Why can't God forgive a sinner without having to kill Jesus the righteous one?
Non-Christians raise many objections to the atoning death of Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb of God. One of the most important objections is that God being the Almighty and Sovereign should be able to ...
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Is it possible for a person to know now if he/she is saved and would be inheriting eternal life in the hereafter as per the Biblical teachings? [closed]
In general those who are pious in following any religion look forward to a better place hereafter. Even in Islam pious people without exception hope for a place in Janna.
My question is to the Bible ...
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What kind of 'faith' justifies or imputes righteousness to a sinner as per the teachings of the Bible? [closed]
Protestant Christians in general believe that 'faith' makes a person righteous. The Letter to Hebrews chapter 11 in the N.T. talks about faith at length with specific examples. But what kind of 'faith'...
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How does Jesus' death and resurrection save humanity? [closed]
Time and again we hear that Christ died for our sins, or that Christ died so that we could be saved. But I've never understood how exactly the two are connected? In what way does the death of Christ ...
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Why did God create people who would reject him? [closed]
God created people with free will, and some of these people will freely choose salvation, while some others will freely choose to reject salvation.
God could have chosen to create only the subset of ...
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What is the biblical support for the idea that people in the Old Testament went to heaven?
There is, among many groups, a basic idea that people in the Old Testament, namely Israelites, went to heaven.
To further explain the scope of this question, I want to ignore the specific individuals ...
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What is the earliest example of the concept of Total Depravity?
Total Depravity is the Calvinist doctrine that human nature is thoroughly corrupt and sinful as a result of the Fall. Thus we can only do good works through God's grace.
What is the earliest document ...
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Are there Christian Denominations or Movements who believe that Jesus didn't actually pay our sin debt?
I was wondering if there are any prominent or otherwise named group of Christians who believe that Jesus did away with our debt by legally canceling our debt instead of actually paying for the entire ...
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Did anyone before Jesus go to Heaven and Will They Be Raised Up On the Last Day? (John 6)
I am deeply troubled in this matter of Soteriology and Eschatology.
John 6:52-59
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to ...
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Are there any Trinitarian denominations that do not view belief in the Trinity as a "salvation issue"?
Trinitarians that subscribe to the Athanasian Creed believe, by definition, that rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity disqualifies one from salvation. Are there any Trinitarian denominations that ...
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What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Trinitarian belief is “not” required for salvation?
What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Trinitarian belief is not required for salvation?
The Athanasian Creed states
"And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than
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What Bible Verses are Considered Contrary to Eternal Security? [duplicate]
Upon questioning, eternal security advocates (those who say a Christian cannot lose their salvation), will point to a variety of Bible verses to support their position. So, this begs the question of ...
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predestination beliefs
Reformed Protestants believe that God selected individuals at the time of the beginning of the world and predestined those individuals for salvation.
Orthodox believe that God knew at the time of the ...
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Is it possible for a person who has faith in Jesus to only receive “a measure of salvation” as opposed to “full salvation”?
I was prompted to ask due to this Q about measuring our salvation - Scriptural support - Measuring our salvation, God's love and blessings
But I want to confine my Q to views about measuring God’s ...
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Scriptural support - Measuring our salvation, God's love and blessings
Please help me with scriptural support for the following:
“Be careful not to measure your holiness "salvation" by other people's
sins.” - Martin Luther
In the same way, if we measure God's ...
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Do any Christian groups or denominations not see having a definite doctrinal position on God's nature as essential for salvation?
Every time I revisit questions about God's nature on Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange I can't help but come out with more doubts than convictions. For example, take a look at the following ...
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Why don't Catholics believe that Christ's atonement removed Original Sin?
Original Sin is the Catholic doctrine that all human are born sinners due to the inheritance of the sin of Adam. However, Jesus Christ atoned for the sin of mankind.
Therefore, one would assume the ...
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Without Hell, from what does Jesus save?
This question is about the liberal versions of Christianity, the versions which don’t have a conception of Hell. Put simply, without Hell, just what exactly is Jesus saving me from?
Even the most ...
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On what basis was Jesus’ death sufficient for redemption according Non-Trinitarians who maintain that Jesus was not eternal God as God the Father is?
To Peter Turner’s point A) Scripture is the source that says blood was necessary and that blood was sufficient, question revolves around why a Non-Trinitarian Jesus has sufficient worth to save ...
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Looking for an apologetic to the "Cosmic Child Abuse" objection
Recently during a discussion I got smacked with the "Cosmic Child Abuse" argument. I had heard of it before, but never really had to wrestle with it in real life. I discovered that I don't actually ...
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How do non-universalists account for these passages talking about the salvation of all?
I hold to universalism, but am perfectly willing to change my mind on the subject. I just have never received good defeaters to the universalist passages that I present.
First Corinthians 15:22 "...
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What is the biblical basis for the Athanasian Creed's statement that believing in the Trinity is necessary for salvation?
The Athanasian Creed states:
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he ...
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According to believers in the inexorable damnation of the unreached, how is God not unfair for letting someone be born in unreachable conditions?
It is a fact of history that many unfortunate people have been born in conditions where it has been pretty much impossible for them to even dream of having a chance to hear the message of salvation -- ...
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According to believers in the inexorable damnation of the unreached, why should they be punished in Hell and not be given more merciful alternatives?
Inspired by a thought-provoking comment section discussion about an answer to my previous question According to believers in the inexorable damnation of the unreached, how is God not unfair for ...
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