Healing and salvation

[lostseptember]

When Jesus forgave the sins of the people He healed were they saved at the same time?

[Clay]

lostseptember:

When Jesus forgave the sins of the people He healed were they saved at the same time?

In the bible, when Jesus healed someone He would ask if they believed he could do it. Or else, he would say "your faith has made thee whole" (this is paraphrasing, of course). What this tells me is that their salvation could very well have been sealed in the same way ours is today; through faith in Christ Jesus.
In short, my belief on this would be yes they were saved at that time !!!!! If our sins are forgiven today, aren't we saved ? The bible tells us that we must accept Him to be forgiven. He told them they were forgiven, so wouldn't that prove they accepted Him, by their faith ????? I will say yes !!!!!

[girlie-Q]

Maybe they had been saved before and then knew that Christ was able to heal them physically just as he did spiritually? And then upon healing them they were now "whole" since both physical and spiritual healing were given to them through their faith?

I don't know...this is some weird thought I just got right now. Maybe it's a passing thing that will sound dumb to me in five minutes. But hey, if it gets more replies and gets others thinking....cool

[themuzicman]

No, the healing didn't bring salvation.

The real question is whether they were in faith for the coming atonement that Christ would bring. You can only be saved by grace through faith.

They believed that Jesus could heal them, but that doesn't really adress atonement.

Michael

[lostseptember]

Oh dear, completely opposite opinions! I'm going to change the question a little for now...What is the criteria for salvation?

[Clay]

It's pretty simple, yet complex. In the Bible, Paul told the prison guard (in Acts 16:31) And they said, Believe on the LordJesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
That is the part that is simple. Where it gets complex is when we get into the criteria for believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. To believe on someone is to accept them and everything they stand for. The word 'on' being the key of the phrase.
To believe 'in' someone is relatively easy. All requirements then fall upon them. To believe 'on' someone, namely the Lord, requires not only a belief by us, but also an outward showing of our faith. We are asked by the Lord to confess His name, live by His example, believe in his death and ressurection, and most of all, to tell others the "Good News".
Romans 10:9 reads; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Hope this helps you in your search,
Clay!!!!!

[lostseptember]

Clay,
Thank you! I've been unhappy with my own question because it doesn't address what really disturbs me. I'm disturbed by the "I'm saved, you're not" sentiment I see in many posts. I've distilled the question down to what I believe is it's essense and posted a thread on the Christianity 101 forum. Again thank you for your answers!

Susan

[themuzicman]

Oh dear, completely opposite opinions! I'm going to change the question a little for now...What is the criteria for salvation?
Quoting the OT: "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."

[Reader]

Oh dear, completely opposite opinions! I'm going to change the question a little for now...What is the criteria for salvation?

Jesus taught, we must be born again spiritually. (John 3:3)

And that is the work of the Holy Spirit of God, who saves sinners by giving them new spiritual life and the gift of faith. (John 3:8)

"To open their eyes, in order to turn them from the darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:18 (the words of Jesus Christ)

Those who are born again spiritually, through this gift of faith, will believe the Bible's message that tells them their sins were forgiven by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. By this faith the person will believe that Jesus Christ overcame death by resurrection.

Belief in Christ's forgiveness of sins causes repentance.
Belief in Christ's resurrection causes hope and new life.

Faith and trust in the work of Jesus Christ is the criteria for salvation, which comes as a gift by the grace of God.

[lostseptember]

So dear Reader, were the folks Jesus healed saved?

[Reader]

So dear Reader, were the folks Jesus healed saved?



Yes.

They were saved by faith (not by the healing).