You commented: "Do you believe that grace alone saves us? If you do, you believe a deception. It is our faith that saves us by grace. Faith is basically what we believe, and the faith that saves us is what we believe about the Christ and him crucified. The bible states that faith without works is dead. But we first need to know what works "of faith" are. This the bible also tells us. The works of faith are our words. God wants us not only to have the three aspects of faith that you state on your web page, but also to put into words what are faith is, without the correct verbalization of who the christ is, we can't be saved."

I would like to answer you comments in several points:

1) Do you believe that grace alone saves us? If you do, you believe a deception. It is our faith that saves us by grace.

In all truthfulness, it is Christ who saves us. However to use the phrases "grace alone" and "faith alone" is very meaningful. Believing that I am saved by grace alone and that I am saved by faith alone are not mutually exclusive statements. I am saved by grace alone because except for the grace of God I could believe anything I wished I would not have the possibility of salvation unless God chose to show me grace. At the same time, it is by faith alone, because since salvation is a gift, all I can do is receive or accept it. Faith is not a force or substance by which I earn God's forgiveness. It is my humble acknowledgement of and trust in what God gives me through Jesus. Therefore, it is by grace alone because I do nothing worthy of earning salvation. And it is by faith alone, because that is the only way we receive the unmerited gift of salvation. Our faith is not the cause of salvation. It is the means by which we receive the salvation which Christ earned. God, out of His grace, chose to use faith as a means to receive salvation. This does not mean that the amount or quality of our faith is what earns God's grace. We in essence lift the "empty hands" of faith to embrace the grace of God.

2) Faith is basically what we believe, and the faith that saves us is what we believe about the Christ and him crucified.

Here I would strongly differ. Faith is more than the content of what we believe. It is personal trust - a trust of our soul to Christ because we believe what told us and did for us. Faith characterizes our relationship with God. Faith is resting the entire weight of our soul into God's saving hands.

3) The bible states that faith without works is dead. But we first need to know what works "of faith" are. This the bible also tells us. The works of faith are our words.

It is true, but the Bible does not say your faith is your works. That is something quite different. It is great leap from works demonstrate faith to the assumption that faith is a work. In addition, I don't find the statement that "the works of faith are our words" in the Bible. What verse or passage are you referring to? Where is that taught?

4) God wants us not only to have the three aspects of faith that you state on your web page, but also to put into words what are faith is, without the correct verbalization of who the christ is, we can't be saved.

I don't follow where you are going here. I cannot understand what point it is you are trying to make by "without the correct verbalization of who the Christ is, we can't be saved." I can say that it could never be the perfection of our knowledge or understanding which saves us. We come short of the glory of God in all ways -- including our theological understanding. Faith is trust in the person of Christ, not the correct content of our theological formulations.

I have a page on my web site which addresses some further aspects of Grace. You can link there at http://www.inchristalone.org/QuestionsAboutGrace.htm

I appreciate your reading my responses. You are welcome to clarify or comment on them after you have had time to go over them. May God ever guide us by His Spirit to understand His great work of salvation in Jesus.

Blessings in Christ!

Bernie Gillespie