Question: "What is easy believism?"

Answer: Easy believism is a somewhat derogatory term used by opponents of the view that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. From this they conclude that those who hold to sola fide (“faith alone”) teach that no corresponding need exists for a committed life of Christian discipleship as proof of salvation; however, that is not what sola fide means. True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. Another common usage of the term easy believism is in regards to those who believe they’re saved because they prayed a prayer—with no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ. Praying a prayer is easy—thus the term easy believism—but there is more to salvation than mouthing words.

Much of the debate over easy believism is unnecessary and is based on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The essence of this doctrine is found in Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” So we see that faith, given as a gift by God, is what saves us. But the next verse tells of the results of that salvation: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty, by His will and for His use. We are His servants, and from the moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation. If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20), and a dead faith is not a saving faith.

“Faith alone” does not mean that some believers follow Christ in a life of discipleship, while others do not. The concept of the “carnal Christian,” as a separate category of non-spiritual believer, is completely unscriptural. The idea of the carnal Christian says that a person may receive Christ as Savior during a religious experience but never manifest evidence of a changed life. This is a false and dangerous teaching in that it excuses various ungodly lifestyles: a man may be an unrepentant adulterer, liar, or thief, but he’s “saved” because he prayed a prayer as a child; he’s just a “carnal Christian.” The Bible nowhere supports the idea that a true Christian can remain carnal for an entire lifetime. Rather, God’s Word presents only two categories of people: Christians and non-Christians, believers and unbelievers, those who have bowed to the Lordship of Christ and those who have not (see John 3:36; Romans 6:17–18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:18–24; Ephesians 2:1–5; 1 John 1:5–7; 2:3–4).

While the security of salvation is a biblical fact based upon the finished work of salvation by Christ, it is certainly true that some of those who seemed to have “made a decision” or “accepted Christ” may not genuinely be saved. As noted before, true salvation is not so much our accepting Christ as it is His accepting us. We are saved by the power of God for the purpose of God, and that purpose includes the works that give evidence of our conversion. Those who continue to walk according to the flesh are not believers (Romans 8:5–8 ). This is why Paul exhorts us to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The “carnal” Christian who examines himself will soon see that he/she is not in the faith.

James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” The type of “belief” demons have can be compared to the intellectual assent made by those who “believe” in Jesus in the fact that He exists or that He was a good person. Many unbelievers say, “I believe in God” or “I believe in Jesus”; others say, “I prayed a prayer, and the preacher said I was saved.” But such prayers and such belief do not necessarily signal a change of heart. The problem is a misunderstanding of the word believe. With true salvation comes genuine repentance and real life change. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that those who are in Christ are a “new creation.” Is it possible that the new person Christ creates is one who continues to walk in the carnality of the flesh? No.

Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe, but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith.

www.gotquestion.org

R

solite3:
Much of the debate over easy believism is unnecessary and is based on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The essence of this doctrine is found in Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” So we see that faith, given as a gift by God, is what saves us. But the next verse tells of the results of that salvation: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty, by His will and for His use. We are His servants, and from the moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation. If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20), and a dead faith is not a saving faith.

The Grace referred to by Paul and the other apostles is in fact the New Covenant and Word of God promise of God. That Covenant, that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of, is what John wrote of in the Gospel of John.

John 1 vs 14-24
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14. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his divine greatness—the greatness that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.
15. John told people about him. He said loudly, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘The one who is coming after me is greater than I am, because he was living before I was even born.’”
16. Yes, the Word was full of grace and truth, and from him we all received one blessing after another.[d]
17. That is, the law was given to us through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18. No one has ever seen God. The only Son is the one who has shown us what God is like. He is himself God and is very close to the Father.[e]

And we know from Jesus Christ, the embodiment of the Grace and Truth that God sent to us 2000 years ago, is that in order to accept and partake of Him, we must obey Him (The Grace and Truth of God). As John the apostle went on to put it in his epistle written to believers all over the world..

1 John 2 vs 3-6
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3. If we obey what God has told us to do, then we are sure that we know him.
4. If we say we know God but do not obey his commands, we are lying. The truth is not in us.
5. But when we obey God’s teaching, his love is truly working in us. This is how we know that we are living in him.
6. If we say we live in God, we must live the way Jesus lived.

I like that part. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone and in Christ alone. Powerful

solite3:
Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe, but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith.

Salvation is not remotely free, and it should never be sold as such. Anyone who has indeed "died to self/denied self", and had to lose all of his possessions, lose his career, his love, his home, his identity even, even abandon family and friends,as a result in order to follow Jesus Christ will tell you quickly that there is indeed a cost and you need to be ready for it. This cost is paid before one can even qualify to become a follower of Jesus Christ (i.e become Saved/Born of the Spirit).
Once one has indeed become saved, one is required to continue in the Lord of Jesus Christ by continuing to submit to the lead and obedience of the Spirit of truth. Those who obtain salvation but fail to keep up set by God should expect to suffer dire consequences. Yes, just as the Old covenant, the New Covenant comes with curses/woes in the case of disobedience.
The story of Ananias and Saphira is a good example of what not to do after you become saved.

It is not OK to lie to people that Salvation is free. It is not free, and Jesus Christ never said it was.

delkuf:
I like that part. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone and in Christ alone. Powerful

Yes bro that is the gospel, those who have being born again through Christ can live out God's righteousness and holiness.

solite3:

Yes bro that is the gospel, those who have being born again through Christ can live out God's righteousness and holiness.

I know

solite3:
Yes bro that is the gospel, those who have being born again through Christ can live out God's righteousness and holiness.

Live out God's righteousness? You mean they do works of righteousness and holiness in obedience to God's command, then right?

Kobojunkie:
Live out God's righteousness? You mean they do works of righteousness and holiness in obedience to God's command, then right?

Are you surprised?

solite3:
Are you surprised?

Surprised at what? Where are you told in your Bible that once Born again you can live out God's righteousness and holiness.

Kobojunkie:
Surprised at what? Where are you told in your Bible that once Born again you can live out God's righteousness and holiness.

Yes certainly

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

solite3:

Yes certainly
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

That in no way answers the question about the claim you made. And you ought to know by now the meaninglessness in throwing around lone verses without first considering the context.