Posted on 10/24/2009 4:19:53 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Reality tells us there are only two religions in the world. There is the religion of human achievement, the religion of works, the religion of the flesh, the religion that says you can be good enough, holy enough, religious enough, spiritual enough. And there is the one other option, the religion of divine accomplishment, the religion of faith, grace, mercy and not of the flesh but of the Spirit and they do not mix.
The scribes and the Pharisees were the architects of and the purveyors of and the exemplars of a religion of human achievement. Their salvation and acceptance with God, their hope of eternal life in heaven depended upon what they did, what they did morally and what they did religiously and ceremonially.
...Certainly most of humanity vastly is committed to the religion of human achievement, that men can be good enough, religious enough to gain heaven if they just have a measure of goodness, think good thoughts occasionally, do good deeds. Better yet, if they believe in God, attend some religious services, go through some religious acts or rites or ceremonies...this religion comes in many names and many forms but it is all the same. It is all the wrong choice. It is all Satan, just packaged differently.
...There is a narrow way that leads to life, and then there’s the broad way with all the other religions that leads to death. In fact, the simplicity of this decision that our Lord lays before us is so clear in the obvious contrast in the two options...Either you can earn your salvation or you can’t.
(Excerpt) Read more at gty.org ...
Very astute article. The key to Christianity: You must humble yourself and ASK for grace in your heart. We are all flawed. Only through humility can you find salvation.
Very astute article. The key to Christianity: You must humble yourself and ASK for grace in your heart. We are all flawed. Only through humility can you find salvation.
Thans. I always enjoy a MacArthur writing.
gty.org is a super website.
Yes, people make institutions, even religions to be as God. We were created as living temples to worship and serve in the spirit of God. This is only possible when we love God with all and put Him first.
Trying to be good or bad is serving the Devil. We are living mansions in the house of God. This is the Christ Body. God rules.
“Look here sir! There are hundreds of religions in this country, and the followers of some think theirs is the only right one. How can poor, plain men like us find out what really is the truth?”
We generally reply something like this. “Hundreds of religions you say? That is strange; I’ve heard of only two.”
“Oh, but surely you know there are more than that?”
“Not at all, sir, I find, I admit, many shades of differences in the opinions of those compromising the two great schools; but after all there are but two. The one covers all who expect salvation by DOING; the other, all who have been saved BY SOMETHING DONE. So you see the question is very simple. Can you save yourself, or must you be saved by another? If you can be your own saviour, you do not need to listen. If you cannot, you may well want to learn about Jesus Christ and the message of the cross.
-Modified from H.A. Ironside
I am saved by GRACE through FAITH, and evidence of this is my works. Keep the order straight all 3 are needed according to scripture.
There are two religions in the world. Mine, and all the wrong ones.
SITREP
From the tome of the article, I would say that the two religions are “Thou” and “Holier Than Thou”.
I proudly associate with the former. The True Faith.
tome=tone
I am a leaky sieve holding Gods grace, evermore asking for
His grace to help me to do the work to reduce and seal the holes to be a better recipient and cooperator with His grace.
Its the work we do.
‘Hail Mary, Full of Grace’
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Why does it all have to be so complicated? One could spend his entire life reading and studying the nuances and intricacies of religious thinking, but in the end it all boils down to this one great commandment: “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” That’s all that matters. Who cares about salvation? You either love God or you don’t. Loving God is not the path to salvation; it is salvation.
Hey, Stay off my back!
I am saved by GRACE through FAITH, and evidence of this is my works. Keep the order straight all 3 are needed according to scripture.
This was my entire post. It clearly states that I am saved by grace. I am saved through faith. The evidence of my being saved by grace, through faith, is my works. I did not say that all 3 were my salvation. I said all 3 were necessary or “faith without works is dead”, “WORK out your salvation in fear and trembling”, “he who ENDURES til the end will be saved” and “whoever does these things to the least of my people, you do them to me” would contradict “we are justified by faith” and John 3:16.
It is not so bad. Scriptures point out that we are saved, undeservedly, by God, who wishes none should perish. That salvation REQUIRES change. It REQUIRES good works. Lest those that have tasted the heavenly gift, should fall away. Their end is worse than if they had never been saved (2 peter chapter 2). Hebrews also speaks of this.
To put it in other terms, and please don’t take this wrong because its not a religous explanation only illustrative,
if you join a baseball team, you are expected to play baseball. If you sign up really really wanting to play, and show up only occasionally show up for practice, hardly ever play a game, only put on the uniform and warm the bench, are you REALLY a baseball player?
Evidence of our faith IS our works. It is how we see the change in our fellow man. More importantly, it is how Jesus ministers to others on earth. Remember the passage about the rich young ruler. When he asked Jesus what he must DO to be saved, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. When the young man said he had from his youngest years, Jesus then told him to go and sell all he had and give it to the poor and come follow him. All actions, all works. Even believing in Jesus is an action. So is a believers baptism, so is a sinners prayer. Faith without works is dead. It cannot exist. The thing is, without grace, you cannot have the first work, for scripture tells us clearly that one cannot even utter the name Jesus without a prompting from the Holy Spirit. God works in us and His work IS grace. We then respond to that grace with our faith, our fiat.
There is no action or work we can do that will ever make us worthy. But God accepts our works much as a mother wears a crudely made macaroni necklace from her young child. She hugs her child and acccepts the gift. She wears it proudly. She saves it for years as a treasure. She does this because that is what a loving parent does. If we, as imperfect parents do this out of love, then this would explain why God does it, and even awards us various crowns in Heaven for our efforts.
Do not be afraid of works, they are recounted again and again througout the bible. NO one can “earn” ANY amount of grace, grace is freely given. But grace given, and faith practiced produces works. That is why it is important to keep the order, but recognize each things place in Gods, not mans, plan.
She is a human being whom God chose to give birth to his Son.
You really don't see that those two sentences contradict each other?
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