Replies

From my point of view, the link didn't really help, f.Christian.

You wrote:

Our works - evolution ... esp spiritual --- is an abomination to God ! ... Only Christ's righteousness is acceptable to God !

If you believe that faith is everything, and works count for naught, then you elaborate an ancient controversy. And so I suspect neither you or I have the answer to it.

If only Christ's righteousness is acceptable to God, then why did God sacrifice His Son to redeem mankind?

If God Himself submitted to this Sacrifice, then do you think He might possibly have had a more favorable "opinion" of mankind, His creature, than you seem to have? A Sacrifice made for the purpose of renewal and resumption of the "in the Beginning" divine/human communication that existed before Man fell -- and took the world with him?

If only Christ's righteousness is acceptable to God, then why did God sacrifice His Son to redeem mankind?

What else could possibly "redeem mankind" other than Immanuel?

If you believe that faith is everything, and works count for naught, then you elaborate an ancient controversy. And so I suspect neither you or I have the answer to it.

If only Christ's righteousness is acceptable to God, then why did God sacrifice His Son to redeem mankind?

God is all for good works; however, His standards are perfect. God's redemptive work and our works are really not related. Consider the following:

Isa 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
KJV

2 Cor 5:21
1 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
NASB

Thanks for the essay, BB.

You have two great conversations going on here, betty boop! And if you don’t mind I’d like to put my “two cents” into the mix:

Resonance

On the basis of Genesis and what I have learned about cosmology and physics, I envision that the first element of creation (the big bang) was geometric and harmonic – which gave rise to wave functions and thus, energy, particles, etc. – the physical laws that make up the natural realm.

From Genesis 1 and the following verse we know that God spoke everything into being. We can even see sound waves in the cosmic microwave background.

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. – Psalms 33:6

And of course resonance is at the heart of string theory.

On the other hand, I see man as much more than physical, and thus much more than resonance. Adamic man is unique because he has been given the breath of God (neshama):

And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. – Genesis 2:6

Therefore I see spirit of Adamic man as altogether non-corporeal, non-spatial, non-temporal.

Grace v Works

Certainly, I agree that we are saved by grace and not by works. If anyone could be good enough to get to heaven, then Christ died for nothing. That is the essential message of Romans 1-8. And it is summarized in Ephesians 2:8-9:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

And forgiveness is always there when we trip and fall, if we only ask:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

But there is an important caveat when a believer willfully defies the Word of God:

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

[It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:26-31

In the above passage, God is speaking to His own people – believers not unbelievers. I know of no Christian doctrine that disputes that point.

But there are at least three different views of the significance. To the Calvinists, it cannot happen because a person who truly believes would never willfully defy the Word and thus the warning is to those who profess but do not truly believe. To the Arminians, it means a believer could and would lose their salvation for willfully defying the Word. And to others, the passages mean that a believer who willfully defies God will be burdened with extraordinary suffering in this life.

The bottom line is that professing belief on the one hand – and willfully defying the Word on the other – is a troubling situation per se. I sincerely, earnestly and urgently pray for anyone in such a predicament.

If ye love me, keep my commandments. – John 14:15

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. - 1 John 2:4

If you believe that faith is everything, and works count for naught, then you elaborate an ancient controversy. And so I suspect neither you or I have the answer to it.

Only the work of Christ can save anybody ... the work of the Christian life has absolutely nothing to do with salvation --- salvation is unearnable !

People holding on to their own belief - effort ... is only a false comfort --- the new and the old don't mix !

The Christian life is not works ... fruits (( branches )) --- of the Gospel (( vine )) !