Who considers salvation to be a strictly legal issue ?
Not you, but many whom I have spoken with that believe in a legal imputation of righteousness alone believe that salvation is merely a legal issue. Once we accept the Lord as our Savior, we have already been legally imputed with His Righteousness and nothing can take that away (so the idea goes). With such thinking, there is no point in sanctification, because Christ's righteousness is applied to the credit line, and it erases any debt we have on our side of the ledger ...
I believe that you might be seeing that some see justification as merely a legal issue.
I don't know any christians who view salvation as merely a legal matter, ... or even regarding justification only.
Salvation is about hearing and believing the truth, ... about being reunited with our spiritual Father, ... about rediscovering our real selves, ... about becoming part of a loving family, ... about learning to work with your brothers and sisters to accomplish some good in the world.
Of course. Glad to see you agree with me. Perhaps you have misunderstood my posts. I am not saying I believe that sanctification is pointless. I am posing a rhetorical question to those who believe in "once saved, always saved", those who believe that they cannot be disinherited from the Kingdom of Heaven and believe that our actions have nothing to do with eternal heaven.
It seems that you are proposing that assurance of one's salvation ... or belief that one's salvation cannot be lost ... somehow negates any motivation such christians might have toward sanctification ... or service.
It sounds like you feel that christians need some sort of 'Sword of Damocles' (i.e. the threat of loss of one's salvation) ... to motivate them to live christian lives.
If this were the case ... then Protestant churches would be empty ... because noone would bother to come and/or render their service ... because they don't get anything (salvific) out of it.
Interestingly, the statistics seem to demonstrate that Protestants are at least as consistent as Catholics at being involved and/or serving in their churches, ... which tends to suggest that there are other motivations for living the christian life then threat of loss of one's salvation.
I don't live and serve as a christian to attain (or to hold onto) my salvation ... I live and serve as a christian because God is my Father ... and I wish to please Him. Also His love has been infused into me ... and it is only natural ... that I share it.
One may be able to consciously decide to walk away from such as this salvation, ... but it is certain that we don't work to maintain our standing with God. Our works proceed as the result of our relationship with God ... which is based upon our faith.
Yes. And how do you walk away from salvation, Quester? Don't your actions have something to do with that? I am certain you are familiar with the concept of love - and that "doing something" is not work, but an act of affection towards the beloved. I buy flowers for my wife out of love, not out of try to earn something... We obey the commandments out of love, not out of trying to earn salvation.
My actions (work) stem from my faith. Faith is the key. If I were to give up my faith (as is postulated in Hebrews 6) ... then my works would reflect that loss (or repudiation) of faith.
So long as I have saving faith, ... my works will reflect that faith.
Best Wishes
If this were the case ... then Protestant churches would be empty ... because noone would bother to come and/or render their service ... because they don't get anything (salvific) out of it.
Well, you have certainly given me some food for thought. I cannot answer on the motivation on why those who believe in "OSAS" continue to fellowship. I will not rule out that they do so for the same reasons that Catholics do. We all love Christ and we experience Him through the fellowship of like minded individuals.
My point, however, remains. That is - that sanctification is not an important issue in OSAS theology BECAUSE justification is completed and not ongoing. There is no point for perseverance in such a scenario. There is no need to be exhorted towards being virtuous. While such people may become virtuous by Christ's abiding presence, it is a secondary consideration and theologically unimportant to the whole idea of justification and salvation - since it is already done.
I don't live and serve as a christian to attain (or to hold onto) my salvation ... I live and serve as a christian because God is my Father ... and I wish to please Him. Also His love has been infused into me ... and it is only natural ... that I share it.
Please do not think I am attacking you! I had already presumed the above. My musings are over the whole concept of OSAS and its theological implications for the believer and their subsequent way of life.
My actions (work) stem from my faith. Faith is the key. If I were to give up my faith (as is postulated in Hebrews 6) ... then my works would reflect that loss (or repudiation) of faith.
So long as I have saving faith, ... my works will reflect that faith.
Agree. As such, when one's works are "bad" or "sinful", can we presume that that person's faith is failing or faulty? Can [that] faith save him? (James 2:14) And thus, if salvation is already a done deal, how can we read James' rhetorical question? To me, salvation is NOT done in the distant past, but is ongoing. Initial justification is the first step towards the Kingdom, not the end.
Again, I thank you for your cordial replies. I prefer discussing such issues with people who do not become upset if I do not interpret the Scriptures the exact same way that they do.
Regards