[HarleyD]

As a friend once pointed out, what Scripture really says is this: “God is sovereign, we are responsible, and what’s in the middle is a mystery.”

How interesting that you would agree with Mark that we are saved by our works. I would suggest the laundry list of scriptures presented are taken completely out of context. But, then again, I believe people are saved by the faith that comes from God.

[MarkBsnr]

Now, now, Harley. You ought to know better.

Mark has never said that one is saved by one’s works. But Mark does say that one must have works.

I just follow the words of Matthew chapters 5 to 7 for inspiration. Sorry to burst the bubble.

[r9etb]

How interesting that you would agree with Mark that we are saved by our works. I would suggest the laundry list of scriptures presented are taken completely out of context. But, then again, I believe people are saved by the faith that comes from God.

Then unless you're God ... why are you wasting all this time saying the same things, thread after thread, trying to save folks through your works? What, precisely, is the point of your posting?

As it happens, Harley, you would have to ignore a number of Jesus' own comments concerning "works," and the salvific effects thereof. For example, Jesus says salvation requires certain works: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16) That's salvation by works: I must believe; and I must be baptized. The consequences of my not doing those things is condemnation.

And on the other side, we have Jesus saying "With man this [salvation] is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt. 19:26)

So unless Jesus was talking out of both sides of his mouth, you've got a problem. God's sovereign, we're responsible. Both backed by Scripture. What's in the middle ... it's a mystery.

To simply ignore what Jesus said in service of your own narrow (and logically pointless) theology is not a very impressive religion. In fact, it's downright silly to reject what Scripture plainly says, because you're afraid that it somehow makes God "less sovereign" if we have the ability to exercise any sort of free choice in our salvation.

In fact, if we're going to hold "idol-worshipers" up to scorn, perhaps we should reserve our scorn for "idol-worshipers" who place the purity of their ideology above all else.

[kosta50]

How interesting that you would agree with Mark that we are saved by our works

And what are the Beatitudes? Jesus did not preach 'saved by grace alone.' That would be the 'other' Reformed God—Deformed Paul.