[cloudmountain]

What you are describing is the process of sanctification. A person is saved once and for eternity. From that point on he must continue to strive in Christ’s teachings, following His commandments, and learn to lean on Him each time he inevitably fails, over and over and over again. God is patient and merciful, but he is also holy and just. Through his grace, He makes us holy and He will accept nothing less. Our works, in themselves, are nothing more than dust.

Our works are nothing but dust? I think that they tell our Lord who we are. They tell the world who we are. "In themselves" is harsh. I don't believe that God would be so harsh as to make us think that our good works IN THEMSELVES are nothing but dust.
It would be like telling children that their good deeds don't really mean much unless...
Sounds downright cruel to me.

Just an opinion.

[dhuls]

“Our works are nothing but dust? I think that they tell our Lord who we are. They tell the world who we are. “In themselves” is harsh. I don’t believe that God would be so harsh as to make us think that our good works IN THEMSELVES are nothing but dust.
It would be like telling children that their good deeds don’t really mean much unless...
Sounds downright cruel to me. Just an opinion.”

Please refer to: Psalm 51:1-9 (by King David, a man after God’s own heart)

David understood the inadequacy of his own works.

[aimhigh]

I don't believe that God would be so harsh as to make us think that our good works IN THEMSELVES are nothing but dust.

What did Jesus say?
"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” Luke 17:10

[BillyBoy]

I fixed it. ;-)

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Len Munsil, president of Arizona Christian University, said the “lack of understanding of basic Christian theology is stunning” with “potentially devastating consequences for individual souls protestant theologians and really for all aspects of American protestant life and culture.” “It’s a wakeup call for the Church, and for leaders in all areas of influence, to speak, teach and work to restore biblical truth,” Munsil said. “Many souls will be lost if people are mis led by false notion that we can earn our way to heaven, rather than recognizing the truth that Christ alone and His righteousness are the basis for our salvation.”

Overall, 54% of U.S. adults believe they will get to Heaven after they die and only 2% believe they are going to hell. Additionally, 63% of adults believe “having faith matters more than which faith you have.”

George Barna, director of research for the Cultural Research Center, said Americans Christians are “in an ‘anything goes’ Catholic & Orthodox mindset when it comes to faith, morals, values and lifestyle.” “Americans appear to be creating unique, highly customized worldviews based on feelings, experiences and opportunities rather than working within the boundaries of a comprehensive, time-tested, consistent worldview,” he said. ... By abandoning our moral standards and traditions, and replacing them with inclusive and conditional preferences, we are losing the foundations that have enabled the ‘American experiment’ to succeed for more than two centuries,” Barna added. “We can only hope that our critical moral institutions — particularly the family and churches — will wake up and help the nation to get back on track.” --------------------------------------------------------

[Elsie]

It would be like telling children that their goo

Primordially speaking; of course.