Replies

Thanks for your reponse.

I have always been told: "be good and you go to heaven; be bad and you go to hell." Now you're saying that that's a lie. Behaviour doesn't matter! Reminds me of Santa Claus. We all get our gifts anyway. (Do you know of anyone who ever really got a lump of coal in his/her stocking?)

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for "believing and receiving." That puts us all in heaven with Bill and Hillary. But if obedience is irrelevant, why bother to have commandments in the first place?

Is good behavior to much to ask for so great a salvation?

You're suggesting that there is a correlation between behaviour and salvation. Is there now, really? Think about it.

Here's a little bit of personal observation on the subject. I've done a lot of research, read the appropriate scriptures and I've come to the following personal conclusion:

Works are the opposite of sin.

When we sin, we aren't doing anything to God. He still loves us and nothing has changed from His end of the relationship. We've hurt OUR relationship with Him. Sin pulls us from our relationship with God and is damaging to the spirit by corrupting the flesh.

When we do works, we aren't lifting God up or earning our salvation. He loves us just as much as when we commit sin. We're strengthening OUR relationship with Him. Works discipline the flesh to be in concert with the spirit.

It's not about earning heaven, it's about keeping our focus on the goal (our whole mind, our whole spirit, our whole strength).

God tells us much that we must do. The doing isn't a process of earning, it's a process of learning.

I have always been told: "be good and you go to heaven; be bad and you go to hell." Now you're saying that that's a lie. Behaviour doesn't matter!

Behavior doesn't matter where salvation is concerned.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemnd:but he that believeth not is condemned alreay, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

What does this verse say? It is exactly opposite of what you have been told. It is belief that saves and unbelief that condemns.

But if obedience is irrelevant, why bother to have commandments in the first place?

Do you understand what you are being saved from? Eternal punishment. Punishment that we cannot even imagine. Now being saved from that by someone who did not have to do it, who was perfect and would never have been punished himself but took your punishment deserves at least your obedince, thanksgiving and praise?

You're suggesting that there is a correlation between behaviour and salvation. Is there now, really? Think about it.

I am suggesting no such thing. Our behavior is important. But not FOR salvation but because of it. Think about it.:)

Becky