Salvation by works???..Paul goes in to great detail about that in Galatians as well as in his other letters from Romans etc. Really it`s a open and shut case, has zero merit
Except that I never preached a Gospel of Salvation by Works. I simply postulated that works have a role in our salvation... and this is truth.
When St Paul talks about "works of the law" in his epistles, he is referring very specifically to the dictates of the Law of Moses which were enjoined on the Jewish people. These were not meant to save but to discipline. Our salvation is in Christ crucified.
Here, I'm going to refer back to something I already wrote: "what is suffering? I would suggest to you on behalf of the Church that suffering is love in action. What is love without self-giving... what is self-giving without self-denial... what is self-denial without sacrifice? By this definition, we come to know God (Who is Love) by taking up our crosses to follow Jesus... as Jesus admonished us to do."
"Therefore, being followers of Christ who are called to lives of suffering, I would submit to you that here are the works called for by the Church. They are not "earning" salvation, they are growing in knowledge of God. Taking the opposite approach is selfishness and failing to grow... and only dead things fail to grow. We are the Body of Christ on Earth through our union with His Bride, the Church. In this, we carry on His earthly mission to call all peoples to Himself. There is much work to be done and a just God Who will reward our efforts. What is lacking in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross? Our own sacrifice (love) joined with His."
Paul rebuked Galations for such thinking, had heated arguments with Peter.
St Paul rebuked anyone who preached a Gospel which called for the gentiles to first place themselves under the old Law (circumcision). Again, the Law was not given for the salvation of man, but for the discipline of Israel. It is meaningless to say that all people must first join in Israel's chastisement before they can be reborn in Christ.
St Paul's argument with St Peter was over St Peter's behavior toward the gentiles. St Peter was all chummy with the gentiles when it was just him. When others of a Jewish background were present, he separated himself to stay among the Jews. This was scandalous to St Paul who saw the hypocrisy of St Peter's behavior. Nowhere does St Paul take St Peter to task for St Peter's doctrine and faith... only his behavior.
Our Righteousness is as filthy rags to the Lord.
You are quoting the Old Testament here (Isaiah 64:6). Of course, the righteousness of Israel was unable to please God. Their chastisements were about their discipline not about appeasing an angry God. However, what Christ did on the Cross was to bring us home to God's family. God didn't delight in our accomplishments perpetrated outside of His Grace anymore than I take pride in the accomplishments of the neighbor kid. As a son, though, God does delight in our work because we are the Body of Christ at work in the world. Christ merited for us the ability to merit from the Father because we have been brought home to God's Household.
Salvation is a free gift of God, Not of works lest any man should boast.
Yes... and yet we still sin. In sinning, we turn our backs on God's Grace. The works we do are not for our boasting because we accomplish them through the Grace of God at work in us. However, we must still cooperate with God as Mary humbly accepted God's Will in her maternity. Therefore, in cooperation with God, the works we accomplish as the Body of Christ carry on the work of Christ in the salvation of souls... including our own. Accomplishing our corporal works of mercy is suborning our wills to God's Holy Will. And, as Christ said, we are His brothers and sisters if we do God's Will.
It's not enough to "believe" if that word is a passive knowledge... the devils to as much. No, for the Christian, "believe" is an action word. We believe if we do God's Will. Notice in Galatians that St Paul points to the example of Abraham. Did Abraham spend all day on his knees passively believing in God? No. He followed where God led him and offered his only son as a sacrificial offering at God's command. THEN, his belief was shown... not just in his heart but in his actions. We follow Abraham's example when we DO all that God has commanded us.
Lastly, I would point out that the works we do are for the discipline of our sinful flesh. "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:13-15). Corporal works of mercy are God's midnight basketball for his children to avoid occasions of sin.
Can we reject our salvation? "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12). Clearly, the opposite is also true for those who do not endure.
Thank You for your response :) I meant no harm in my post either, sometimes I have been told I am not very tactful, something I will work on.
I read all you post, very thoughtful!
Not sure what else I can say...Just that “Our Righteousness is as filthy rags” While it`s from the old Testament, Paul quoted it in one of his letters. Cant tell you which one this moment. I am reading Philippians as we speak
You are in good company with all you say, and as you stated you are NOT preaching a Gospel of works.
And AGAIN I was NOT preaching anything along the lines of, get saved and return to sinning, or anything like that at all.
This particular subject is one that I am very confident on personally, that is why the one subject caught my eye on your very full profile page.
To me, anything other than what Jesus did on the cross is just not something I am open to.
Mother Teressa for example...A wonderful Christian she was, her works were many.
If someone else had done all the exact works of Mother Teresa, but had not accepted what Jesus did on the Cross personally for her/him, her works would mean nothing, and that person would not be saved.
For me, anything other than what Jesus did on the Cross for me, is of no value.
Any person that invites Jesus in to their life is going to want to do for the Lord and for others, but has ZERO to do with salvation.
Now the next big event will be the rapture. Yes I know the word rapture is not in the Bible, it`s just a word that has been given to a Biblical event that is to come, you can call it anything you like, you can call it super Tuesday if you like.
The dead in Christ will rise first and join Jesus in the clouds, the lucky Christians that are still alive on that great day will never see physical death, they will then join Jesus and the other in the sky.
Salvation will NOT be a issue for Christians, they will be judged for their works or lack there of, but salvation is not in question for any on that great day.
Getting a reward of any kind on that day is not even something that I imagine, I only bring it up because it fits in to the theme we are discussing. The only place works fits in, and it is outside of our salvation.
Works then become a issue, but not salvation.
For full disclosure I will feel blessed just for salvation, have no expectation for anything other than salvation, I expect to be one of the least, shall we say.No thoughts of any reward from yours truly.
Have a good day :)