[HarleyD]

Salvation is something that has not yet occurred....It is a ticket...and it's up to you to jump on that train and stay on course until the end

"He saved us [pass tense], not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5

Paul would disagree with you.

[Cronos]

Harley, the way I believe can be summaried as: It is IMPOSSIBLE for Man to save himself purely by the actions of his deeds, we are not good enough, not pure enough to meet God's exacting standards, no matter WHAT we do. However, God is a merciful God, a loving and a caring God. And He reaches out his hand to us, practically dragging us to his salvation. All that is need from us is to put in a little effort. God will run a million light years, but He loves the free will he gave us so much, he wants us to use it to go the last millimetre to touch Him. He can easily choose to MAKE us love him, to CHOOSE his ELECT, but He WANTS us to have the ability to choose, that pleases God more than anything.

No Saint was so holy as to deserve God's love, but that Saint made the effort and we all MUST make the effort.