FMCDH(BITS)
Thank you.
“Second, the degree to which we argue that we contribute something to our salvation is the degree to which we deny sola gratia.”
Philippian Jailer: “what must I DO to be saved?”
Answers...
A. Reformation theologion: (silence, crickets chirping... )
B. Paul: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
A little more succinct than this post but still
quite compelling:
Ephesians 2:8 (New International Version)
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
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There is a problem here. John 3:3 does not say born again... it says born from above. It is important to teach what the WORD says and not change the meanings of the word, it serves NO ONE especially the Heavenly Father, the One that sends that soul/spirit at conception to be born of woman.
Amerians??
Can you familiarize me with the term?
The choice to accept grace is the individuals.
With that said, grace does not depend on works but works will be one of the effects of grace.
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9
Greetings truth seekers,
I humbly request for those who are interested to take time to consider the following.
The bible does not teach that man is born a sinner. The passages quoted to support this argument in this post have been taken out of context to apply to this grace alone concept. One who would like to take the time to investigate this could simply read the passages quoted in the context in which they appear and come to this conclusion with no difficulty.
What the bible does teach, however, is that we are all born with the ability to choose freely. It is true that it did all begin in the garden of Eden, but not at the moment of persuasion by the serpent, but rather at the moment of creation when God said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness. Would God have created man a sinner? Would God have created a tree which could remove his initial creative pattern simply by consuming its fruit? Would God have created a being -the serpent- that could undo his initial creation with a simple convincing argument? If God indeed created us in his likeness and image, then if we are sinners, so is God. But let us go one step further. How many days before Eve partook of that fruit did she walk by the tree and not partake? We don’t know, but we can assume at least one. Eve said no to the temptation prior to saying yes. What does this say? This says Eve was making moral choices prior to partaking of the fruit. She could have chosen at any time to partake, without the influence of the serpent. It was not the consumption of the fruit which was wrong, it was the choice to consume the fruit. God had told Adam and Eve previously, do not partake or there will be consequences. Adam and Eve had very few laws to follow. One was to tend the garden. One was to be fruitful and multiply. One was to not partake from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They broke the third command by choice. In doing so, they received just what was promised, the KNOWLEDGE of good AND EVIL. Have you noticed how a baby has no qualms about being naked in a crowded room? Adam and Eve didn’t either, until they partook of the tree. How did sin get in the world? When Adam and Eve had full knowledge of evil along with the knowledge of good, they became the teachers of the human race. They taught what they knew. They didn’t always get it right. Do you always get it right when you are teaching your children right from wrong? I know I don’t. They did their best, but being the image and likeness is not the same a being the image itself. God is perfect. We are a version of that perfection. So why didn’t God create us perfect, so that we would remain sinless? Because if He had created us that way, when we praised and magnified Him, it would be because that was all we knew. With the freedom to choose, we have the choice to love Him or to not love Him. Isn’t it so much better to receive love from one who chooses to give it? I believe that is an easy answer.
The doctrine of grace alone cheapens the truth of the bible. It takes away choice, and in doing so, removes the beauty of the creation as God intended. I hope there are those reading this who will give pause. After all, if we don’t learn anything else from Adam and Eve, surely we can learn this- it is possible to be wrong.
An excellent web site for further information on this and other topics:
the7ones.com
Deut. 4:29 God bless all in this pursuit.
A serious belief in the subject matter renders the article absolutely irrelevant -- it is a self-negating document. By its own claims, Dr. Riddlebarger cannot expect to affect anybody's chances at salvation.
The problem is, of course, caused by a rather ridiculous (if tacit) assumption: that God expects nothing of us.
Scripture does not support such a claim.
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I do know that God commanded me to do certain things. I assume that He meant for me to work very hard at fulfilling those commandments.
I work hard at that but have sometimes failed during my tenure as one of God's children.
God told us that I can be forgiven for that. I trust that is true. But I will continue to work at what God commanded. To do otherwise would be very foolhardy I think.
Biggest apostacy in Christianity today is that good works and being nice (liberal-idealist-peace corps save darfur) sort who downplays accepting as fact that Jesus is the son of God who died for our sins and that through him and him alone we are granted salvation is good enougn by itself.
That is the big lie today and it’s what many believe who voted for Obama and who the media erroneously calls Evangelicals.