Why is Eternal Life a Free Gift?

[Guest shiloh357]

The deception that is out there regarding salvation is that it is free to obtain but not free to keep.   In other words, Jesus is enough to initially save you, but you responsible for staying saved.    The Bible doesn't teach that, but that is how some false teachers approach it.

Paul asked the Galatians if having begun in the Spirit, are they now made perfect in the flesh.   That's a pertinent question because the Galatian heresy was that Jesus alone was not good enough.   They were conned into thinking that they had to keep the commandments in addition to their faith in Jesus to remain saved. 

Human pride cannot accept the idea that salvation is 100% free from start to finish.   That it is a work of God alone is repugnant to some who want to feel that they are saved because they made themselves holy which is absolutely impossible.   Even though God offers something for free, human pride still wants to earn it. 

If someone invites you to their home for dinner and they provide all of the food, how insulting would it be if you laid $20.00 on the table to help cover the cost?   You would probably never be invited back if you did that.    Yet some people do that with God.   Jesus paid for our sins 100%.  He covered the cost and he offers it to us freely and yet people are still wanting to pay for their sin through their own efforts, trying make themselves acceptable to God through their own works.  It is very insulting to God and it basically says to Him that Jesus isn't enough.

Works are never connected to getting saved or staying saved.  Salvation is a 100% free gift of God from beginning to end.  God is the one who keeps us, we don't keep ourselves saved.   It is human pride that imagines that it can do something acceptable to God based solely upon personal merit.  

Your best deeds on your best day is filthy rags before God.  You are not good enough to keep yourself saved.  Trying to purify yourself and make yourself acceptable to God is like trying give someone an Armani silk suit that is stained with motor oil, blood, feces, tar and urine.    That's what it's like trying to earn/keep your salvation.

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

 

[Ezra]

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

[thereselittleflower]

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

Would you like to talk about Sacraments?

Do you know what the word Sacrament means?

 

If we discuss this Ezra, I expect both sides to be polite and considerate of different points of view.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[Ezra]

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

Would you like to talk about Sacraments? Do you know what the word Sacrament means? If we discuss this Ezra, I expect both sides to be polite and considerate of different points of view.

No. We don't need a "discussion".  Are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  YES or NO.

[thereselittleflower]

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

Would you like to talk about Sacraments? Do you know what the word Sacrament means? If we discuss this Ezra, I expect both sides to be polite and considerate of different points of view.

No. We don't need a "discussion".  Are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  YES or NO.

Ezra, if you're not interested in a discussion then there is nothing to discuss with you, Even a simple yes or no will be distorted and twisted into whatever you want it to be, so forgive me, I decline to engage you on the subject absent a true, respectful, considerate and polite discussion.

Edited September 18, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[Ezra]

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

Would you like to talk about Sacraments? Do you know what the word Sacrament means? If we discuss this Ezra, I expect both sides to be polite and considerate of different points of view.

No. We don't need a "discussion".  Are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  YES or NO.

Ezra, if you're not interested in a discussion then there is nothing to discuss with you, Even a simple yes or no will be distorted and twisted into whatever you want it to be, so forgive me, I decline to engage you on the subject absent a true, respectful, considerate and polite discussion.

No answer is also an answer. And you are implying that I engage in distorting and twisting things, which is also an answer. Those who know better would never accuse me of this.

[thereselittleflower]

 

 

Salvation is Jesus  + 0.   Anyone who says otherwise is a tool of Satan and a false teacher.   Satan doesn't want you to depend on Jesus. He wants you to believe that your not as bad as the Bible says you are.   And he wants you to think that you can share credit with God in salvation.

So now the question remains "What do we do with the Sacraments, and are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  We will let the expert on Sacraments tell us.

Would you like to talk about Sacraments? Do you know what the word Sacrament means? If we discuss this Ezra, I expect both sides to be polite and considerate of different points of view.

No. We don't need a "discussion".  Are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?  YES or NO.

Ezra, if you're not interested in a discussion then there is nothing to discuss with you, Even a simple yes or no will be distorted and twisted into whatever you want it to be, so forgive me, I decline to engage you on the subject absent a true, respectful, considerate and polite discussion.

No answer is also an answer. And you are implying that I engage in distorting and twisting things, which is also an answer. Those who know better would never accuse me of this.

Ezra if you understood the subject you would not ask a simple yes or no. Your question offers a false dichotomy.  It is like asking if you have beat your wife again today.   I will not treat your false dichotomy as valid. 

The hostility you have consistently demonstrated towards Catholicism and myself personally for being Catholic and not agreeing with you, as well as your refusal to have a discussion, but demand instead a black and white answer in a manner that continues such hostility, tells me there is nothing helpful that can come of continuing this with you here under such circumstances.   .

As far as twisting words, you have done nothing but twist the words of the Catholic Church in any conversation I have had with you, constantly misrepresenting what the Catholic Church teaches.

I love you, but I will not continue to indulge you.  

 

 

Edited September 18, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[gdemoss]

Ezra asked "Are Sacraments NECESSARY for salvation?"

Little flower responded "Your question offers a false dichotomy"

By necessity this answers the question as Yes they are one and the same for the Sacraments are salvation.  That is what I hear.  Correct me if I misunderstand how a false dichotomy would apply to the question otherwise. Thank you.

[Guest shiloh357]

Ezra, when you bring up an aspect of Catholicism that is scripturally indefensible, littleflower wants to pretend that you just don't understand Catholicism.  That's what she does with everyone.    And of course if you get your information from other Catholics, then those Catholics were not properly catechized, as if she is the final word on what Catholics actually believe.  

The Bible, in Catholicism, isn't the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.  It is three rungs down on the ladder.  The magisterium and "sacred tradition"  are above the Bible in authority.   So when it comes to salvation, what the Bible says isn't really what Catholics hold to.   That's why sacraments, and confessions to priests, and sprinkling (which is NOT baptism) and acts of penance are necessary for salvation in RCC doctrine.

 

 

[Ezra]

So when it comes to salvation, what the Bible says isn't really what Catholics hold to.   That's why sacraments, and confessions to priests, and sprinkling (which is NOT baptism) and acts of penance are necessary for salvation in RCC doctrine.

Shiloh, you are absolutely correct. And this false doctrine NULLIFIES the free gift of eternal life by God's grace through faith in Christ and His perfect finished work of salvation. In other words, it is a rejection of the Gospel of Grace.

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10).