Salvation by Grace vs. Works

[enoob57]

On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 11:41 PM, LearningToLetGo said:

I accept that man cannot earn God's salvation through works. Instead, man's salvation is a gift that God bestows upon those who accept His son Jesus as their Lord and Savior. But how is accepting Jesus not the ultimate "work?" 

Jesus says behold I stand at the door for the heart and knock:
Because salvation is when the individual comes to believe what God has said about them in His Word -they are dead and separated from God by sin (knock knock)... seeing and knowing the death is in every creature Rom 1:18-22...(knock knock) It is in this death and emptiness that despair of being sets in and all that is within the manipulation of that being does not help in this despair...(knock knock) God set before man His Law and it points to what a life bearing being would do if they had life yet no man could perform the Law perfectly so life and death were set before man and man could see he was dead to God and in the fulness of this time God sent His only Son into the world to show what the obedient to The Law would be and look like... (knock knock)

Rom 5:14-16

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
KJV

The free gift is 'The Work' of the One Man Jesus The Christ...(knock knock) when a person cries out in the darkness of this place with the deadness of a self centered heart God grants repentance of being; a repentance of absolute all, as there is nothing that sin has not permeated in the being, and the individual is left with need without resource in anything but The Lord Jesus Christ.... from this place where no barter of being exist one calls out into the darkness for Jesus (the door of the heart opens through granted repentance to the knocking of God) and The Lord Jesus enters and creates New Life (s/Spiritually) within the deadness all around... from this point on only The Word of God can provide sustenance to right thinking and right living in this dead place... are you eating and drinking His Word?

12 hours ago, LearningToLetGo said:

Is there is a moment when God came into my life? Yes! It was profound, humbling, terrifying, loving, and utterly awesome.

Do I love Jesus? Yes, dearly.

Do I call myself Christian? No, I never have used that word to describe myself.

Am I saved? Honestly, I don't know. I just don't know...

How often do you eat and drink of His Life in The Word? Because the one who does is renewed daily and grows intimately with Him in sanctification... The body of flesh and the world containing that body grow less of importance and s/Spiritual Life and the promises of God grow more...

10 hours ago, LearningToLetGo said:

I'm reminded of Mark 10:21. And Jesus, looking at him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (ESV)

In this parable the young man is me. Although I am no longer young and don't have material wealth, I have acquired a great deal of intellectual and emotional possessions. I'm finding it difficult to let go. The irony is that I know this about myself, but that doesn't seem to change anything.

There is absolutely no loving or clinging to this world to the one who s/Spiritually lives daily working to glorify Him Who is worthy 

Rev 5:12-14

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
KJV
Those who have new life will be present in this event hope to see you there!!!  
Love, Steven

[LearningToLetGo]

7 hours ago, Cletus said:

not sure what you mean by intellectual and emotional possessions, are they things that could be sold?  and I am not telling you to sell them.  but if they cant be sold i do not see how that verse applies.  maybe I am missing something? 

The items I refer to are not 'things' that can be seen, touched or sold. These items are of the mind. They block me from taking the final step towards Jesus and I have not yet learned how to resolve them. Perhaps an analogy will help? Imagine you are young and there is a woman that you love more than anything in the world. You want nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and marry her, but you are afraid to do that because you don't think you can be a good husband to her. Since her happiness is worth more to you than your own, you let her go. This is where I am with Jesus. I'm working through it.

[Heybro]

Learningtoletgo, having continued to read through the thread, I can only point you again to my original comment. Your issue is with "Trust," you dearly want this relationship with Jesus, it's all you ever want in life. You say that you don't think that you can be a loving enough husband, so you let her go. You're "copping out" in the relationship, "trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. In any relationship there is a beginning, getting to know each other, learning from one another, God is completely trustworthy, He is eternally consistent in His character, He is the ONE unchanging person in an ever changing world.  Please read again my last paragraph in my 1st comment to you, it begins with your first step. As always, I hope this helps, God bless.

[Blood Bought 1953]

9 hours ago, LearningToLetGo said:

The items I refer to are not 'things' that can be seen, touched or sold. These items are of the mind. They block me from taking the final step towards Jesus and I have not yet learned how to resolve them. Perhaps an analogy will help? Imagine you are young and there is a woman that you love more than anything in the world. You want nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and marry her, but you are afraid to do that because you don't think you can be a good husband to her. Since her happiness is worth more to you than your own, you let her go. This is where I am with Jesus. I'm working through it.

 

I am not quite sure what you mean with this  “ working through it” thing with Jesus. All He wants is for you to believe the Gospel he revealed to Paul so that Paul could reveal it to the world. You can find it in 1 Cor 15:1-4. If you BELIEVE that Jesus died for you sins and rose from the dead on the third day, you are saved.End of story.Faith plus nothing.God bless.

[Your closest friendnt]

19 hours ago, Cletus said:

You sure about that?

Rom 4:2  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Rom 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 4:9  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Rom 4:10  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Rom 4:11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Rom 4:12  And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

No one is justified by works.  The law only showed the OT people that by themselves they could not do it... same as today. 

 

I was not expecting the post to come out in this way suggesting faith plus works...

I understand the scriptures you have posted and understand that we are justified by faith without works. Amen 

[LearningToLetGo]

7 hours ago, Cletus said:

sometimes I ask God... I dont even know what I need, dont know what to ask but I know I need something, but please give it to me, whatever it is.

Thank you, Cletus. This is good advice. 

4 hours ago, Heybro said:

You're "copping out" in the relationship, "trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Thank you, Heybro. I don't disagree with you. I find it far easier to obey than to trust. I'm starting to understand this now. 

3 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

I am not quite sure what you mean with this  “ working through it” thing with Jesus. ... If you BELIEVE that Jesus died for you sins and rose from the dead on the third day, you are saved.

Thank you, Blood Bought 1953. I'm not sure myself what "working through it" means. I need to spend time with my feelings. I need to spend time in prayer, in conversation with God. Love alone is not enough to make a marriage work. I need to figure out what kind of relationship I want with God.

[Heybro]

LearningToLetGo, something else I would like to share with you, if I may. Feelings are untrustworthy at best, your emotions can easily lead you down a path that is not beneficial to anyone! God ALONE Is Trustworthy, He is completely Faithful in His Character, simply because He Is Unchanging, completely Rock Solid. Don't get in touch with "your feelings," get in touch with God, by way of The Holy Spirit's direction in your Heart. In his song,"It's The Name Above All Names," Chuck Girrard sings, Jesus says," I'll take every inch that you surrender to Me." God, who is Limitless, because He dwells and lives outside of time, unlike us. In His love toward us limits Himself to whatever amount you surrender to Him, He will work with however much, or little you are willing to give Him. So let me ask you the question, "what are you holding back on, what part aren't you willing to give over?" God is a jealous God, He doesn't want to share you with anyone, or anything else, but Him alone.  We sing the timeless chorus, "I surrender all," but do we really. He wants All of Us, He gave us His All, in Jesus dying in our stead, just so that we can get back into "right standing, and  loving relationship as it was, "In the beginning." As always, I hope this helps, God bless.

[Blood Bought 1953]

47 minutes ago, LearningToLetGo said:

Thank you, Cletus. This is good advice. 

Thank you, Heybro. I don't disagree with you. I find it far easier to obey than to trust. I'm starting to understand this now. 

Thank you, Blood Bought 1953. I'm not sure myself what "working through it" means. I need to spend time with my feelings. I need to spend time in prayer, in conversation with God. Love alone is not enough to make a marriage work. I need to figure out what kind of relationship I want with God.

 

If you are in the Body of Christ,try this—— He is  your Father,and you are His Son—- That is the best way to see your relationship ,plus it’s Biblical.God bless

[LearningToLetGo]

11 hours ago, Heybro said:

Don't get in touch with "your feelings," get in touch with God, by way of The Holy Spirit's direction in your Heart.

Thank you for this advice. Yesterday was exceedingly difficult for me. After prayer and a good night's sleep I feel much better.

[Heybro]

Praise The Lord, be blessed!