Brougtwithaprice you say ( or are we self centred and want God to love while we do nothing . ) That is what Bible tells us. He first loved us and we not him. We do good works because we love God it’s an automatic reaction and certainly not as a penance or that I have to please God with continued confessions in some way to earn my salvation. You then use the example of a smelly bride and a sweet smelling bride. It seems to me that you sold like to defrock me of my salvation and everyone else for that matter. What your saying is that a Christian can lose their salvation. Then how do we keep it? Is it by continued daily ritual confessions. And how manny times do you lose it ? with each evil thought or action and how many times do we regain our salvation?. Is it a case of being saved and then not being saved with the interpretation of your religion on that matter, by us not following the standard that you promote of continual confession ? I always thought the law was to bring us into the realisation that we cannot keep the law, and that brought us to the realisation that we need a Saviour. And the question must be asked how can anyone know they are truly saved if we can lose our salvation if we follow your mode of confession. But the reality is that all true Christians confess their failings on a consistent basis anyway
View attachment 366997 As to the Calvinism you mention . Well what influenced John Calvin more barring the Bible . St Augustine of course. He was rather Calvinistic. And finally Why is that your religion so infatuated in wanting to control every aspect of a Christian’s being. ? And now it also seems our salvation also with what you have explained to me that our salvation is now not guaranteed by God.
I refer you to sacred scripture which clearly says that we cannot save ourselves, as does the Catholic Church, yet it does not tell us to act presumptuously. We are warned time and again to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
We are not told to rest now as salvation is assured. God is merciful, He is also just. God is love and love is voluntary. It requires an act of the will.
Salvation is not lost for those that actively love God. It can be discarded at any time for those that chose to discard God’s commands, do nothing and expect heaven blaming it all on someone that told them Jesus paid it all.
Jesus did pay it all, but if you want salvation, you have to ask for it. He who asks receives, seeks finds and knocks it is opened to them. That includes freedom from sin.
There is no excuse for a believing Christian to sin. The Bible says it is as if you crucify the Son of God afresh and bring Him to open shame. We need to react with horror to our sins, not take a lackadaisical attitude of no big deal, Jesus paid it all.
We can look at God’s warning in the Apocalypse also known as Revelation against taking salvation for granted. Those that have no fear of God say Jesus paid it all. They say I am rich, well fed and have need of nothing. God says they are miserable blind poor and naked. He then charges them to buy of Him gold tried in the fire, and gives promises to those that overcome. Those that won’t, He will vomit out of His mouth.
That is pretty scary.
We like to have our ears tickled and told everything is alright and we don’t have any responsibility, but that is not what the Bible says.
Some misinformed teachers say that, but we are not saved by teachers, we are saved the the Son of God who loves us and gives Himself for us. Do we love Him? Or take Him for granted ? Can we look on His broken body and continue to sin? Realizing that every sin is another spit of contempt, a crack of the whip that tears flesh, blood from His crown of thorns given to mock Him, and another drive of the nails that ended His life?
Can we really sin so easily knowing that is what we are doing? Can we really expect salvation from Him while treating Him with utter contempt? If you sin, that is what you are doing. Why would you scorn a Church that teaches us to confess our sins and not take Our Lord for granted?
Jesus is merciful and He will forgive our weakness, but we have to ask for forgiveness and show forth works of repentance. Scripture tells us to forgive our brother 70 times seven times but only after he says I repent. It does not teach us to give license to sin, nor should we presume the mercy of God and act as if we have a license to sin.
What? God will send to eternal hellfire those that do not believe and continue wickedness, but we can say, I believe in Jesus and we get a pass to do the same things? God forbid!
We do not sin more, so that grace may more abound. Freedom from sin is difficult but not impossible with the grace of God. He tells us narrow is the way, straight is the gate that leads to life. Strive to enter by the straight gate. Pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
The spiritual battle is in our minds. Scripture says for us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That involves us to stop listening to false teachers that tell you sin does not matter, you are saved and cannot be lost. If we want salvation, we have to ask for it. How can we ask for it if we allow our minds to be deceived into thinking we do not need it?
The Calvinists are right in one thing is that there is an elect. However they get it wrong in that the elect are not merely those that believe there is an elect. The elect are those that do the will of the Father, which is to repent and live a life of holiness.
Jesus tells us many ways in which salvation can be discarded. One of them is the parable of the seed. We have the seed on the path, the seed on rock, and the seed among thorns. All of those seeds have heard the Gospel and did not put it into practice, some even received it with great joy but discarded it.
Keeping the commandments of God is not impossible, we have to be willing to ask God for help, and then humble enough to accept the help that is offered. He has given some Apostles, some prophets, some teachers, etc. It is arrogant to reject the help God offers and say we don’t need them, I can go to Jesus myself. Ok, how is that working out?
The path of life is hard. Jesus tells us we will be hated by all men for His name’s sake. We are to deny ourselves and take up our cross. The path of life is one of poverty, contempt and humility. We must mortify the deeds of our flesh according to scripture. God loves us and will help us whenever we ask Him, and He has promised to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, but we have to ask.
God does not force Himself on us and that is another error of the Calvinists. Grace is not irresistible. Free will is maintained as God is love and love is not love if it is not free. Scripture says we have set before us the path of life and death, choose which one you will serve, as for me, I will follow the Lord, not with my lips only, but in deeds
Satan lies to us, and tells us that we don’t have to repent. He says you don’t have to follow that hard path, take it easy, don’t run the race, it’s already won. Don’t work out your salvation with fear and trembling, works can’t save you. Holiness? Puhh no one can be holy, so don’t worry about it. Relax, take it easy, suffering is for suckers. Don’t take that path of poverty, contempt and humility. I give you the path of wealth, vain glory, and pride. Don’t deny yourself, puff your self up and have your ears tickled instead.
Satan is an angelic being so he is infinitely more intelligent than us, as can make convincing arguments. We can see through them by comparing them with scripture and the humility of self denial, along with the willingness to accept contempt.
Salvation is available at anytime while we are alive. God has tremendous love and will save anyone that asks Him, but we have to ask Him to cleanse us because now is the time, today is the day of salvation. We stop sinning today, not some pie in the sky future day. The spiritual battle begins now, there is time in eternity for us to rest in a salvation which cannot be lost. For now we are in a battle, so put on the full armor of God and fight against the powers of darkness, else be over run by them. It is your choice
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