How Free Will Turns the Gospel into Law and Grace into Works.

Jan001 · Sep 9, 2019

Stephen Douglas said:
It is true that God demands a person to be "pure of heart" and "made perfect" before he may see God's face but it is also true that He knows that many persons will still not be perfected at the time of their death. Jesus commands us to "strive to enter by the narrow door because many will not be able" and this ability to enter by the narrow door is dependent upon each person's own free will choices. Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable.

One thing at a time. If it were to depend upon the choosing ability of any man......NONE of us could stand. Those who have been converted by His grace still have a propensity to sin so great that we must depend on 1 John 1:9 to maintain the status of the "righteousness of God" as we are washed clean through repentance. We are not perfected by our acts or upon any good "work". In fact, the apostle Paul claims that the very best that he, as a dedicated Jew, could offer to God was as filthy rags. Romans 8 makes it clear that the only thing that lays claim to perfection is the indwelling Spirit that is given as a gift from God. The second chapter of Ephesians makes clear that those who were enemies of God are DEAD in their sins. But it is GOD, and God alone that revives this dead person unto life. Why? Read God's word through the pen of Paul......

"so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Read Paul's description of man's total depravity and God's monergistic act to save His people. Tell me what man does to receive this gift?

When we speak of a term found nowhere from Genesis to Revelation, namely "free will", we are applying this concept in two manners. Pre-justification and Post-justification. My previous post was dealing with Pre-justification only. That is, "does any man have the ability to make a decision to turn the will of His life over to something that is virtually undetectable by humans senses?" I think the scriptures are clear on this subject. All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The wages of sin is death. Any man who commits even one sin has committed them all. And the list goes on....and on.....and on...….

But you have chosen to stand on the directives given by God to man. Your whole argument stands or falls on this:

Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable.

My question to you is......WHY NOT????

Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable because God is Good. In fact He is all-good. God cannot do evil and He cannot tempt any person to do evil. To command someone to do what is impossible and then punish him for not doing as He commanded is evil. God cannot do evil. God desires that all mankind choose to obey and thereby be saved and that is why He sent His Son to be the ransom for all mankind. 1 Timothy 2:3-6, 2 Peter 3:9

Mark 10:18
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. rsv

What Christ is asking him is, "Do you believe that I am God?"

James 1:13
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; rsv

3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God. rsv

Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed. rsv

Purity was not attainable by Abraham. Purity was not attainable by Joshua. Purity was not attainable by Moses. Purity was attainable by Jesus, the Christ. This is the gospel message and the very reason that we know that man CANNOT obey God. We NEED Christ because He is perfect and He stands in our place. If fallen man is capable of obedience to God then Christ died in vain for that person. I will not inundate you with scripture verses. But I will say that the myriad of scripture verses that contain directed commands by God does not come close to proving that man is capable of adhering to them.

Jesus does not "stand in our place". We stand in our own place which we have chosen by our own actions. Joshua 24:15

If we choose to repent and believe and are baptized using the formula commanded by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, His Holy Spirit immediately sanctifies us through the water and words of baptism Ephesians 5:26 and so then He dwells within our soul/heart/mind. Acts 5:32

His presence is what keeps us sanctified and makes us righteous/worthy/approved to inherit eternal life. It is His indwelling presence at the time of our death which guarantees us that we will be approved/worthy to inherit eternal life. Revelation 2:10, James 1:12

If we have not continued in our obedience to God's commandments and as a consequence of our disobedience, God's Holy Spirit of Grace is not abiding/dwelling within us at the time of our death, Jesus will not recognize/know us as one of His own and so then we will not be approved worthy to inherit eternal life. Luke 13:23-28, Matthew 7:18-23

Mark 16:16
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. rsv

The person who does not believe does not choose to repent and be baptized and so he will not be saved.

Baptism:
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. rsv

Ephesians 1:13-14
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. rsv

You claim that man cannot obey God. This is what the Scripture states:

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. rsv

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things in him who strengthens me. rsv

2 Peter 1:3-10
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. rsv

LoveofTruth · Sep 10, 2019

Dave L said:
Free will permeates the world as far as it concerns law. The law holds people responsible based on their ability to obey or disobey it. And free will is in play wherever laws exist.

In the Old Testament, God held Israel responsible for keeping the Ten Commandments based on free will. But a problem develops when we try to import free will and law into the New Covenant. God did away with law and free will has no place. So if we keep free will, it is at the expense of turning the gospel into law And God’s grace into works.

Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life. Naturally understood, believing is a trait of those who have eternal life. But if we keep free will, we turn this announcement into a law which in effect says whoever chooses to believe has eternal life. So we destroy the gospel and God’s grace turning them into law and works.

Other examples are the Philippian jailer who after the earthquake asked Paul “what must I do to be saved?” And Paul told him “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”. Jesus says “whoever believes has eternal life”. So the jailer had eternal life and was a believer before he asked Paul for instructions. Or he would not have asked. But free will turns this into law and thinks salvation happens only after the jailer kept the law.

One more illustration is where Paul says “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” Romans 10:9 (NASB95). But again, a person must already believe with their heart, that is be saved, or they would not do this.

1 Corinthians 9:17 (KJV) “For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”

Looks like their is freewill and choices in the NT under the gospel as well

Dave L · Sep 10, 2019

LoveofTruth said:
1 Corinthians 9:17 (KJV) “For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”

Looks like their is freewill and choices in the NT under the gospel as well

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 (KJV 1900)

LoveofTruth · Sep 10, 2019

Dave L said:
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 (KJV 1900)

John 1:9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world....12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

2 Corinthians 4:2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them....6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

Colossians 1:26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

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How Free Will Turns the Gospel into Law and Grace into Works.

Jan001

Striving to win the prize...

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LoveofTruth

Christ builds His church from within us

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Dave L

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LoveofTruth

Christ builds His church from within us

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