I am not talking about excuse-making. I am saying that the righteousness God requires is perfect, and we don't have perfect righteousness. This isn't an error or unbiblical. Paul wrote:
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,
not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” (
Php 3:8-9 NKJV)
True, but we have to come back to Him regularly, confessing more sins. Again, I think of Paul:
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (
Ro 7:18-19 NKJV)
Yes, I agree with that.
When we are born again, not when we are baptised.
I agree with that.
Nonsense. Where in the bible do you read about venial sins and mortal sins, let alone some necessity to make a distinction between moral and venial sins in order to make spiritual progress?
They are right. We cannot work our way to heaven. If we could, we would not need a Saviour.
But 1 Corinthians does not say that charity saves us. Rather, If we claim to be saved, and do not have charity (in the sense of self-sacrificial love), our claims are in vain.
Faith leads to works. The works don't save, but should result from having been saved:
“
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (
Eph 2:8-10 NKJV)
I appreciate your thoughtful response and agree with your concluding statement, as that is holy scripture.
It says we are saved BY grace. Faith is secondary as we are saved through faith not by faith. The power of salvation comes from God alone, else we could claim faith as a work rather than than a gift.
God commanded baptism as the start of our new life. We must deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Jesus. Baptism is a sign of that submission, and when we are baptized we receive the promise of Christ which is faith, hope, and charity.
If we were saved by works, then action would be the start of faith, say this or do that and God will be obligated to save you. You and I both know that is not how it works.
Salvation comes from submission, which also is obedience. Christ commanded baptism and it is required for salvation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. Not because we did anything but because God said so.
When we are born again we are as babes in Christ. Babies are cute and we care for them, but they are not meant to be babies forever. A 40 month old toddler is adorable, a 40 year old toddler is disgusting
We receive the theological virtues as babes in Christ, but to spiritually grow we pursue the cardinal virtues, these being justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude. These come from human effort cooperating with the grace of God. God promises that He will give me what I ask, so I ask for virtue. Will He not give it to me? If we wish to stay babes and not ask, do we really want to be with God and submit to Him, or is it we who wish God submit to us?
We are not saved by works which is true, we are saved unto good works. The elect gladly deny themselves mortify the deeds of their flesh and get to work. What of those that see works as vain, useless and superstitious?
God tells us so many times over and over to beware in the Bible. The foolish virgins who had no oil to meet the bridegroom were shut out and the door not opened. The man that came in without a wedding garment was bound and cast into outer darkness. We are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The man that had one talent and hid it had his talent was taken away and given to the man that had ten. We are told to keep our wedding garments clean and buy gold tried in the fire, or else He will vomit the lukewarm from his mouth. Finally we are told that the goats that say Lord Lord will not enter the kingdom of heaven but only the sheep that DO the will of the Father will enter the joy of the Lord.
Yes we are not saved by works but the sheep will do them, and subject themselves to training in righteousness. God is not mocked, we do not pay lip service to Him and expect to get into the wedding feast.
Yet the sheep that get to work early, do not gloat and exalt themselves above those that repent of a life of sloth. God says the last will be first and the first will be last. If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts, for now is the time, today is the day of salvation. All those before you are eager to be your servant as the Lord commands
The sheep are not as the elder brother who resents his father for showering love on his younger son that has returned. The sheep enter the joy of the Lord, rejoice in souls that repent as the Lord does, and the sheep do not have jealousy over the Lord’s generosity. They count it all joy to work in the Lord’s vineyard in the heat of the day, rather than risk separation from Him
When a soul repents and decides to obey the Lord, it is more joyful than any reward from God that one could expect. The sheep delight in what brings joy to God
