A View of Salvation

[Marvin Knox]

Of course, who's to judge whether someone's "doing their own good work in themselves" or for the right reasons, out of love for God and/or neighbor? Ephesian 2:10: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Unless we're so satisfied with our self-assessed level of faith that we think we don't need do a thing. Anyway the work God does in us is never intended to be without our participation; we're to work out our salvation with he who works in us. Phil 2:12-13

Agreed.

But one needs only to read a few posts by EmSw and a few like him to see that they teach that we are the ones who began the good works and that we must also finish it.

That's the direct opposite of what the scriptures say.

 

[JamesFW]

Agreed.

But one needs only to read a few posts by EmSw and a few like him to see that they teach that we are the ones who began the good works and that we must also finish it.

That's the direct opposite of what the scriptures say.

Could you please provide any quotes that anyone has said we began the good works and that we must finish it?

If you can't, you are a false accuser.

 

[Marvin Knox]

Could you please provide any quotes that anyone has said we began the good works and that we must finish it?

If you can't, you are a false accuser.

I can if I choose to do so - which I don't.

You are in a much better place to quote EmSw than I am - since you are EmSw.

 

[JamesFW]

I can if I choose to do so

Nope you can't. Sorry, deception does not work with me.

 

[Marvin Knox]

......... Sorry, deception does not work with me.

Obviously.

Everyone sees through your deceptive change of names.

You're still the same old false teacher even in your new incarnation.

A thorn by any other name is still a thorn.

 

[Lily of Valleys]

I have also had a history of "walking away from Christ", and like your mother, I kept coming back only to walk away again. My last time was for a brief return to Islam (I had been a Muslim before for a few years but left because I got tired of always apologizing for the extremists), but I found I no longer had it in myself to believe a lot of what Muslims believe. This last time, just before I returned to Christ, I had a dream . I dreamed that I was in Mecca at the Sacred Mosque, trying to do Salat (the 5-times-a-day ritual prayer) and discovered that I had completely forgotten the words and I kept worrying that I'd get in trouble for being there (only Muslims are allowed in Mecca). When I woke up I discovered that I really had forgotten the words to Salat. My wife (an evangelical Christian) suggested that maybe it was not God's will for me to be a Muslim. Shortly thereafter I decided to give Christianity another try, and I felt a sudden calm come over me that persists even now. Because of that, I believe that I wasn't really saved before, but now I finally am, and God will keep me from wandering away again.

Thanks for your sharing. I am sure God is happy that you have finally returned to Him.

"If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:12-14)

 

[Lily of Valleys]

IMO your view is correct --- with one caveat.

According to the scriptures, in their sinful condition no one seeks after God and no one can receive the things of God.

The Father must act sovereignly to draw His elect to the Son or they would not repent and be saved.

Since not all will be saved, it follows that He passes others by and leaves them to their own tendencies.

No one's free will is violated - although some become new creations by the grace of God who have a different will than they had before.

As of now, I cannot think of any verses in the scripture that are inconsistent with this view, but would be happy to examine if anyone has any Bible verses in mind that could be inconsistent with this.