No I Didn't Earn It...But, I Deserve It

[Tone]

If we had to earn it

Correct,we don't earn it.

 

[Contenders Edge]

" to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital"
Definition of DESERVE

Are you worthy of reward, because of what Messiah earned on your behalf?

Messiah achieved. He didn't earn. As for rewards, what rewards we receive are based upon our devotion to and level of service to Him. (1 Cor. 3:13-15) It seems that there has been some confusion between the unmerited gift of salvation which we receive through our faith in Christ and the rewards we strive for by being the best servants for Him that we can be.

 

[Mathetes66]

" to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital"
Definition of DESERVE Are you worthy of reward, because of what Messiah earned on your behalf?"

I notice you still haven't shown any Scripture to show what you assert or any verses actually using the term deserve, applying to believers. I also notice you quoted the secondary meaning on the dictionary definition sight but neglected to distinguish between transitive & intransitive by not putting it in.

I will be waiting for the Scriptures.

 

[Yarddog]

Not even if He Who worked says so?

Did he tell you that you deserved it? Scripture doesn't say that. God loves us and gives us what we don't deserve. It is a gift.

 

[Daniel9v9]

Is this true for the new creation in Messiah?

There is no condemnation for the regenerate (the new creation, born of the Holy Spirit), who believe in Jesus Christ; our sins are not counted against us. This is what it means for man to be free from sins and justified. It doesn't mean that we are sinless and obedient to God's Word as Christ was when he walked among us, but rather, through faith, Christ's sinlessness and obedience - in a word, righteousness - is credited to us. We are clothed in Christ. The righteousness of Christ that we have been given by God's grace is alien and external to us. It is imputed to us. We always look to the person and works of Christ and not to ourselves and our deeds.

So then, the unbelievers will be judged according to what they have done (which is evil), but the believers will be judged according to what Christ has done (which is perfect and good)! This is why there is no fear of punishment. This is why the Gospel, or Evangelion is "good news"! From beginning to end, salvation is by God's grace.

In short, the Christian is at the same time sinner and saint. We still sin according to the flesh, but because of God's mercy through Christ, it is forgiven. We are counted as righteous because of Christ. This is why the Lord has taught us to continuously pray for forgiveness, but at the same time declared that all our sins are forgiven once and for all. In Christ, there is a superabundance of forgiveness and mercy. Good news, indeed!

 

[Tone]

I notice you still haven't shown any Scripture to show what you assert or any verses actually using the term deserve, applying to believers. I also notice you quoted the secondary meaning on the dictionary definition sight but neglected to distinguish between transitive & intransitive by not putting it in.

I will be waiting for the Scriptures.

2 Thessalonians 1:11
"11To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith, "

Colossians 1:12
"12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light."

2 Corinthians 3
"5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Romans 8:17
"17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ— if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him."

*
1. (n.) Having worth or excellence; possessing merit; valuable; deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.

2. (n.) Having suitable, adapted, or equivalent qualities or value; -- usually with of before the thing compared or the object; more rarely, with a following infinitive instead of, or with that; as, worthy of, equal in excellence, value, or dignity to; entitled to; meriting; -- usually in a good sense, but sometimes in a bad one.

3. (n.) of high station; of high social position.

4. (n.) A man of eminent worth or value; one distinguished for useful and estimable qualities; a person of conspicuous desert; -- much used in the plural; as, the worthies of the church; political worthies; military worthies.

5. (v. t.) To render worthy; to exalt into a hero.
Topical Bible: Worthy

 

[Tone]

Did he tell you that you deserved it? Scripture doesn't say that. God loves us and gives us what we don't deserve. It is a gift.

Matthew 22:8
"Then he said to his servants,'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy."

Luke 21:36
"Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Acts 13:46
"Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles."

2 Thessalonians 1:5
"This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer."

2 Thessalonians 1:11
"To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;"

 

[Strong in Him]

Correct...He earned it.

He achieved salvation and reconciliation to God for us.
We don't deserve it and could not earn it - he offered it to us as a gift, Romans 6:23. He wanted us to accept the gift of eternal life and believe in his Son; it was his will, John 6:40. We are not worthy or his love and grace and have done nothing to earn, or deserve, such a gift from the One we have sinned against. We accept - hopefully - because Jesus paid the price and wants to give it to us.

If someone had fallen in a pit, were slowly sinking into the mud and people came along to rescue them, they would do so out of concern for another human life - selflessness, even love, would cause them to reach out and help. The person in the pit could be a murderer/rapist for all they know, yet they would still try to help; because of THEIR love and selfless nature, not because the person in the pit had done anything to deserve such kindness.
If the rescuers held out their hands, or threw a rope, the person in the pit would most likely take it - because it was being offered, because he would be desperate and wanted to get out. He would have done nothing to deserve to be rescued or to be worthy of taking the rope.
If the man in the pit said "no, I'm not worth it, you don't know what I've done, I don't deserve your help" and refused to accept it because he said that he didn't deserve it and wasn't worthy of it; he would die.

 

[Tone]

He achieved salvation and reconciliation to God for us.
We don't deserve it and could not earn it - he offered it to us as a gift

He makes us worthy.

Jesus paid the price and wants to give it to us.

Yes, He earned it (paid the price) and if He wants to give it to us he has made us deserving of it (worthy).

 

[RaymondG]

If we got what we deserved, we would be in the fires of hell today!

WE will all get what we deserve. It would be wise to start thinking better of yourself..... Or at least start sowing good seed. For what you sow....that will you also reap...and you will deserve that harvest....

 

[RaymondG]

Better to put it like this:

I don't deserve God's saving love. But Jesus does deserve it. And I am united to Jesus.

If you are united, then there should be no more "I" but Christ....After which, there can be no longer one that deserves and another that doesnt.......

 

[eleos1954]

He did do something, on our behalf.

Yes He did. I was stating there is nothing (within ourselves - without Jesus) that WE can do.

John 15

5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

 

[Strong in Him]

He makes us worthy.

Worthy to stand before God, not worthy to receive salvation.

Yes, He earned it (paid the price) and if He wants to give it to us he has made us deserving of it (worthy).

We are not deserving of it; that's the point.
We can never deserve, earn or be worthy of his love. He gives it to us because he IS love - not because we deserve it.
We have WORTH to him; he loves us, created us and are precious to him - that does not make us worthy of his grace. That is the definition of grace - unmerited favour. Favour that could be earned would be a reward; eternal life is a gift.

 

[Tone]

Worthy to stand before God, not worthy to receive salvation.



We are not deserving of it; that's the point.
We can never deserve, earn or be worthy of his love. He gives it to us because he IS love - not because we deserve it.
We have WORTH to him; he loves us, created us and are precious to him - that does not make us worthy of his grace. That is the definition of grace - unmerited favour. Favour that could be earned would be a reward; eternal life is a gift.

With His gifts, comes the worthiness...it's all wrapped together; the beautiful package of grace!

 

[Tone]

Hebrews 11
"1Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. 2This is why the ancients were commended. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

 

[Strong in Him]

With His gifts, comes the worthiness...it's all wrapped together; the beautiful package of grace!

Well if you believe you have been able to earn and are worthy to receive anything from God; go ahead.
Grace is undeserved and unmerited; that's why God is so awesome.

 

[Mathetes66]

Still waiting for verses that say we 'deserve it.'

If we deserve it, then we can BOAST: I deserve it, I deserve it. What does Scripture say?
Rom 3:27; 4:2; I Cor 1:29-31; Eph 2:8-10; I Cor 4:7, etc.


And if it is the grace of God doing it in & through us & the power of the Spirit, then it isn't us doing it as Paul states. Grace by very definition is: 'unmerited favor.'

I Cor 15:9-11 For I am the least of the apostles & am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special grace on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.

2 Tim 1:9 He has saved us & called us with a holy calling, not because of our own works, but by His own purpose & by THE GRACE He granted us in Christ Jesus before time eternal.

Also Jesus showed that to His disciples when they asked Him to increase their faith & He answered them with a parable.

Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted & planted in the sea’ & it will obey you.

7Which of you whose servant comes in from plowing or shepherding in the field will say to him, ‘Come at once & sit down to eat’? Instead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal & dress yourself to serve me while I eat & drink & afterward you may eat & drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told? So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

 

[Tone]

Still waiting for verses that say we 'deserve it.'

If we deserve it, then we can BOAST: I deserve it, I deserve it. What does Scripture say?
Rom 3:27; 4:2; I Cor 1:29-31; Eph 2:8-10; I Cor 4:7, etc.


And if it is the grace of God doing it in & through us & the power of the Spirit, then it isn't us doing it as Paul states. Grace by very definition is: 'unmerited favor.'

I Cor 15:9-11 For I am the least of the apostles & am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special grace on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.

2 Tim 1:9 He has saved us & called us with a holy calling, not because of our own works, but by His own purpose & by THE GRACE He granted us in Christ Jesus before time eternal.

Also Jesus showed that to His disciples when they asked Him to increase their faith & He answered them with a parable.

Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted & planted in the sea’ & it will obey you.

7Which of you whose servant comes in from plowing or shepherding in the field will say to him, ‘Come at once & sit down to eat’? Instead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal & dress yourself to serve me while I eat & drink & afterward you may eat & drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told? So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Galatians 6:14
"14But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation."

 

[Tone]

Well if you believe you have been able to earn and are worthy to receive anything from God; go ahead.
Grace is undeserved and unmerited; that's why God is so awesome.

Where did I say I earned anything?

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Included in the title of the post "I deserve it."

I try to stick with the thought that I deserve nothing except for a hot place down below.

Keeps one humble.
M-Bob