Why does God care?

[Criada]

I think I've decided that my issue with the once-saved, always-saved idea lies more with certain people's take on the idea than the idea itself: I'm tired of people using the idea to mean that if someone falls away, they never were Real True Christians (TM) in the first place. Don't you realize that many of those who have fallen away have wounded spirits and are in need of compassion, instead of a kick in the teeth?!?

...back to medicating the flu...

I've always had a problem with that...
Totally agree, though.
And - if I can choose to come to God - albeit only through His grace - surely I can choose to leave.
Free will and all that!

Praying your flu will get better soon!

 

[TheManeki]

Fortunately God has said how ALL are saved.
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Look at the words: "you have been saved," not "we have been saved." It seems Paul is not including himself in with the Ephesians. While Paul was saved through grace, he was not necessarily saved through faith. (And Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians, not God. See Eph. 1:1. Divine inspiration does not equal divine dictation.)

Maneki, go play.


well pat yourself on the back now that you'vegotten YOUR problem off your chest.

I love what great substance your posts bring to these threads.

EDIT: I'm sorry. Looks like I totally missed your point -- it seems you're sad that I'm over my problem, while you aren't over yours. Let's see if we can get you over your problems now.

 

[Zaac]

Look at the words: "you have been saved," not "we have been saved." It seems Paul is not including himself in with the Ephesians. While Paul was saved through grace, he was not necessarily saved through faith. (And Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians, not God. See Eph. 1:1. Divine inspiration does not equal divine dictation.)

Ain't but one way to be saved. You can talk around it as much as you like. But everyone including paul is saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

I love what great substance your posts bring to these threads.

Thank you.

 

[TheManeki]

Ain't but one way to be saved. You can talk around it as much as you like. But everyone including paul is saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Then it's really odd that Paul didn't include himself in with the Ephesians, isn't it.

On a realted note, it's rather sad to read Sheild's posts longing for his dispensationalist "Divine Smackdown," when a nonapocalypic revelation by God would accomplish much more. Pity he and others can't long for that instead. Good thing not everybody buys into Darby's theology, at least.

 

[Zaac]

Then it's really odd that Paul didn't include himself in with the Ephesians, isn't it.

On a realted note, it's rather sad to read Sheild's posts longing for his dispensationalist "Divine Smackdown," when a nonapocalypic revelation by God would accomplish much more. Pity he and others can't long for that instead. Good thing not everybody buys into Darby's theology, at least.

He didn't have too. I'm not an Ephesian. In fact I don't know very many Ephesians to whom this applies today.

We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

 

[TheManeki]

He didn't have too. I'm not an Ephesian. In fact I don't know very many Ephesians to whom this applies today.

We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

It seems from your post you are splitting hairs to try to avoid answering my question.

Paul is not including himself in his target audience, be they Epehesians then or you and me now.

 

[Zaac]

It seems from your post you are splitting hairs to try to avoid answering my question.

Paul is not including himself in his target audience, be they Epehesians then or you and me now.

Your question has been answered. Just not to your satisfaction.



We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

 

[Zaac]

Deleted

 

[TheManeki]

Your question has been answered. Just not to your satisfaction.



We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Then please repeat your answer, since I missed it in my flu-besotted state. I'll repeat my question:

If Paul was saved by faith, why did he feel it necessary to not include himself in Ephesians 2:8 in the group who was saved by faith? He could have easily said "For it is by grace that we have been saved, through faith -- and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God --"

 

[Zaac]

Then please repeat your answer, since I missed it in my flu-besotted state. I'll repeat my question:

If Paul was saved by faith, why did he feel it necessary to not include himself in Ephesians 2:8 in the group who was saved by faith? He could have easily said "For it is by grace that we have been saved, through faith -- and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God --"

He didn't have too. I'm not an Ephesian. In fact I don't know very many Ephesians to whom this applies today.

We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

 

[TheManeki]

He didn't have too. I'm not an Ephesian. In fact I don't know very many Ephesians to whom this applies today.

We all, including Paul, are saved the same way.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ah. So you're saying that Ephesians is only good for the Ephesians? So why are you still quoting it?

 

[Criada]

Eh?
If the epistles don't apply to us, why are they in the bible???

 

[Zaac]

Eh?
If the epistles don't apply to us, why are they in the bible???

Thank you Criada. He knows exactly why the same thing has been repeated.

Paul was not an exception. As grace through faith saves us, it saved Paul too.

 

[TheManeki]

Paul was not an exception. As grace through faith saves us, it saved Paul too.

Perhaps it's all the antiflu drugs I'm on, but I'm not following you at all, Zaac.

Eph. 2:8 has Paul not including himself in the group of people saved by faith, and your post seems to say that it's because that passage only applies to the Epehesians only, and nobody else who reads the epistle. Weird....

 

[TexasSky]

This has bothered me for awhile. I've been wondering why it is that people constantly talk about how God is going to destroy America and/or the world because of our growing acceptance of homosexuality. Well, God didn't destroy the world during the Holocaust, so what makes people think he cares more about homosexuality?

Does this strike anyone else as a bit...off, morally?

If God detroys America it will be because the vast majority of Americans will have turned against God, not because one particular group of people are doing one thing.

 

[Zaac]

Perhaps it's all the antiflu drugs I'm on, but I'm not following you at all, Zaac.

Eph. 2:8 has Paul not including himself in the group of people saved by faith, and your post seems to say that it's because that passage only applies to the Epehesians only, and nobody else who reads the epistle. Weird....

Man you need to get some rest cause that ain't at all what my post said.

And you know that you are an addict when you're sick as a dog and still online.

Go get some rest man. Lord willing, we'll be here when you get back. Now get gone.