ErikaA:
MD, believe it or not, I liked your post. I know what you’re saying and have read many times Paul’s admonition that we “are saved by grace through faith.” And you’re certainly right that I can add nothing to what Jesus has done. I certainly cannot improve upon his sacrifice or work. But here’s my honest question. Paul spends so much time telling us that it’s grace alone, that it’s faith that saves and then goes on to say in Ephesians (5:5 in particular) and Corinthians that “no immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
I’m glad you recognize Paul’s teaching that one is saved by grace through faith and not by works. And the fact that you cannot add to (nor subtract from) the sacrificial work of Christ for your redemption and forgiveness of sins. But unless you get off that plane to California simply reading and recognizing those things do nothing for you.
Eph. 5:5 is a true statement. But
“immoral,” “impure,” “covetous” and
“idolater” are not adjectives that describe the saved:1 Cor 6:9-11 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor {the} covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Such were some of you; but you were
washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (cf. Col. 1:12-14).In my previous message I pointed out that in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian believers he starts out by addressing them as “
those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling,” He identifies them first according to their new identity in Christ and then proceeds to address their fleshly behaviors for which he is writing to correct.
When one believes the message of the cross, thereby putting his faith in Christ, he not only receives complete forgiveness of sins (ALL of them), but he is given a new identity, being no longer in Adam, but now “
in Christ” resurrected (see Eph. 2:4-7; Col. 3:1-4). It’s an eternal identity justly bestowed on the believer by the unrestricted power God has to do so because of the cross of Christ.
It’s as though Paul says on one hand, just believe and then proceeds to tell me all the works I better be doing.
Paul never tells anyone to do works for salvation. He does, however, exhort the saved to clean up their acts - not for salvation but for the sake of Christ who redeemed them.
A believer is perfect in his new
position (being “in Christ”) before God (according to grace), but not in practicality being being yet in an unredeemed body (see Phil. 3:20-21). For this reason Paul exhorts believers to “
walk by the Spirit” (who now indwells them), and they will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Gal. 5:16, 25). This exhortation belongs to the believer’s faith walk AFTER salvation has occurred and the Holy Spirit resides in him (having been cleansed by His blood). You begin as a “babe” in Christ and if properly equipped you “
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” unto maturity in Him (see 2 Pet. 3:18: Eph. 4:11-16).
You might say that if I truly have faith, I will produce good works by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Not unless you walk by the Spirit, and only those who “
have been saved” have that ability. But still, works and good behavior don’t save you. Nor do they (as you claim to understand) add to or improve upon the work Christ accomplished,
once for all, to effect your complete salvation. A true believer is saved by grace and kept by that same grace.
But if that’s the case, then “I” really don’t have any control over the works I produce and thus it is pointless to tell me to “do” anything.
You’re right if this was Biblical (even Pauline) logic. But it’s not. For a believer’s works will be examined (tested) at the judgment seat of Christ. Those which are tested (figuratively, “
by fire”) valuable will receive reward (salvation is not rewarded, but gifted upon belief). Those which are not are burned up (figuratively speaking) and no reward is given (see 1 Cor. 3:10-15). But contrary to the teachings of Catholicism, Paul is not teaching here a “
cooperative salvation process.” Only the SAVED go before the judgment seat of Christ for their works to be appraised. Salvation itself is THROUGH FAITH in Christ alone.
But Erika, none of my explanations here benefit you unless you get off the plane to California.
