We are created by God, So the part that says, “nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” applies to even ourselves. There is NOTHING that can separate us from Christ, once we are saved.
You are equating things that are not equal, Hank. True, nothing can separate us from the love of God, and nothing can undo our adoption as sons. But neither of those things means that we will be with him for an eternity.
I have to ask, which sins did Jesus not fully cover with His blood? If you can show me somewhere that says Jesus only died for the sins prior to His offering of salvation, then we need to atone for those sins, but until then, I have biblical reasons to believe when Jesus forgives us our sins, they are ALL forgiven.
Jesus’ blood does not cover the sins of those who reject His purpose for themselves. He desires all to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. However, not all are saved, because not all will meet the conditions He has set forth for salvation. Remember, He is the passover sacrifice. No one whose lintel was not covered by the blood of the lamb was spared. That is the choice of the person.
This is not an excuse to continue in sins and do nothing. This is rather an open invitation from Jesus to repent of our sins and to follow Him out of love and thankfulness. This is truely “Grace.”
I am glad to hear that you do not follow the heretical teaching that grace means it is ok to sin.
For the sake of this argument about deeds, let’s say that someone is saved and he didn’t show any good deeds. You may argue and say that if he has no deeds to show, then he was not given salvation, but his good deed may have been thanking God for the free gift of salvation. Is that enough of a good deed and remember, this is God’s judgement to make?
Yes. This is what the Catholic Church teaches.
Jesus, Paul, Peter and many others have spoken of good deeds, but those deeds are between God and the doer of those deeds.
Well, yes and no. They were all very clear that the deeds affect those around us also, and may be involved in the salvation not only of ourselves, but ofothers.
Man cannot gauge the quality or quantity of a man’s good deeds if God is the only one who can see into his heart. I do agree, that God calls us to things He has prepared for us. It is not true to say we must do good deeds or we are not saved.
This is certainly true, as there are some that are saved and unable to do any good deeds. We would count among them baptized infants, disabled, perhaps the elderly frail, etc.
Failure to do good deeds may be a sin, but ALL of the sins of a saved man are forgiven through Christ.
Only if the person meets the conditions. See, the Apostles taught that our salvation, which begins at baptism, is worked out while we are here on earth, and is not complete until we are in our final glory. During any of that time, a person can choose to turn their back on God.
The bible speaks of who is under God’s wrath. How can you love someone if you do not warn them they are under God’s wrath. Humility is knowing you will be rejected for telling the truth, yet speaking the truth regardless.
Is that why you are here, Hank? Did you come to CAF to warn us about God’s wrath?
Thanks for pointing out that this verse is speaking in past tense. I didn’t notice it that way before. That makes it all that much more powerful. How can someone work out a salvation when it has already BEEN done?
This is a very good question. First of all, let us agree that scripture is clear about working out our salvation, so we do need to reconcile these concepts.
second, Scripture is equally clear that God is at work in us to will and to do His good pleasure. This is where the 'Apostolic notion of “cooperation with grace” is reflected in the scripture. Throughout our lives, we work together with the HS that has been placed within us at the moment we are sealed in Him. This is part of fighting the good fight.
