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I agree reed with you, although that's not quite what I was getting at.
You and I both know that our works contribute nothing to our salvation, and that any attempts to do so is futile. But good works in and of themselves do not detract from God's grace regarding salvation. I see them as 2 different entities.
You and I both know that our works contribute nothing to our salvation, and that any attempts to do so is futile. But good works in and of themselves do not detract from God's grace regarding salvation. I see them as 2 different entities.
If I am doing any deed, morally good or not (according to human standard) and doing them for self gain (gaining/keeping salvation, earning praise of men, looking good etc etc) I am doing a carnal work. A work of human good etc etc.
The defenition of religion as I see it is "earning Gods praise by doing good works" In which case I would ask, What could we possibly do to earn gods praise when we so righteously earn Gods condemnation. And not one iota more than that, ANYTHING we receive from God is of grace, whether it be salvation or a house, a spouse, a job, a car, whatever it may be, Nothing can ever be earned (even our rewards scripture says we will return to the feet of Christ, because we are not worthy)