Free Gifts Come With Conditions....

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#1
...and working to meet the attached conditions cannot earn the free gift already being given. This is a very simple concept some have trouble understanding while others simply do not care to understand it.

Biblical examples:


Exodus 16:

God owed the Israelites nothing but because of His grace God sent them the free gift of manna. Yet the free gift came with the condition of the Israelites doing the work of gathering the manna. Had the Israelites not done the work of gathering the manna (faith only) then they would have remained hungry. Therefore they must have done the work of gathering the manna in order to receive this free gift from God yet the work of gathering earned them nothing.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#2
2 Kings 5:

God did not owe Naaman anything but because of God's grace He would heal Naaman's disease. Yet this free gift came to Naaman with the condition that he do the work of going and dipping in the Jordan River 7 times. Had Naaman not done the work of dipping (faith only) then he would have maintained his disease. Therefore Naaman must have done the work of dipping in order to receive this free gift from God yet the work of dipping earned Naaman nothing.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#3
John 9:

Jesus did not owe the blind man anything but because of His grace Jesus would heal the man's blindness. Yet this free gift came to the blind man with the condition he go and wash in the pool of Siloam. Had the blind man not done the work of going and washing in pool (faith only), he would have remained blind. Therefore the blind man must have done the work of going and washing in order to receive this free gift from Christ yet the work of going and dipping earned him nothing.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#4
Matthew 19:

Jesus did not owe the rich man anything but because of His grace He offered the rich man the free gift of eternal life. Yet this free gift came with conditions of obeying God's commands. The rich man met those conditions except for one...go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. The rich man did not obey, did not do this work of righteousness thereby refusing the free gift that had been offered him. He therefore must have obeyed in order to receive the free gift Christ had offered to him for free yet his obedience in no way would have earned him anything.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#5
Acts 2:


Peter, in his sermon, offered his listeners the free gift of salvation which is a result of God's grace. This free gift came with the condition they call upon the name of the Lord/repent and be baptized, verses 21, 38. Had they not done this work (faith only) they would have remained lost in their unremitted sins. Yet to receive this free gift of God required they conditionally call upon the name of the Lord/repent and be baptized and their obedience in doing this in no way would have earned them God's free gift.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#6
Joshua 6:

God would give the Israelites the city of Jericho as a gift. Yet this free gift came with many conditions including the requirement of the Israelites to march around the city. Had the Israelites done no work (faith only) then they would have not received this free gift of God. Therefore Israel must have obeyed in doing those works in order to receive this free gift of God and doing these works in no way earned them the city.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#7
Jn 6:

Jesus told His hearers He would give (it's free) the gift of everlasting life. Yet this free gift came with the condition of laboring. Had Christ's hearers had done no laboring (faith only) they would not receive this free gift. Therefore they must labor to receive the free gift of everlasting life and their laboring in no way would earned them everlasting life.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#8
Rom 6:

Paul said those Romans had been freed from sin/justified, a free gift of God, v23. Yet this free gift came with the condition of obeying from the heart that form of doctrine. Had they had done no obeying (faith only) they would have remained in their sins/unjustified. Therefore they must have obeyed from the heart in order to receive the free gift of God and obeying in no way earned them God's free gift.
 
Nov 30, 2012
2,396
26
0
#9
This is extremely well done. SeaBass, do you mind if I use some of this in my prayer group?
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#10
Rev 22:

The waters of life are freely given, a free gift that is made available to all/whosoever. Yet this free gift comes with the condition that one must obey in coming and taking of this water of life. If one does nothing (faith only) he will never get the free gift of the water of life therefore one must do the obedient works in coming and taking of this water and those works in no way earns one this water of life.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#12
Acts 10:

Salvation was a free gift that came to the Gentiles by God's grace. Yet this free gift came with the condition of 'working righteousness', v35. If the Gentiles had done nothing (faith only) they never would have been accepted with God. Therefore the Gentiles must have worked righteousness (obey the command to be water baptized) to be saved yet this working righteousness would earn the Gentiles nothing.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#13
...and working to meet the attached conditions cannot earn the free gift already being given. This is a very simple concept some have trouble understanding while others simply do not care to understand it.

Biblical examples:


Exodus 16:

God owed the Israelites nothing but because of His grace God sent them the free gift of manna. Yet the free gift came with the condition of the Israelites doing the work of gathering the manna. Had the Israelites not done the work of gathering the manna (faith only) then they would have remained hungry. Therefore they must have done the work of gathering the manna in order to receive this free gift from God yet the work of gathering earned them nothing.
lol.. so we see how far one will go to make his belief appear true.

if a FREE gift comes with CONDITIONS. it is NOT FREE.

Manna is a sorry excuse.

1. God gave it to them while they were in sin and rebellion.
2. God gave it to them freely, just as he promised.

What they did with it was up to them, if they rejected it, they died in unbelief and rejection. if they took it, they acted on their faith, and their faith saved them.

No matter what, God still gave it to them.. which proves grace and mercy on a sinful and rebellious people
 
T

tarzan

Guest
#14
True eternal. But their lives were still conditional upon faith. But I do agree a gift is free indeed.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#15
True eternal. But their lives were still conditional upon faith. But I do agree a gift is free indeed.
true, if they had faith, they would work. if not. they would die because they did not work.

Faith is what saved, not the work. work is a byproduct of faith.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#16
lol.. so we see how far one will go to make his belief appear true.

if a FREE gift comes with CONDITIONS. it is NOT FREE.

Manna is a sorry excuse.

1. God gave it to them while they were in sin and rebellion.
2. God gave it to them freely, just as he promised.

What they did with it was up to them, if they rejected it, they died in unbelief and rejection. if they took it, they acted on their faith, and their faith saved them.

No matter what, God still gave it to them.. which proves grace and mercy on a sinful and rebellious people
You try hard to find a way around the unavoidable fact;
--the manna was a free gift by God's grace
--it required work to gather the manna to receive this free gift...no work = no manna = stay hungry.


Faith only would place demands upon the "Gift Giver" to have the manna pre-chewed, predigested and place in the stomach of the Israelites while that sat and did nothing.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#17
true, if they had faith, they would work. if not. they would die because they did not work.

Faith is what saved, not the work. work is a byproduct of faith.
No work = faith only = no manna = starve & die.

So the work did play a role to their 'salvation' in staying alive.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#18
No work = faith only = no manna = starve & die.

No work = no faith. A dead faith is no faith at all. When are you going to open your eyes and see this?


So the work did play a role to their 'salvation' in staying alive.
wrong, If God did not do the work of sending them manna, they would have died no matter how much work they did. their faith was in God. he did all the work. Their faith was proven by action. But action did not save them, the work of God did.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#19
You try hard to find a way around the unavoidable fact;
--the manna was a free gift by God's grace
--it required work to gather the manna to receive this free gift...no work = no manna = stay hungry.
No. Your the one trying to find a hard way to avoid a proven fact.

the manna was a free gift to everyone.

What they did with it was up to them. Just like you. Your trying to grow your own manna, and not take the manna of God in faith.



Faith only would place demands upon the "Gift Giver" to have the manna pre-chewed, predigested and place in the stomach of the Israelites while that sat and did nothing.

Nah, If it was of works, God would have only given manna to people who had faith in him, And not to the sinners and others who rejected his manna.

Again, Your whole argument is based on a false pretense.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#20
other reasons it is a false pretense.

God made them his children based on his mercy alone (even though they were sinless and rebellion) it had nothing to do with the things they did, they did not earn being called his children, they were sinners.

manna was a provision given to his children, if they ate it, they were sustained, and could work. if they did not. They withered and lost their usefulness (blessing)

manna is given to Gods children, not to those not born of God. this is the whole meaning of the passage and what God was showing.