Grace vs works!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Richie_2uk
  • Start date Start date
  • 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.
R

Richie_2uk

Guest
Paul was writing in this epistle to the Saints at Ephesus (Eph. 1:1) Here in Eph. 2:8,9 he was reminding them that they had been saved by the marvellous grace of God, a grace that we could not fully comprehend. Paul continues to write that salvation is only available to us because of God and His grace, not of man; and that ‘faith' is our part. It is His grace, but for us it is ‘through faith'; a faith that is in Jesus himself.

The Bible is clear that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23; 6:23) and undeserving of any grace; but the love of Jesus Christ is so awesome that in spite of our sin, he reached down to us through His own death and resurrection on that cross.

It is necessary for us to acknowledge that we are sinners and cannot do anything (referred to in the Bible as works) to save ourselves. It is through faith that we need to recognize that it is the sacrifice that Jesus made for us at Calvary that we can be saved. Paul reminds the Ephesians and us today that salvation is ‘not of works so no man may boast'.

There is no work of any quality or quantity that any man can do, thus no person can boast of their works as having any power to save themselves. If their works could save them in any way; Jesus sacrifice would have been in vain.

Come to Jesus today, from your heart recognize that you are a sinner in need of salvation, ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you from your sin. If you ask Him with a sincere and trustful heart He will save you.
 
hey Richie, I normally agree with you, I always respect you, but did we really need yet another grace-works thread?? I do not know how often you look at the site, but it has been weeks of this same topic.
 
gb9 said:
hey Richie, I normally agree with you, I always respect you, but did we really need yet another grace-works thread?? I do not know how often you look at the site, but it has been weeks of this same topic.
Click to expand...


if people could learn how to use the search function to check for threads of whatever subject BEFORE they create another one, there wouldn't be so many threads on the same topics clogging up the forums.. *sigh*.. hint, hint, richie.. ;)
 
Grace and obedient works are not antagonistic. Eph 2:8 shows it takes BOTH God's grace and man's work of faith to be saved, 1 Thess 1:3.
 
SeaBass said:
Grace and obedient works are not antagonistic. Eph 2:8 shows it takes BOTH God's grace and man's work of faith to be saved, 1 Thess 1:3.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't call "works" a requirement, but if we aren't feeling a strong desire to DO something for God, AND responding, then we might be well advised to take a good hard look at just what we believe.
 
The only works God will accept are those done with gratitude and love for a free salvation wrought by Christ paying the price of our sins at Calvary. The works God accepts are NOT those done with a view they will better enable a person to attain to eternal life, but done out of love for the free salvation wrought by the precious blood of Christ at Calvary.
If you don't have grace in your heart, your works will count for nothing
 
Last edited:
michael56 said:
It does not therefore depend on man's desire or effort but on God's mercy Rom 9:16
Click to expand...
God's plan of salvation through Christ did not come as a result of man's willing or running, but that plan of salvation requires man's willing Jn 7:17; Rev 22:12 and running, Heb 12:1; 1 Cor 9:24
 
Willie-T said:
That's kind of a contradiction.... Conditionally free.
Click to expand...

Jn 6:27 Jesus said to "work" for the meat that endues unto everlasting life which the Son of man "gives".

Christ gives it so it's free but one must work for it. Not a contradiction for Christ's free gift comes with conditions
 
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Eph 1:11
 
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
[SUP]29 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28&29
 
Here is the issue that people do not understand about that scripture and when it comes to God's grace.
We all did absolutely nothing to deserve God's grace of Him sending His Son to die on the cross to receive remission for our sins and be reconciled to Him. That is the undeserving grace that God did for us.
We though on our half need to have a working faith to receive that remission. Starting with faith in Him, repentance, baptism, confession, and forgiveness. Then walking in love while walking in His will for our life, and not our own will.
To say works are not a requirement leads to false doctrines of we can live however we want, which is completely not biblical.


Luke 6:47
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them....

Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

2 Peter 1:10-11
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
 
kennethcadwell said:
Here is the issue that people do not understand about that scripture and when it comes to God's grace.
We all did absolutely nothing to deserve God's grace of Him sending His Son to die on the cross to receive remission for our sins and be reconciled to Him. That is the undeserving grace that God did for us.
We though on our half need to have a working faith to receive that remission. Starting with faith in Him, repentance, baptism, confession, and forgiveness. Then walking in love while walking in His will for our life, and not our own will.
To say works are not a requirement leads to false doctrines of we can live however we want, which is completely not biblical.


Luke 6:47
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them....

Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

2 Peter 1:10-11
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Click to expand...

No truly born again Christian can view it that they can live however they want. They have been changed, born again by the Holy Spirit who has entered their life at the point of conversion. If this did not happen such beliefs could exist, but they cannot for a person born again:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.[SUP]27 [/SUP]And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws
Ezekiel 36:26&27

A mirror of the following:

This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”[SUP][b][/SUP]

[SUP]17 [/SUP]Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”[SUP][c][/SUP]

Heb 10:16&17

You only get the grace because you have been changed by the spirit who enters your life when you accept Christ as your Saviour.
 
That's just it. You CAN, and will live as you want, if you are changed with a new heart and desires, and understand "Your will be done, on Earth, as in Heaven" means that your desires will be to do God's will.
 
Willie-T said:
That's kind of a contradiction.... Conditionally free.
Click to expand...

Well, actually, I understand what He is saying. God give salvation freely, there is nothing you can do to earn it. Does He give it to unrepentant, incorrigible sinners? Or does He require repentance?

The free gift of salvation has the condition of repentance attached to it. The repentance does not earn anything, but it does "qualify" (for lack of a better word) one.
 
john832 said:
Well, actually, I understand what He is saying. God give salvation freely, there is nothing you can do to earn it. Does He give it to unrepentant, incorrigible sinners? Or does He require repentance?

The free gift of salvation has the condition of repentance attached to it. The repentance does not earn anything, but it does "qualify" (for lack of a better word) one.
Click to expand...
Well, I guess I can see that... if it is not carried to the altar as a qualifying sacrifice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back