Romans 5v1,2
5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
There are
three aspects to our salvation. By reducing salvation to just
one aspect, many will end up arguing for days and days on end (years and years). One will quote aspect number 1, and another will try refute with aspect number 2. These however are not contradictory. The bible is not contradictory.
All
three Persons of the Godhead are involved in the three aspects of our common salvation.
Look carefully at the verse above:
1) We cannot be saved unless we come through the door of Jesus Christ. We are JUSTIFIED by his blood through faith in Christ Jesus, which brings PEACE with GOD. This is aspect number 1. There is no part 2 or 3 unless you come through Jesus. There is no way to the Father but by Jesus. There are
hundreds of scriptures which establish this basic truth. None of us actually argue against this point. I will say it once more, just for emphasis ---- NONE of us are arguing this point.
2) We have the Spirit of Grace, the Holy Spirit, who also has a part in our salvation, but it is NOT in conflict with part 1 above. Read the scripture above once again. ------ "through whom also we have access by faith into this GRACE in which we stand". We have access to the Holy Spirit through Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace. It is a NOW moment. Where we currently stand. Its living out our lives in the HERE AND NOW. Whereas part 1 above refers to JUSTIFICATION, this part 2 refers to SANCTIFICATION. Its a separating ourselves from the world and worldliness. Continually transforming our minds. Becoming more Christlike. Growing in God. Growing in Love. This is also VERY MUCH a part of our salvation, as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. To those who OVERCOME He will give the right to eat from the tree of life. There is a daily OVERCOMING. A daily picking up of our cross. There are
hundreds of scriptures establishing this basic truth. Herein lies the battle for the Christian, Flesh vs Spirit and Spirit vs Flesh. Our choices remain to either live according to the flesh or the Spirit. These decisions are made in our inner man. In our soul.
3) We now have God the Father, who participates in the final concluding chapter of our Salvation, namely GLORIFICATION. It is at this point, when we come into His glorious presence that we are given new resurrected bodies (Glorified bodies). Bodies which cannot sin for they no longer have the corruption that we have been dragging around since Adam. This final chapter of Glorification to awarded to those who have overcome. How do we overcome?
1 John 5 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—[
a]our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? There are also hundreds of scriptures pointing to the glorification of the saints.
None of the above is possible without Faith. We should all agree on this fact. But simply bypassing the journey, by the Holy Spirit, and simply dismissing the work of sanctification is very much unlikely to get you to the point of Glorifiction. For if you live by Faith, the life you live in part 2 will bring you through as an overcomer.
Now--- please ----- lets all stop beating each other with verses the are not placed in their proper context positionally, as per the above. There is way too much of this.
Very well stated sir!
I have striven for several years, in trying to "plead"
this very argument, you have just put forth in my own words, just to have "show
me in the Bible", thrown at me, in the hopes of "burying" me, or, on other occasions, jez flat out ignored.
So now, instead of "saying it in my own words", I use "scripture only", in "pleading" my case. Just to have "you've taken that verse out of its "properly
positioned context." Which is of course? Horse hockey!
But, you are correct! We all seem to have step #1 of your argument, down pretty well.
"The
rub" comes with those who go from step 1, right into step 3!
And it just DOESN'T "work" THAT way!
In essence, and reality? It's these people
here:
Isaiah 28
15 Because ye have said,
We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us:
for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (end of quote)
Mocking and scoffing those doing step 2. Making their "
false" accusations of: "yer working to earn, or maintain your salvation", being called "legalists", "judeizers", "hebrew roots", among other "easily pigeon holed (prejudged), and just as easily, scoffed, mocked, and dismissed" monikers!
And, to my knowledge, I have not condemned those in step 1. Just those who have bypassed step 2, right into step 3, by "exposing the lies and falsehood", they have been
made to believe! (can you say delusion/s?)
I
"USED" to be "like" those, who mock and scoff ones like myself now!
Until the Father did
THIS some 35+ years ago!: After I finally "answered His call!"
Isaiah 28
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
.....And there I was! In the palm of His hand! My beating heart and mind! While the "rest" of me was like so much melted protoplasm spreading out a little thicker then melted wax from a candle.
And Just as Jesus'
sheep know
His voice?
The Fathers' Priests
know His voice as well!
But,
that hits pretty close to the "U" and "P" in "tulip." While "traversing and travailing" through step 2? You start seeing the "T" and the "I." The "I" being the part where the Father sez: "You don't
have to like it!" Which is when I said: Yer gonna
have to drag me kickin' and clawin' every step of the way!" To which He said:
"GOOD!" "That's the WAY I like 'em!"
Meaning? I HAD "no choice" in the matter!
Ya see? His
WORD does not go out from Him, and return
VOID!
Cuz, "void" is not a word in His vocabulary!
I have since "learned", or have "worked out my salvation" through "fear (abject) and fear (reverencing/trembling)."
And, have come to realize this:
Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
And
this:
Revelation 2:17
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
It is "during" the "traversing" of step 2, you "feel" the "abject"
fear!
Something, many a proud man cannot ALLOW himself to be taken to, let alone admit to!
And so, "reconcile" themselves to verses 18-20 above.
But? In so doing? They place themselves in
jeopardy of being
REJECTED by Christ
on the LAST day!
What can I say? I'm not WILLING to TAKE "that" chance!
Might I "ask" you Chris1975?
Have you experienced something like this?
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