ECT God's Grace . . . . Unmerited, you say?

Cross Reference

New member
Then why start yet another thread?

Just get on with it and tell everyone the answer and declare that no other answer is reasonably possible. We await your infallible wisdom. :AMR:

AMR

I gave my response adnausm. You haven't seen fit to reply.

Keep in mind that the word is "grace" but if you want to use the word "favor" it surely would help in clearing up the issue.

Unmerited is to "Redemption" as in, we had nothing to do with it. . . as merited is to "Salvation" as in requiring our faith to obtain it.
 

DAN P

Well-known member
I gave my response adnausm. You haven't seen fit to reply.

Keep in mind that the word is "grace" but if you want to use the word "favor" it surely would help in clearing up the issue.

Unmerited is to "Redemption" as in, we had nothing to do with it. . . as merited is to "Salvation" as in requiring our faith.


Hi and I just cleared up this ISSUE but you never did respond !!

You need to gst VINE'S and Strong's to see how Greek words are used !!:chuckle::chuckle:

These are the FACTS !!

dan p
 
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patrick jane

BANNED
Banned
Many Christians are taught that the "Grace Gospel" of modern times means that you must believe in order to be saved, but you are damned if you show any faith by your works.

Wrong answer, there's nothing wrong with good works, they just don't gain extra saving power or bonus points.
 

genuineoriginal

New member
Wrong answer, there's nothing wrong with good works,
I am not one of the people that says that there is something wrong with good works.

they just don't gain extra saving power or bonus points.
You are looking at the wrong side of the equation.
The problem is not in the good works, covered by the fruit of the spirit.

The problem is in doing the wicked works, known as the works of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.​

 

Cross Reference

New member
Wrong answer, there's nothing wrong with good works, they just don't gain extra saving power or bonus points.

Problem with that thinking stems from pride: You assume a wrong motive for such works offered in righteousness.. Isn't that by another term, " wrongly judging" . . . . "unlearned judging"?
 

Interplanner

Well-known member
I am not one of the people that says that there is something wrong with good works.


You are looking at the wrong side of the equation.
The problem is not in the good works, covered by the fruit of the spirit.

The problem is in doing the wicked works, known as the works of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.​



We should notice the categorical description for the effects of the flesh vs the effects of the Spirit. The issue about the flesh is "obvious." Why? Because, darkened human nature has such a hard time being honest! Paul was speaking to those entrenched in worthless Judaism and they were fighting and immoral, but no one would talk about that! No one connected the dots.

Then when we come to the fruit, we find a different descriptor. 'About these there is no law.' Better: 'about these you don't make laws.' (Actually we should first contrast 'fruit' and 'works'--a huge difference right there!) Why? Because the Spirit's work is to spontaneously create these things, not because the human is trying so consciously, but because God's forgiveness of sins is so magnificent, that you enjoy others whom God has forgiven. The list of the fruit is not a Christian 'law' list--you will turn ugly trying to do it that way.
 

musterion

Well-known member
Okay, I'll play along for a minute.

Merit means deserved or earned.

If grace isn't unmerited, then grace must be merited; deserved; earned.

Question: How does one earn or come to deserve grace?

Answer: Through works.

There's no other possible option.

More self-salvation from CR the broken record, the skipping CD, the TV screen of static.
 

Interplanner

Well-known member
But in Paul's presentation, the works are not the person's own works. There are works, to be sure, but they are someone else's--Christs. Gal 2:20's 'faith' of the Son of God is actually Christ's obedience and accomplishment (the NIV fails on this).

Because in Paul's system, things can be imputed/credited from one person to another. That's how the debt of sin is canceled. These things don't have to do with the side-effect of all this, which is personal transformation. The grace v. works issue has to do with justification from the debt.
 

Cross Reference

New member
We should notice the categorical description for the effects of the flesh vs the effects of the Spirit. The issue about the flesh is "obvious." Why? Because, darkened human nature has such a hard time being honest! Paul was speaking to those entrenched in worthless Judaism and they were fighting and immoral, but no one would talk about that! No one connected the dots.

Then when we come to the fruit, we find a different descriptor. 'About these there is no law.' Better: 'about these you don't make laws.' (Actually we should first contrast 'fruit' and 'works'--a huge difference right there!) Why? Because the Spirit's work is to spontaneously create these things, not because the human is trying so consciously, but because God's forgiveness of sins is so magnificent, that you enjoy others whom God has forgiven. The list of the fruit is not a Christian 'law' list--you will turn ugly trying to do it that way.

Can we not say that the fruit of the Spirit is an overwhelming desire to know God that we don't mistake His voice for another? The desire to be continually be in His Presence that His Life and ours be in union? None of this, however, can be entered into until one is born again, purposed for seeing it to act upon it.
 

Interplanner

Well-known member
But trace the doctrine of the Spirit in Galatians. It works through the declaration of the Gospel. There is nothing about the believer and his choices, but certainly the believer wants the things God wants. I just don't happen to trust the believers ability to do things as much as I do just God creating them in people's lives.
 

Interplanner

Well-known member
But every human is his offspring. They are not therefore Christians. Paul was not talking about Christians in Acts 17's presentation at that philosophy forum.

Grace and works by humans do not mix. Grace is Christ's merits alone for us.
 

elohiym

Well-known member
But every human is his offspring.

I agree.

"And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."

They are not therefore Christians.

No, but they are God's children. If they believe they are God's children, you say that doesn't make them sons of God?

Paul was not talking about Christians in Acts 17's presentation at that philosophy forum.

Paul was preaching the gospel to idolatrous pagans. He was telling them that since they are God's children they shouldn't practice idolatry. One can't believe he's God's son and believe in false god's at the same time. That's cognitive dissonance.

Grace and works by humans do not mix.

Sure they do. We just don't work to earn our salvation. We work because God has ordained that we should do good works in Him. We didn't get in Him by doing good works. We are in Him if we are God's son, if we believe that.

Grace is Christ's merits alone for us.

I don't know what you mean by that.

All I'm saying is that if God is my Father then I merit his love.

I don't have to earn my Father's love.
 

Cross Reference

New member
But trace the doctrine of the Spirit in Galatians.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
John 14:26 (KJV)

If born again from above, why do we need the preaching of Paul to the Galatians for recognizing the voice of the Lord?

It works through the declaration of the Gospel.

I no longer need to be saved. Why do I need to hear it for my salvation? Better I exhibit His so great salvation, don't you think?

There is nothing about the believer and his choices, but certainly the believer wants the things God wants.

And by moral choices he receives or is chastened by God. Surely we want that of Him, don't we?

I just don't happen to trust the believers ability to do things as much as I do just God creating them in people's lives.

In Yellow
. . . What things?

At what point in time do you have such issues and what method can that be measured except by 'spirit bearing witness with spirit'?
 

beloved57

Well-known member
For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)​

We are saved by grace (which is God's gift) not by what we do.

Thats what you say but you dont really believe that, and heres proof. Do you believe that Christ died to save all men without exception equally ? Yes or No ? If you say yes, then why arent all men without exception equally saved by His death for them ?
 

genuineoriginal

New member
Okay, I'll play along for a minute.

Merit means deserved or earned.

If grace isn't unmerited, then grace must be merited; deserved; earned.

Question: How does one earn or come to deserve grace?

Answer: Through works.

There's no other possible option.
The Bible says that you merit Grace (favor) through faith.
 

genuineoriginal

New member
All I'm saying is that if God is my Father then I merit his love.

I don't have to earn my Father's love.


Deuteronomy 21:18-21
18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.​



Romans 9:13
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.​

 
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