Hi to my Forum Friends,
In an earlier discussion "The Stations Of The Cross -- Response To Mr. Gray" -- I had told my Forum Friend, VP, that salvation is a "free gift" from God -- but, we have to accept that free gift if we want eternal salvation.
And, I remind VP that Jesus told us from the cross of Calvary, "It is finished!" which meant that He had "paid in full" our sin debt, a debt we would never be able to pay -- and now He offers this "paid in full" pardon to everyone who will believe and receive His "free gift" of salvation.
VP responded, "I think that where we indeed split is in your conviction of a 'free gift.' I do not believe for one minute that this gift is free."
Tomme told him, "VP, When Jesus said this (It is finished!), the word He used for finished literally meant "it is PAID." The debt was settled. The Price was high, but the Gift IS FREE."
And, VP responds, "I happen to think there is more to it than a free gift of salvation - and that's my right. As it it Tomme's to believe otherwise. Neither of us can unequivocally say the other is wrong."
You are right that we cannot unequivocally say that what Tomme, Bill Gray, or you say is Biblically correct. That is why we are encouraged in Acts 17:11 to test ALL teaching against Scripture. While you, Tomme, and I can be wrong -- the Bible is never wrong.
So, what does the Bible tell us about salvation?
Romans 3:21-24, "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
Romans 5:15-17, "But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
What is the difference between wages and a gift?
According to Webster's New World Dictionary Of The American Language:
Wage: Money paid to an employee for work done and usually figured on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis.
Gift: Something given to show friendship, affection, support, etc. -- a present.
According to Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary:
Wage: Compensation for performing work or service.
Gift: The act of bestowing a favor or an item on another person without expecting anything in return. The purpose of a gift may be to honor, celebrate, or simply to bestow favor or help.
Over and over, in the Bible, we find that we have a "gift from God" -- but, nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that we have earned "wages" from God. Why do you suppose this is?
As an exercise, go to the Blue Letter Bible web site http://www.blueletterbible.org and in Search, type in "wages." You will find 39 times this appears in the Bible -- and every single time it is always what one man gives to another; never a mention of God giving wages.
Now, go back and search for "gift" -- and, you will find many references to God giving "gifts" to man -- gift of the Holy Spirit, gift of eternal life, gift of His grace, gift of righteousness, etc.. He gave us the "gift" of His Son to be our atonement, our propitiation -- our "paid in full" pardon.
VP, ask yourself these questions: Do you want the "wages" you have earned from God, through your works, to determine your eternal salvation?
Or,
Do you want your eternal security, your eternal salvation -- based upon the "gift" of God, the "free gift" (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:15) of God?
My Friend, if you want to keep working your way into heaven, that is your right. But, can you tell us that you, or anyone you know, or anyone you know of -- has worked "enough" to earn the right to enter heaven? If so, who is it? Surely not the Pope, nor any Cardinal, Bishop, or Priest -- for, if asked if they are going to heaven when they die -- they will all tell you that they do not know.
Let's put this in a frame of reference to which all we Alabamians can relate: Football!
If you had been on the committee to hire a head coach for Alabama when they were interviewing Nick Saban -- and you asked him, "Can you make Alabama a winning football team? If he responded, "Well, I am not sure. But, I will really try" -- would you have voted to hire Nick Saban to be the head coach of Alabama? No!
No! Yet, I can promise you that -- when asked if he can make Alabama a winning football team -- Nick Saban said, without hesitation, an unequivocal, "YES!" And, for that "YES!" -- Nick Saban now is he highest paid college football coach in America -- and Alabama won the National Championship this year. You might say that Saban is in "football heaven" -- because he KNEW that he could do the job. Just as I and many other Christian believers KNOW that we have eternal life in Jesus Christ.
So, VP, please tell my why you insist upon following religious leaders who, when asked, "Are you going to heaven?" -- will answer, "Well, I am not sure. But, I will really try."
If your coach, your leaders, are not sure -- why are you following them? And, to what: victory -- defeat; winning season -- losing season? My Friend, in spiritual matters -- a winning season is eternal life with God; a losing season is eternal life with Satan.
My sincerest desire is that YOU can KNOW that you have a winning season; based upon the "free gift" which Jesus Christ purchased for you and me.
My Friend, you need a Coach who can assure you that YOU CAN WIN! And, that Coach is Jesus Christ! He never has and never will -- lose a game! If you are on His Team; you will never lose either.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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