Saved by grace in the Sacraments - 16

 De Maria

1 day ago

 JB-@De Maria Roman Catholics have never understood salvation. It is a gift of God. Do you understand what a gift is? DM-Yeah, I do. I don't think you do. Now, let's say that your child is in school and in order to encourage him to make good grades, you freely make this promise. If you get all A's, I will buy you a new bicycle. Now, the child gets all A's. Did he, therefore, earn the bike? No, he didn't. Here's the proof. He goes to the store and hands his report card to the attendant and says, "my dad promised me a new bike if I got all A's." What will the attendant say? "Your dad may have promised you, but I didn't. Get your dad or get the money and we can do business." The child did not earn nor merit the bike in anyway, EXCEPT ONE. In your eyes. He merited the bike because you promised it and you obligated YOURSELF. He didn't hold a gun to your head and say, "Buy me the bike." Its a free gift, freely offered, freely given. Now, let's read Scripture. Hebrews 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: What oath did God make? He offered salvation to those who keep His Commandments. Exodus 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. He offered salvation to those who obey His Son. Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; JB-The verses you quote hAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH SALVATION. CHRIST KEEPS US, NOT WORKS. WORKS IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO AFTER SALVATION. Jesus didn't give any caveats to salvation. DM-Actually, He did. Several times. You just don't want to believe His Word. Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. Matt 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. and there's many other admonitions which He gave us to Teach us that we must do the will of God if we want to be saved.