Can a 2 month old believe? - 3

 

ETC- You said: Saved by grace through faith.

DM-That is a description of that which occurs in the Sacraments. In the Sacraments, we are saved when we proclaim our faith in Christ and God pours His grace into us in the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

Saved by grace in the Sacraments - 1

 

De Maria

2 days ago

ROM,

Its like this. You are saved by faith, but not by faith alone as some claim. And you may not be saved by showing up to Mass. But you won't be saved if you don't. See Heb 10:25-30.

And yes, you are saved by going to Confession and repenting of your sins. That is how a man reconciles with God. See 2 Cor 5:18.

And finally, you are saved by FAITH that God alone can save you, through the Sacraments which are the works of God, it is FAITH in His operation that one is saved, not by our works, but by the Washing of Regeneration which is the operation of the Holy Spirit. See Titus 3:5; Col 2:12

Salvation and grace

DE MARIA May 24, 2013 at 11:16 am

TIE May 23, 2013 at 8:13 pm
How is it that Christ suffered so that the human race might be freed from sin by making satisfaction for all the crimes of mankind and winning sufficient grace for the salvation of all men, but then God is not satisfied with a large portion of mankind who aren’t saved in the end?

It has to do with free will. God only approves of those men who do what He commands:
Exodus 20:6
King James Version (KJV)
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

How can we claim Christ made satisfaction to the Father but then the Father still not be satisfied, as some men are not saved?

Because some men have rejected the gift of salvation:
Hebrews 2:2-4
King James Version (KJV)
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

How can Catholics say that all men are actually redeemed and their sins paid for, but also say that not all of mankind is saved? (I know there’s a difference between redemption objectively accomplished by the passion and subjectively applied through the sacraments; but I still don’t understand what that difference means in reality and how even being objectively redeemed doesn’t imply salvation).

If I understand you correctly, you have left out the requirement of our voluntary submission to God’s will:
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Does this have to do with the distinction between sufficient and efficacious grace?

To my understanding, it has to do with free will.

Analysis of a Conversion, Three Tsunamis of grace

Grace alone is not Catholic Teaching

Before I begin, I want to remind Catholics that the Doctrine of Grace alone is a false doctrine which Protestants invented in order to deny the authority of the Church, the authority of Priests, the efficacy of the Sacraments and the necessity of good works.

The Catholic Church Teaches the necessity of Grace and that all things are by God’s grace.  Therefore, the Church, our Priests, the Sacraments and even the works which we do are the result of God’s grace.  But it is by our participation in the grace that it becomes efficacious in our lives.  The Catechism puts it this way:

1847 "God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us." To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Why are we talking about Grace alone?

When I came back to faith in God, I was confused about this, because, well, let me just tell it.

By this time, I was married

As I’ve mentioned, I was an atheist from the around 7 years of age.  And I was going along on my merry, atheistic way.  I met a beautiful young lady, Catholic, and we were married.  I was married, three years, to my Catholic wife and hiding my atheism from her, because I loved her and didn’t want to give her any undue distress.  

We were married in the Church because she wouldn’t have it any other way.  She said, “Either we get married in the Church or we don’t get married.”  It was an ultimatum.

So, we got married in the Church.  Although, I gave the poor priest fits at every opportunity.  I don’t think he’d ever met a more uncooperative and unappreciative groom.  But he stuck to his guns and we had a perfectly valid and orthodox wedding.  So everyone thought.  Except that I didn't believe in God, which is definitely a canonical impediment.  (Don't worry, we've done it again, this time everything was right.)

Anyway, afterwards, I rarely went to Church with my wife, except for big events, to keep the peace.  On her part, my wife never nagged. She went to Mass, if not every Sunday.  At least, regularly.  She might miss for emergencies and special occasions.  But that was it.

First Tsunami, we’re going to have a baby

We had been trying to have a baby, for three years.  One day, in late October or early November, 1986, I came home from work to find my wife in the kitchen.  She was working back then, so it was rare to find her home.  We normally drove home from our respective jobs at around the same time.

Anyway, when she heard me, she walked up to me and said, “We’re having a baby.”  At that instant, I was transported.  It was as though there were an added depth or dimension to the present moment. Like moving in slow motion.  But, since I’ve always been hard of hearing.  And therefore, frequently misunderstand what people have actually said.  I heard myself ask her to repeat it.  She did.  And it confirmed what I thought I heard.  

I didn’t realize it, but I was on Cloud 9

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt that way.  I’ve actually had a great deal of experience with that, since I was an avid reader and an athlete.  It’s like when you’re reading a great book and you’re so absorbed that you lose track of time and reality.  You’re literally living in the book.

Or, when you’re playing an intense game and you’re lost in the moment.  I remember when I was in high school, playing basketball and the coach would call a time out.  He would have to snap us out of our fixation so that we could hear and understand what he was saying.  They call it, being in the zone.

This was very much like that, but in my opinion, deeper.  I could see and hear everything, but everything was moving in slow motion and colors were richer and deeper.  I walked outside and for the first time, I could see God’s hand at work in the universe.

From one moment to the next, I went from atheist to believer.  In one instant, I believed in God and all His goodness.  Every argument that I had ever used to deny God’s existence, I could now turn around to prove God’s existence.  I believe I received a gift of infused knowledge at that moment.  But I did not realize it.

All I know is that I looked at a cloud and knew with all certainty that God had put it there and that God was moving it.  I looked at a leaf and all the random veins within it and knew that God was the reason for those little canals.  I also knew that I had very little to do with the life that was being knit in my wife’s womb.  All I really did was have fun one night and now, something wonderful was happening and I was only the recipient of this gift.  Not its author.

That day,  I changed profoundly.  Before, I never thought about God.  From that moment, all I could think of was how I could repay God for such a wonderful gift.  I couldn’t think of anything.  So, I made up my mind to simply say “Thank you.”  Every waking moment, for the rest of my life.

Second Tsunami, productivity videos

The first tsunami of grace took me up into the heavens, in joy.  The second tsunami, knocked me to my knees, in tears.

Here’s how that started.  It was still 1986, around late November or early December.  The time of the year when nothing gets done around the office because of Thanksgiving and Christmas parties.  I was an accountant/auditor for a very large hospital.  One of the two largest in the world.  So, they picked this time to give us some continuing education.  They sent our whole office to a seminar on how to increase worker productivity.

The seminar consisted of two videos which we were to watch and then discuss.  Anyway, I think it was just two.  That’s all I remember.  The first one was about an experiment conducted by some big outfit, where they turned up the lights while people in a factory were working.  They turned them up and got more productivity.  So, at first they concluded that better visibility increased productivity.  Then they turned them down.  The more they turned them down, the more productive the people got.

Conclusion.  The lighting doesn’t matter, its whether management is paying attention that matters.  Its called the observation effect.

The second video was about a little girl who seemed to have a chronic injury on her forehead.  The Mom had brought her to a hospital to see why the wound kept coming back.  The Doctors couldn’t figure anything out.  But they started noticing that the wound would reappear or become aggravated every time the Mom visited.  They started to suspect the Mom was causing the injury.  So, they installed some hidden video cameras and had the Mom come to see her child.  The Mom came in and sat coldly with her child.  Then, the Mom left.  As soon as she was out the door, the child took a toy and smashed it against her forehead and howled in distress.  The Mom then rushed in and cradled the child in her arms and did her best to sooth her pain.

It turns out that the only time the child received affection from her Mom, was when she was sick or injured.

And THAT floored me.  I don’t know what lesson I was supposed to learn.  But all I saw was a baby that needed love.  And I couldn’t stop crying.  Most of the people in my office were moms.  I just told them that the film had really affected me.  But I cried and cried, all the way to the office and for many weeks.  Not just at the office, but also at home.  I couldn’t look at a child without remembering the child in the video and breaking down.  

Thank God it was the holiday season, because everybody’s productivity was down.  I couldn't do any work.  I spent hours on my knees in my cubicle, calling out to God (quietly, in my thoughts, of course) and asking Him to take care of my baby that was on the way.  I had come to realize that even if I was around, so many things could happen to my baby that were beyond my control.

I didn’t recover from that until the New Year.  Actually, I have never really recovered from that.  Even now, just thinking about that little girl, I’m tearing up.

I didn’t know it then, but that is a spiritual gift.  It is called the gift of tears.

One of my dumb thoughts

Before the second tsunami but after the first, I had a dumb thought pop into my head.  I had decided that I would not teach my child anything about God.  I’d let her, (somehow I knew she was a girl), decide for herself.  I’d let her go to Church with her Mom and I’d just keep on living my life.

I had never been afraid of hell

I couldn’t imagine it.  It was too distant a place.  

During one of those times that I was crying on my knees in my cubicle, I realized that children don’t do as you tell them.  They do as you do.  I could see my little girl going to hell along with me.  And that is when I became afraid of hell, for her sake.  I couldn’t forgive myself if my child wound up in hell, even if she was there with me.

So, from that point, I decided that I would teach my child all that I knew about God.  And I also became determined to learn all that I could about Him.

Third tsunami, my daughter was born

My mom and grandma had always said that every child brings a basket of grace.  I don’t know if its a Mexican saying or what.  But my child didn’t bring a little basket.  She brought brought a whole truckload!  

My daughter was born and we were in the hospital.  When I had her in my arms and had a little privacy, I dedicated her to God.  I simply said, “God, you know that I can’t raise her without you.  I am giving her back to You.  Right now!  You have to take care of her.  Because without you, I can do nothing.”

I was on Cloud 9 again and I told my wife I was going to call my mom and give her the good news.  There was a bank of pay phones downstairs in the waiting room.  So, I went there to call my mom.  The telephones were at the entrance to the waiting room and the waiting room was nearly empty.  Just a couple of people.  One man, sitting quietly on one side of the room.  And another, standing on the opposite side, looking out the window.

The Voice

As I picked up the phone, I heard a voice directly behind me.  So close that I felt the warm breath on the back of my neck.  “When will you keep your promises?”  I turned around, but no one was there.  Confused, I looked from one end of the waiting room to the other.  No one was close to me.

Then I heard the Voice again, “When will you keep your promises?”  Then, my life was opened before my eyes and I could see myself from the time I was a child to the present, always promising God that I would go to Church if He would only do this or that for me.  

Then, I came  back to the moment.  Determined to keep my promises.  At the time, I was confused about one thing.  I knew that when I made those promises, I meant the Catholic Mass.  But, I no longer believed in the Catholic Church.  So, I didn’t know where God wanted me to go to Church in order to keep my promise.  It couldn’t possibly be the Catholic Church, could it?

This is when I went through about a three year process of studying various religions until I came back to the Catholic Church.  You can read about that, here.

My confusion about grace alone

Perhaps you will understand why I came back believing in the doctrine of grace alone.  It wasn’t until I realized that the doctrine is used by Protestant to deny the fact of man’s free will response to God’s love that I understood my error. 

Obviously, if we do not accept God’s grace and act upon it, we remain in the same condition that we were in before.  You should realize that this is just a summary of my conversion.  There were times when I thought I was simply going nuts and was tempted to deny the grace of God.  But, thanks to God, I didn’t.

Afterwards

After coming back to the Catholic Church, I realized that I needed to share the gift that I had received. And so, I’ve dedicated myself to teaching the Catholic Faith from that point.  First to my children and then, to anyone who will listen.

Thanks for listening.  I hope my conversion is a blessing to you.  I hope it also gives you hope and consolation if your spouse or children are far from God. 

Is grace infused or imputed?

Grace is infused.

The Protestant model of imputation of grace is self contradicting and illogical.  The imputed model:

1. It is so confused, it even contradicts other Protestant doctrines. 

According to Protestant doctrine, “grace is irresistible”. Yet, grace can seemingly do nothing for the sinner. The sinner can’t become truly righteous according to the grace given to Him by God. He must be covered over with the righteousness of Christ.

2. Makes God a liar. When God rules that someone is righteous, it becomes a “legal fiction”. God, who can see a man’s heart, does not rule according to what is truly in the man’s heart, but declares the unrighteous man to be righteous.

3. Makes God weak. God, who created the universe with a word, when He declares a man just, that man, according to this doctrine, does not become just.

The “infusion” model is precisely the opposite:

1. It does not contradict any Catholic doctrines but fits perfectly in the Catholic understanding of the Omniscience, Omnipotence and Omnipresence of God.

2. Confirms that God does not lie. When God judges a man righteous, it is because that man has BY FAITH become righteous by striving to keep God’s commandments and persevering in well doing.

3. It also shows forth the efficacy of the grace of God, which was freely given to the man and which brought about the man’s conversion.

4. Shows forth the power of God because justification is the work of God. In justification, it is God who, by the renewal of the Holy Spirit, washes and regenerates the faithful man’s soul.

I personally don’t see how anyone can believe the imputation model. 

Luther, the author of that doctrine, summarized it this way:

I said before that our righteousness is dung in the sight of God. Now if God chooses to adorn dung, he can do so (Luther’s Works, Vol. 34, page 184).

Really? God wants to adorn “dung”? I’ll stick with the Catholic Teaching, thank you very much.

Sincerely,

De Maria

The Catholic Church teaches that we are saved by grace through faith working in love

VRS:
Through a changed heart. It takes that to serve God in His Kingdom under His desires and intents for man. People celebrating God, loving enemies, doing good, viewing each other as special creations and not as anything less.

And there are only two commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, body and strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself."

That is a summary of the Ten.

You don't wait upon God to save you,

YES. I wait upon God:

Psalm 62:1

King James Version (KJV)

1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

It is you who don't because you save yourself by your faith alone.

you think you save yourself by keeping the law...

God saves those who keep the Law:
Romans 2:13

King James Version (KJV)
¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

I don't presume to make any judgements about my Salvation. I leave that to God:

1 Corinthians 4:2-4

King James Version (KJV)
² Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
⁴ For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

you only hope God saves you thinking you can keep what only Jesus could.....

I believe the Word of God:
Matthew 5:48

King James Version (KJV)
⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Luke 1:6

King James Version (KJV)
⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Praise God Christians know they are saved, and saved by grace through faith, and by HIS WORK, not ours.

That sounds like the Catholic confession. You believe in faith ALONE. Whereas we do the works of God because we know that He works through us:
Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Sincerely,

De Maria

These handkerchiefs were relics of St. Paul

Protestor:
The OP asked 'which would the Roman Catholic consider to be of the most spiritual value to them'?

There are two things wrong with the question.

1. It is comparing apples to oranges. Both are nutritious, but each have its own different nutrient to give the body.

In the same way, both the relic and the Bible have spiritual value. But they are of different sorts. The Bible, understood according to the teaching of the Church, bestows wisdom and knowledge.

As for the sacramental, the relic, the blessings of God are bestowed upon the believer by simply handling the object. The spiritual value is immeasurable as only God can measure its value.

Acts 19:12

King James Version (KJV)
¹² So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

These handkerchiefs were relics of St. Paul, do you think the early Christians valued them more highly than they did the Scriptures?

2. You are asking us to make a SPIRITUAL measurement. There is no wrong answer for us. We have seen the power of God work through relics and through the Scriptures. But Protestants do not have spiritual discernment and will not understand our answers nor our reasons.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Sincerely,

De Maria

So, you seem to have something against works

Luther:

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Absolutely true.

Let's look at another Pauline verse:
Philippians 2:12

King James Version (KJV)
¹² Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Galatians 2:21
21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.

Correct. Now let's look at another Pauline verse:
Romans 2:13

King James Version (KJV)
¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Romans 3:28–30
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.

Very good.

Now, lets look at another Pauline verse:
Romans 2:1-7

King James Version (KJV)
2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
² But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
³ And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
⁴ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
⁵ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
⁷ To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Now, here's the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism. Protestant teaching does violence to the Word of God. You have to take away or add to the Word of God in order to preach your message.

But Catholicism harmonizes all the Scriptures. There is not one Scripture in all of the Bible which does not fit harmoniously in Catholic Teaching.

So, you seem to have something against works. What do you do with Romans 2:7? How about Romans 2:13? Or Gal 5:6?

Sincerely,

De Maria

Luther:
Sorry but you have done nothing here except prove my point and prove you don't know scripture.
You nullify scripture where it is said salvation is not by works and try to justify it.

You won't answer any of the questions I asked, why? Scared you might learn the truth?

Sincerely,

De Maria

Rewind: JUST FOR my fellow CATHOLICS

There's a famous website called "Just for Catholics" which seeks to turn Catholics from the way of Truth.  I will begin a study of the arguments presented in that website and give my opinion as to where Dr. Mitzi has erred in Christian doctrine.

Lets begin with the essay, "Mama, What is Grace?"

My wife sings choruses to our son when she puts him to sleep. (He asks me to tell him a story about Fireman Sam but for some reason he never asks me to sing!)

One of his favourite songs is the first stanza of Amazing Grace,

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

John has practically learned it by heart, but this week he stopped his mum during the song and asked, ‘Mama, what is grace?’

Now that’s a good question! 

That was a nice intro.  I believe that is called a "segue".

Grace is a common word in the Bible, 

So far so good.

and Christians often include it in their conversation. But what does grace actually mean? 

We're going to see if your idea of grace conforms to Scripture and Catholic Teaching.

The apostle Paul illustrates its meaning in Romans 4:4; for clarity it is worth comparing different translations of this verse:

• Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due (ESV).
• Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt (NKJV).
• Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt (Douay Rheims).
• A worker's wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due (NAB).

Note that there are some Catholic Bibles included in this mix, the Douay and the NAB and they contain the same statement.  I would say they are identical, wouldn't you?

The illustration is clear. The salary that I receive at the end of the month is not given to me as a favour. I have every right to the remuneration for which I had laboured. The employer is indebted to me; he owes me the payment.

Very good.  Now, lets see what Scripture says about the laborer and the agreed upon amount:

Notice that the Lord had agreed upon a wage with the first group of labourers.  

So?  Is St. Paul contradicting Jesus?  I say no.  But lets keep studying.

Grace is the very opposite to the debt owed to a worker. If I deserve something, it is not grace! Grace is unmerited and unearned. In fact some Bible versions translate ‘grace’ simply as ‘gift’, for indeed, grace is a free gift.

Another good place to stop.  Certainly a gift is free.  But not always in the sense of free of all conditions. It is simply free because it is given by the giver's free will.

Let me illustrate.  Suppose a child is graduating from school and his rich uncle says, "if you graduate from school, I'll give you a car."

That's a conditional gift.  But it is still a free gift.  It is not given to the child if the child doesn't graduate.  But it is given to the child if he does graduate.  The uncle has obligated himself.

In the same way, God swore an oath:

Hebrews 6

12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
 13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
 14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
 16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
 17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 

We, Christians, are the children of that promise by which God obligated Himself.  Note the conditions, "faith and patience".

The concept of grace is easy enough to understand but it is much more difficult to accept. We readily understand the biblical teaching that God rewards his children on the day of judgement for their good works (albeit he himself helps us to perform them). But we naturally offer resistance to the truth that salvation is by grace, an unmerited favour, a free gift.

The reason we offer resistance is because it isn't true.  Only those who merit the gift, like the child who graduated from school, will receive the gift.

In our case, it is those who by exercising faith and patience inherit the promise.

Scripture is very clear in that regard:

Revelation 22:14

King James Version (KJV)

 14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

That seems very plain spoken.

Here's another:

Matthew 7:21

King James Version (KJV)

 21Not 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.

So, yes, the gift of salvation is a free gift.  But it is not without conditions.

We would rather think that salvation was the reward for our good deeds. Maybe that is why the Bible insists on different occasions that since salvation is by grace and not by our works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 11:6,2 Timothy 1:9).

This is true.  Neither our faith nor our works merit the gift of salvation.  But that doesn't mean that those who have no faith and produce no good works will be saved.  Far from it:

John 15 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit....
 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Note that if a man bears no fruit, that is, if he does not produce good works, the Father will cut him off the vine.  And since he no longer abides in Christ, he will be burned.

So, although we can do nothing to equal the grace of salvation.  God, because He has obligated Himself and promise to reward us with salvation if we obey Him, He will consider take into account our works:

Hebrews 6:10

King James Version (KJV)

 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

This truth is received only by a humble heart. When we seek God for salvation, we cannot approach him as if we deserve anything. 

That is Catholic Teaching.  It is Protestants who approach God as though he owes them salvation.  We are taught that we are unprofitable servants, we only do our duty:

Luke 17:10

King James Version (KJV)

 10So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

We should come to him as poor beggars, pleading for his kindness and generosity. We must admit that we are guilty and deserving punishment, imploring only for mercy rather than justice.

But how do you explain these profound truths to a 3-year old boy? I like my wife’s explanation.

‘John, you know that mama and papa loves you. What do we give you when you’re a good boy?’

‘A present,’ he replied.

‘Jesus loves you much more than mama and papa. Jesus gives you a present even though you have not been good. Jesus gives you a gift simply because he loves you. That is grace’

That is also true.  But he's mixed concepts.  Salvation is a conditional gift of God.  Only those who obey Him will be saved:

Hebrews 5:9

King James Version (KJV)

 9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

However, God wills that all men be saved:

1 Timothy 2:4

King James Version (KJV)

 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Therefore, the absolutely free gift of grace which God offers to all mankind, is the opportunity to be saved.  Salvation is there for all.  But only those who obey God and thereby cooperate with His Grace, will be saved.

John also liked his mum’s explanation, for he told her, ‘Sing, mama, sing!’

We too, when we we experience the amazing love of God in Jesus his Son, who saves us freely even though we are undeserving, we too will happily sing to the praise of the glory of his grace. His gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 6:23).

There's a big IF there.
Romans 6  
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:...

8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:...

16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?...

 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A conditional gift.

Let me know what you think.  

Sincerely,

De Maria

*This article was originally posted on

Thursday, September 8, 2011