Zone1 Grace + Faith + ? = Salvation

[Weatherman2020]

Had a recent conversation with a chap here who has an unfortunate common misunderstanding about what salvation in Christianity involves. Many unfortunately think if they do enough good things they’ll get to heaven.

Salvation involves the following things:

Gods grace
Your faith in God

That it. The answer to ? is nothing. You can’t add add anything more to Gods grace and your faith. As God said, our works are but filthy rags to Him.

James discusses this in depth, but the best example is the man on the cross next to Jesus who came to faith as he hung there dying. He asked Jesus to remember him, and Jesus replied ‘Today you will be in paradise with me’.

This man obviously didn’t get to do much to work towards getting to heaven in his last few minutes hanging there. Yet he’s now in heaven.

You don’t have to give a dime, you don’t have to go fix your neighbors roof, you don’t have to get off your butt.

BUT. There’s always a but!

What is faith? How do you know you really have faith? Because the Holy Spirit motivates you to WANT to give a dime, fix your neighbors roof, get off your butt. A Christian is someone either going out to promote the word or supporting someone who is. God says only give joyfully. That means don’t give money or time unless it brings you joy.

Supporting can be financial or a desire to consistently pray for those going out. A penniless quadriplegic praying for others will be in heaven standing next to Billy Graham who spoke in front of huge audiences and brought millions to Christ.

Now if you consider yourself a Christian but have no desire to help others as I’ve outlined above, then you need to pray to God for growth in your faith. When it happens you and those around you will notice the new you.

 

[Moonglow]

They guy on the cross that died with Jesus went to heaven and never did any of those things.

 

[Cougarbear]

They guy on the cross that died with Jesus went to heaven and never did any of those things.

Did any of what things? By his actions, he showed us what faith is. It's tireless works helping others come unto Christ. There's a long laundry list of good works to show our faith as James wrote, "Faith without works (good works) is dead."

 

[Cougarbear]

Had a recent conversation with a chap here who has an unfortunate common misunderstanding about what salvation in Christianity involves. Many unfortunately think if they do enough good things they’ll get to heaven.

Salvation involves the following things:

Gods grace
Your faith in God

That it. The answer to ? is nothing. You can’t add add anything more to Gods grace and your faith. As God said, our works are but filthy rags to Him.

James discusses this in depth, but the best example is the man on the cross next to Jesus who came to faith as he hung there dying. He asked Jesus to remember him, and Jesus replied ‘Today you will be in paradise with me’.

This man obviously didn’t get to do much to work towards getting to heaven in his last few minutes hanging there. Yet he’s now in heaven.

You don’t have to give a dime, you don’t have to go fix your neighbors roof, you don’t have to get off your butt.

BUT. There’s always a but!

What is faith? How do you know you really have faith? Because the Holy Spirit motivates you to WANT to give a dime, fix your neighbors roof, get off your butt. A Christian is someone either going out to promote the word or supporting someone who is. God says only give joyfully. That means don’t give money or time unless it brings you joy.

Supporting can be financial or a desire to consistently pray for those going out. A penniless quadriplegic praying for others will be in heaven standing next to Billy Graham who spoke in front of huge audiences and brought millions to Christ.

Now if you consider yourself a Christian but have no desire to help others as I’ve outlined above, then you need to pray to God for growth in your faith. When it happens you and those around you will notice the new you.

Does "Salvation" = "Exaltation?" The answer is no. As we read in First Corinthians Chapter 15, there are degrees of Heaven or Glory in our resurrected bodies. The Grace is that we all will be resurrected, even those who deny the Holy Ghost. However, those persons will not enter into any degree of Heaven, but will live eternally damned in Perdition with Satan. The question is why did God give us this Gift (Grace) of guaranteed resurrection? When you can answer this, you will know why you are here because you will be able to know where you came from before your earth life. Then, everything will be more clear on earth and why "Faith in Christ" is essential for Exaltation, the highest degree in Heaven. The place Paul saw, the 3rd Heaven.