Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: farkas@eng.sun.com (Frank Farkas) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: The Uneducated Need Not Apply Message-ID: Date: 30 Nov 90 09:21:06 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 83 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [This is a response to a posting by Gene Gross that was part of a discussion on salvation, faith, grace, and works. He emphasizes that salvation is due to grace and faith, but even the faith is a gift of God, so salvation is purely God's work. Of course faith will bring forth works. --clh] Many things which you said is true, however, you have over simplified the process of salvation. It is true that faith is a gift. The big question this brings is that, why is it that one person has a greater faith then another? Is God unjust? Are we talking about the concept of predestination, meaning that God choose some for salvation and others for condemnation, regardless what a person does or doesn't do? The Bible clearly says that this is not true. God whants all of his children to be saved, and not one of them to be lost. If this is true, why does he give more faith to one then to another, or does He do this? I believe that all man receives as a gift sufficient faith for salvation. What you have left out of the equation is what we have to do, like repentance. Will God repent in our place, did Jesus repent in my place on the cross? The answere is no! Jesus did atone for my sins that I won't have to pay the penalty, but repentance is one thing which I must do. The scriptures are explicitly clear that God called upon all men and women to repent. This is what Peter tells to those who have heard the gospel and whanted to know what they should do: Acts 2:37-38 ============ "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and bretheren, what shall we do?" "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Is repentace work? We better believe it that it is. If I am to repent, I need to stop or to start saying or to doing certain things. James also tells us that we need to do to perfect our faith: James 2:21-22 ============= "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, and by works was faith made perfect?" "Seest thou how faith wrought with works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2:24 ========== "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." The difference between a person who has little faith and another person who has great faith is their works. One has repented and done good works in response to the faith which he received as a gift, and the other didn't. It is true that salvation is a gift of God, however, it is a conditional gift, based on our good works. Clearly, we are free to accept the gift or to reject it. This is the reson why some will be cast out into outher darkness at the judgement day, and others will receive their rewards based on their good works. Paul understood clearly that not all man will be resurrected to the same glory. I Corint 15:41-42 ***************** "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also the resurrection of the dead. ..." For most of us, the issue is not if we will go to "heaven" or "hell", but are we worthy to be joint heirs with Christ. Indeed, only few will be cast out into outher darkness at the judgement day, and only few who will be worthy to be joint heirs with Christ. Most of mankind will be saved because of the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. The big question is, saved from, or to what? Saved from being cast out and saved to an appropriate place in heaven based on our good works. Jesus said that there are many mentions in his Father's house. With brotherly love, Frank