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From: jordan@noscvax.UUCP (Martin C. Jordan)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Faith
Message-ID: <61@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Oct-85 20:34:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: noscvax.61
Posted: Thu Oct 17 20:34:33 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Oct-85 06:19:21 EDT
References: <497@aero.ARPA> <1562@hammer.UUCP>
Reply-To: jordan@cod.UUCP (Martin C. jordan)
Distribution: net
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 36

In article <1562@hammer.UUCP> coryb@hammer.UUCP (Cory Barker) writes:
>
>Peter, I really enjoyed your article and found much good
>information therein, but there is one thing that I do not
>understand.
>
>If there are no works that we must do to be saved then
>how is it determined who is saved and who is not saved?
>As you say, we must believe in Christ to be saved.
>I however would have to classify believing in Christ as a work.
>Perhaps you could clarify what you understand to be a work.
>Faith is a gift from God but to receive that gift we must
>do something like ask for it or read the scriptures.
>
>Please understand that I do not wish to disagree with you
>just to be disagreeable but what you are saying just does
>not make sense to me.  Also be assured that I believe that
>Jesus Christ atoned for my sins and if he had not done so
>then all the works in the world could not save me.
>
>Cory Barker


        Would you not agree that a present becomes a gift ONLY after
you have received it? You may have many presents around the Christmas
tree, but they don't become gifts until AFTER you have acted and opened 
them. Similarly, you have to "receive" Christ in order to experience 
God's gift of salvation. Also, the idea of "works" means that I must
fulfill a certain set of criteria (doing good, pasiing out 5000 leaflets,
or such like). God's gift comes with no strings attached at all. Simply
receive it, and don't look upon getting presents as work or Santa may
bypass your house this year :-).

                                        Regards,

                                                Martin Jordan