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From: bourland@unc.UUCP (Daniel Bourland)
Newsgroups: mod.religion.christian
Subject: Re: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
Message-ID: <6445@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Thu, 23-Oct-86 02:20:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.6445
Posted: Thu Oct 23 02:20:33 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 23-Oct-86 07:23:35 EDT
References: <705@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP>
Sender: hedrick@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU
Organization: CS Dept, U. of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lines: 15
Keywords: Not Scripture
Approved: christian@topaz.UUCP

Fortunately, this phrase is not scripture and thus, we (Christians)
are not "bound" to it.  The problem with this little phrase is that
grace is eliminated from the picture - that is, if we do something,
God will reward us.  That's called conditional love.  Christ died
for us, regardless of anything we could be or do - His death was not
by our merit, but by God's grace.  His death for us is act of grace.
Now, it may be that this phrase is used out of context (I have heard
it ascribed to Winston Churchill), because there are some Christians
who are spiritually well-fed, but refuse to act on their knowledge
and/in faith (the Corinthians are an example).  I can see God in a
sense "waiting" for these people (I am one of them occassionally)
to respond, however, it is only by His grace that any response is
possible.  To believe that we must first create within ourselves
the motivation to act, then God will help us, is not the will of
our loving God.  The bottom line is grace without merit.