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VIEW PERSONAL BELIEFS
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POSTED BY:
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Galatians220
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DATE:
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30.07.2009 |
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SUBJECT:
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Salvation (Edited) |
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LOCATION:
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San Diego,
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8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9
I believe that Salvation comes by Faith Alone because there is no other way. God being Holy & Righteous judges man by His standards. Whoever will enter the Kingdom must be perfect because He is Perfect (Matthew 5:18, Romans 2:6-7, & James 2:10).
However there was a problem obviously; no one, not even the Jewish people can keep the Law perfectly (Romans 2:24-27). In Galatians Paul quoted OT scripture when he said:
26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen - Deuteronomy 27:26
The real purpose of the Law is not just to be a standard for Righteousness and Holiness, but show that by doing them perfectly is futile...
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
In Paul's words:
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:19-20
Can sin be outweighed or counterbalanced by our works? No because the deed is done, nor can it be made up because...
6 ... we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. - Isaiah 64:6
You might say: "Well we have Jesus, he died for our sins and we believed him" The problem is that if you wants to keep the Law, you still have to keep it perfectly but it's not just the 10 commandments, you have to keep ALL OF IT:
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. - James 2:10
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. - Romans 4:2,4
Even if we are to just keep the 10 commandments, that alone is impossible. Paul explained:
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
...
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. - Romans 2:17-24
Lets set a test, this is what Paul means:
Have you lied before?
Have you taken something w/out permission?
Have you hated some one before?
Have you looked at the opposite sex lustfully?
Have you placed God as a secondary priority?
If "No" you are worthy of entering into the Kingdom but if you have answered yes to any of these (even if you have done it only once) Paul says you are a Liar, a Thief, a Murderer, an Adulterer/ess, an idol worshipper and so on.
The reason why it is impossible to keep the Law is not because we forget, or we have done it by accident, it is because we have whats called a Sin-nature, we are totally deprived, we are dead to sin, and we are a slave to it.
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. - Romans 5:12-14
It is absolutely impossible for anyone to enter into the Kingdom. Why then was Enoch and Elijah taken up? It is because they walked in Faith (Hebrews 11:5-6)
Adding Works to Faith defeats the purpose of why Jesus came down in the first place and have missed the point of why. The Law showed that we needed a Savior because doing them perfectly is Impossible.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. - Galatians 2:21
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. ... Romans 11:6
To add works misses the whole point and it also says to Jesus "Your Sacrifice is just not enough so I have to help you on that"
Can Jesus forgive your sins? No, because apart from Christ, there is no forgiveness of sins, you have the Law and by that law you are bound to keep it. With Christ, the Law is no longer binding. The Jews for example loved God but did not understand the truth:
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. - Romans 10:2-4
After Jesus spoke to the rich young ruler saying to sell all that he has to enter into the Kingdom, the Disciples said "Who then can be saved?" Jesus responded, "What is impossible with man, it is possible with God" This is how and why God can save us without our help:
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
Jesus saves us by living in us, and purchasing us by his blood. To accept the free gift is to have Eternal Life. In summery and in conclusion, let me give you a verse in scripture:
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: - Galatians 3:10-13
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