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Topic: What Work Must I Do To Receive Salvation?
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Brother Paul
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Iron sharpening Iron...what a family Dad, thanks so much! Love you all.
Brother Paul
Posts: 235 | From: Cambridge, MA | Registered: Dec 2009
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KnowHim
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"If it is true that a Christian will be led by the Holy Spirit to do good works, how come there are a lot of Christians who go to church on Sunday but they "live like sons of hell" (i.e., as ordinary unsaved people) for the rest of the week?"
Because they are not really Christians they are liars. The modern day feel good gospel church is not teaching the truth and people are getting tricked into thinking they are saved and they are not.
1 John 2:3-6 (NIV)
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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oneinchrist
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Hello Carol,
Based on your initial post and some of the subsequent responses by others, I do agree that it is important that we are able to distinguish between the fallacy of earning salvation by a man-made system of meritorious works VS. accessing Gods grace by His ordained way.
Hopefully we all understand that we are not saved by an infant baptism or by saying 10 hail Mary's or by giving so much money to the church, etc...........................
and hopefully, at the same token, we also realize that without REPENTANCE there is no access to God's forgiveness.........and without ENTRUSTING OUR LIVES INTO THE HANDS OF THE LORD JESUS( by a faith in Him which is more than a mere mental acknowledgement of Who He is and what He has done), there is no spirit given for our sanctification. Thus the importance for seeing the distinction.
With love in Christ, Daniel
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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Eden
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Carol Swenson wrote quote:
becauseHElives, I agree that a Christian will be led by the Holy Spirit to do good works.
If it is true that a Christian will be led by the Holy Spirit to do good works, how come there are a lot of Christians who go to church on Sunday but they "live like sons of hell" (i.e., as ordinary unsaved people) for the rest of the week?
The answser must lie in that "it is a cooperative work between the individual and the Holy Spirit"; if a "Christian" WANTS to hear what the Spirit has to say, that person will have good works. But if a "Christian" continues to go his own way and to lean on his own understanding, there is little that even the Holy Spirit can do.
Also, as becauseHElives has pointed out at other times, the parable of the sower apparently describes 4 kinds of BELIEVERS:
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Matthew 13
3 ... Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
In v.9 we see that someone needs "ears" to be able to hear.
THE INTERPRETATION
Matthew 13
18 Hear therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, but does not understand it, then comes the wicked one and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
MY COMMENT: For a moment the felow in v.19 believed, but because he did not understand it and because he made no further effort to understand it, shortly thereafter he went his old way again.
20 But he who received the seed into stony places, the same is he who hears the word and immediately [b]receives it with joy;
21 Yet he does not have root in himself, but endures for a while; but when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.
MY COMMENT: This person would look like a true believer, he received the word of God WITH JOY and he continued to believe until persecution arose because of the word, maybe within his family or circle of friends (or in the old days something worse), and he gave it up. But for a while he looked like a true believer.
22 He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word; but the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
MY COMMENT: Again, initially a true believer but over time, his family issues and life's pleasures like movies and dining out and golfing choke out the word and he becomes unfruitful.
23 But he who received seed into the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it; who also bears fruit and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
MY COMMENT: This person heard the word AND understood it. Now, I don't know why this person would hear the word AND UNDERSTAND IT while the first fellow heard the word BUT DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT; but clearly the ones who understand it also bear fruit.
Now, what makes someone NOT UNDERSTAND it and what makes another UNDERSTAND it? Probably the former did not follow up and strengthen his initial faith by reading the Written Word and the latter DID follow up and strengthen his initial faith by reading the Written Word and so he ended up UNDERSTANDING IT in light of the rest of the Word.
Because, by itself, a PIECE of the Word, or A SEED, cannot grow into a flower unless the seed is WATERED:
Ephesians 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.
So Carol Swenson wrote quote:
Carol Swenson wrote[quote]becauseHElives, I agree that a Christian will be led by the Holy Spirit to do good works.
A Christian is only led by the Holy Spirit if a Christian reads the Written Word of God and if a Christian WANTS to be led by the Holy Spirit.
But if a "Christian" continues in his own way and continues to lean on his own understanding, there will be NO good works but there will be evil works:
Proverbs 1:31
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices.
And that is true even for "Christians" who fall in the first 3 categories of the parable of the sower, because they did not follow up their initial faith with watering their faith until it began to bear fruit.
The gift of God is free; but it if is not watered by the recipient it will die just as surely as if I had given a small plant to someone who never bothers to water it. And where then is the gift?
1 Timothy 5:12
Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
Likewise, for initial faith to grow into real lasting faith is a cooperative effort between the Christian and the Holy Spirit; if a "Christian" does nothing to help his faith grow, there is little that even the Holy Spirit can and will do.
Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Philppians 3
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 3:5
For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
love, Eden
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Carol Swenson
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quote:
Originally posted by becauseHElives:
So what works must you do to receive salvation?
Believe with the heart and confess with the mouth, both of these are actions both are proven only one way... Faith without works is dead!
Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Faith without works is dead.
becauseHElives, I agree that a Christian will be led by the Holy Spirit to do good works. Did you see the post on "Carnal"?
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Eden
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Carol Swenson wrote quote:
What is Hell?
>It Will Be A Lake Of Fire And Brimstone – Revelation 19:20, 20:10,14-15
There are 3 Greek words translated "hell" in the English King James Version (KJV) of the New Testament.
1. Tartaros, which is where the wicked angels are currently chained and it occurs only one time in the NT.
2. hades, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "sheol", which is simply the grave or pit where the dead are buried.
3. ge-henna, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "erets hinnom" or "ge-henna" in Greek, which referred to the trash heap in the valley of Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem.
In the valley of Hinnom was thrown all the refuse of Jerusalem, and there it was burned. To make sure that no pestilence would arise from the trash heap, they added sulphur to the fire, to make sure it would burn completely and thoroughly.
All the people in Jerusalem and also most of the Israelites who had ever been to the feasts in Jerusalem, were familiar with this "ge-henna" or "valley of Hinnom" fire.
Jesus therefore used this "gehenna" fire by Jerusalem to describe what the end-time fire on earth will be like. And so we see the word "gehenna" COUPLED with the word FIRE:
Mark 9:47
And if your eye offends you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire (gehenna fire).
James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell {fire of gehenna}.
Luke 12:5
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell {gehenna}; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Jesus therefore used this well-known word "gehenna" to describe what the end-time fire coming on earth will be like.
So let me repeat what Carol Swenson wrote quote:
What is Hell?
>It Will Be A Lake Of Fire And Brimstone – Revelation 19:20, 20:10,14-15
Peter does talk about a GEHENNA-like fire that will come upon the earth:
2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
This is almost certainly the gehenna fire that Jesus had in mind when He mentioned the gehenna fire, meaning a fire that shall come upon the earth that will "utterly burn the earth and all the works that are in it".
But whether this gehenna fire is the same as the lake of fire, is uncertain..
Carol Swenson further wrote quote:
It Will Be A Fire That Is Never Quenched – Mark 9:43,45
It will be a fire that MAN CANNOT QUENCH, but God can quench it once it has done its work:
Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Carol Swenson continued quote:
>It Will Be A Place Of Intense Torment, Pain & Weeping – Matthew 13:42,50,
Only the parable about the rich man and Lazarus describes HADES that way, NOT the GEHENNA fire.
Carol Swenson continued quote:
>It Shall Be A Place Of Blackness & Darkness – Jude 1:13
How can it be a place of BLACKNESS and DARKNESS if the FIRE IS GOING? Fire lights everything up. But the Bible DOES describe HADES (the grave) as being dark and with no thoughts.
Carol Swenson continued quote:
Remember the Hadean Realm? Hades is not hell.
Then death [body] and Hades [soul] were thrown into the lake of fire. [hell]
Death and hades (the grave) are thrown into the lake of fire. The Bible does NOT say whether the LAKE OF FIRE is HELL (gehenna), or not; but it may be the same fire that will come upon the earth that Peter mentioned.
Carol Swenson continued quote:
There is a great deal of difference between hades and hell, although in 1611 when the King James Version was translated, "hell" was probably as good a concept as English would allow for the word "hades."
But the facts are that hades and hell are two different places according to the Scriptures, and a distinction should be drawn between them.
Hades and gehenna are two different things. Hades (the equivalent of "sheol" in the OT) refers to the grave, and gehenna refers to the fire that burned in the valley of Hinnom by Jerusalem, and Jesus probably used gehenna to illustrate the fire that shall come upon the earth at the end-time.
Carol Swenson continued quote:
"Hell" is a translation of the Greek word "gehenna", which refers to the place of eternal punishment.
No, gehenna refers to the trash heap fire that was burning in the valley of Hinnom by Jerusalem. Jesus most likely used it to describe the end-time fire mentioned by Peter.
2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
In other words, the earth shall burn like a trash heap with sulphur (brimstone), just like the trash heap in the valley of Hinnom by Jerusalem, and so the earth will be renewed. And the most likely cause of the fire will be lava coming back up onto the crust everywhere, by the hand of God, until all the old works of Adamic man are burned.
love, Eden
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becauseHElives
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So what works must you do to receive salvation?
Believe with the heart and confess with the mouth, both of these are actions both are proven only one way... Faith without works is dead!
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Carol Swenson
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Revelation 20:11 - 15 (NASB)
11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away , and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
What is Hell?
>It Will Be A Lake Of Fire And Brimstone – Revelation 19:20, 20:10,14-15
>It Will Be A Fire That Is Never Quenched – Mark 9:43,45
>It Will Be A Place Of Intense Torment, Pain & Weeping – Matthew 13:42,50,
>It Shall Be A Place Of Blackness & Darkness – Jude 1:13
Remember the Hadean Realm? Hades is not hell.
Then death [body] and Hades [soul] were thrown into the lake of fire. [hell]
Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
There is a great deal of difference between hades and hell, although in 1611 when the King James Version was translated, "hell" was probably as good a concept as English would allow for the word "hades."
But the facts are that hades and hell are two different places according to the Scriptures, and a distinction should be drawn between them.
"Hell" is a translation of the Greek word "gehenna", which refers to the place of eternal punishment. "Hades" is a Greek word that was transliterated into English, properly translated it means "the realm, or place of the dead." There are contexts in the Bible where it means simply "the grave" or "death." The King James Version has caused people to misunderstand the difference because its translators made no distinction between these two very different words.
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Eden
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Carol Swenson wrote quote:
Do you also agree with this?
I agreed with all of your post, except for this part: quote:
... we will not have to suffer the second death, which is hell (Revelation 20:14).
I disagree with the statement that the second death is hell.
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell {Grk., hades} were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Death and hell {hades} are thrown into the lake of fire. The second death is not hell, but is being thrown into the lake of fire, which is probably the gehenna fire that will come upon the earth, probably in the form of lava coming up onto the crust everywhere.
love, Eden
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Carol Swenson
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Amazing! Do you agree with this also?
If Jesus paid the price for our sin, why do we still suffer the consequences of our sin?
The Scriptures state, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Christ paid the penalty for our sin. We all deserve death, which is the ultimate penalty for sin. Everyone will pay for his sin unless he comes to Christ, who has paid the price for our sin with His blood. Adam and Eve suffered consequences for their sin by being expelled from the Garden. Instead of using the word “consequences,” we should think of the word “discipline.” The writer of Hebrews says about discipline and its purpose,
"And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, ‘My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.’
“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:5-11).
God shows His love by correcting us and/or using discipline to bring us to where He wants us to be. What does a good father do when he sees his child straying away from the right path to go his own way? He brings him back by means of discipline. Now discipline can come in many forms, depending on the seriousness of the offense. If a child is never disciplined or never suffers the consequences for his wrong action, he will never learn what is right.
Therefore, out of love God disciplines those who are His. If you never suffered the consequence of your sin, how would you know when you are doing right or wrong? The psalmist says, "Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread; they wouldn’t think of praying to God" (Psalm 53:4). See also Psalm 10:11, "The wicked say to themselves, 'God isn’t watching! He will never notice!'” If God did not bring about consequences, we would not learn from our mistakes and change our ways. God only disciplines those who are His, and He does this out of love for us, not to harm us or tear us down. It is God's way of saying, "My child, you are going the wrong way, and it is time to turn around and do what is right." If we are not corrected when we do wrong, then we will keep doing wrong.
God has paid the penalty for our sins so we will not have to suffer the second death, which is hell (Revelation 20:14). Because of His love for us, He disciplines us and brings us into the relationship with Him that He desires. So the next time you feel you are suffering consequences for your sin, remember it is God disciplining out of love.
Finally, acts of disobedience to God’s laws will very often result in temporal consequences that have nothing to do with God’s discipline. For example, a murderer who comes to Christ and repents of all his sin will receive God’s forgiveness in the eternal sense, and he will enjoy full fellowship with God for eternity in heaven. However, the society in which he lives will still demand that he pay the price for his crime in a temporal sense. He may have to spend his entire life in prison or even be executed for his crime. But even in these situations, he can be greatly used of God while he waits for his ultimate redemption and eternal joy.
http://www.gotquestions.org/sin-consequences.html
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Eden
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Wow, it's a miracle! We actually agree on something!
love, Eden
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Carol Swenson
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 What Work Must I Do To Receive Salvation?
Almost all the religions of the world have a common denominator, they have a works based system of righteousness. In other words they have laws, rules and sometimes man made regulations one needs to obey to be right with God. There are many other pseudo Christian Churches that also have works in their plan for salvation. Its either for salvation or to maintain it. This is often used as the means to keep one working for their cause thinking there is no where else to go to serve or know God. This is simply not true.
The worlds religions have man trying to please God by his own deeds, trying to reach upward to God. Christianity teaches that man is unable to reach God by anything we do, so God himself reached downward with his own hand from heaven. He became a man to accomplish the solution of our dilemma which has always been sin. This was done through the person of Jesus Christ.
Can our works give us salvation?
In the Psalms it states all our works are like filthy rags. In other words no one would ever think of using them before God to show their righteousness or being clean.
God's standard is perfection, something we cannot fathom since we've never seen it or experienced it. His perfection is from his own nature. This is why he is separate from his creation.
He has made one way for all mankind to know his love and forgiveness. This was done through the work of Jesus on the cross. He died for our sins. This is what is called Grace, unmerited favor. Because of what he has done, we need to do no work to receive it. It's all been taken care of. This is the gospel.
There are some who believe this good news to a certain extent. But they will then add on a certain criteria for one to follow afterwards. By doing this they are proposing that having faith in the gospel is not enough. What if someone is believing the gospel but feels they must do works, such as tithing, witnessing door to door, keeping the 10 commandments, being baptized a certain way, etc., to have God accept them? They have then removed themselves from the gospel of grace. All these things are done after we receive the free gift. To get salvation or maintain it by works is then mixing man's ability with God's. Then the gospel, what God has done, is said to be insufficient. They may not come right out and say this but in practice this is exactly what they are saying.
Think of it this way. If it was your birthday and a friend came and gave a gift, something that you really wanted, you'd be very thankful. But what if you pulled out your wallet and said "Let me pay you for your gift." That would be a real insult to him. He gave it to you out of love not asking for anything in return.
Let's look at the popular religions that claim to be the Christian church and what they teach about how one receives or obtains salvation.
Roman Catholicism - sacraments is an outward sign given by Christ to give grace. The entrance to the sacraments begins with baptism which erases original sin. Then one is able to partake of the sacraments as extensions of the redeeming acts of Christ. Then comes confirmation, The Eucharist, confession, holy orders, marriage etc. Again the gospel of grace is muddied over with other activities.
Jehovah's Witnesses - by works - "Working hard for the reward of eternal life." (WT 8/15/1972 p.491) this is why they so diligently go door to door.
What important part do the works play? "Such works will show that you are choosing life." (Loc. cit., p. 251.)
"To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it." (WATCHTOWER, February 15, 1983, p. 12.)
So having faith on what Christ has done is not sufficient, one must serve the organization and work to receive what Christ already promised is free.
Mormons - The Gospel of Mormonism is "faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, morality, loyalty, tithing, word of wisdom, duty, celestial marriage." (Articles of faith)
"Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is such utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose one's salvation." (LDS Tract entitled, What the Mormons Think of Christ, p.31)
"Therefore, acting alone, the grace of Christ is not sufficient for salvation. The works of man -- the ordinances of salvation, the deeds of service and acts of charity and mercy -- are necessary for salvation...," (By Grace Are We Saved: The necessity of God's grace in addition to man's good works, 1989 ed., p. 70)
"Salvation is not a gift of God which comes to man through the decree of Deity or through the sacramental action of the Church. It is a gift of God which man must work diligently to achieve." (The Religion of the Latter-day Saints, p. 160)
"We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 25:23)
"Men have work to do if they would obtain salvation." (Doctrines of salvation vol.3 p.91)
Clearly Mormonism has an intricate system of works that is tied into the church structure itself, just like Catholicism. They deny what the bible says "without the shedding of blood there is NO forgiveness of sins." They have works which are church ordinances that must be strictly obeyed for one to receive salvation. This means one is not saved until they do all these requirements.
Lets look at some of the non -Christian religions
Islam - depends upon good works. There is no sacrificial work of Christ on their behalf. One is either predestined to Allah's favor or wrath, but one can never know or be confident of it.
God loves those who cleanse themselves. Every soul will be paid in full what it has earned. {In the day of judgment} they whose balances shall be heavy with good works, shall be happy, but they whose balances shall be light are those who shall lose their souls." Sura 23:104-105
Again it is a system of self works which means they believe they can be good enough for God to accept them on their own. This is the common denominator of all the religions, yet they all have some different rules to obtain it.
Hinduism - salvation by yoga and meditation, self-enlightenment as well as doing good deeds to change one's karma.
Buddhism - salvation by denying one's desires. By doing this they are delivered from suffering and a candidate to enjoy the beyond.
Eightfold path consists of: 3 sections Wisdom, Ethical conduct, ethical disciplines. "Be lamps unto yourselves. Be a refuge unto yourselves. DO not turn to any external refuge.... Work out your own salvation with diligence" (Mahaparinibbana-sutta 2.33; 6:10; from the Pali Canon)
While all these religions do curtail sinful actions in some degree, none of them have the ability to change one's heart. They can help reform a person in this life but what of afterwards?
The jailer cried out to Paul this question, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."
The only work God will accept is the work of Christ. Nothing else will help in salvation because Christ is God who came from heaven to do the necessary work for man. The Bible says 'let every man be a liar and let God be true'.
As the Pharisees who prided themselves on their works asked Jesus in John 6:28-30 "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?"
The Pharisees, who were probably the most religious group of people in all biblical history, maybe even the world, asked Jesus point blank about doing God's work. Jesus pointed to himself, saying to believe in him whom God sent. This went right over their heads because they proceeded to ask about proof of who he is by a demonstration of power. Do a miracle and we'll believe! But He denied them this exhibition and reminded them of the miracles of provision their forefathers saw in the wilderness. That too was never enough.
So we can't look to the outer good or manifestation of power to know if someone is of God. Jesus said if you want to do God's work it begins with him and believing His word and believing in His work.
The bible never gives a standard of how much work is needed for one to be in a right relationship with God for the simple reason that it cannot apply for salvation. In 1 Corinthians 3:15 it tells us of a man whose works are all burned yet he still has salvation. So works do not merit anything in relationship to salvation. They do for commendation later but one needs to begin with their being right with God before they can do God's work.
Why do people opt for looking at their own works instead of accepting Gods grace? It's easier to look at one's self-obedience to gauge how they are doing than to rest in another One's work for them. Works foster pride in man. It has us believing that we can do what is needed to have God accept us.
The Gospel is the opposite of man's ability to please God by his works. It is God's personal work for man-- it is Grace, a gift freely given.
The gospel is the evangel, the good news of God to man. He will not judge us if we accept the work that he has done. This good news is only found in Christ.
It is the giving of God, it is for man, it is free. We don't deserve it and we can never earn it, but because of his marvelous love he is willing to give it. Your part is only to accept it. It will never burden you nor have you strive, it will free you to be the person God made you to be.
Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
From faith proceeds our works.
Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit."
God has given only one way for man to come to him. He became the way for us to come by the crucifixion of Christ. Accomplishing what man could not.
So what works must you do to receive salvation?
You must believe (have faith) in the gospel, receiving his love gift to us. It's simple yet profound.
http://www.letusreason.org/Cult8.htm
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