Grace

Okay then donna tie this one on. At christmas time or your birthday when you recieive a gift from someone don't thank them. If they ask whyh say I had to work to get it, it no longer is a gift. Prepare to loose friends and love ones with that stupid belief.

Glad you don't work, wife works and takes care of me and the household too. She would be called a supermom to you. Two kids serving the Lord, one grad from BJ, one attending and a very happy husband! She does it all! She is part of God's grace to me.


I am trying to use a principle here. Something given but not mirited. Whether God does it or someone else it is still grace. If someone offers you something not merited then that is grace. Here is a 100 dollars.......nope its not of grace I earned it. shesshhhh

[ July 12, 2005, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: Timtoolman ]

 

Donna,

There is no reason to get testy with Tim.

Besides, he is right.

The blessings of God are freely offered.

A parent freely offers to feed a child, but the child has to accept the food.

You can freely offer grace or love to anyone in your life, but it doesn't mean that person accepts it.

 

Someone once shared this with me

G od's
R iches
A t
C hrist's
E expense

Grace is getting what we do not deserve and Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.

Just my thoughts.


God Bless

 

donnA

You are correct. If you have to do anything to recieve it,then it isn't grace. There is a beautiful consistency with the doctrines of scripture. God's predestination of the saints to salvation is perfectly consistent with grace as "unmerited favor".

Some hold that predestination isn't God's choosing, but God looking forward and seeing who would believe, and then choosing them based on their response. That is works, gives them an occasion to boast, and is inconsistent with the biblical concept of God's grace.

Don't let them get to you. Stand firm in the truth of God's Holy Word.

 

Donna I am complete agreement with God's grace. It is free and not earned I embrace it. Many walk away from God's grace which is Christ Jesus also. But if they accept Him it is no more a work towards salvation then the fact they just accepted.

JDcandy and others can twist and turn anyway they want but accepting God's grace in not a work. No one but no one would claim the rediculus def. or term for work. It is nothing more then a childish attempt at making the Bible agree with the teachings of a man called John Calvin. Nothing more! It should be an embarrassment to them but they just don't get it.

 

According to calvinist def. all have worked their way too heaven one way or the other. Walking an ailse, praying the prayer of repentence, breathing, picking up a bible to learn that they need to be born again.......ALL works according to calvinist! Everyone has done some type of work!

Where would would we be withoug seeing the humor in some people?!

 

hmmm odd...
- The last sermon I heard before going into the field was about ego, and how when we do not ask for God's grace, because we feel we do not deserve such, it shows a bit of arrogance. God's love, mercy, and grace are available to all if they choose to accept it.

I do agree that there is an awful lot beyond our complete understanding...but if you need God's grace, ask for it and ACCEPT it.

 

Timtoolman

I agree that you must repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Scripture is clear that you are unable to do so unless the Holy Spirit regenerates you, calls you, draws you, how ever you want to describe it. That is responding to what God has already done in your life.

It is also clear that does not happen to everyone. No where in scripture does it say that every person on the planet will hear the gospel, or get the chance to respond. The Holy Spirit's work is a gift to the saints.

 

This is a way I heard grace explained once:

A man comes into your home, brutally assaults you and your family, killing all but you and doing so mercilessly in front of your own eyes. Making a mockery of you and joking about what he is doing to your wife and children.

Revenge would be getting a gun and blowing the guys head off.

Justice would be the man being prosecuted and getting the death penalty (if your state still has it).

Grace would be you going to this man in love, placing your arms around him, forgiving him (totally and unconditionally), bringing back to your home to serve him and take care of his every need (not want, need) and giving him full privileges as your son and heir.

That's grace and that is what God does for those whom He has regenerated. It is neither forced nor coerced but freely given to those whom God has chosen before the foundation of the world. It is beautiful, humbling, empowering, fully loving, and simply amazing!

<><
YIC,
cbc

 

Amen Corry -

I think, though, that the debate falls into matters of that last paragraph. If you offer that hug to the man and he refuses - - - or you offer your home and he refuseses - - - - or you treat him as an heir and he denies knowing you.....

I believe God offers, in total, "unconditional" love, but he allows us to accept or reject that beautiful, loving, kind offer.

From what I understand - others believe that if the offer is made, we are forced to accept or the offer is only made to a few.

 

Donna,

That goes two ways.

 

My personal experience is that I had no 'choice' in accepting God's grace. When my eyes were opened to my sin and God's magnificent holiness I had no choice but to receive the grace of salvation given me. There was no other possibility. Sure there might have been the logical possibility of me rejecting this gift thus making it appear to be a choice on my behalf to accept or reject it, but that was not the case. There was not possibility of me rejecting it. I knew I was lost, I knew I was unrighteous, I knew I was unholy, I knew I was guilty, I knew I was dirty, I knew that Christ was the only answer the only way, my salvation.

This may not be a proper understanding of the Doctrines of Grace but I believe that if every believer looks to their personal salvific experience there was no choice involved. They recognized their sin, I don't believe this can happen until we are regenerated, carnal man does not see himself as a sinner. Once we are regenerated there is no other choice but to repent and receive. This whole action regeneration through us receiving is Grace given to us by God, unmerited and unconditional.

<><
YIC,
cbc

 

Ah , but do you believe that God only offers grace to a select few?

 

Tex. God does not force us. He gives us the ability to choose Him. We do make a choice. The offer of salvation is there for all, because God is just. Some would say... "why does God build a barrier around the way of salvation"? It is man who built the barrier. Salvation is like a rescue... being in a river of sin and being swept away... and God plucks His chosen people from the river. They do not fight the rescue... they reach for Him. The non elect will never reach out.

 

I believe:

and

So in essence God offers the grace of salvation to those whom He pleases. Is the outward call for salvation for all, everyone? Absolutely, however, the inward call of regeneration is only for those whom He foreknows.


<><
YIC,
cbc

 

No.

 

Grace is not offered, it is given. God doesn't have to ask your permission, He has the only free will in the universe to do as He pleases.

 

jdcanady, you are correct. Offers should be gives in the post above.


<><
YIC,
cbc