Receiving

[npetreley]

I used to "work" in the mail room. It was my "job" to accept all the incoming packages from carriers like Fed Ex, UPS, etc. I put "work" and "job" in quotes because I no longer get paid for what I do.

You see, my boss became a Christian. He believes that he was saved by accepting Jesus into his heart. He believes that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and offers us all the gift of salvation. All he had to do was reach and and accept this gift in order to receive it.

Then along comes this Calvinist who disagrees with him, and says the concept my boss has of being saved is equivalent to being saved by works. So my boss argued that it's not works at all to reach out and receive the gift.

Then he realized that's what I do all day, and decided that if I'm not working, then he shouldn't have to pay me.

[This story is for entertainment purposes and is not true. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent because I didn't use any names.]

 

[Bro Tony]

He came to His own, and His own did not RECEIVE Him. But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1: 11-13

The Bible doesnt seem to find a conflict between God's free gift of salvation, based solely of His work and the call to men to receive. So I guess I dont either.

Bro Tony

 

[Sularis]

Can I nitpick a little npet ol buddy - simple NOT ONE of those packages were for you - NOR did you keep any of them for yourself

Other then that so far go Tony!

 

[npetreley]

Originally posted by Bro Tony:
He came to His own, and His own did not RECEIVE Him. But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1: 11-13

The Bible doesnt seem to find a conflict between God's free gift of salvation, based solely of His work and the call to men to receive. So I guess I dont either.

Bro Tony

Where does your quote say that we receive him of our own free will? I don't see that anywhere. In fact, I see quite the opposite. I see it saying that we "were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

 

[Bro Tony]

Just read what I said, dont add your slant in order to make your point. I said the Bible doesnt seem to find a conflict between God's free gift of salvation based solely of His work and the call to men to receive. So I guess I dont either.

It always seems curious to me that many individuals who have decided to let a particular theological system drive them instead of the Scripture, they must add to others words and to the words of the Bible to make them fit their system. The point of my post and I believe the Scripture in John 1---to receive does not equate to works. The Bible does not teach works based salvation, but it does teach we must receive. Therefore, I believe in the need to receive Him, but that reception is not a work on my part. Clear? I hope so--please dont add to my words if you are going to refer to what I say.

Thanks and God bless,

Bro Tony

 

[npetreley]

Originally posted by Bro Tony:
Just read what I said, dont add your slant in order to make your point. I said the Bible doesnt seem to find a conflict between God's free gift of salvation based solely of His work and the call to men to receive. So I guess I dont either.

Yes, but you said that in response to a story that assumes that you have to reach out and receive something of your own free will. So either you mean to say that your quote supports the idea that we receive Him of our own free will, or you're posting in the wrong thread.

If you aren't posting in the wrong thread, then I repeat that your quote does not in any way suggest that we receive Him of our own free will.

to those who believe in His name:

Who are they? They are those...

who were born, not of blood

It has nothing to do with bloodlines or genetics.

nor of the will of the flesh

It has nothing to do with works.

nor of the will of man

It has nothing to do with man's will, i.e., free will.

but of God

It's what God does.

 

[Timtoolman]

Stupid, stupid, stupid, to even claim recieving a gift is a work. Not even worth arguing about this. Check with friends saved and unsaved and you will see the total foolishness of not only the statement but of the example wich is given. Guess you have to define a gift to the ignorant too. shesssh. THis is one arguement that really takes agroup of people who normally are very well studied and articulate, and make them look like a bunch of total idiots!
With calvinsit definition of works I tell you there is NOT ONE calvinist who has not preformed some type of work for their salvation. NOT ONE!

 

[Gina B]

Your story didn't make your point clear.

The only thing I got from it as that you aren't a good storyteller, and in my book, that's half-way to being a criminal.

If you're gonna tell me a story, don't make me work to try to figure out the plot, the moral, the point, the key figures, and the motivation. If I wanted to figure all of that out I'd sit down and write a story myself. But I don't. I read a story so I don't have to DO all that!

 

[donnA]

nor of the will of man

nothing of man in salvation it looks like to me, no choice, no maybe I will maybe I won't choose, God has said it is all Him, and nothing us, not by my will was I saved, but by His alone according to this verse.

 

[donnA]

And I'm with Gina, I don't want to have to work to understand a story, I want it all written out for me, if I have to work for the entertainment of reading I'd find something else to do, not being as talented as Gina at writing it probably wouldn't that.