The Free Gift of Salvation - Page 4

Aquila · #31 04-21-2014, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

If people would realize there are at least 2 phases to salvation. The initial forgiveness of sins and receiving the Spirit is the free gift. Then comes that narrow path where we must overcome and endure. All by the Spirit of God of course.

... of course.

Timmy · #32 04-21-2014, 04:00 PM

When you guys get it figured out, let me know.

Michael The Disciple · #33 04-21-2014, 04:11 PM

Quote:

However, we do well to caution. We're not talking about being conformed into the image of the humanity of Jesus, that Jewish man who lived 2,000 years ago. Nope. We're talking about the glorified Christ Jesus who is God

I guess someone forgot to tell the apostles we are not called to be the same as Jesus.

In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Only those who are like Jesus NOW have any assurance of FINAL salvation.

Anyone who claims to be IN HIM is supposed to be walking AS HE WALKED.

But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: 2:6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. 1 John 2:5-6

So it is at PRESENT we are to be like JESUS.

Ferd · #34 04-21-2014, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

If people would realize there are at least 2 phases to salvation. The initial forgiveness of sins and receiving the Spirit is the free gift. Then comes that narrow path where we must overcome and endure. All by the Spirit of God of course.

I would say that salvation from the day you turn around, to the day you enter into heaven, is the free gift.

at the same time, that gift has conditions. You cannot recieve forgiveness of your sins, if you are not sorry for, nor willing to cease the behavior, no matter how much you want the gift of salvation.

Every day is a choice on my part to walk toward God. When I fall, I choose to either get up or wallow in the mud I have fallen into.

Pressing-On · #35 04-21-2014, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferd

I would say that salvation from the day you turn around, to the day you enter into heaven, is the free gift.

at the same time, that gift has conditions. You cannot recieve forgiveness of your sins, if you are not sorry for, nor willing to cease the behavior, no matter how much you want the gift of salvation.

Every day is a choice on my part to walk toward God. When I fall, I choose to either get up or wallow in the mud I have fallen into.

Good post, Ferdinand!

Pressing-On · #36 04-21-2014, 05:30 PM

Thought this letter from Pastor Saeed (Serving an 8-year sentence for his Christian faith in Iran) would be appropriate for this thread.

Crucifying the resurrected “self” with Christ and resurrects our death faith with Christ.

Happy Resurrection Day.

On the Eve of Good Friday and Easter I was praying from my hospital room for my fellow Christians in the world. What the Holy Spirit revealed to me in prayer was that there are many dead faiths in the midst of Christians today. That Christians all over the world are not able to fully reach their spiritual potential that has been given to them as a gift by God so that in reaching that potential, the curtain can be removed and the Glory of God would be revealed.

Some times we want to experience the Glory and resurrection with Jesus without experiencing death with Him. We do not realize that unless we pass through the path of death with Christ, we are not able to experience resurrection with Christ.

We want to have a good and successful marriage, career, education and family life (which is also God’s desire and plan for our life). But we forget that in order to experience the Resurrection and Glory of Christ we first have to experience death with Christ and to die to ourselves and selfish desires.

Jesus said to His Disciples: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

This means that we should not do things that we like to do (that God does not want us to do) and to do things that we do not like to do (but God wants us to do) so that He may be glorified.

So in addition to spending our days and night in doing the works of faith as described above, we should also transform our death faiths into living and active faiths through the resurrection of Christ which is an active and constructive love that is effective.

In conclusion, let us resurrect our Dead faiths to living faiths by first dying to our selfish “resurrected” self and experiencing the cross of Jesus. Then we are able to experience the Glorious resurrection with Christ.

A Glorious life with Christ starts only after a painful death (to self) with Christ.

We will start with Christ.

Pastor Saeed Abedini
Prisoner in the Darkness in Iran, but free for the Kingdom and Light

http://aclj.org/iran/american-pastor...rkness-of-iran

Michael The Disciple · #37 04-21-2014, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Thought this letter from Pastor Saeed (Serving an 8-year sentence for his Christian faith in Iran) would be appropriate for this thread.

Crucifying the resurrected “self” with Christ and resurrects our death faith with Christ.

Happy Resurrection Day.

On the Eve of Good Friday and Easter I was praying from my hospital room for my fellow Christians in the world. What the Holy Spirit revealed to me in prayer was that there are many dead faiths in the midst of Christians today. That Christians all over the world are not able to fully reach their spiritual potential that has been given to them as a gift by God so that in reaching that potential, the curtain can be removed and the Glory of God would be revealed.

Some times we want to experience the Glory and resurrection with Jesus without experiencing death with Him. We do not realize that unless we pass through the path of death with Christ, we are not able to experience resurrection with Christ.

We want to have a good and successful marriage, career, education and family life (which is also God’s desire and plan for our life). But we forget that in order to experience the Resurrection and Glory of Christ we first have to experience death with Christ and to die to ourselves and selfish desires.

Jesus said to His Disciples: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

This means that we should not do things that we like to do (that God does not want us to do) and to do things that we do not like to do (but God wants us to do) so that He may be glorified.

So in addition to spending our days and night in doing the works of faith as described above, we should also transform our death faiths into living and active faiths through the resurrection of Christ which is an active and constructive love that is effective.

In conclusion, let us resurrect our Dead faiths to living faiths by first dying to our selfish “resurrected” self and experiencing the cross of Jesus. Then we are able to experience the Glorious resurrection with Christ.

A Glorious life with Christ starts only after a painful death (to self) with Christ.

We will start with Christ.

Pastor Saeed Abedini
Prisoner in the Darkness in Iran, but free for the Kingdom and Light

http://aclj.org/iran/american-pastor...rkness-of-iran

Spoken from wisdom and experience.