Is the "free gift" of salvation really free? - Honestly?

[Ritajanice]

Only the Spirit can mature us, all in God’s timing and strength...he’s at work in our spirit / heart ,all day every day...conforming us to become more and more like Jesus in our heart..

I was led astray for a short time by the teachings of another....then the Spirit showed me that their teachings weren’t inline with the inspired word...plus I knew in my spirit that something just wasn’t right with their teaching.

They were adding their own words to what scripture meant and still they are doing it ,to this day...most of the time I ignore their posts...you can’t discuss with a “ know it all”....makes me chuckle, when they “ tell” you how to believe..LOL.

 

[Ritajanice]

The church calls it being discipled.
They expect a believer to be mature in two years.

That was the goal of the Navigators 2:7 program.

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We never stop maturing in Christ.do we?

For me it’s been a very slow process....but, then I know that only the Living Spirit can mature us....we’ve come a long way in Christ and still have much further to grow in spiritual maturity and spiritual matters.

It can be extremely hard, at the same time it’s exciting!....

 

[St. SteVen]

We never stop maturing in Christ.do we?

A person needs to stay at it. Maturity comes at a price.

For me it’s been a very slow process....

Consider the end goal.
We can grow a pumpkin in three months.
An oak tree takes a hundred years.

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[Ritajanice]

A person needs to stay at it. Maturity comes at a price.


Consider the end goal.
We can grow a pumpkin in three months.
An oak tree takes a hundred years.

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Amen!


Spiritual maturity is not instantaneous. 2 Peter 3:18 says: “Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our savior, Jesus Christ.” It takes time to grow, it doesn't happen quickly. No living thing comes to maturity instantaneously.
15 Sept 2017

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People also ask
How do you grow into spiritual maturity?

According to research and scripture the Bible defines ``growing into maturity'' as spiritual growth that involves increasing love for God and others, and the fruit of the Spirit. It's a gradual process that can be achieved through knowledge of the gospel, and by allowing God to work in you.​

 

[Prycejosh1987]

Its easy to get saved, but extremely hard to keep it. Jesus said it Himself. The pearl of great price. He says a man traded in everything for a land with a pearl in it.

 

[St. SteVen]

Its easy to get saved, but extremely hard to keep it. Jesus said it Himself. The pearl of great price. He says a man traded in everything for a land with a pearl in it.

That seems contradictory.
Why is it easy to give all you own for something? (easy to get saved) ???
The rich young ruler thought it not easy at all.

Matthew 19:21-22 NIV
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

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[Lambano]

So much for a free gift.
It's a free gift... it will cost you everything.

For the power of Paradox opens your eyes;
And blinds those who say they can see.
- Michael Card, God's Own Fool

And I'm pretty sure God made it that way on purpose. Why do you suppose that is?

 

[quietthinker]

That seems contradictory.
Why is it easy to give all you own for something? (easy to get saved) ???
The rich young ruler thought it not easy at all.

Matthew 19:21-22 NIV
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

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Trust in the gift given is cheap enough.

Of course, if the gift is not seen for the value that it is, all manner of wickedness is generated, the greatest being that of lack of trust (unbelief) which masquerades as belief.

 

[St. SteVen]

For the power of Paradox opens your eyes;
And blinds those who say they can see.
- Michael Card, God's Own Fool

And I'm pretty sure God made it that way on purpose. Why do you suppose that is?

Great question.
This faith requires faith. It's not faith to believe in something that is air-tight.
That requires no faith at all. It requires faith when there are loose ends that simply cannot be tied up. IMHO

Leaving Room for Faith - why we don't know EVERYTHING​

Theistic Agnosticism - The honesty to admit we don't know everything​

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[St. SteVen]

Trust in the gift given is cheap enough.

Of course, if the gift is not seen for the value that it is, all manner of wickedness is generated, the greatest being that of lack of trust (unbelief) which masquerades as belief.

That's interesting.
How does a "lack of trust" (unbelief) masquerade as belief?

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[quietthinker]

That's interesting.
How does a "lack of trust" (unbelief) masquerade as belief?

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by relying on self ie, one's piety

 

[St. SteVen]

by relying on self ie, one's piety

Yes, the mask of piety.

What is the importance of piety?

Yes... What is the importance, or value of piety? Common in Catholicism, not common in Protestantism. I'm very undisciplined in my Protestant faith. Which doesn't seem to distance me from God at all. However, I fully support growing Christians that use disciplines to gain maturity. What is...

www.christianityboard.com

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[Lambano]

This faith requires faith. It's not faith to believe in something that is air-tight.
That requires no faith at all. It requires faith when there are loose ends that simply cannot be tied up. IMHO

That's kind of where I wanted to go with this. You brought up one of the paradoxes of the Christian faith: A free gift that will cost you everything. God is sovereign over everything that happens, yet Man is responsible for his actions. Whoever would save their own life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Christ's sake will find it. How many more can we come up with?

 

[St. SteVen]

That's kind of where I wanted to go with this. You brought up one of the paradoxes of the Christian faith: A free gift that will cost you everything. God is sovereign over everything that happens, yet Man is responsible for his actions. Whoever would save their own life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Christ's sake will find it. How many more can we come up with?

"...count the cost." comes to mind.
A repayment in this lifetime of all that we give up. (hundredfold)

Luke 14:28 NIV
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and
estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?

Mark 10:29-31 NIV
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers
or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age:
homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—
along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

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[Lambano]

Mark 10:29-31 NIV
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers
or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age:
homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—
along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

I find that one interesting juxtaposed with Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."

Yet I experienced the truth of Mark 10:29-30 when I found myself taking care of a sister and a couple of mothers and working on homes and in fields I didn't know I had.

For what it's worth, it was worth it all the while.

 

[Lambano]

I think Jesus challenges us to engage the paradoxes, rather than close our eyes and pretend that they don't exist.

 

[Behold]

Its easy to get saved, but extremely hard to keep it.

Salvation is Jesus on The Cross.
You dont "keep that"... You receive What Jesus has accomplished,.. for you.........as "The Gift of Salvation"

If you are trying to "keep yourself saved" then you are not Trusting in Christ to do it.

 

[St. SteVen]

I think Jesus challenges us to engage the paradoxes, rather than close our eyes and pretend that they don't exist.

Agree.
Oftentimes, at least for me, the questions are of greater importance than the answers.
Like trimming the fat from a fine piece of meat. (but use the fat to cook the meat)
That's where the flavor is.

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[Behold]

Oftentimes, at least for me, the questions are of greater importance than the answers.

Sure the Bible defines it.

"ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth"

"Doubleminded". "unstable in all their ways".

 

[St. SteVen]

"ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth"

That saw cuts both ways.
Especially for those (like you) who are never learning or ever able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.

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