Someone asked me: if Jesus already fulfilled Salvation, why do we still need to do certain works? Here is my answer, do you think this is an accurate explanation or can you improve or advise: ========================When we embody Jesus as Justice and seek to bring peace to all our neighborly relations, we can still see and experience the 'sins from the past' echoing and repeating on future generations. So to continue fulfilling the work to restore Justice and Peace, means forgiving and receiving healing to these wounded relationships. Some of the work is still happening, but it FOLLOWS the faith, it is not the cause of salvation but the manifestation of the steps to make that completely fulfilled. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was to bring redemption spiritually for ALL HUMANITY past present and future across all time and space. So some of those steps happen in our relations and lifetime. Some have happened in the past and others in the future. But it's all joined in Christ as the universal salvation process for all who agree to receive forgiveness and healing by grace.
Is this a consistent explanation of why some works today are part of Salvation that Jesus Christ already fulfills?
- Thread starter Emily Nghiem
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
GISMYS_7
Well-Known Member
Salvation is the free GIFT Jesus gives to all born-again believers and FREE is FREEno work needed to help Jesus give the gift!!!! So believe and accept the gift!!
Randy Kluth
Well-Known Member
A whole lot of confusion has happened in the historic Church with respect to Salvation and Works. So it's a good question. Let me just give you my formulation, if you will?
All virtue that Man can claim is truly "good" comes from Christ, aka the Word of God. However, Man was created for the express purpose of channeling this goodness, or virtue, through him so that he becomes a participant in it. And that's why, I believe, God created Man and said it was "very good." It replicates God's goodness in free agents.
But Salvation involves the complete disposal of all evil. And unfortunately, the human record shows that we are all stained with the corruption of evil, mixing the good we were created to have with the evil that resulted from taking actions independent from the Word of God.
So when we achieve Salvation, we must confess that Salvation itself is yet another exclusive virtue that belongs to Christ. None of us can achieve this, not only because all virtue belongs to God but also because in our corruption with sin we became incapable of any virtue that achieves Salvation. The Salvation that God has made available to us through Christ comes to us independent of all of our good works.
This does not mean we should stop doing good and acting in the way God created us to act. It just means that when we receive Salvation we can continue to do good without fear of being excluded by our evil. In appropriating Salvation we agree that all good belongs to Christ and evil is anything we do apart from Christ. In confessing this we become recipients of a whole New Nature, enabling us to live as New Creatures in Christ, having a motive now to pursue only the good. When we capitulate to evil it is out of our own human weakness, which Christ died to atone for.
The question becomes, Have we truly received Christ? Really, since Christians can regularly and seriously capitulate to their carnal nature it is difficult to see the fruits of Salvation in the life that they have sincerely opted for and agreed with. However, Christ died to forgive even the thief on the cross, being willing to forgive all sin simply by our choice to embrace him as the one we love.
The virtuous Christian is one who regularly puts his or her carnal nature under their feet. It is a choice to regularly live in the love of Christ, sticking to the Word of God in all things, repenting quickly in matters of failure, great or small. So works demonstrate whether we're a virtuous Christian or not. We shouldn't ignore the fact we can be ashamed of our record when Christ returns and judges us with mercy.
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
Keep it simple. Know Jesus and it will fall into place. Don't know him and the confusion of the 'theological world' will rule your understanding.
You can be assured that Jesus is the Saviour of all men, especially those who believe! 1 Timothy 4:10
GISMYS_7
Well-Known Member
The UNBELIEVER is condemned already!!
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but """he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."""
John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but """he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."""
I believe that yes, we contribute in our works towards others the building of their faith in part of the process of Jesus' redemptive work. I came to faith through a process where Jesus worked through other people.
We fulfill our calling of salvation as we do those works of faith that build His church, including in the redemptive process for others.
I like how you lay that out, previous generation, our generations, generations to come, the body of Christ spans the centuries, yet we all are one, and work together as one.
Hurt people hurt people. Healing people bring healing to people. We do well to be part of someone's pathway to redemption and health.
Much love!
Similar threads
