SALVATION

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larry2

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Ephesians 2:8, 9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, if salvation is a gift, we can't do anything to earn it, but you read in (Philippians 2:12) that you must work out your own salvation with all fear and trembling. If God has provided this salvation as a free gift, how am I to add anything to that? There are many different ways that the word salvation is used in the Bible, such as safety from enemies, but I will limit this booklet's teaching to four aspects concerning salvation of the soul.

First - It is provisional. If you accept Jesus as your savior, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) "If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Second - When you become saved, it is at this time that you are born again and have overcome the penalty of sin, or become saved from the great white throne judgment and the resulting lake of fire. (Repeating John 5:24), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." In (Romans 8:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

Third - The working out your own salvation referred to in (Philippians 2:12) is learning to overcome the habit of sin in our lives. This is the experiencing part of our salvation and is another step in our growth as a Christian. (2 Peter 1:5-7) tells us to "Add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity." To realize this growth in our lives, we must learn to begin counting our old man dead. (Romans 6:6) "Knowing this, that our old man (The Adamic nature) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Ephesians 4:22) “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (Manner of life) the old man who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” (Colossians 3:9) “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." We all have an old man we should count as dead that still wants to rule our lives. Even though the Apostle Paul knew he was saved, he experienced all kinds of problems with the old man trying to control his life. (Romans 7:14-25) states that (15) he ends up doing that which he hates. In (16,17), Paul realizes that if he agrees that the law is good, then it is no more him that was responsible, but sin that was in him. In looking for an answer he says (24) "Who shall deliver me?" (25) "I thank God through Jesus Christ"

(Romans 8:1). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." And in (Romans 8:4) it says that "The righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Not by us), who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Fourth - We will be saved from this corrupt world. In (Romans 8:18-23), Paul states (18) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (21) Because the creature (Creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." John states in (1 John 3:2) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Blessings in Christ Jesus.
 

Enoch111

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If God has provided this salvation as a free gift, how am I to add anything to that?
That verse is not about adding to your salvation but about *working out* your salvation. Which is not the same thing. So what does it mean?

Every sinner who was saved by God's grace was formed in the image of Adam at birth, and controlled by the world, the flesh, and the devil while unregenerated.

After salvation, God wants to see every child of God transformed into the image of Christ (the exact opposite of what he was before). And that means the process of sanctification must begin at the New Birth and continue until either that person goes to be with Christ, or experiences the Resurrection/Rapture.
 

Jay Ross

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Matthew 13:52 make reference to the Salvation Covenant which Christ came and proclaimed during His first advent. He did not come about the so called Old and New Covenant which many believe is applicable to obtain Eternal Life.

Shalom
 
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larry2

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After salvation, God wants to see every child of God transformed into the image of Christ (the exact opposite of what he was before). And that means the process of sanctification must begin at the New Birth and continue until either that person goes to be with Christ, or experiences the Resurrection/Rapture.
Thanks for your reply Brother Enoch111. I'm not sure we're not talking the same thing in the purpose of working out our own salvation.

First of all, in my doctrine of salvation all believers are saved by grace through faith alone as to their eternal destination, but as Paul had a purpose in winning Jesus in Php 3:8, and that as having His best, it would include enduring. Rom 8:17 put it something like this in having an heirship superior in becoming a joint-heir. "
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; IF so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Paul said it this way in 2 Tim 2:11-12
2Ti 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: (All believers)
2Ti 2:12 IF we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with him.

I'll Paste an excerpt of a study by A.S. Copley below that may explain it better than I have.
"THE RACE COURSE OF THE SONS OF GOD SERMONS ON PHILIPPIANS BY A. S. COPLEY

There is the Prize, Christ Himself as Bridegroom, looming high at the end of the race. There are those other racers running without compromise or discouragement. The afflicted woman who sought to touch the hem of the Master's garment, pushed aside everything and everybody. She pressed her way through the throng. She must touch Him; and she did. Therefore the Apostle says, the way to win the Prize is, "Work out your own salvation." Many believers have a misconception of this verse altogether. They think that it is addressed to sinners, and that they get saved by working. No, no. Paul writes here of a salvation already possessed. You must have it before you can call it "your own." How could he exhort people to get saved who were already walking in obedience? Nay, he here exhorts to work out that which has already been worked in. The next verse explains this one. "For it is God who works in you" two things. He works in you "to will and to work (energein, Gr.) according to His good pleasure." He first plants in us an active life. He works in us. Then by the power of the Holy Spirit, we cause that life to flow out in blessings upon others. As we run, we bless."

We are blessed in Christ Jesus. :)
 

Episkopos

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Ephesians 2:8, 9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, if salvation is a gift, we can't do anything to earn it, but you read in (Philippians 2:12) that you must work out your own salvation with all fear and trembling. If God has provided this salvation as a free gift, how am I to add anything to that? There are many different ways that the word salvation is used in the Bible, such as safety from enemies, but I will limit this booklet's teaching to four aspects concerning salvation of the soul.

First - It is provisional. If you accept Jesus as your savior, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) "If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Hi Larry,

What has led to so much confusion, not to mention so many denominations....is a lack of accuracy and clarity in our conclusions based on a reading of the word. We don't have a Paul to come around and make the proper corrections. So we need to be careful not to build on a shaky foundation.

The formula "accepting Jesus as saviour" is not in the bible. Yet it is far too often received as if it was a biblical standard. it is very misleading....as some people may actually understand this correctly...but many others...no. It is the duty of a teacher to make things clear...not muddy.

Then you cite that we must indeed work out our salvation with fear and trembling...as it says in the bible...but without showing why this is necessary.

So already you are not explaining anything in a way of bringing various verses into a common accord.

I have noticed how people will speak very vague things...and yet no one seems to question this.
 

Episkopos

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Second - When you become saved, it is at this time that you are born again and have overcome the penalty of sin, or become saved from the great white throne judgment and the resulting lake of fire. (Repeating John 5:24), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." In (Romans 8:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

We are not saved from the penalty of sin....which is still death....but from the POWER of sin. That is why we need to work this salvation out.

And you are stating 2 different standards in the above verses without differentiating them....but mixing them together. This is confusion.
 

Episkopos

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Third - The working out your own salvation referred to in (Philippians 2:12) is learning to overcome the habit of sin in our lives. This is the experiencing part of our salvation and is another step in our growth as a Christian. (2 Peter 1:5-7) tells us to "Add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity." To realize this growth in our lives, we must learn to begin counting our old man dead. (Romans 6:6) "Knowing this, that our old man (The Adamic nature) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Ephesians 4:22) “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (Manner of life) the old man who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” (Colossians 3:9) “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." We all have an old man we should count as dead that still wants to rule our lives. Even though the Apostle Paul knew he was saved, he experienced all kinds of problems with the old man trying to control his life. (Romans 7:14-25) states that (15) he ends up doing that which he hates. In (16,17), Paul realizes that if he agrees that the law is good, then it is no more him that was responsible, but sin that was in him. In looking for an answer he says (24) "Who shall deliver me?" (25) "I thank God through Jesus Christ"

Actually, Paul was afraid of being rejected from the kingdom. Being cut-off, disqualified, from the race of Christ.

There is no such thing as a salvation "status". We are all in a race. No one wins anything before crossing the finish line. We are all "in play" as it were.

This is a further indicator that we need to work out our salvation.
 

Helen

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We are all in a race. No one wins anything before crossing the finish line. We are all "in play" as it were.

In my book salvation is a done deal..
Our Lord did what He came to do....
....what we run for is the Prize of the High Calling....

= The FULLNESS of His PRESENCE....

"To sit on My right hand and left hand is not Mine to give, but My Father in heaven."
We don't run as it were 'against' each other , but against our old flesh man... as @bbyrd009 is often reminding us... 'taking up the cross' ...
If all we do does not have a cross in it...it is suspect.

Some wise person said...and I forget who... " I never trust a leader who does not limp.."

Bless you...H
 

bbyrd009

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Yes, like it or not...you too my friend...
ah, no, no racing goin on over here
only one person wins a race
Paul is jerking our chains there i am sure
competitors do not encourage each other to win, etc
full of inconsistencies
"run the race in such a way so as to win" is tantamount to saying
"don't run that race" imo.
He is introducing the Hegelian dialectic that we all know and love
and will interpret as a good thing, and leaving the tiniest of hints for the rest
imo
 
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Episkopos

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In my book salvation is a done deal..
Our Lord did what He came to do....
....what we run for is the Prize of the High Calling....

= The FULLNESS of His PRESENCE....

"To sit on My right hand and left hand is not Mine to give, but My Father in heaven."
We don't run as it were 'against' each other , but against our old flesh man... as @bbyrd009 is often reminding us... 'taking up the cross' ...
If all we do does not have a cross in it...it is suspect.

Some wise person said...and I forget who... " I never trust a leader who does not limp.."

Bless you...H


That is the standard that saints will be judged against. But a runner must run to the end of the race or else he is disqualified. Judgment will determine the KIND of race we ran...which has everything to do with what KIND of salvation we receive. The kingdom of God is analog not digital. There are great ones and least ones....and everything in between...some 100 fold, some 60. some 30...

But ALSO some 31 some 56 some 87...etc...


Run as to win! :)
 

farouk

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In my book salvation is a done deal..
Our Lord did what He came to do....
....what we run for is the Prize of the High Calling....

= The FULLNESS of His PRESENCE....

"To sit on My right hand and left hand is not Mine to give, but My Father in heaven."
We don't run as it were 'against' each other , but against our old flesh man... as @bbyrd009 is often reminding us... 'taking up the cross' ...
If all we do does not have a cross in it...it is suspect.

Some wise person said...and I forget who... " I never trust a leader who does not limp.."

Bless you...H
Did you publish a book, @"ByGrace"? (Publishing details?) or maybe you meant 'my book' as an expression?
 
D

Dave L

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Ephesians 2:8, 9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, if salvation is a gift, we can't do anything to earn it, but you read in (Philippians 2:12) that you must work out your own salvation with all fear and trembling. If God has provided this salvation as a free gift, how am I to add anything to that? There are many different ways that the word salvation is used in the Bible, such as safety from enemies, but I will limit this booklet's teaching to four aspects concerning salvation of the soul.

First - It is provisional. If you accept Jesus as your savior, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) "If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Second - When you become saved, it is at this time that you are born again and have overcome the penalty of sin, or become saved from the great white throne judgment and the resulting lake of fire. (Repeating John 5:24), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." In (Romans 8:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

Third - The working out your own salvation referred to in (Philippians 2:12) is learning to overcome the habit of sin in our lives. This is the experiencing part of our salvation and is another step in our growth as a Christian. (2 Peter 1:5-7) tells us to "Add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity." To realize this growth in our lives, we must learn to begin counting our old man dead. (Romans 6:6) "Knowing this, that our old man (The Adamic nature) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Ephesians 4:22) “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (Manner of life) the old man who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” (Colossians 3:9) “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." We all have an old man we should count as dead that still wants to rule our lives. Even though the Apostle Paul knew he was saved, he experienced all kinds of problems with the old man trying to control his life. (Romans 7:14-25) states that (15) he ends up doing that which he hates. In (16,17), Paul realizes that if he agrees that the law is good, then it is no more him that was responsible, but sin that was in him. In looking for an answer he says (24) "Who shall deliver me?" (25) "I thank God through Jesus Christ"

(Romans 8:1). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." And in (Romans 8:4) it says that "The righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Not by us), who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Fourth - We will be saved from this corrupt world. In (Romans 8:18-23), Paul states (18) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (21) Because the creature (Creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." John states in (1 John 3:2) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Blessings in Christ Jesus.
What this amounts to is acting like a Christian to become one. Instead, God turns us into Christians by grace and we reflect that in our actions.