Do good deeds for salvation, be with Christ.......Not!

Here's a little conversation that took place over at Doorman-Priest's blog between myself and a guest host (Mimi) at his site. My comments in blue and Mimi's in red.


Mimi - May I call you Mimi?

You said - “We are saved; the whole creation is saved,” by the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, whom the God of love called forth from the grave to give us new life.Could you clarify that for me please? What do you mean 'we are saved'?Are you speaking of Christians only? or, everyone?What does it mean for all of creation to be saved?

Thanks!



Waynedawg, of course you may call me Mimi.

The passage that comes to mind to help explain what I mean is from Romans 8:18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. (Mimi cites Romans 8:18-25)

In my humble opinion (my opinion only, that of a simple pew warmer), when Jesus established his kingdom he included the whole of creation, not just humans.

By "saved" I mean that we were brought into the kingdom, the not yet perfected kingdom, in which we see only "through a glass darkly" until the kingdom in its fullness and perfection is realized in all its glory, the new heaven and the new earth, the dwelling place of God.

Jesus calls us to join with him to work to bring about the kingdom of God in the present, because the present is all we have. By our words and by our deeds, he calls us to live out the two Great Commandments, to love God above all and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He reminds us often in the Gospels of our role as servants in the present kingdom. He asks us to serve, rather than wait to be served.

I believe that the the kingdom will not be exclusively "Christian", in the conventional meaning in which the label is used - whatever conventional meaning you choose for your own.I hope this answers your questions, Wayne. I wish to make it clear that these are my views, not Doorman-Priest's views.I thank you for your questions, because answering them helped me to clarify my own thinking.



Mimi - Thanks for the response!

I'm not able to get on-line as much as I would like over the past week or so.....so I'm a little late reading your response.

I love that verse of Scripture. It's ashame that all of creation became a burden to our sin and that creatures have to 'groan' because of our sin nature.

I agree with your comments until you said...."I believe that the the kingdom will not be exclusively "Christian", in the conventional meaning in which the label is used - whatever conventional meaning you choose for your own."

I'm not sure really what that means...but I have always understood the term 'Christian' to mean 'Little Christ' or 'One who follows Christ'.

I mean that in the sense that the person is 'Born-Again like Jesus said we must be in order to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The Holy Spirit now lives in the changed person and now he desires not to do the things that are contrary to the Word of God.To be a Christian is to have a longing to be with Christ, fellowship with Him and in all one does, to bring glory to Him.



Wayne, I believe that anyone who lives a life of self-giving, a life of loving selflessly, a life of service to others, a life of sacrificing for others is Christ-like and a follower of Jesus, whether they know it or not, or whether they proclaim it or not.

It's not so much about proclaiming to be a Christian by words, as by demonstrating a Christ-like way of life.I believe that the kingdom of God is much broader than we can ever imagine.



If that is so Mimi, then we make Christ out as a liar and Scripture is in error.



Wayne, then we disagree, and I will not engage in further argument with you.

Peace to you.


So, in essence, Mimi concludes that a follower of Christ is not someone who has been Born-Again as Jesus say’s one must be in order to inherit the Kingdom of God (John 3:3), rather, she say’s that all one has to do to go to Heaven and be saved is to lead a life of self giving, lead a life of loving selflessly, a life of service to others, sacrifice for others and, whether they know it or not or proclaim it or not, they are a Christian.

Wow –

It’s the same as saying, “my good works and deeds are enough to earn me a spot with the Master for eternity.”

Isaiah 64:6 immediately comes to mind here……But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Filthy rags. Actually, the correct translation would be likened to a menstrual cloth that women use when they are on their period. (Sorry for the image you just imagined, but now you understand how disgusting our unsaved ‘works’ are to God when we try to merit salvation based on our deeds.)

It’s only God’s grace that saves us and nothing else folks (Eph 2:8-9). These people that think doing good works will earn salvation will hear some very disappointing words on Judgment Day…..

Matt 7:21 - “Not every one that says unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but one that does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

What is the will of God for those seeking salvation?

2 Pet 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God wants us to repent and trust the Gospel (Matt 3:2, Matt 4:17, Matt 9:13, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:12, Luke 5:32, Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19..to name a few)

Once we repent and put our trust in Christ to save us, He will. He will turn a blind eye to all who try to buy their way into Heaven with their good deeds and works. He will look upon their deeds as filthy, dirty and disgusting rags and will cast them into the Lake of Fire.

Be not deceived.

The moment after our friends say we are dead

(J. R. Miller, "Glimpses of the Heavenly Life"

1908)No earthly language is adequate to describe the blessedness, the joy, the happiness of heaven! Perhaps no human word gathers and holds in itself so much of the truest meaning of heaven—as the word "home".

Home is a place of love. It is a place of confidence. We have nothing to hide or conceal from each other, inside home's doors. We know we are loved. Our faults may be seen and known—but we are dear in spite of them.

We find there sympathy with our sufferings, and patience with our infirmities and shortcomings. Heaven is our home! Into it, all God's children will be gathered. It is a place of glory, of beauty, of splendor, a holy place—but, best of all, it is a place of perfect love.

As we read the wonderful description of the heavenly life in the book of Revelation, we find that all heaven's glory comes from Christ!

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne!" Revelation 5:6 Whatever else heaven may mean to us, it will, first of all, mean being with Christ! Here we see Him only by faith, ofttimes dimly. We long to see Him as He is. Our hearts hunger for Him. "We would see Jesus!" is our cry all our days.

But when the veil which hides heaven from our sight is torn for us—and the glory is suddenly revealed—we shall see, first of all, before we look upon any of the splendors of the place—Him we have loved—our Savior and our Friend, Jesus Christ! And He will wipe away every tear from our eyes! Being with Him—we shall need nothing else to make our blessedness complete. Seeing Him—we shall be satisfied.

Seeing Him—we shall be like Him, changed fully into His image! Seeing Him—we shall then be with Him forever! This dull bud will open—and a glorious rose will unfold in all its splendor!

From this poor, feeble, struggling earthly life—will emerge a child of God, in glorious beauty! If only we could have a glimpse of ourselves—what we will be the moment after our friends say we are dead, could we go on living as if we were made only for the earth!

Let us not grovel any longer! Let us who have this glorious future—not creep in the slime and dust! Let us live worthy of our exalted honor. When we see Christ, we shall be made like Him!

"We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is!" 1 John 3:2

This hope of heaven should strengthen us to overcome all earthly discouragements. No matter how hard the way is—the end is glorious! No matter how great . . . the fierceness of the battle, the weariness of the struggle, the bitterness of the sorrow, the keenness of the suffering,glory is the final outcome!

"And so we will be with the Lord forever! Therefore comfort and encourage each other with these words!" 1 Thess. 4:17-18



My wife slaps me everytime I say this; I can't wait to go home!!! I really can't. I long to be home with my Lord and Savior. Not because of the street of gold; although that will be awesome. Not because of the jewels that garnish the heavenly things; although that will be awesome.

No, I long to be there because my Lord is there. I will finally be free from this vessel of sin that keeps me bound. This world will no longer have its grip on me......truly then I will be free at last; free at last.

False-Conversions Worse Than Less Conversions

False-Conversions Worse Than Less Conversions

Quoting James White . . .

The thing that people should biblically fear more than a lack of conversions is the existence of false-conversions, because there is nothing more difficult to deal with than a religious hypocrite.


And when we, by our [church] programs, and our lack of patience, and our lack of a biblically balanced understanding of ministry, create the whetted unregenerate, we are going to answer for that.

I am not what I once was!

I am not what I once was!

(William Plumer, "Sinners Saved by Unmerited Kindness")

In his old age, when he could no longer see to read, John Newton heard someone recite this text, "By the grace of God I am what I am." He remained silent a short time and then said: "I am not what I ought to be. Ah, how imperfect and deficient! I am not what I wish to be. I abhor that which is evil, and I would cleave to that which is good. I am not what I hope to be. Soon, soon I shall put off mortality, and with mortality all sin and imperfection.

Though I am not what I ought to be, what I wish to be, and what I hope to be; yet I can truly say, I am not what I once was--a slave to sin and Satan!

I can heartily join with the apostle and acknowledge--By the grace of God I am what I am!"

Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!

He Is Risen



Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.



And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.



Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?



He is not here, but is risen!



Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” And they remembered His words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.



It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.



But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. - Luke 24:1-12




Happy Resurrection Day!!