DaveH wrote: > In the LDS realm, grace is the action Jesus did (I don't > think I worded it very well) that makes it possible for us > to be saved. Had he not atoned for our sins, nor been > resurrected so we too can enjoy that gift.....then nothing > we could do on our own could bring salvation to ourselves. > Therefore.....it is by the grace of Jesus we are saved. > That does not mean we do not have to meet certain requirements > as many Christians believe. Jesus gave the requirements.... > and as I see it, many Christians want to minimize the > importance and necessity of some of those requirements.
I agree with your criticism of how many Christians do not recognize the standards that God has. It seems that many want to pretend that the law was a mistake to begin with and should never have been given. Nevertheless, Mormons have a phrase that gets to the heart of the problem. What is that phrase that you and Blaine have shared? Something like, "God saves us after we have done all that we can do." That concept is like we do the best we can, and God makes up the difference. Many Protestants have a similar phrase, "God helps those who help themselves." This religious proverb is so common among Protestants that many think it is a verse in the Bible. I have heard it quoted as a verse in the Bible many times. My perception is that nobody can be saved with this attitude that Mormons and many Protestants have. Many of us here believe in repentance from dead works. This is a deep realization that we can do NOTHING. Only by a person realizing that all his efforts are vain and dead can he put the kind of absolute trust in Christ that is necessary. If a person thinks that he helps God, or that he does what he can and God makes up the slack, then his faith and confidence is partly in himself and partly in God. That doesn't work. God requires 100% dependence upon him. Those who have the attitude that they are helping God in their salvation or even helping Him in their own sanctification, they will experience frustration as the Spirit of God will withdraw his power from those who place any confidence whatsoever in their own ability. On the other hand, those who stop trying and rely completely upon Christ will experience a power and ability that would otherwise be humanly impossible. Only under this condition can the works of Christ be manifest through us. Peace be with you. David Miller, Beverly Hills, Florida. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
