Is it a salvation issue?
I’ve heard many times that a particular issue is not a salvation issue.
I wholeheartedly agree that what we do has no bearing on our salvation,
that the only thing we must do is believe in Jesus as our savior… but not so fast.
Jeff very eloquently talked about the meaning and importance of repentance
and baptism. This turning away from sin and choosing Jesus doesn’t always happen
in that order, but the choice of and commitment to repentance and obedience, is a
very important, dare I say essential, part of truly accepting Jesus Christ as Lord.
Consider this analogy..
Suppose I decide to join a football team, and truth be told, my motivation is only
to be seen wearing their cool jerseys, and to be admitted to their awesome post-game party.
So, now that I’ve put on the jersey, maybe I don’t like the practice regimen, so I don’t show
up for practice. Maybe I don’t like the rules, so I go ahead and get drunk before big games.
While on the field, maybe I don’t agree with the Quarterback, so when He calls a slant pass,
I decide we should run the ball and I don’t block for the slant pass, I block as if it were
a running play. Was I ever really committed to the team? Will I still get into the post-game
party?
So, I ask you to think about this. Maybe what we do can be a salvation issue.
What do you think?
football analogies
football analogies make me sleepy, i think i need a drink.
less doing and more being.
doing reveals being
Sorry to bore you, I think you missed my point. “Less doing and more being” is a very important point, because it speaks to works cannot buy salvation
True, salvation is a result of being, my point is this: You are what you do.
i do agree
and i don’t want the crazy mood i was in Friday to diminish your point. Isn’t it easier to act your way into new thinking then to think your way into new acting? [acting our way into a new way of thinking]
When we realize that the best way to new life is first through doing it makes it very easy to want to force a new way of acting on others. After all isn’t that the easiest way?
i don’t know what I’m talking about and it prolly seem likes like I’m contradicting myself. The distinction I see is sometimes you do things so often that you forget (or don’t even know) why you do them. Community Impact reveals very strongly love, kindness, generosity, etc. (who we are as Christians) but does sitting in a chair listening to someone talk and singing some songs once a week also show these things? or is sunday morning for ‘equip’n the saints’ (Eph. 4:12)?
i like analogies; i just got hung up with the ‘slant pass’. Feel free to call me out the next time I make an analogy about computers.
You are what you believe you do
Say you are doing something that you view as happy, pure, honest, strengthening, enriching, etc, and you have read and honestly interpret the Bible as not calling your actions a sin. Then what you are is what you do, and you do not feel compelled to change your actions because you truly believe they are OK in God’s eyes although other people may interpret it differently.
The difference with the football analogy and mine is that with the football analogy the person is being deceptive or dishonest with either himself or others…. whereas mine the person’s actions and beliefs are in line in their heart and what they believe is Gods will. If their action is not aligned with what they believe is God’s will, then they should feel compelled to change their actions if they truly accept Christ. I don’t believe the Bible should be interpreted loosely by a person just to suit himself, but I also believe God looks at a person’s heart.