N.B.: All posts by users and external links, though might contain Bible verses, are in the view of the users and not necessarily the view of TOTW
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What happens when a christian intentionally sin?
Is being born again the only pre-requisite to making heaven?.What does it mean for a christian to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling?
Who is to be blamed? Adam or Eve,for the curse d Lord decree in the beginning. Give answer with reasons.
what will qualify me for entering God's kingdom?
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Comment by T-Ralph
The only place where I recall Apostle Paul using "Grace" and "Labour" together was in 1Cor 15:10 which says - "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me."
First, from the context of the chapter, Paul was addressing a wrong teaching/doctrine which sprung up among the Corinthians saying there is no resurrection of the dead. As a result, Paul said that even he (the least and now seemingly the greatest) and the other apostles preached that Christ rose from the dead and hence, there is resurrection of the dead (ver 11-13)
As for the grace and labour part, even Paul stressed out the fact that even though he seems to be a great apostle, it was God's grace that saved him from being the least (remember he was once the leader of those who persecuted the church, ver 9) to being a "great apostle" through "labour". And that even the "so-called labour", wasnt by his doing but the grace of God (ver 10 earlier quoted).
From the contextual meaning, I can say that even when it seems like we are 'working' as in spiritual growth and excercises, it is still God's grace that makes us do so...
Just as Phil 2:12 says that we should 'work out' our salvation with fear and trembling... verse 13 then says "it is God that works in is BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO of his good pleasure". ...
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Comment by T-Ralph
A clearly misunderstood part of Scripture is Jam 2:26 - "...faith without works is dead".
First, we know that salvation by Grace and righteousness by faith goes hand-in-hand. And, that the just shall live by faith (Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38).
Sometimes, christians misinterprete Jam 2:26 (earlier quoted) thinking that the faith + works = salvation.
From the context of James chapter 2, James introduced the concept of the law from verse 1 through to verse 11. In ver 10, he said what Jesus once said also (Matt 5:19), that "for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all".
But, in ver 12, James admonishes that the church should speak and act like those who will be judged under the law of liberty (and not as a law of sin and death just as Paul describes in Rom 8:1,2).
So, James was still teaching the concept of Grace not law/works.
Finally, he concluded in ver 13 that "...mercy rejoices against judgement (KJV)"
Now, from verse 14-26, James was teaching how that the faith we now have should cause us to do "GOOD WORKS". And he gave examples of Abraham offering his son Isaac, Rahab receiving the messengers, etc. He related it to practical living and he said that if a brother is without clothes and hungry, then, we preach and do not attend to his physical needs (which is works in this case), he said all the faith preaching is in vain.
Just as my favourite pastor, Joseph Prince, will say, "the Gospel (good news of Grace) IS NOT about right living; the Gospel produces RIGHT LIVING; the Gospel is about 'the just shall live by faith'; the Gospel is about RIGHT BELIEVING - when you BELIEVE RIGHT, you will LIVE RIGHT".
I think Scripture is best understood when we read in the CONTEXTUAL meaning and trust the Holy Spirit to give LIFE to the Word... ...
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Comment by oluwamary
Grace &labor do not even go hand in hand @all. Grace &Rest flows beta. Works, Law, Labor &Religion wearies. To me, wen Jesus said, "come to me all Ye dt are weary &heavy laden,and I'll gv u rest", He wsnt calling unto sinners alone, He was calling unto dos who v bn wearied by the shackles of law&religion. He ws calling unto dos who are trying to meet up to God's standard in THEIR own strength. God Himself saw the inability of d blood of bulls &pigeons (works) 2remit sin &He GAVE His Son, Jesus, to be slain ONCE &FOR ALL as the perfect Lamb of God. So u see, When somethin is said to be a gift, ure not required to work for it. It's a gift not a wage!
I agree wt u tho dt grace gvs no room for laziness BUT also, grace gvs no room for labor either way. We are not looking for a cocktail mix of grace &law. We shouldn't be tryn to balance grace &law so as to feel beta abt ourselves or feel more 'spiritual'. Grace is grace &law is law -they are two different contract statements wt diff binding agreements (lol, dnt mind me).
Bk 2d point, summarily, In grace, we don't labor to be who we already are in Christ Jesus, rather, we do tns in the consciousness of who we are (our new nature in Christ) so dt we can manifest in our body (i.e d physical), the change dt took place in our spirit (d seed of God deposited in our spirit) d day we gave our lives to Jesus. In grace, we do not struggle to fight the battle over sin dt Jesus alrdy won for us, we fight frm a standpoint of victory. Dts why we do not labor, we REST!
That is what I think... ...
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Comment by T-Ralph
I think I like that.
Quite interesting...the prardox that Scriptures can use - "labour to enter the rest" Heb 4:11...hmmmmm... lol. Verse 10 says that just as God ceased from His works, he that has entered his rest has also cease from "his own works". Hence, if there is any other thing/work/labour to do again, it is to REST.
How do we labour to enter a rest if not to rest in the "light of Grace & believing" in the first place.
Woooow! I so love the Scriptures...so sweet to my belly and life to my bones. ...
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Comment by oluwamary
God isnt seeking a fear or obligation induced relatnshp, All He seeks frm us s a love relatnshp.
What differentiates law frm grace basically is love &dts wat God demonstrated wen He GAVE His son for us. Its only natural to want to reciprocate that love gesture by loving Him right bk &nt jst by bn morally or forcefully obliged to do tns to avoid his wrath. That's nothing bt selfishness.
And since love won't make us lackadaisical or lazy abt finding out things abt our lover or hearing frm dem or wanting to please them, NEITHER WILL GRACE! ...
