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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Salvation - Part Eight


Is It Salvation Through Good Works Or Salvation By Grace
Through Faith In Jesus Christ? (First Installment)


Before we use the word of God as argument to bolster the authenticity of which prescription for salvation is true, let us use first logic or reasoning.

Question # 1 - If man can really save himself through good works, then why did the Father have to send His only begotten Son to die an excruciating and humiliating death on the cross? Why did He not just give prescriptions for good works to be able to attain salvation like all the religions in the world?

Answer # 1 - Because man does not have the capacity to save himself. He is born under the state of depravity as a result of the fall of the first man- Adam. God's curses against Adam and Adam's loss of his divine birthright were handed down to all mankind and to all generations to come. Thus, without the saving grace and mercy of God through the death of Jesus Christ, man will never be able to pay his own price for salvation.


Question # 2 - But wait, did not God give the Ten Commandments and other laws and decrees as the very prescription for man's salvation?

Answer # 2 - God gave the Ten Commandments and other laws and decrees to guide the Israelites to norms of righteousness as God's chosen people. This was the First Covenant of God to the chosen people of Israel. Aside from these laws, He also sent prophets to guide them to moral paths of righteousness. But no one was able to fully obey the laws. God gave man these laws to show him the futility of striving for his own salvation without the grace and mercy of God. Jesus Christ is the end of all the laws and commandments and everything that were written in the Old Testament and is the very embodiment of the Second Covenant of Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ.


Question # 3 - If salvation is attained through good works, what good works merited the thief that was crucified together with Jesus and another thief on the cross to attain salvation as promised by Jesus Christ before He died?

Answer # 3 - Remember, all the people at the scene of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were mocking and taunting Him except for His mother and followers and except for one other man. One thief, crucified with another thief and Jesus, also joined in insulting and mocking Jesus Christ. The other thief saw the grave injustice done to Jesus and turned to Him and asked that he be remembered when Jesus entered His kingdom. This in effect was an acknowledgment of Jesus Lordship over him and his belief in the words of Jesus. And to show that salvation is by grace through faith in Him, Jesus said that he would be with Him that day in Paradise.

That is the essence of divine grace. It is unmerited favor given by a magnanimous giver (Jesus Christ) to an unworthy recipient (the believing thief). The only condition is belief (or faith) in Jesus Christ which the thief did.




9 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi mel. i need your prayers. please stand with me in agreement. this battle has been going on for quite sometime now but God has been faithful. i know He will see us through all these. i know we will be victorious in the end. please do pray for us. i wrote it in my blog.

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

Hi Pia,
Thanks for coming over at my blog and for your request for prayers. I have already read your post in your blog and I already know your problem. Rest assured that I will be praying for you that your problem will be resolved according to God's will and grace. Just trust in His unfailing love that He will see you through this most trying times of your life.
Feel free to communicate with me through my blogs or via email if you need more prayers as I will continue to pray for you until your problem is resolved. God bless you and your whole family. Smile always and have a wonderful and blessed day.

KimPossible said...

This is an awesome way to display God to people. Writing and blogs are a beautiful way to getting the message about our God out isn't it? I LOVE the feel of your page. KEEP IN TOUCH!

Recursos para tu blog - Ferip - said...

Hi Mel! :)

Reeding...and enjoing!
Some time ago i had a blogger friend who speak about the Bible, but he closed his blog.
Now, is beautifull have your!!!

Did i said you that i have a friend from Filipinas??? She visit Argentina the last year!
In a great sister, too!

A hug!!! God bless you!
Sorry for my english...:S but i like to practice a few. (?) Do you understand me???? :))

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

Hi Kimpossible,
Thanks for visiting my blog and for the very inspiring comments you left behind. Yes, this is a purely Christian blog where I do exposition of Christian doctrines in the furtherance of God's kingdom. Thanks for appreciating this blog. I will be visiting your blog too. God bless and have a pleasant and blessed day.

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

Yes of course I understand you Feripula, and thanks for visiting my Christian blog and for the very generous comments you left behind. I appreciate your usual visits to my blogs. God bless and have a wonderful and blessed day.

KimPossible said...

Hi Mel,

I so enjoyed your site. Please keep in touch. Yes, visit my blog and weigh in on my blogs. I think that we have like hearts.

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Raghu Ram Prasad said...

What a wonderful talks between you and GOD....well written....

j said...

This "argument" has been prevalent in my life as of late. It in fact is what started my blog journey. My father and I have very different ways of looking at the same beliefs. He is very tied to works right now and it tends to lead to judgement. Please pray for our relationship and that I will continue to show honor to him regardless of how I feel. Jennifer