tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post1760702953424521736..comments2023-09-24T03:09:02.536-05:00Comments on Grace For Life: When Gracers Go Too Far (Transcript)Terry Rayburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00722632954331009294noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-62332334160543041852008-02-14T16:32:00.000-06:002008-02-14T16:32:00.000-06:00Hey Terry. It is also important to remember that A...Hey Terry. It is also important to remember that Abraham and Sarah had lapses in their faith in that they trusted in their own wisdom in going to Hagar and that bore thorns and thistles even to this day. He also had to be admonished by a lost Abimelech about His lying. By the time he offered up Isaac his faith had been perfected and he yeilded up out of a greater trust than before. He had grown through God's work and even then God provided the Ram. Abraham never did anything but walk in trust to the altar. Those manipulative nuances and Abraham and Sarahs laughter at God's promise in their old age even after the faith that was credited as righteousness was now weaned from him in a greater way about 40 years later. God makes all things beautiful in His time. Rome is a horrible example of monolithic manipulation and perversion of God's grace.<BR/><BR/>Grace upon grace,<BR/><BR/>BrianOnly Lookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16074543462279905793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-2391342115776061022008-02-11T21:56:00.000-06:002008-02-11T21:56:00.000-06:00Olive,Thank you for your comments.It is true that ...<B>Olive,</B><BR/><BR/>Thank you for your comments.<BR/><BR/>It is true that true faith (which comes through the new birth) will result in good works that God works in us.<BR/><BR/>It's critical, however, to realize that those works have nothing to do with earning our salvation in any way (as the Roman Catholic falsely teaches).<BR/><BR/>Those who falsely teach that we are made righteous by our works often use that passage you reference that says Abraham was "justified" by his "work" of sacrificing Isaac on an altar.<BR/><BR/>The simple meaning of James' statement is that Abraham was SHOWN to be righteous by his works, not actually DECLARED righteous.<BR/><BR/>In fact James is actually teaching exactly the opposite of works salvation, because the sacrifice of Isaac takes place in Genesis 22.<BR/><BR/>Abraham, seven chapters earlier, in Genesis 15, had already "believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness".<BR/><BR/>In other words, Abraham was saved by grace through faith alone in Chapter 15, and DEMONSTRATED that salvation in Chapter 22.<BR/><BR/>Paul quotes Genesis in the Book of Romans ("Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness") as the precursor to the New Covenant which affirms the grace-through-faith model over and over.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps the clearest is in Eph. 2:8,9, "For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. Not of works, lest anyone should boast."<BR/><BR/>Thank the Lord, it doesn't get much clearer than that.<BR/><BR/>Of course, as James points out, such true saving faith will then result in fruit-works.<BR/><BR/>You may be interested in more on the subject of James <A HREF="http://www.graceforlife.com/2006/07/is-book-of-james-against-grace.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.Terry Rayburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00888533194435826837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-3969056864717850372008-02-11T17:59:00.000-06:002008-02-11T17:59:00.000-06:00My understanding is that faith gives birth to work...My understanding is that faith gives birth to works. If the bible tells us that we are to feed and clothe the poor and we see a person naked and hungry and we tell them "Depart in peace, be filled, but you donot give them the things which are needed for the body. What does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." Jas.2:15-17 <BR/>Another scripture says, "You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without works,and I'll show you my faith by my works.<BR/>You believe that their is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble. <BR/>But do you want to know, O foolish man, that, faith without works is dead? Jas.2:18-20<BR/>James continues by speaking about Abraham being justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar and says,"Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" Jas.2:22<BR/>James then gives more examples of works by faith and concludes with, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Jas.2:26<BR/>I just wanted to share this with you and others as food for the soul.olivebranchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10337664923727770255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-47338415884368050532008-02-11T14:44:00.000-06:002008-02-11T14:44:00.000-06:00Bino,"We can still love them and as God leads us w...<B>Bino,</B><BR/><BR/>"We can still love them and as God leads us we can share the good news with them and God willing opening up their heart to see the futility of the dead works."<BR/><BR/>Amen.<BR/><BR/><BR/><B>Thanks, Brian.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Lydia,</B><BR/><BR/>Thanks. I know what you mean. It seems so "mean" to question someone else's "religion", but that's what Christ does in us. We speak the truth in love.Terry Rayburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00888533194435826837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-9316552905702260252008-02-07T09:39:00.000-06:002008-02-07T09:39:00.000-06:00WOW! This was just what I needed to read today.......WOW! This was just what I needed to read today.....you have given me the boost of confidence and boldness I need to speak up!lydiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01495924200222561417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-39164683065421632142008-02-06T16:10:00.000-06:002008-02-06T16:10:00.000-06:00Hi Terry,I need to ask u a few questions. Can I ha...Hi Terry,<BR/>I need to ask u a few questions. Can I have ur email address plz??<BR/><BR/>Mine is kunjikorans@gmail.comSachin Kunjikoranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05939374212016037741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-67119081421221705982008-02-05T19:52:00.000-06:002008-02-05T19:52:00.000-06:00Thanks, Dec, for such a nice compliment!Terry said...Thanks, Dec, for such a nice compliment!<BR/><BR/>Terry said he thought that would be a good idea to post my comment here. So, I'll take a look at it and maybe have him post it later.<BR/><BR/>You really aren't taking away from Terry's post as much as you think, because he has been my mentor since the time that I was a new believer. And he has been such a great blessing to me, that I can't even begin to express. It would take several blog posts at least! :)<BR/><BR/>Thanks again.<BR/><BR/>In His Love,<BR/>MicheleMichele Rayburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815737949587713100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-37753863579243464472008-02-05T15:03:00.000-06:002008-02-05T15:03:00.000-06:00You keep him in perfect peacewhose mind is stayed ...<I>You keep him in perfect peace<BR/>whose mind is stayed on you,<BR/>because he trusts in you. </I><BR/><BR/>Michele,<BR/>Not to take anything away from Terry's post, but I really liked the extended comment you made elsewhere. I would urge you to post it over here where all can profit.<BR/><BR/><I>We can try to tell people what to do, do, do all day if we want to, but it will not change the person's heart unless he is told how to be, be, be.<BR/><BR/>It may seem easier to tell people what to do, but it cannot change the heart. There will usually only be a temporary fix, if anything. Only God can change the heart, and that may take time...and in many cases, a lifetime.</I>dechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17913012587385718280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-77369735562692139022008-02-05T13:04:00.000-06:002008-02-05T13:04:00.000-06:00Another excellent and very needful post brother Te...Another excellent and very needful post brother Terry.<BR/><BR/>Grace upon grace,<BR/><BR/>BrianOnly Lookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16074543462279905793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590322.post-50224696925895488432008-02-05T11:21:00.000-06:002008-02-05T11:21:00.000-06:00Have you heard this? "A true Christian needs - The...Have you heard this? <BR/><BR/>"A true Christian needs - The devotion of a Catholic, Bible knowledge of a Baptist and Charisma of a Pentecostal"!<BR/><BR/>Though I wasn't raised as a Catholic I am familiar with that religion because of my Wife's Catholic upbringings. I agree that they have a great level of devotion, but in the wrong place though. Devotion cannot save us. It is Jesus who saves us. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that unless you are born again (Born of God), you will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Calling Catholics brothers or sisters in Christ would be an misunderstanding of God's grace as you say. We can still love them and as God leads us we can share the good news with them and God willing opening up their heart to see the futility of the dead works.<BR/><BR/>The apparent confusion is so evident in that religion (or any other religion for that matter), If baptism couldn't do it (forgiveness of sins), confession would do it. If confession fails (or you fail to confess), purgatory will do it. But still it is uncertain. <BR/><BR/>The good news is that there is no uncertainty in God's land. We can be 100% certain about our eternity while living right here on earth. So why take chance?Bino M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02303467552834533436noreply@blogger.com