Even the least attempt to earn salvation, robs Christ of His Glory!

Grace has been shown to us through Jesus on the cross. Grace is favor or kindness. The favor of God, or the Kindness of God.

FTL

Resistable Grace:
2 Corinthians  6:1   We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 

The key words here are:  'workers...together with Him'

But it is of no use to you unless you open the package and spend it.  But that is not the point.  Even if you still have the money, you have not earned it.  But you seem to think that you have.  That is the argument you are using.  An argument with by the way has nothing to do with scripture.

The whole point that Paul made in his letters was that nothing you do can earn your salvation.  That is unless of course you are perfect and keep the law perfectly.  No amount of effort will keep it from being a gift.  You can't do enough in a lifetime to keep it from being a gift.

You simply have not understood what Paul was trying to tell his readers.  He wasn't telling them that they didn't need to do anything.  He was telling them that they needed to open the box, take the money, but don't forget that it was a gift and they did not deserve it.

How do these fit into your scenerio ?

Romans   3:31   Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law

Romans 2:13   (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 

Why did Paul observe the 7th day sabbath ?
Acts  17:2   And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 

I apologize for any misunderstanding I might have said.

Jimmy

You said:

If I sent you a million dollars by Fed Ex as a free gift, do you think having to open the box would mean that you had earned the money?  No I don't think you would, but that is the argument that you make about doing anything to receive the free gift of salvation.  Thinking that you earned the million dollar gift by merely opening the box is pretty silly, don't you think?


Interesting illustration but it doesn't apply to the scriptural idea of works.

Ergon is any thing that you do from the building of a fortress to the slightest thought.  To open that box requires energy, energy in action is work no matter how slight.

GTM

 

And love will be revealed in sacrifice.
The plan of redemption was laid in sacrifice--a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable.
 Christ gave all for us, and those who receive Christ will be ready to sacrifice all for the sake of their Redeemer.
The thought of His honor and glory will come before anything else. 

     If we love Jesus, we shall love to live for Him, to present our thank offerings to Him, to labor for Him.
The very labor will be light. For His sake we shall covet pain and toil and sacrifice.

We shall sympathize with His longing for the salvation of men.
We shall feel the same tender craving for souls that He has felt. 

     This is the religion of Christ.
Anything short of it is a deception.

 No mere theory of truth or profession of discipleship will save any soul.
We do not belong to Christ unless we are His wholly.

It is by halfheartedness in the Christian life that men become feeble in purpose and changeable in desire.