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
OK, so either no one is saved, or all of us had to work somehow for our salvation?
Jesus died on the cross, how did we join in that?
FTL
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.
According to you everything you just said is a work, so we are saved through works.
FTL
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