Saved by Grace vs Saved by Obligation

[Terrence]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

[Gillian]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

It absolutely would nullify grace. thanks be to God, this is not the way it is.

[Bonnie]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

I don't see accepting Christ as one's own decision nullifying God's grace at all.  God did all the workings of Salvation but it's up to each person whether or not to accept it.
We would be nothing but robots as the old argument goes if God chose for us.  Anyway that's how I see it.

[RichardBurger]

What about "if God makes a promise" is He obligated to keep it?

If He promises that those who place their faith, trust, confidence and hope in the cross work of His Son to pay for their sins is He obligated to keep that promise?

You had better hope so.

[Bonnie]

What about "if God makes a promise" is He obligated to keep it?

If He promises that those who place their faith, trust, confidence and hope in the cross work of His Son to pay for their sins is He obligated to keep that promise?

You had better hope so.

God always keep His promises but man doesn't.  Don't we promise to serve Him and obey Him when we accept His gift of eternal life?

[Kelly]

God's promises are sure, no doubt, but they are not necessarily unconditional.

Hebrews 6:13-20 (NIV) = When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

When God makes a promise we can be sure that He will not falter on His part--but if we don't maintain our part, remember what happened to Hophni, Phinehas, and the rest of Eli's family.

1 Samuel 2:30 (NIV) = "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.

We must never despise the word of the Lord. The whole word of the Lord.

[Terrence]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

I don't see accepting Christ as one's own decision nullifying God's grace at all.  God did all the workings of Salvation but it's up to each person whether or not to accept it.
We would be nothing but robots as the old argument goes if God chose for us.  Anyway that's how I see it.

I understand your point of view, Bonnie. Based on what you said though, "could" you have a reason to boast if that were true? I'm NOT asking if you would boast, but "could you."

[Terrence]

What about "if God makes a promise" is He obligated to keep it?

If He promises that those who place their faith, trust, confidence and hope in the cross work of His Son to pay for their sins is He obligated to keep that promise?

You had better hope so.

Sure. Still, you're not answering the question. If God did it the way you're assuming, and you chose when another equally dead-in-sin sinner didn't choose, could you have reason to boast? Not would you, but could you.

[Bonnie]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

I don't see accepting Christ as one's own decision nullifying God's grace at all.  God did all the workings of Salvation but it's up to each person whether or not to accept it.
We would be nothing but robots as the old argument goes if God chose for us.  Anyway that's how I see it.

I understand your point of view, Bonnie. Based on what you said though, "could" you have a reason to boast if that were true? I'm NOT asking if you would boast, but "could you."

No, I see nothing for me to boast about. God did it all and I just saw my need for Him and accepted what He did.
In other words if I were hungry and someone offers me a slice of bread, I have done nothing to deserve the bread. I just ate it because I was hungry.

Bonnie

[Terrence]

I am confident that on judgment day, no saint will say to a sinner..."I chose to have faith and therefore was saved." This thread isn't made to suggest would a saint would say, but rather "could" say. Could a sinner who is saved by his own merit say to another who isn't saved, "I was equally a slave to sin like you, but because I chose to believe I am saved." And if the Christian could say this, thereby giving him an opportunity to boast, can we truly say that he was saved by unmerited and undeserved favor (grace)?

Would not his choice of God make God obligated to save him and therefore nullify grace?

I don't see accepting Christ as one's own decision nullifying God's grace at all.  God did all the workings of Salvation but it's up to each person whether or not to accept it.
We would be nothing but robots as the old argument goes if God chose for us.  Anyway that's how I see it.

I understand your point of view, Bonnie. Based on what you said though, "could" you have a reason to boast if that were true? I'm NOT asking if you would boast, but "could you."

No, I see nothing for me to boast about. God did it all and I just saw my need for Him and accepted what He did.
In other words if I were hungry and someone offers me a slice of bread, I have done nothing to deserve the bread. I just ate it because I was hungry.

Bonnie

I quote..."You 'saw' your need for Him [Christ]." You were therefore more spiritually incline than another sinner equally dead in sin, right?

[JERRY C]

I read somewhere that the Tax Collector in Lk.18 was overheard the next day bragging about being more broken and contrite than the Pharisee.

Faith is the very essence of doing nothing, surrendering, ...

Now, being theologically brilliant enough to do all this follicle fission is really worth some hairy chest thumping!

[RichardBurger]

Gal 6:14-15
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
NKJV