They say that if you make the wrong choices afterward (like no longer believing in the Jesus Myth) that is is proof you never received the "FREE" gift in the first place. It's like a bait and switch gambit. Salvation is FREE...........with a lot of strings attached. Read the fine print before you let the salesman talk you into it. At least they don't kill you ANYMORE for renouncing your faith like the Muslims do. Your thoughts?
2006-08-25 03:58:30 · 35 answers · asked by 自由思想家 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The best analogy is this:
God says "If you do __________ you will burn in hell. But you have "free will", so do whatever you want."
That is akin to a husband telling his battered wife, "Leave if you want! But I'll hunt you down and kill you!"
It is very sad that so many people ascribe to this.
2006-08-25 04:01:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I think what those people are trying to say is if you recieve the free gift you will never want to walk away. You will always want to serve Jesus. There have been some that have claimed Christ, that have not truly meant it and they have walked away.
It's not about saying some magical prayer, and then boom your saved. it's not an insurance policy to get you into heaven. You say it and then go on living the way you want to. That is not how it works. The evidence is the change. James 2 is a chapter that talks about this very well.
a lot of people advocate the sinner's prayer of repentance and I have seen people saved using that prayer, but it can be much simpler. Romans 10:9-10 says :"Confess Jesus is Lord" " and believe God raised Him from the dead" When you make Him Lord of your life, you are basically allowing Him to lead you. This is not a choice I was forced to make. I made it of my own free will.
I can honestly speak for myself and say I screw up all the time. What makes me know I am saved and still saved? Because I hurt because I sinned, and I always go back and ask for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit living in me convicts me when I sin, and then I go and make it right. repentance is "turning away". Even though I repent, I can still sin again. The evidence is I always go back. Free will still does exist, but as a believer, I would rather do the Father's.
My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11-"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." When I get off track with God, my plans and His plans don't always match up. I can speak from experience though, that His plans are far better that mine. any time I have ever tried to do it my way, I have messed it up. When I do it Jesus, there is always some way I prosper, and I don't mean monitarily
2006-08-25 04:23:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salvation does require several things. You believe in the teachings of Jesus Chirst. That Jesus Christ died for YOUR sins and arose again. And because he died for your sins your shortcomings are forgiven. And you work to develop the discipline of doing things as Jesus would have you to do.
You follow Jesus by your free will. You make the choices. Does that mean you can do anything you want and still go to Heaven?
Not likely.
The analogy is this. There are many roads that can be taken between between New York and LA. If the goal is to get to LA and you are in NewYork. You are free to take any road Including side trips)you want. But it's only when you keep your goal at LA will you eventually get there. Are you going to get to LA before your croak? There's no bait and switch. *LOL* Only Liberal Democrats say that about Jesus. (I apoligise to all Democrats who are Christians).
And just for the record If you believe Jesus was a myth you must also believe Julieus Caesar was a myth because there is more documentation on Jesus by more authors than on Caesar.
2006-08-25 04:27:26 · answer #3 · answered by namsaev 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Salvation is the free Gift of God through His Son Jesus Christ. I don't know who "they" are that you are referring to. Jesus said many will call Him "Lord" but their lives will be proof that they never had a real relationship with Him. Anyone can claim to have received the Gift. It is more than a mental decision, or lip service. It is a transfer of a life from darkness into Light and it will bear fruit of that transfer. Upon true acceptance of the Gift, the Holy Spirit comes into your life and being to help you in the transforming process. If you are blind you live a certain way, when you receive sight your life will change from what it was before. I'm sure you can see that.
I've never known anyone who received their sight wanting to go back into blindness.
2006-08-25 04:09:58 · answer #4 · answered by novalee 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God's salvation is free to everyone without strings attached. Accepting Christ doesn't mean that you will no longer sin or make wrong choices. That would make us perfect and none of us are. If a "christian" is telling you that if you make a bad choice after accepting Christ, I would contend that person is a poor example of a Christian. Salvation is free and there for the taking. Good question though.
2006-08-25 04:02:48 · answer #5 · answered by David L 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In John 3-16 It say '' Whosoever believes on the Lord Jesus shall be Saved'' Once you truly believe that, you will never not believe it.otherwise you did not believe in the first place.
The creator of the Universe came here to die on the cross and take away our sins, so that we all can be perfect in Gods eyes.
I hope you will come to know Jesus as your saviour, because, no we can't do anything ourselves as we are not perfect. In faith and trust accept Jesus did it all for you thank him and ask him to forgive you, and you will be free and can never lose salvation
2006-08-25 04:20:26 · answer #6 · answered by pop065 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
REAL Salvation is free- it's free to those who realy want it- for example- someone tells you they have free, lets say, ice cream, if you know you love ice cream then you are going to go get it and get all that you can from it because its free, but if you dont really want it you're not going to go after it and get it like that person who really wants it. From my life salvation is free, regardless of all the false doctrines that are out now that are trying to sway people away from the truth and get their minds off of the Lord- I can't worry about who or what is trying to go against the word- i know where I'm making it to when I leave here- Amen
2006-08-25 04:27:19 · answer #7 · answered by aynjel12002 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are confusing indicatives with imperatives. The exhortations in scripture to persevere are to show the genuineness of an already possessed salvation, there are not things you have to do later to get salvation. Salvation is an instantaneous and immutable gift given to God’s elect, the moment he causes them to believe in Christ the savior. No strings attached!
2006-08-25 04:08:43 · answer #8 · answered by rom9_16 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Salvation IS free for anyone who asks for it,but you have to believe in it to get it. You have to believe that Jesus died for you,and you have to accept Him as your personal Savior,and ask Him into your heart. That is free will. He doesn't command you to do this. He asks that you do this,for your own sake. All He asks is that you live a good life,and the 10 Commandments are what you should live your life by(Exodus 20:3-17). That shouldn't be hard for anyone to do.
2006-08-25 05:01:11 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are told the salvation message as it is written in the Bible there are no strings attached.
But the idea is that if you truly know you are forgiven, you will show God your gratitude by obeying His wishes and commands.
(And no longer believing in Jesus means that you didn't really believe Him in the first place and therefore didn't accept Him. No one can have a true experience with the God of the universe without pledging their lives to Him willingly.)
2006-08-25 04:14:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you view it as Christians not being able to get drunk and curse and cheat on their spouses,etc then you see strings attached. In reality there are not.
The Bible says before a person is saved they are a slave to sin. But once they are saved they have freedom in Christ!
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2006-08-25 04:05:54 · answer #11 · answered by cnm 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋