GRACE (undeserved kindness)

by TheListener 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • TheListener
    TheListener

    This has been bothering me for some time now and I'm hoping that some here will shed some light on the subject.

    Paul goes to great lengths to tell us that we can't earn God's grace (undeserved kindness).

    The WTS also says that.

    But, the Bible does give us some do's and don'ts. The Bible does tell us about individuals who would be bad association. It also tells us about some sins that would cause the sinner to be ineligible for the new kingdom.

    So do we in fact have to earn the undeserved kindness? Is belief in Christ's ransom sacrifice enough?

    Or do we have to believe in Christ's ransom sacrifice and let that faith move us to act according to the Bible's standards? If so, is it really undeserved kindness?

    Or is it you'll get undeserved kindness if you do everything I say. We can't do enough to earn it but we gotta try?

    A discussion on this would be really helpful to me.

  • TheListener
    TheListener

    BTT

    Oh come on. With all the thinkers around here there has to be many people who have some insight into this. I can't be the only person who has questions or questioned this.

  • mouthy
    mouthy

    Is belief in Christ's ransom sacrifice enough?

    Read Romans 10 :9 ( the whole Chapter sshould be read But if you confess with your mouth Jesus is LORD & believe in your heart God raised him from the dead you WILL...WILL...WILL be saved

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5
    Is belief in Christ's ransom sacrifice enough?

    Yes, Romans 3:21-26:

    21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, [i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

  • googlemagoogle
    googlemagoogle

    maybe most moved on and don't believe in any ransom sacrifice anymore, thus are considered bad a$$ociation by paul?

    jesus: "you are my friends when you do what i tell you to do". interesting kind of friendship. lol.

    there are too many theological concepts of salvation, all based on the bible... some say, faith alone, not works. some say works manifest faith. some say all will be saved. some say all will be saved but some will be saved after some cleansing. some say some will be saved this way some another.

    i don't know if it's worth bothering. not for me. anymore.

  • anewme
    anewme

    Goodmorning Listener. I like this kind of discussion. I think the man or woman who reads the scriptures without interference would come to the conclusion that God condescends to help man and lift him from his miserable situation (that of a creature designed to live forever, who is condemned to death). This is grace,or mercy, means favor, pardon, on Gods part. To study this word is pure enjoyment. But the beauty is on Gods part when it comes to grace.

    Our beauty becomes reality when we our hearts are touched by God's grace and we strive to please him and be his friend. The scriptures indicate those who have been deemed Gods friend are those who "do just so"
    Jehovah God enjoys friends who think like he does, the same love for righteousness, mercy, compassion.

    Any person who claims that Grace is a free ticket to heaven and God's bosom position by doing any behaviour one chooses is absolutely wrong and misleading others who listen to him or her.

    "What is Jehovah asking back? To.....and to love kindness, and to be modest in walking with your God"
    "You must love Jehovah with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself"

    Thankyou for bringing up this subject.

  • defd
    defd

    anewme
    Always love your responses. You have a great way with words. People can learn alot from you, including me!

    Def D

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5
    Any person who claims that Grace is a free ticket to heaven and God's bosom position by doing any behaviour one chooses is absolutely wrong and misleading others who listen to him or her.

    I dont think anyone is saying that, see Romans 6:1-14:

    1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

    5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, [a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

    8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

    11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

  • anewme
    anewme

    Beautifully put Mrs. Jones. I agree with you 100%! And thankyou for the scriptures! I am so lost these days not having any reference materials. I have only my Bible and my memory of scriptures.

    If I ever get my hands on some reference books again I will never let them go again!

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5

    There are a lot of bible reference sites online Anewme. Google bible and you'll be amazed.

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