mrspotsie

(1:5) According to 1 Peter 1:5, what is God's part in securing your salvation? What is your part? God offers us His protection and salvation but it cannot become active until we accept it by faith. I believe we are not meant to understand how these two things are both necessary and work together because God's thoughts are higher than ours.

Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) There are two parts to true salvation, God's giving of it and our accepting it. God did not force salvation on us, He offers forgivness. By accepting His gift of salvation, we already are being obedient by recognizing our need for Him and His gift. "To obey is better than sacrifice." God desires our obedience so He can give us all the blessings He wishes to bestow, but He offers forgiveness because He knows we are not perfect. To rely on God's forgiveness without our obedience is to disgrace His gift and His sacrifice. God knows our sinful nature, which is why we cannot have salvation through works. We would never be good enough. But, after we see His grace, we desire to obey and do good works to show our love for Him. "Faith without works is dead." For example, how would your family know you love them if you never showed them? Our works prove our love for God to others.

How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Have you ever caught yourself doing this? What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight? A "Christian" who more easily identifes with this present home should wonder if they truly are a Christian. A Christian who is of this world, and does not repent or change his/her ways, is not truly Christ-like. I have caught myself acting and thinking of this world, but it takes more time in the Word, in prayer, and in church. I am not perfect but have learned to quickly repent if I find myself (with the Holy Spririt's nudgings) being of this world. It has taken some time, but I have learned that being of this world is to be independent of God in attitude and deed. To truly identify with heaven, i need to be fully dependent on God and realize that I am made for His glory and purpose, not my own. I disagree with some posts that say it is spirtual immaturity. I know new Christians who have a better and more excited view of heavenly living than some who have been supposed Christians for years. I believe it has to do with the state of our heart and its desires, for what is in the heart will come out. Remember that even those who do the Christian deeds may not always be true believers. Even Jesus has said, in Matthew 7:21-23 "...not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." My desire is to not only appear to be a good Christian but to be one whose actions are motivated by a desire to please God, my Father.