1689Dave
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2022
- Messages
- 1,871
- Gender
- Male
- Religious Affiliation
- Baptist
- Marital Status
- Married
- Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
- No
Free will it seems turns God into a bully who makes people "say uncle" or do whatever their brand of religion tells them to do to save themselves. I.e., make decisions to believe, use sacraments, etc., or He will torture them forever.
It seems that it also makes God out to be a character who bribes people with rewards if they "say uncle" or do whatever their church tells them to do. Isn't this salvation by works and has nothing to do with the grace of God in salvation? That is grace as an unearned gift for the self-despaired? Grace instead saves a person at a time when they can only choose sin. But the Holy Spirit instead enters their hearts and bears witness with their spirit. Causing them to believe and hate sin. And to love holiness.
As Luther said, we come to our lowest ebb, knowing that we are helplessly lost with nothing we can do to save ourselves. And at that point, we look beyond ourselves to God for salvation.
It seems that it also makes God out to be a character who bribes people with rewards if they "say uncle" or do whatever their church tells them to do. Isn't this salvation by works and has nothing to do with the grace of God in salvation? That is grace as an unearned gift for the self-despaired? Grace instead saves a person at a time when they can only choose sin. But the Holy Spirit instead enters their hearts and bears witness with their spirit. Causing them to believe and hate sin. And to love holiness.
As Luther said, we come to our lowest ebb, knowing that we are helplessly lost with nothing we can do to save ourselves. And at that point, we look beyond ourselves to God for salvation.
