God's grace does come at a cost. The ultimate cost and the price has been paid. In Christ sacrifice he not only paid for our sins but also did the work that must be accomplished to save us.
Yes, we do obey God's commandments and through the process of sanctification he will save those whom are his.
Some of you have a few commandments that you consider a prerequisite for new birth. Anybody can check off a list of things to do but when God does the work it is a perfect work.
Repent - easy enough, we have seen 1000s do the Pentecostal version of this only to never to be seen again.
Be Baptized - same as above. How many of these baptisimal tanks have we seen set up in parks and on the street and homeless people being "saved" because of their obedience only to once again never been seen or heard from again.
Baptized in the Holy Ghost - this is the hazing that every Christian has to go through in order to be received into the church. Usually, the music has to be loud, specially trained "altar workers" are brought in to coach people into receiving. Many stutter and stammer only to be told that they almost got it and to keep seeking. They are reminded that if they would only totally yield themselves to God or have real faith they will receive and speak in tongues. Remember, if you just completely submit yourself to God he will give it to you but only if you beg, cry, and wail hard enough.
Your obedience has been turned into a science by many and with just the right preaching and music and laying on of hand it can achieve by anybody.
Yep, sounds exactly like grace to me and exactly the obedience that God was talking about all throughout the bible.
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