Quote:
Originally Posted by Pressing-On
I see your point here and I agree with you that it was a command for them to change their lives after repentance.
However, II Thess 1:8 says that there is flaming fire waiting for those that would not obey the Gospel. That is a command to repent, etc., He isn't only referring to a command to change their lives here. He is addressing their immediate salvation. It is a command for them to do something on their part. |
So, Paul is commanding the church at Thessalonika to be baptized - again? And, he's using the impending judgment of reprobates as a means to strengthen that command?
I don't accept the "once saved always saved" notion. There are many commands associated with the Christian life (
John 13:34, for example). But salvation itself comes as a free gift whose only command is "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden..."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pressing-On
I believe that Jesus "willingly" and "freely" gave His life and offers us a way of escape. Everything He has is available for us because of His sacrifice. As we have already stated, everything flows from the cross.
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I stated that, but you can too now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pressing-On
When He says "free" it is defined as "liberate". I don't see, in all instances, that it is being defined as "having no cost or without a charge."
I Cor 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."
This scripture is reaching past our obtained salvation to the things we are "freely given" having His Spirit. It is referring to the things the Spirit does teach us. ( I John 2:27)
If we obey the Gospel, we are then liberated from sin. It cost Him a great deal. By His grace and His mercy He has torn down the middle wall of partition to accept all those that are willing. But we must do our part. We must willingly obey the Gospel. That is the only way we can partake of anything Jesus has to offer.
Ephesians 3:6 "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:" ( Ephesians 3:6).
We are made partakers BY/THROUGH the Gospel. We must obey. ( II Thess 1:8; Acts 5:32; Hebrews 5:9; I Peter 4:7). |
It indeed cost Him a great deal, as I said earlier, but it costs us
nothing.
Romans 5:15-21
Salvation is a
free gift. It is made available - for free! - by the One Who gave His all.
Having received this free gift - we then become His servants (
Romans 8:11-15) Not servants to sin and death, and not just servants either! We are fellow heirs to the Kingdom (
Romans 8:16-17). As stewards of the Kingdom we have a tremendous responsibility (
2 Corinthians 4:6-7).
I don't think we're arguing about
different things, but rather about how best to articulate
the same thing. The "One Stepper" method established the foundation with the Gospel as a free gift that is freely available to all. From this foundation the commands that follow are not onerous dictates of what the believer "
has to do!" But, they are opportunities to serve our Lord.
They are not "assigned tasks and burdens" required to repay Him for our salvation. They are privileges to share and serve in the Kingdom as joint heirs with Christ.
"One Stepper" preachers don't look upon the saints they serve as "mindless sheep" whose legs need to be broken from time to time. They see themselves as servants whose life calling and purpose is to encourage and build up the flock of God (
1 Peter 5:2) and to treat them as fellow servants and heirs to a Kingdom that is not their own.
All of this creates an entirely different atmosphere. The relationships are deeper and more genuine. The climate of worship is more open and free. The smiles on everyone's face are more ready and there's less of that "plastic smile."
How we articulate the free gift of the Gospel and the subsequent commands will affect everything else that we do. That's why I think it's important to get it right.
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