Salvation Cannot Be Earned (archived from newsletter, August 2007)

In my free time, I engage in a lot of debates. One subject that frequestly comes up, or rather, I should say, one accusation that is frequently leveled against me is that I believe that faith comes by works, simply because I believe that it can be forfeited. Whether you agree with me that it can be forfeited, let me explain why I don't believe it can be earned, and why there's a difference. Frankly, I'm simply tired of being falsely accused.

Much of my time that is not free is spent working. I'm a tile-layer by trade; I used to be a carpenter. Either profession will suit this example just fine. As a tile-layer, I often come home with fingers that have been smashed by a stack of tile, cuts on my hands from the ones that broke, and a set of lungs full of concrete and mortar dust. When I was a carpenter, my hands took even more abuse: cuts from a saw, splinters, cracked and chapped hands from dealing with dry wood. At the end of a week, I would pick up a check for my pain and trouble.

Imagine, if you will, that I decided to sign my check over to you, for no other reason than you're my (now very grateful) friend. The reason that you're getting the check is because of our relationship. If you weren't my friend, you wouldn't be getting a dime. I dare you to say, however, that you earned the money simply by being my friend, when it cost me so much pain to earn it.

Likewise, Christ's ever-more painful sacrifice cost Him dearly. No amount of loving, worshipping, serving, or praying to Him could ever add up to the price that he paid. Nor do we claim it does. We are simply his friend, acting as a friend, and recieving the gift that he wants to give us. And we should accept it, because it cost Him so very much.

One of the major problems in the earlier argument is it's definition of "works." It seems that, since the Protestant Reformation, the word "works" has come to mean something very different than it did in Paul's day. Galatians 3:2,5 and 6 pit the concepts "faith" and "works" against one another, which means that belief is something very different than earning one's salvation through the Law, which was Paul's definition of the word.

Post-publication note: I've taken a photograph of one of my hands after a particularly hard day, to illustrate this point a bit more.

As some of you may have noticed, I had no notes on I Corinthians 16. The chapter consisted of "How to take an offering" and a few updates and greetings. While I'm always on the lookout for places where Paul is sending someone somewhere (as I mentioned BEFORE), I didn't see anything of note, here.

This blog begins my study of II Corinthians.

II Corinthians 1:21-22 This verse is often quoted in support of Preservance of the Saints, but the problem with such an assertion is that the text does not qualify the Holy Spirit's presence as an inalterable state. The word "seal" as it is used in the Greek, indicates only a mark, not an impenetrable barrier. The presence of the Holy Spirit is our guarantee of what is to come but this verse does not comment on what would happen if one quenched or blasphemed the Holy Spirit.

2:15 Paul gives a dichotomy here: those being saved and those perishing. This indicates that both salvation and damnation are processes the reach completion only in death.

3:1-2 No diploma is necessary fir ministry.

3:6-7 Another reference to the Law bringing death. If not, the Paul is simply being dramatic.

4:13 Saving faith is belief in action.

5:5: As in 1:21-22, the Holy Spirit is our downpayment/deposit on Heaven. This time, Paul adds an admonishment not to grieve the Spirit, because He is our guarantee. Without Him, the "deal" is void.

5:10 Judgement will come to all for the things done on Earth. Here is where we are either accepted or denied.

5:14-15 Christ died for all.

6:2 This verse is a novelty in that it is one of the few verses in which salvation is not regarded as after death only. The exception is possibly due to either A. the fact that Paul is quoting Isaiah or B. Paul is stressing the immediate need for Christ and the danger or procrastination.

7:5 At this point, Titus is in Macedonia.

7:10 Speaking to Christians, Paul says, repentance leads to salvation. The construction of this verse inplies that, though Paul was writing to Christians, those Christians were still in need of repentance.

Click HERE to continue with II Corinthians 8.