Originally posted by :crow2: Crow :crow:
Originally posted by beanieboy
Call this a theological exercise.
People say that Jesus sets you free, that the Truth sets you free.
But when you accept Jesus, suddenly, you are held accountable.
What do you mean you are going out drinking with your buddies?
You can't drink now.
And you will miss church! Yes, now you must go to church.
And you have to get baptized.
And you have to read the bible.
And you have to show works for your faith.
And you can't do this. And you can't do this. And you can't do this.
And on and on.
Not all Christians believe as I do, so you will hear arguments against this, but the things you listed which I quoted in bold print for clarity are
works. Works are not salvatory--faith is.
We should do good works, but is drinking or not drinking an evil or good work? Christians can look to biblical examples where we are told that drunkenness is not desirable for Christians, and generally tends to encourage people to make asses of themselves, but the idea that alcoholic beverages are in and of themselves prohibited is a notion that some churches adopted after many years of Christians partaking of a bit of wine and beer with nary an eyebrow raised. What was Christ's first miracle? Come on, now, who serves grape juice at a wedding?
And baptism is just a work. If one wants to be baptized, fine--most Christians do. It's a external sign of an inward change, but water isn't what saves us. If we are saved by grace, does grace need a little water to work--does it come freeze-dried and require reconstitution? Nope.
You think that you
have to read the Bible if your're saved? Have you any idea of how many Christians were martyred before the Bible was even written? How many years went by before the common man could even lay his hands on a Bible? Reading the Bible isn't salvatory. Faith is. While it's tough for me to imagine a Christian who does not want to read and understand the written Word, I see them often. They're the ones who spout the most stupidity.
Now, instead of doing whatever you want (which is how we usually describe freedom), you have to restrict things, works do things that you didn't before, works and do things you may not even want to do, like going to church on Sunday morning. works
It seems the "freedom from sin" is actually chains of the law.
Defend it.
When I accepted Christ as Savior, I became free. I was no longer condemned by the Law. The sins I had committed no longer condemned me to be separated from God. The relationship between myself and God was restored, both in this life and in the eternal life of my soul.
Over the years, I have gradually changed and turned from some of my former behaviors. Not because they condemn me, because they no longer do when one is no longer cursed by the Law, but because I wanted to. When one is in relationship with God, one does not want to behave in a manner that is offensive to God.
Was the change perfect? No. The only righteousness I have is that which came as a gift when I accepted Christ as Savior. My actions will never be perfect, nor my thoughts and desires.
So what's my relationship with the Law? I'm not condemned by it. It can serve as a tutor. Lack of condemnation does not mean that my acts don't have consequences in this life, consequences that can harm myself or others. It doesn't mean that should be a liar, drunk, immoral, cheat, etc. and it can get me put out of my church if I have chosen wisely and picked a church that has the guts to kick me out if I behave wickedly.
With freedom comes responsibility. Salvation is not an excuse for crime, evil behavior is not to be tolerated within a church membership, and we aren't free to go out and commit crimes against our neighbor.
The freedom of salvation is not the freedom of anarchy. It is the freedom of living without eternal condemnation. The freedom of living with a restored relationship, both now and future, with God.
