Calvinists and Free Gracers make the same fundamental logical mistake, this is why they both accuse each other of back loading works. They insist that if action X produces result Y that necessarily means it was merited. This is a non sequitur. There is such a thing as a non meritorious work, an action that produces a result without earning it, such as receiving a gift. Now despite arguing this, Free Grace believes in real Free Will and so allows a "one little bitty mini-work" of free will acceptance of the Gospel message (unless you are a Calvinist Free Gracer of course, usually called Sovereign Grace to distinguish). And if the Free Gracer allows it for their one initial fire and forget, one and done, mini-work, then they are being self-contradictory to their own position, because a free will acceptance contradicts their inserted assumption, their presupposition, that contingent actions are necessarily being done as an attempt to merit. They've done gone and earned their salvation with the "work" of accepting Christ through free will!
So the Calvinist responds (generally), "What makes you different than the person who chose not to accept Christ? Are you smarter, wiser and holier than your fellow man? Then you are boasting in your works, what you've chosen." That free will decision is something you DO, it's an act of the WILL, it's an action. By the exact same logic being used, this must necessarily be a work added to the merit of Christ, no matter how small, and it is dependent upon what the person does (acceptance). And indeed, if you've spent any time with hardcore Calvinists, you will find them arguing this exact same logic with Free Gracers, that the Free Gracers try to use against them, in a strange twist of ironic fate, since they are both making the same logical error—that an action resulting in a response necessarily has to be an attempt at meriting it.
You can try to say "but faith is not a work," to get out of the fact that faith is a decision we actually do, a choice we make, however you are special pleading, and using something that fits the exact same definition of others things you critique as "works." In actual fact Paul means "Works of the Law" specifically when he speaks of not being saved by works, not just all works in general no matter what the word works means. "Works" means "miracles" too, and Paul does not mean we are not saved by miracles, so there is equivocation about the word "works." One could just as well rebut "sanctification isn't a work, either," if it is a non-meritorious condition to receiving an undeserved gift. If someone tells me "clap your hands and I'll give you a million dollars," that does not logically force that I actually earned the million with clapping, there has to be an attempt at contributing equal value. Receiving the gift does not earn the gift, yet something must be done—reach out, grab it, unwrap it, use it—if you define all that as "works salvation," then logically you MUST eliminate ALL free will altogether as that will be the only PURE form of grace, eliminating ALL works (under that false definition), and having God actually and truly "do it all."
And so we see that we can have Jesus merit our salvation for us and still put requirements on us for receiving it, without running into any contradiction or logical dilemma, as this is a conditional payment, a payment fully made, undeserved, yet still with conditions added (even if just a basic "yes" to Jesus' free gift at a minimum). Otherwise Free Gracers are self-contradicting when they accuse others of works salvation while allowing their own free will decision to be the effective agent in procuring Christ's salvation. As a Calvinist you can just eliminate Free Will altogether to try to fix that problem, but intuitively we know we make actual choices to believe on Jesus and they are not forced on us by God.
talk about walk around the truth
we merit things we earn by the hard work we do
we merit rewards. we merit wages
Yourself,
@GodsGrace and
@synergy among others do not seem to understand the issue here.
We do not. we can not. and we have never merited a gift. ( I know Godsgrace says she agrees with this, but does she? Can her words prove she believes this, or do they betray her?)
A gift is given out of love of another, a father,. a teacher, a mother, a spouse. a good friend, it is paid for by the one giving the gift. If compensation is required for the person who was given the gift. then in reality, it is not a gift. we call that a down payment, or a request for goods and services in exchange for the item we have given the person. or a bartering tool one could say, which is a temporary gift at best. as if the other person does not pay his share. the gift is taken back, In scripture this is called a dual covenant, I promise will give you these services and you promise to give me those services. The covenant is binding on both parties. If one parties fails to fulfill their promise. then the covenant is null and void. and the second party is no longer obligated to fulfill their part
Sadly, we have come to a society where gifts are not really gifts. I just have to laugh at car commercials where they promote giving your loved one a new 90,000 dollar car as a Christmas gift. Unless the person who gave the car has paid all 90,000 dollars, it is not really a gift in the sense it was not paid for. In essence what you are doing is giving your partner permission to buy this car he always wanted to buy. so the person who is given the car. still has to merit the car buy continuing to work to pay for that car.
this is what legalism teaches, in many ways
1.
Salvation is not a gift. it is a down payment, Like that car that the wife gave the husband, The person given the gift must work hard to continue to earn that gift. If he does not. that gift will be lost (the bank will take it back because it was not paid for or God will take it back because it was not earned or merited)
2.
Salvation is not a gift. its a bartering tool - God gives is initial salvation. and barters for us to return the favor by doing good works. by serving him, by changing our lives and stopping sin. As long as we pay God with our obedience we are ok. we can keep the gift. If we faith however to do our part. then they gift is taken back or lost.
Paul attempts to show this in Gal 3. when he calls the Galatians fools for thinking they begin in the spirit (grace) but perfect in the flesh (works)
Gal 3: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
Notice the words
The gospel - Jesus crucified
Did you receive the spirit by works (get saved, get rescued from the penalty of sin, the law is in context here. but any work would fit)
Or did you receive it by the hearing if faith (true saving faith)
He then calls them fools.
Beginning in the spirit (faith). do you now have to perfect or keep this gift of the spirit through the flesh (works)
Then he calls their salvation in question. Are you really saved (did you suffer in vein? if indeed it was in vein)
the other issue we have, is salvation is not just a gift. My wife can give me a gift out of her love where she paid for it. But I still could have paid for it myself. (it does not negate the value of the gift)
Salvation is said to be of grace. Unmerited. we can not earn it. so we could not pay for it by our works. If it is just a down payment, everyone will lose it. because no one can pay for it.
if it is a bartering tool. it will be returned. because what God demands we do in return we are unable to do. (if we could. it would not be of grace. it would be of works)
We are part of the Abrahamic covenant. God told Abraham I WILL. he demanded nothing in return. in Gen 15 we see God make this covenant,. Abraham had no part. He put abraham in a deep sleep. and he said I promise to do this.
Abraham Believed God in all his promises and because of Abrahams faith. he was counted as if he were perfect. (given righteousness even though his standing was not righteous)
Paul in romans 4 said we are saved under the same covenant "in you shall all nations be blessed"
17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
Next paul gives us the definition of faith. The faith we have been discussing, what is it. what does it look like?
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
There is no works involved. it is the work of God. God made an I will promise
I will give you eternal life
I will make you alive in him
I will make sure you never perish
I will give you my spirit as a seal
I will ressurect you in the end
I will make sure you do not come under Gods wrath
I will rescue from the wage po your sin which is death
I can go on and on. do we have the same confident assurance Abraham did? Do we have the same hope. contrary to hope and believe or trust God will do these things based not on our works. but his work? Are we not strengthened in faith. and not wavering tossed to and fro but assured (satan wants us to not have assurance)
if we do. we have saving faith
if not. we may believe, but we are most likely not saved, and most likely fall under the trap of legalism, or licentiousness
so if people want to Mock those who understand these spiritual truths and call out to God like the tax collector. and remain to live in grace and understanding, God saved them, and God keeps them saved. if they have to rely on self. they will fail .
well let them.
and to those being mocked. Don't fret. God has your back, God will nto leave nor forsake you. Its not a free will issue. a calvinist issue. not even an Arminian or catholic issue
it is the promise of God.
God called our Israel and made promises to them based on grace. those promises still stand today.
God saved us and made promises to us we trusted. and those promises still stand today and forever.
Its on God. his character is at stake not ours.
