Originally posted by Rajk999
Read it yourself:
[i]And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy ...[text shortened]... he efforts of BOTH parties. God calls and reconciles, the faithful has to continue in the faith.
While we were yet sinners, God reconciled us to Him.
The action which takes place in salvation is the same type of action which took place which led to the exit from the Garden: it was non-meritorious. No work, nothing special. The man and the woman
decided to eat the fruit. Sinful man
decides to let go of his efforts and cling to God's instead.
I think part of the confusion lies in the fact that there was an act, albeit universal in nature: they ate. But that eating was more symbolic than anything else, much like our eating of communion. Anyone can eat and swallow. In the Garden, it was the very real demonstration that they weren't merely considering the fruit (for which there was no penalty), they physically intended to eat the fruit.
In communion, there is no magic act, but it remains symbolic in nature. We must choose to eat of the bread, drink of the wine. It is not the physical act which saves us, any more than it was the physical act alone which forced man from the Garden. It was the act couple with the faith.
I know that sounds somewhat contradictory: I'm saying it's the act, it's not the act... which is it!? The act in the Garden was necessary for the man, not for God. Man needed to know that he didn't merely intend to eat, he ate.
The act in salvation is not necessary for salvation--- think of the thief on the cross next to our Lord: he was promised he would be with Christ in Paradise that day, no other acts were possible.
Crap to Gold
14 Dec '13 22:24
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