Quote:
Originally Posted by bearbear
Free grace teaches that the moral law has been abolished and we don't have to worry about them. Both classical five point Calvinists and Arminianism contend that Christians enslaved and living in sin and thereby regularly break the law are not and will not be truly saved until they repent.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus chooses the word "lawlessness" in Matthew 7:23?
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The reason I'm adamant on this is I believe this doctrine is dangerous because when times of temptation come, it's a lot easier to yield to it when you think to yourself "Hey I'm saved in the end right?"
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bearbear,
I don't know of any church that teaches that morality has been abolished, or that we don't need to behave morally. Which church teaches that?
As to your last point. I see some indication that those who believe that salvation is totally by works (e.g. Mormons) are sometimes
outwardly more moral than others. But I see little indication that those who believe they can lose their salvation walk in significant more holiness that those who don't. So what's the point?
Your whole thrust is that fear of losing salvation is a motivator. But if that were true we'd see a great difference in the lives of "free gracers" and "elevator salvationists." We don't.
I've seen one thing that causes people to live holy lives for the long term. Loving Jesus. That is the only real motivator that gets people over the hump and keeps them going.
So trying to scare people into thinking they are going to lose their salvation in order to get them to behave by kingdom standards just doesn't work. It might have some superficial or temporary effect. But in the end, people seek God and live righteously because they want to please Him. And I don't think he would have it any other way. In short, it's about love.
In the end we are all saved, yes. But there are eternal, not only temporal, rewards for those who are faithful. However, we will cast even these crowns at His feet.