I want to take a moment to focus on the Heidelberg Catechism, a reference I snagged from Rachel Miller, just one sentence that says “It is impossible for those grafted into Christ through true faith not to produce fruits of gratitude.”
“It is impossible for those grafted into Christ through true faith not to produce fruits of gratitude.”
That one sentence has jumped out at me so many times in the past couple of days, and it really speaks to an issue near and dear to my heart. Ephesians 2:8 says, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God..”
I’m used to the internet, it is often hostile territory full of offense and debate. Just the same, I’m rather overwhelmed by the number of Christians stuck in this “works based faith” idea, where grace does not abound anywhere. It’s as if everyone is perceived as doing it wrong, bad, a heretic, a sinner in desperate need of our discernment ministry and chronic rebuke.
Maybe it’s always been like that and I’ve never seen it, but good grief, that’s ugly.
Some people don’t share my beliefs but I am a “once saved, always saved” believer a “nothing but the Blood of Jesus” believer. Grace, grace, grace. Yes, that does mean I could be horribly defiant, chronically disobedient, and really go off the deep end, and still be born again, claimed, redeemed.
Once born, one cannot be “unborn.” Once claimed always claimed. God never said, “obey me or I’ll reject you.” He did say, “if you love me, you’ll keep my commands,” but that is a conventual relationship. It is not a contract dependant on my ability to comply. God’s end of the bargain never changes because He is Holy, perfect. It is His love that draws us in, and makes us want to keep His commandments.
Also, He is the Author and Finisher of my faith. He knew Peter was going to deny Him before Peter ever did. A God who can see the future is not going to gamble with us or make us responsible for our own salvation. He’s certainly not going to enter into a contract with us. We’re far too flaky.
Our “works are but filthy rags,” “there is none righteous, not one,” we cannot earn God’s love, or prove to Him how good we are because we aren’t good at all. He already sees us and knows us.
“It is impossible for those grafted into Christ through true faith not to produce fruits of gratitude.”
I hold those words tightly, I believe them, I affirm them. Impossible. We who follow Christ are compelled to produce fruits of gratitude. We need to trust in that and to understand that the Holy spirit does not need us trying to do His work for Him….in other people who are already saved.
The thing is, grace makes you want to be pleasing, it makes you want to obey, it makes you desire His favor. It is impossible to have received grace, to know forgiveness, to have been washed by the Blood of the Lamb personally, and not produce fruits of gratitude.
What really bothers me here is that it is also impossible to have received grace and not want to extend it to others. I’m bothered by the number of people who don’t seem to have learned this, who don’t seem to be hearing it all in the places they should be. I’ve lost track of all the famous, (and infamous) popular pastors who aren’t teaching it at all. Worse, some are actually teaching the opposite, “Salvation through obedience and good works.” “Salvation through proclamation and affirming all the right creeds.” “Salvation by buying all my books and CD’s.”
I keep saying there’s only one gospel, it’s the gospel of grace. Please don’t leave out the part about grace, that’s kind of the whole story.
…….and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…..
Well then again they don’t preach about sin and the need for repentance either – so why would they put grace in the mix? After all, that doesn’t sell books or fill seats. 😉
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Funny, parts of daily readings from the last couple of days seem to me to touch on this:
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
“We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ”
We see here mentioned “your”
work, labor, and endurance.
Then there is part of yesterday’s reading:
Rom 4:13 “The promise to Abraham…through the righteousness of faith.”
Combined with your verse above, they all jump out at me as lending themselves to either interpretation. And indeed, the Reformers and the Church were ever so close to the same definition, enough so that some see it as unnecessary, perhaps even regrettable, hairsplitting.
My father has sent me a few links to Ligonier Ministries, wherein they warn of the ‘gloss-overs’ of the key differences between Catholic and Reformed views of justification. My brother, on the other hand, ultimately concluded the Bible contradicts itself and left Christianity entirely.
I’ve said before, I’m no theologian, but I feel as if I largely agree with you, even though I think you might tell me I don’t. I can tell you I feel more biblically attuned to the whole of the text when I view it through the Catholic lens, where concepts don’t exist only spiritually, but actually. After all, Christ did not die symbolically or spiritually, but actually.
As someone who argued stridently against the Catholic faith once upon a time, I know I’m unlikely to easily convince anyone of this viewpoint. Beyond the theological difference, there is often quite a lot of other impediment, both real and perceived.
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Did you really mean “a conventual relationship” (relating to a convent), or should it be “a covenantal relationship”, or something else?
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When people ask me @ the security, preservation, and perseverance of the saints………….I return a rather pointed question:
How safe is Christ Himself? Can the Head ever fail or fall into ill repute? Does the Head of His own body not care for His own? Did not the good, Great, and CHIEF Shepherd say I KNOW them?
Far cry different from ‘I never………..knew you.’
Faith-God sees-He justifies.
Works-Men see- men justify.
So we see how Abraham was justified by works, and not faith only. Perfect harmony of scripture, if we pay attention.
Let your light so shine before men…………that THEY will see. God needs to see nothing; He is above us, and sees the intent.
It is not difficult msb, and God receives the glory anyway.
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What a joy to see somebody actually get the interrelationship between Paul and James.
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Ha, yeah W and let’s not forget as the good book sez:
IF Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to boast…………but NOT BEFORE GOD.
No discrepancy at all when rightly diving the scriptures.
Btw, our infidel/atheist/scorner/religious/ friends should pay attention to such detail that proves the ever consistency of scripture.
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Well now ColorStorm they don’t want to pay attention to actual detail! God’s Word has this funny tendency to change hearts and minds when it is actually looked at; much easier to keep applying the broad brush of copy and paste rejection you know.
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Well, obviously I am a once saved always saved kind of fellow. I could, and have written much on this, and no little comment could ever capture all of the ins and outs. So, I will leave it at I concur.
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Hey Memi, I always liked this one:
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”—G. K. Chesterton
I hope that you don’t somehow consider this an “attack”! ; – )
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