God's Sovereignty vs Our Freewill in Image Form Description in Comments
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Thanks, I put a lot of time into research to make this seemingly simple analogy, and like any, it is imperfect. Not that this should separate us brother, but I think we see things quite differently in the faith, we can own 0% of our own salvation, all of the glory must go to Jesus Christ, it cannot be us who, in any way, pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. The five sola's of the Reformation, which distinguished the Reformers from the teachings of Rome, include sola scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone). The response to this great gift given to us is to live a life of gratitude. I think when people speak about experiences of slipping in and out of christianity is when they feel the drawing of the holy Spirit (or lack there of). Another key passage, not sure if mentioned in the listed websites below, but it says, Jacob have I loved, yet Esau have I hated, and this is before their births. How can God know whom he will hate and whom he will love? Does he see into the future and pick his "chosen ones?" The psalmist says, you knit me together in my mother's womb. When God calls us, his call is effectual, it cannot be ignored. Imagine being star-struck by your favorite star, well it's like that with your soul and God (x infinity). When he calls those (usually the weak and lowly of heart), they come, and he blesses. He gives them (us) the ability to do the good that we do, for his honor and his glory. Oh Lord, "grant us to realize that we only achieve greatness and gain our lives by giving them away." https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-five-solas/ contains the scripture references. From Lutheran denomination: http://christlutherantoronto.org/sermons/bible-verses-showing-justification-by-faith-alone is also similar, more focused on justication through faith given as a gift. Final statement: Faith in Christ, that God works in our hearts through the Holy Spirit using the means of grace, God’s Word & the Sacraments of Baptism & Communion, allows us to do good works.
Where I (potentially) disagree is that God doesn't 'cut the cord'. Free Will and life choices/paths chosen determine the status of that initially solid connection.
What I know of as the 'right-hand path' is one choosing to maintain the tether, or salvation through faith/Christ. I see your post as aligning with this. (normal relationship, til death do us part)
The 'left-hand path' is like hard-mode in this game of love, attempting to gain salvation through works/Gnosis. (a temporarily open relationship, sometimes divorcees who get back together end up with an even stronger bond...in this case is guaranteed to not end up worse.)
As you can see looking at the world, many who take the left-hand path end up clinging to something else/lesser/evil/false before completing their path back to God, mostly due to implanted fear of death (choosing to tether to other principalities). They are not evil due to God's will/severing, but because they stopped part way down the left-hand path and set up camp forever, not accepting the outreaching hand/safety net.
[Beyond personal experiences it only makes sense to me that the salvation through works/faith claims are both true with this being the context.]
Like I said initially, this illustration is not complete/perfect. I'm only human lol. I guess the point I initially tried to get across was that, in our natural state, man detests God, not because God is bad, but because we are bad. When the Holy Spirit moves within us (1st step), we then move towards God (2nd step). You cannot earn your salvation, or even play a part in your salvation, because you have zero inherited goodness inside your natural self. The left hand/right hand thing you are mentioning is a large issue within the church. The way the reformers saw it is that there are 2 churches, the visible and the invisible church. The visible church is the brick and mortar church buildings people attend. Not all are saved who go to church. Then there is the "invisible" church, meaning, there is a group of people, spanning all times and all places, these people are those who will be saved, the elect. If you seek Biblical proof of this, look no further than the many times God speaks (through his writers) about "those who's names are in the Book of Life." Different translators may call it different names, but that should get you where you need to go.
James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. AND Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling both seemingly fit your point, but let me point out contextually why this is not the case. Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.* Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ephesians 2:9 not by works, so that no one can boast. James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? So what then? Does the Bible contradict, in fact, does the Bible contradict within the same writers in certain places, seemingly right next to one another??? By no means, we must do good works (we ought to desire to do them) because we have been saved, not because our good works give us standing with God, good works to include playing an active role in our salvation. You are dead in your trespasses, how can you be made alive? Only through the blood of the lamb. It may look like two sides of the same coin, but I promise you, this is a most excellent and beautiful truth when you see it. God bless my fren. Keep the faith, WWG1WGA.