ALTERNATIVES TO GRACE by charles r. swindoll
have swept away your sins like a cloud. comes after the tree is well rooted. Martin I have scattered your offenses like the Luther's words come to mind: morning mist. No one can be good and do good unless Oh, return to me, God's grace first makes him good; and no for I have paid the price to set you free. one becomes good by works, but good (Isaiah 44:22) works are done only by him who is good. If I choose not to risk, if I go the "safe" Just so the fruits do not make the tree, route and determine not to promote either but the tree bears the fruit.... Therefore salvation by grace or a lifestyle of grace, all works, no matter how good they are what are the alternatives? Four come to my and how pretty they look, are in vain if mind, all of which are popular these days. they do not flow from grace.1 I can emphasize works over grace I can opt for giving you a list of I can tell you that as a sinner you need to dos and don'ts have a stronger commitment to Christ, demThe list comes from my personal and/ onstrated by the work you do in His behalf, or traditional preferences. It becomes my before you can say that you truly believe. My responsibility to tell you what to do or not problem in doing so is this: A sinner cannot to do and why. I then set up the conditions commit to anything. He or she is spiritu- by which you begin to earn God's acceptance ally dead, remember? There is no capacity through me. You do what I tell you to do... for commitment in an unregenerate heart. you don't do what I tell you not to do, and Becoming an obedient, submissive disciple you're "in." You fail to keep the list, you're of Christ follows believing in Christ. Works "out." This legalistic style of strong-arm follow faith. Behaviour follows belief. Fruit teaching is one of the most prevalent meth-
Article Image: Kirill Pershin unsplash.com
I
