Typical exchange w/an unsaved works salvationist…
Me: “The Bible states over 200 times a person is eternally saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.”
Works Salvationist: “I agree but you have to be obedient too.”
Me: “The only obedience required to be saved is to OBEY the Gospel by BELIEVING it (2nd Thessalonians1:8, Romans 10:16). What additional obedience are you referring to that you believe is required to be saved?”
Works Salvationist: “You must live out the Christian walk and obey everything Jesus commanded.”
Me: “Can you give me an example? Jesus commanded 1000s of different things in the Gospels.”
Works Salvationist: “A person must obey all that Jesus taught.”
Me: “Have you?”
Works Salvationist: “No. But when I fail to obey all that He commanded, I repent.”
Me: “So, are you saying that you have to follow the law to be saved? I thought you just agreed with me that there are over 200 verses in the New Testament that state a person is saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone? But now you are telling me that you are saved by grace through faith PLUS your perfect obedience to all Jesus commanded AND perfect repentance when you miss the mark (i.e., sin)?”
Works Salvationist: “Yes. Salvation is a gift but you have to do your part too.”
Me: “So Christ’s Perfect Blood Atoning Sacrifice wasn’t enough to pay for all your sins and you believe that after He saves you that you are responsible for keeping yourself saved by obeying the law?”
Works Salvationist: “Yes. Grace doesn’t give a person a license to sin.”
Me: “Yes. But you just admitted you sin and when you do you repent. So why have you used God’s grace as a license to sin?”
Works Salvationist: “Well, my sins aren’t willfull. They are unintentional.”
Me: “You have never sinned intentionally with the full understanding that what you were going to do was against God’s laws, commands and ordinances?”
Works Salvationist: “If I have, I repented of it. But I can’t remember ever comitting any willfull sins.”
Me: “Did you know studies have shown you have about 70,000 thoughts per day and if even 1% of them missed God’s perfect, holy & righteous standard, you commit about 700 sinful thoughts per day? Do you repent 700 times per day?”
Works Salvationist: “I think that number may be high but I repent frequently.”
Me: “God’s standard is perfection. What if you miss even one sin and fail to repent? Does God give you a pass or do you immediately lose your salvation because of your failure to repent of every sin you’ve comitted?”
Works Salvationist: “If a person has a repentant heart I believe God still forgives those sins.”
Me: “Didn’t Jesus ALREADY forgive them ALL?”
Works Salvationist: “Jesus forgives your past sins but we are still responsible to repent for any/all sins committed after we are saved.”
Me: “Weren’t all your sins future when Christ died on The Cross 2,000 years ago?”
Works Salvationist: “Yeah, but it still only covered my future past sins.”
Me: “Isn’t that an oxymoron?”
Works Salvationist: “Nope. Makes total sense to me.”
Me: “Well alrighty then.”
