Romans 11:2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Put simply you must deserve what God gives, or you must receive it by grace. The two do not work synergistically. If you received a new car as a gift and then drove it home, would that act mean you'd earned possession of the car? No! Conversely, you don't say a car is a gift because you're still making payments on it. A gift is free and a paid for item is earned.
Romans 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This can be interpreted as works YOU present your life a LIVING SACRIFICE! You must do this thing; it requires works, right? I think the key (in addition to the mercies of God) is that you do this by being transformed. Can the thing that needs to be transformed, transform itself? Can something old renew itself? If it could it wouldn't need transforming or renewing.
It's by God's grace that we are transformed renewed, and conformed to the image of the image of Jesus!
Just believe and don't resist and God will do it and your "works" will simply be byproducts pof His loving work in you!
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Put simply you must deserve what God gives, or you must receive it by grace. The two do not work synergistically. If you received a new car as a gift and then drove it home, would that act mean you'd earned possession of the car? No! Conversely, you don't say a car is a gift because you're still making payments on it. A gift is free and a paid for item is earned.
Romans 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This can be interpreted as works YOU present your life a LIVING SACRIFICE! You must do this thing; it requires works, right? I think the key (in addition to the mercies of God) is that you do this by being transformed. Can the thing that needs to be transformed, transform itself? Can something old renew itself? If it could it wouldn't need transforming or renewing.
It's by God's grace that we are transformed renewed, and conformed to the image of the image of Jesus!
Just believe and don't resist and God will do it and your "works" will simply be byproducts pof His loving work in you!
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