actually this issue has been milked dry many times over. as i'd
said, proponents of either of these stance will adequately be able
to quote verses to support their beliefs.
so back to your topic: Is every Christian obliged to
live a holy life?: My opinion is YES. Our life will need
to show or exhibit our belief, otherwise our belief will not be
real. Therefore we need to be very concious with what we do and how
we act. Is it going to be easy? NO!
However, does this holy life (or holy living) play our part in
salvation? I think not. In my opinion, salvation is a GIFT of God
(actually this part is scripturally stated). Salvation
should lead one to holy living, and should not be
Salvation needs holy living to be valid.
The rationale for my personal conclusion is: what is consider
HOLY before it validates salvation? Is there such a thing as holier
than others? If there is none, then we will never know if we are
saved or not, that being the case our salvation is never
assured.
Note that I am not a trained theologian, and there WILL be
others who disagree with me. So to those, it's ok, no need to get
too worked out.
For whatever you are facing, M&P, don't think that other
Christians are not facing them too.... it may be sexual sins, it
may be greed, it may be doubts.... take heart, we all face them
sometime or other. After one thing, it will be another. Sometimes
you win, sometimes you don't.... but remember that God forgives,
when you go to him in with a contrite heart.
Dear Unker CE,
your two statements
1) no, salvation is independent of holy living, Salvation was
achieved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a one
time act, it is a gift.
2) yes, holy living is an integral part of salvation. If works
failed or is lacking, the individual is deemed not to have
salvation or not to have accepted salvation genuinely.
I do have a question on the 2nd statement, that says "If works
failed or is lacking, the individual is deemed not to have
salvation or not to have accepted salvation genuinely."
This is based on whose perception?
The reason I have question on this is
As you had said "The sole condition is that the individual
accepts that act as a fact and accepts Jesus as his personal
saviour and allow Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) to work on him to
change his life gradually." Whether of not, the acceptance of
salvation is genuine, is based on whether or not the person truely
and sincerely "accepts Jesus as his personal saviour and allow
Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) to work on him to change his life
gradually". This is a heart issue, not a work/deed issue.
1) yes for us, its true, from the outside, as what Apostle James
said, "show me your faith with works", we can only see if this is
true and sincere by the action/deeds we do, just like we know what
tree it is by the type of fruits it bear, we know what type of
faith we have by the type of fruits we bear.
2) no for God, for on the day the person say in his heart, that
he wants to truely and sincerely "accepts Jesus as his personal
saviour and allow Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) to work on him to
change his life gradually", God already know if this is really true
and sincere, for God knows our heart.
Then I would rather say:
1) (copied yours) Salvation was achieved by the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a one time act, it is a gift.
The sole condition is that the individual accepts that act as a
fact and accepts Jesus as his personal saviour and allow Jesus (and
the Holy Spirit) to work on him to change his life gradually.
2) Holy living is a result or fruit of having received this
salvation which is a gift through Christ Jesus. Falling in love in
Him and knowing we now lives in Him and for Him and no longer in
the flesh in sin.
God Bless