"First you say "Salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone.......Then you say that we all have a sense of a creator and morals like that's good enough. Which is it?"
Good evening Karen. Which is it? Well, regarding salvation, it's the former. With respect to making everyone responsible to a Holy God. It's the later. I didn't think it was that ambiguous. As far as your moral compass goes it's not important that you recognize it's source. It is however, very important to note that while we know what is right, we often fail to act in accordance with that knowledge, thereby becoming guilty, even by our own standards. Now, if we can't even live up to our own lowly standards, how will well do you think we would do against the standard of a morally perfect being. I'm glad to see that you are concerned with justice, but I would be less concerned with the fate of those who haven't heard and concentrate on your own response, since you have heard.
The bible teaches that those prior to the coming of Jesus, looked forward in faith to the sacrifice that would be provided (Rom 4:) The example of Abraham and Isaac is cited by Paul as an model of such faith. Isaac said hey dad I see the knife and I see the wood but where is the lamb for the sacrifice? To which Abraham answered " my son, God will provide HIMSELF a Lamb"(Gen 22:) fast forward a couple of thousand years to the time of John the Baptist. John seeing Jesus coming towards him says " Behold the lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world"
Today, we look back in faith to the same event. All of us will stand before God. We can choose to do so on our own merits, in that case we are assured of receiving justice.(not recommended) On the other hand, we can turn and receive the perfect righteousness that Jesus offers us by grace, through faith in His substitutionary sacrifice and subsequent resurrection, in which case we can be assured of eternal peace. Seems like a no-brainer to me. |
