Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings in the afternoon.

This production was kind of tough. I guess I’ve taken more of a technical and theological approach than devotional. I just don’t see how we can avoid some grappling with these ideas. Becki has endorsed it. How could we ask for more authoritative support than that?

I picked up Nicholas this morning at 6:10am. But Thano has been away about all day. Not much parenting in the mix—just a bunch of grandparenting.

Nicholas and I bought a new ball for Dandy this morning at Safeway. The goon has already lost it!

Back to work. Blessings. Love, Dad/Ray.

On one hand I have no interest in being controversial, but on the other hand a controversy is with us nonetheless as it relates to what exactly constitutes personal salvation. The matter is of sufficient importance to call for our making some determinations. We certainly don’t have time to be very extensive, but to briefly underscore my own general view (and concern), I wish to put forth two questions:

1. How can anyone reading Peter’s epistles in general and this passage in particular accurately draw the conclusion that we are not saved by what we do?—that works are not required?—as though behavior has nothing to do with salvation?
2. How can anyone accurately affirm that God’s love and grace are absolutely unconditional?

To be sure, there is no way anyone can earn or deserve this enormous gift. But it must be believed—that’s a verb; it must be received—that’s an action; and it must be demonstrated—that’s a behavior that confirms believing and receiving. So anyone claiming to be “born of the Spirit” (saved) but not demonstrating the “fruit of the Spirit,” at least moving and growing in that direction, is simply as phony as a $3 bill!

Additionally, God’s love and grace are unconditional in the sense that He is big enough, loving enough, and gracious enough to save any condition of sinner out there. But that just doesn’t happen without the essential condition of repentance. John puts it this way: “But if (that’s a condition) we walk in the light (that’s not an accident), as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). I judge it to be extremely important to recognize this conditional aspect of God’s unconditional love.

Let me review Peter’s quote from Isaiah back in 1 Peter 3:10-12: “For,‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” Look at all the conditions and commands!

Here’s the bottom-line hinge point as I read it into Peter’s words above: “For if (the condition) you do (an action or work) these things, you will never fall.” That’s a wonderful conditional promise. But the counterpart is strongly implied—that is, if you don’t do these things your falling will be unavoidable.