{"id":1197,"date":"2021-04-05T21:38:49","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T01:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/?p=1197"},"modified":"2021-04-05T21:38:49","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T01:38:49","slug":"simplicity-of-salvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/2021\/04\/simplicity-of-salvation\/","title":{"rendered":"Simplicity of Salvation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The idea of salvation is not meant to be confusing- \u00a0but \u201cwe\u201d complicate it big time.
One way we do that is by EMPHASIZING following one particular command or practice and using it NOT only as a Geiger counter for our spirituality – BUT we often can use that as a barometer as something essential FOR salvation.\u00a0If God gives you a conviction you aren\u2019t going to be angry if someone doesn\u2019t do what you do- or DOES do. \u00a0
I had a ton of convictions years ago- for example – \u00a0I wasn\u2019t going to the movies or watched any pro sports – but I looked down at those who did those things.\u00a0 I questioned their salvation.\u00a0 I had self-righteous indignation toward those that got to enjoy things \u201cI could not.\u201d\u00a0
Are pro-sports wrong?\u00a0 They can be- \u00a0maybe most times they can be idolatry. \u00a0 But I turned it into a measuring stick and the proof was my attitude- I was RIGHT and could justify my position biblically but I lost my joy and I wasn\u2019t drawing people to Jesus.
If I am seeking Jesus first I can enjoy a game- but it doesn\u2019t own me.\u00a0 I can miss it and it isn\u2019t a big deal.\u00a0 If someone enjoys hockey now more than me I do not think I am better – and if they are lost I can tell them some spiritual truths related to hockey. \u00a0
If I just attack hockey I am pushing them away.\u00a0
Looking at the JW\u2019s and other cults it should become more clear. \u00a0
They are pretty much prefect in their rejection of holidays. \u00a0 They don\u2019t even think about compromising one bit- you won\u2019t find an Easter Ham hidden in their fridge or a Cadbury egg lurking in a drawer and you won\u2019t see any birthday cards in their mailbox. \u00a0\u00a0
So what??
They are millions of miles from the Kingdom of Heaven.\u00a0
When we do the same thing as Christians with Holidays or diets – we are putting WAY too much emphasis on things that what God doesn\u2019t truly emphasize like we do. \u00a0 \u00a0
I don\u2019t see a lot of LOVE of Jesus in people avoiding these holidays.\u00a0 And you know that by how they treat those that do observe them.
And be honest- am I even clear on how much I partake in any of these events? \u00a0 Do you even know if I am totally for or totally against any holiday or somewhere in between?\u00a0 Yet I get attacked just by standing up saying we shouldn\u2019t make it a focus.
Meaning we can make people think by keeping the law and NOT observing holidays that is the way to please God – and to be saved.
The law is only to reveal our need for salvation.
We cannot keep the law.
Ever told a lie?
Ever stole?
Ever looked with lust?
That is the LAW – and the more you try to keep the LAW the more you get mad at yourself for failing to keep it – and mad at OTHERS who are trying to free you- and if you do keep whatever part of it you think you need to to please God- you will look down at others and have a self righteous attitude.
Which is far more offensive to God than our sin.
We can repent of our sins- and our struggles show us our need for JESUS.
If you spent all your time and energy pointing out the wrong of Easter and didn\u2019t sit at Jesus feet and be able to IGNORE Easter and just be able to enjoy Jesus and be thankful and be in awe of the fact the Resurrection is reality even if it wasn\u2019t on this day –
You might have your priorities messed up.
God is NOT impressed by our works of righteousness.
The saved product FRUITS – and fruit is refreshing and sweet and NOT BITTER.
Are you producing more and more living FRUIT or is it more the prickly dried up artificial kind?
Am I making sense?
MJI- The ETVFC <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The idea of salvation is not meant to be confusing- \u00a0but \u201cwe\u201d complicate it big time.One way we do that is by EMPHASIZING following one particular command or practice and using it NOT only as a Geiger counter for our … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1197"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1199,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197\/revisions\/1199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/etvfc.org\/wp-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}