Are You A “Fill-In-The-Blank” Christian?

I’ve been reading in the book of Acts this week…

Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the [Gentile] believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

– – –

[In Jerusalem, Peter said] “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

– Acts 15:1, 11 NIV

I think sometimes today’s Christians say or think much the same as the Christians from Judea:

“Unless you _____________, you cannot be saved.”

We forget that it is by grace that we are saved, through faith—not by works or any preexisting or “changed” condition (Eph. 2:8-9).  We impose “fill-in-the-blank” requirements for salvation, forgetting that Christ died for sinners – not the “saintly” (Rom. 5:8.)

Of course, once we have relationship with Jesus, then we must address the sin in our lives…continually (Romans, Galatians, I John, etc.)

So thankful God doesn’t require that
the way of Salvation be flipped…

…none would be saved, especially me.

Training Journal – 12/18/11:

• Current plan: 10K Training (week 1 in the bag!  Mileage: 21.42)
  
• Today’s session: Long Run – 8 mi
  
• Comments: Nice run.  Clear and crisp morning…peaceful outside.  Pacing plan was 11:28…I simply find it hard to run that slow.  Pacing was an average 9:56 using a 4:00/:30 run/walk, Galloway ratio.  I tried GU Chomps this morning and they were actually pretty good.