I have tried to post a lengthy response a few times now, and for one reason other another Techinical glitch or devine intervention I can't. So I will try and condense everything.
I agree with everything you said, but here is where we differ.
We/Christians are to be 'pieous' not as a means of earning salvation, but as an expression of our all in love we are to have for God. I know you maybe thinking 6 of one 1/2 a dozen of another, but the 'pieous' acts in of themselves hold no value to God. That is the underlining principle of the parable of the Wise and foolish builders. The "houses" both men built are the pieous/Good deeds. On the outside both where identical. Meaning a righteous man and a condemned man can do the exact same thing, and one be rewarded for his deeds and another condemned for doing the exact same thing. where we stand or fall before the Lord is on the Foundation in which we build our deeds. If we build on a foundation of Love, then we will be able to weather any storm.
Again I do not disagree on the what, it is the why that makes or breaks our efforts.
I agree with everything you said, but here is where we differ.
We/Christians are to be 'pieous' not as a means of earning salvation, but as an expression of our all in love we are to have for God. I know you maybe thinking 6 of one 1/2 a dozen of another, but the 'pieous' acts in of themselves hold no value to God. That is the underlining principle of the parable of the Wise and foolish builders. The "houses" both men built are the pieous/Good deeds. On the outside both where identical. Meaning a righteous man and a condemned man can do the exact same thing, and one be rewarded for his deeds and another condemned for doing the exact same thing. where we stand or fall before the Lord is on the Foundation in which we build our deeds. If we build on a foundation of Love, then we will be able to weather any storm.
Again I do not disagree on the what, it is the why that makes or breaks our efforts.
