Chantry's Explanation to me of Gal 3:3

Ok, my brother sent this to me when I wanted to know why his FB status was Gal 3:3. I read it and was curious why that scripture. So he sent me this. I read it and was like WOW, I totally understand. Bro. Pixler has kind of been teaching this and I just wasn't getting it, kind of but not totally. It just clicked when I read this so I ran in the kitchen and read it to Stephanie and she was like WOW, answered some questions she had. So I asked if he minded if I put it on my blog and he said go ahead. So here it is. Maybe it will help someone else.

Ok, rather than try to make something make sense in short form I decided to message you.

We were discussing because of some other issues the method and determination of our salvation. Galatians makes it clear that our salvation is in nothing other than the faith of Jesus Christ. The fact that Christ died for us is too often quoted as "Christ *died* for us" but in fact should be quoted as "Christ died *for* us." The wages of sin is death, we owed the payment and Christs death wasn't just to give us the possibility, but he paid the bill in essence. He died so we dont' have to. Our salvation is guaranteed unless we turn away from Christ because his bank account covered our bill. Once the bill was paid its no longer owed. It didn't cover our specific sins as much as it covers the fact that we are sinners from birth.

Galatians 3:3 is where paul asks the question: If Christ's death and the Holy Spirit are responsible for the beginning of our salvation, who are we to think that anything we do affects it either positively or negatively short of turning away from Christ. We are assured salvation regardless and like a marriage, our failures aren't about divorce from Christ but about our relationship with Him.

For example, I don't take out the trash because Tiffany would divorce me if I didn't. I take the trash out because I value our relationship and want to please her. Likewise she doesn't cook meals to keep me from leaving, she does it because she wants to please me.

A person who turns away from Christ does so because they have had a lack of concern about the relationship until it has gone so far that they no longer care about their "lover" Christ. He doesn't turn away, they do.

So in essence, we live holy because we want to please Him, not because thats what saves us. We are not in fact lost because of what we don't do. I could possibly smoke a cigarette without being lost, but since I understand that it would be damaging my body in disregard to scripture then it would signify a serious relationship issue between myself and Christ and indicate that I was headed away from Christ not towards Him.

Likewise however, if I stopped wearing any color but black, covered my face and only listened to the McGruders I wouldn't be any more saved and in fact if I feel like that is assisting my salvation then I am again headed away from Christ saying that I can do it myself. Our life is about relationship with Christ not about saved or not saved. To say that we are trying our best and have recieved the Holy Ghost but aren't sure we are saved is basically saying that we're not sure that Christ was good enough to cover our sins and we think His "check" might bounce.

Basically the happiest and ideal place for a christian is to say that I am no longer the master of my own ship. I've turned it over to Christ, I take no thought to my salvation other than my relationship to Christ and if I'm on the wrong path then He will direct me. Then if I suceed its Christ, if I fail its Christ.

Does that make any sense and did I ramble too much? :-) That may have been more than you were asking for. lol