Salvation: Divine accomplishment or human achievement

[Jesse]

Personally I think every religion in the world can be separated into two categories: that we must work our way to God, or that God has come down to us. If it is believed that there is a great difference between mortal man and immortal God, then there must be some bridge between them. It seems to me that God is the one who has the responsibility to bridge that gap, since He's the only One who can.

[Sasha Pachev]

Jesse:

I think you left out the third possibility, which is the what the LDS church teaches. God provides a way for us to get to where He is with His help. There is no way in the world that we working by ourselves would be able to bridge that gap, but with His help this is possible. This is neither us climbing to Him, or He coming down to us, but rather He lifting us where He is at the rate that we would let Him.

Understanding this doctrine has some important consequences with respect to our life on earth;

* You believe that you are a being that the ability to eventually overcome all limits. Therefore, you are more willing to challenge the limits that appear unapproachable in this life though of course you realize that many limits cannot be overcome in this life - but you just cannot be sure which ones and that makes life fun. In the process you discover that some of those limits were actually achievable. At least speaking from personal experience, without this understanding my marathon PR would have been around 2:40.

* You believe that others eternally have much greater ability than what you see on the surface and are more willing to question if what they think is their limit is actually their true limit in this life. Even though you know their true eternal potential, you do not know how much of it they are going to reach in this life. But knowing that they are eternally unlimited helps you see them in a different light and help them progress. Very often they surprise themselves by achieving something they thought they could not.

[Jesse]

Sasha, I respect what you're saying. But this is just a disguise as salvation by works. It's like a wolf in sheep's clothing. What you're saying is exactly what all religions that believe you have to work your way to heaven say. I know that you believe in the atonement of Jesus, which opens up the way for you to obey the covenants and work your way to godhood yourself, that's just another religion by works. I can appreciate how one's perspective can be enhanced in working hard in this life. But there's a radical difference between Jesus providing the way so now you can work your way to heaven, and Jesus providing THE WAY to heaven.

Again, it comes down to Divine achievement or human accomplishment. What God has done for us or what we do for God. I believe the gap between an infinite God and finite man can only be bridged by God, and I trust in His Son to help me CROSS over to Him. Through the wonder and majesty and beauty and awesomeness of the CROSS I can come to God.

We are either trusting in God for salvation, or trusting in ourselves. There's no three ways about it.

[Jesse]

Would love to see some interaction on this.