On my way to Mom's I was listening to Christian radio and the announcer used an illustration that resonnated with me.

He compared Salvation to the pardons issued by Pres. Clinton just before he left office. The pardons were questioned as bribes because some of the pardoned apparently offered monetary and other payment to Mr. Clinton. If he accepted, or it was offered to influence the pardon, then they were not pardons at all, but bribes.

Pardons are offered pro bono (something for nothing) with no expectations of anything in return whereas bribes are "quid pro quo," (something for something)

Salvation, like a pardon, is pro bono, something for nothing. If you offer God something in return it turns His free gift of salvation into a bribe and God is insulted.

He wants to GIVE us salvation for free, but I believe the gift of Love is so great that our desires change. We Want to follow Him. We want to keep his command and to love others as ourselves.

So we are free to do good things out of love for Him, but not required to as in payment for His Love (Salvation). There is nothing we can to do repay God for His Son or His Love.

I hope that's not too "religious." It just came to mind.
smile

[ July 18, 2005, 03:09 AM: Message edited by: smilinize ]