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NASB | Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace [God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; |
Bible Question: At 18 I accepted Christ as my Savior. I am now 31 in the time in between I have been in and out of churches. I do not have a church home. I love Christian music, I read the daily bread almost everyday, I know who Christ is and believe in him. I do not have a so called "personal relationship" with him that I hear so much about. Does this mean I will not go to heaven? |
Bible Answer: The modern phrase of a "personal relationship" is not a biblical phrase. It most likely was a phrase coined as a check point to modern Christians to be certian that they aren't trusting an eclessiastical hierarchy for the authority of their salvation. They must personally trust a very personal God for their salvation. We are all culpable before a holy God for our sin. God alone saves, we don't earn it even with a "personal relationship". I think the term lacks a lot, and it does just the opposite of what it probably attempts to do. It likely discourages many people by wondering if their experience is adequate to salvation. It would be better if we didn't popularize such phrases in modern christianity. Instead, it is quite a lot better if we clearly defined God as the all powerful being who is a person. He is a person, the Holy Spirit is a person and Jesus is a person -- none are impersonal. Our modern catch phrases often are discouraging to us when they cause us to wonder if our experience is as good as someone else's. Salvation is not about comparison, only about God's great work done in the person of Jesus Christ on the cross for you. All who believe on Him will be saved! |