Grace (and/or) Belief/Faith (and/or) Works?

[POI]

Seems there exists an unresolved topic amongst Christians... Seems as though the way to salvation is not unified among the many in which I engage. I'd wager they all have a case to support their position(s).?.?

For debate: How does one get to Heaven? What is God's criteria for His selection process? Is it by grace alone, belief/faith alone, works alone; or it is a combination of the three? Or is it maybe other? Please, not only present your case, but please also explain why the other asserted methods are incorrect.

[1213]

If I have to confess my sins, then forgiveness is not freely given.

If I give you something without you doing anything, that's freely given. No theocratic gymnastcs'll get around that.

So, if I give you a gift, it is not freely given, if you must receive it with your hands?

You don't have to confess. But, if you accept the forgiveness, then you also confess you had sin, why else would you accept it?

[JoeyKnothead]

If I have to confess my sins, then forgiveness is not freely given.

If I give you something without you doing anything, that's freely given. No theocratic gymnastcs'll get around that.

So, if I give you a gift, it is not freely given, if you must receive it with your hands?

Does God wrap his forgiveness in a gift box?

You don't have to confess. But, if you accept the forgiveness, then you also confess you had sin, why else would you accept it?

Either way ya wanna slice this, it's still requiring me to act.

[POI]

Why didn't you answer to my question?

I did. You are cherry picking. The Bible says a lot of things, in regards to salvation.

Now maybe you can address my response:

You could have the highest intent, and believe in YHWH. But, you are still going to continue to commit 'sin' against Him, no matter what. So like I asked you before, unanswered.... "Impure thoughts", which you cannot control, are still offenses to YHWH:

1) Unless you wish to now argue that once you believe, and have faith, you will no longer have ANY 'impure thoughts'?
2) Or maybe God looks the other way, now that you are deemed 'righteous' or 'saved'?

Is a 'sex dream' no longer a 'sex dream', if you are deemed "righteous", for example?

Maybe you now wish to select option B)?

[1213]

...But, you are still going to continue to commit 'sin' against Him, no matter what. ...

Why do you think so?

[1213]

...
Either way ya wanna slice this, it's still requiring me to act.

Sorry, I disagree with that. If you act (play), it is not useful in any way. If you think you have sin and think you have done something wrong, you voluntarily say you are sorry then the forgiveness that is offered can be useful.

[POI]

...But, you are still going to continue to commit 'sin' against Him, no matter what. ...

Why do you think so?

Are you "sinless" now? No.

Do you continue to ask for forgiveness? Yes.

Hence, you are a sinner, up until your last earthly breath....

Is there such thing as a sinless lie? Is there such thing as a sinless sex dream? Etc etc etc....

So do you now change your answer to B), and then wrestle with those issues? Or, do you continue to double down on your current position, which is still riddled with flaws? It's up to you

[JoeyKnothead]

...
Either way ya wanna slice this, it's still requiring me to act.

Sorry, I disagree with that. If you act (play), it is not useful in any way. If you think you have sin and think you have done something wrong, you voluntarily say you are sorry then the forgiveness that is offered can be useful.

Now you're shifting from forgiveness being "freely given" to being "useful".

Something must be given freely if it's to be freely given, or it ain't freely given. It's utility is beside the point.

I struggle to see how that's a controversial notion.

Notice here you put the act of my request before the act of forgiveness. My having to act first before ("then") there's forgiveness means the forgiveness is contingent, not free.

[1213]

...
Either way ya wanna slice this, it's still requiring me to act.

Sorry, I disagree with that. If you act (play), it is not useful in any way. If you think you have sin and think you have done something wrong, you voluntarily say you are sorry then the forgiveness that is offered can be useful.

Now you're shifting from forgiveness being "freely given" to being "useful".
...

If I would give you a new car as a gift, but you would reject it and not use it, it would not be useful for you. It still would be a free gift, just not useful. Same is with forgiveness, it is a free gift, but if you don't accept it, it is not useful.

[1213]

...But, you are still going to continue to commit 'sin' against Him, no matter what. ...

Why do you think so?

Are you "sinless" now? No.

Do you continue to ask for forgiveness? Yes.

Hence, you are a sinner, up until your last earthly breath....

Is there such thing as a sinless lie? Is there such thing as a sinless sex dream? Etc etc etc....

So do you now change your answer to B), and then wrestle with those issues? Or, do you continue to double down on your current position, which is still riddled with flaws? It's up to you

Why do you think I lie and have sinful sex dreams? Are you projecting yourself to others here?

I don't change my answer, because I think it is still what the Bible tells. Eternal live is a gift for righteous. If I am not righteous, then I don't get the gift. And it is ok to me. If I am not righteous, then it is better if I don't get the gift.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever is born of God doesn't commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can't sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn't love his brother.
1 John 3:7-10

[POI]

Why do you think I lie and have sinful sex dreams? Are you projecting yourself to others here?

Do you remember all your dreams? NO. You do not.

"Sex dreams made up about 8 percent of all reported dreams — over 3,500 — in a study by Antonio Zadra, PhD, of the University of Montreal.Jul 27, 2021" <-- I guess they only studied deviants

Maybe you just do not remember any of them. BUT THE BIGGER POINT, is that you cannot control WHAT you dream. Some of your dreams would fall into the realm of 'sin'. And a righteous person would NOT "sin", right?

I don't change my answer, because I think it is still what the Bible tells. Eternal live is a gift for righteous. If I am not righteous, then I don't get the gift. And it is ok to me. If I am not righteous, then it is better if I don't get the gift.

Okay, don't change your answer. However, you are still cherry picking. Here are some simple conclusions we can now both answer together:

1. What happens to stillborn babies? They are not saved because they cannot achieve righteousness. Why? They are born in sin and had no chance to redeem themselves. And if you wish to argue they get some sort of a free pass, then being deemed RIGHTEOUS is not THE answer for how one is to achieve salvation.
2. I guess NO Catholics are going to Heaven. They believe they must continue to confess their sins, until they die. And you already stated a righteous person will not sin. Thus, are Catholics mistaken?
3. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" --- Mark 16:16. Belief and baptism alone = salvation here. Why can I not just cherry pick this verse alone? This verse gives me THE instructions too. And none of this instruction requires being righteous. Under your definition of righteousness, you will not sin. Which means you will somehow never have a sex dream again?.?.?.?.?

I'll stop here. You have enough on your plate with these (3) findings alone....