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This is http://www.essayz.com/a9005094.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %SALVATION FAITH WORKS WORKAHOLIC ADDICT BELIEFS 900509 There has been much debate regarding the relative merits of salvation by faith and salvation by works. In the debate it has usually been taken for granted that there was some fundamental defect in those who were to be saved by works and/or faith; an original sin which had to be fixed or compensated for in some way; e.g., good works and/or good beliefs/faith. Perhaps salvation has to do with transcending the compulsive preoccupation with finding a technique, procedure, fix, etc. by which to compensate for a fundamental personal defect in the person to be saved. Perhaps God does not regard people as fundamentally defective; either before or after the events in the Garden of Eden where the forbidden knowledge of good and evil became known through disobedience. The story of the fall describes the consequences of believing that some of us are fundamentally defective and in need of fixing through some efforts (faith, works, belief). Fallen people believe that they can know who is defective and who is not as defective; by use of their knowledge of good and evil. If fallen people are defective the defect may lie in their belief that they can know who is defective. The fall is embodied in the mis-belief that we can know who is defective and who is not. The fall is not an historical event. It is present reflexive knowledge which confirms itself without reference to external historical reality. Belief in the fallen state of persons is profitable to people who are in the business of appearing to provide fixes for fallen people. False prophets do not reveal that salvation is offered in the truth that God does not expect us to fix our defects, or to get them fixed by others in order to win Her Love and Acceptance. Such a revelation would dry up the market for their profitable false teachings. True prophets reveal that God does not expect us to fix our defects or get them fixed by others in order to win his love and acceptance, or in order to win each other's love and acceptance. God does not expect us to reject each other because of our presumed defects; defects such as our failures to be good and/or the imperfections by which we are regarded as evil. The Gospel has to do with the truth that salvation is at hand in the reflexive realization that fixing defects and/or compensating for defects is not the way to salvation. Addicts turn the Gospel into a context for the development of addictive technologies by which to appear to fix what needs fixing. Some people focus upon work technologies, others focus upon belief technologies, yet others on faith technologies. Addicts try to gain control through the use of some manipulative technology which may revolve around: alcohol, drugs, work, sex, money, chance, belief, faith, works, rituals, scholarship, knowledge, etc. Salvation pertains to recovery from such addictions; not to the choice of the focus for a proper addiction. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================