I recieved an e-mail in 1999. Among many things, Ray wrote: "I believe Christ has to so completely live His life in me that I can lay no claim to any of it, where it is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me."

This is my reply to his e-mail:

I agree with you that a disclaimer should be posted for new Christians. Yes salvation is free... the price we pay is when we give our lives totally to Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete control over our lives.

I am sharing with you some scriptures in order to back me up, because I believe that if what we are teaching cannot be found in the Bible, and is not consistent, then it should not be taught.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galations 2:20)

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (Philippians 3:10)

To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved... For is is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-5; 8-10)

When we give our lives totally to Christ, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to remove all the rubbish... the nature of the flesh which is causing us to sin. We must put to death the fleshly nature, and be led by the Spirit. Striving to please God by doing good works is not going to get anybody to heaven. By allowing the Holy Spirit to take over, we are saying to our flesh "I don't want to be a part of you anymore. I want Christ to be living in me" This is the sacrifice - giving up our fleshly nature and allowing the Holy Spirit to take control.

Therefore I urge you brethren, in view of God's mercey, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this workd, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Do not be decieved: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what He sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galations 6:7-10)

Yes after becoming a Christian you WILL have to work for the rest of your life. But you don't have to strive to please God. Striving won't get you anywhere. Our walk with God must be in the Spirit, not in the flesh. The reason many people don't grow in their walk with God, is that they don't let Him take control. God needs to dominate our lives. We must have total dependancy on Jesus.

In the scripture above (Gal. 6:7-10) I believe Paul is not talking about working to please try and please God, instead I believe he is talking about work which comes naturally because of the Spirit of God at work in you.Yes you will have to work to do. But you don't need to strive. The Holy Spirit at work in you, will strengthen you and allow you to do what God wants you to be doing.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

With the power of God at work in our lives we can overcome the flesh. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is in us! When we recieve the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we recieve ALL we need. God is not stingy! He doesn't give us a small amount of His Spirit, and slowly add to it depending on what we do, or how 'good' we are. Many churches sing songs asking God to "Fill me up". But the truth is we are already filled - to overflowing! We just need to put it to use!

Pastor Dennis Ward (Onerahi CRF) likened the Holy Spirit at work in our lives to a house full of rooms, each room being a different area of our lives... If we have 100 rooms, but only open say, 60 doors in order to let the Holy Spirit work in us, then the Holy Spirit can only be working in 60% of our lives. We need to open all 100 doors in order for the Holy Spirit to be working 100%.

This is the work we need to be doing... allowing the Holy Spirit to work 100% in our lives.

You asked me if I belive Salvation is free... My answer to you is Yes! The gift of Salvation is just that - a free gift from a loving God. It is what we do with that gift - accepting it, sharing it with others, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives which will most definately cost us. but I believe it is worth it. I also beleive that new Christian do need to be told about the cost to them. But they also should be told about the great reward - if not in this life - that they recive eternal life with Christ Jesus.

Please let me know if you disagree with or want to add anything to what I have written. I am not a scholar, or philosopher or anything like that. I gave my life to the Lord when I was seven, but only in the last few years have I started truly to begin to understand what Christianity is all about, and to want to live for God. I am still finding things tough. I probably always will. But I do know that God is my strength. I cannot strive to please Him. I must learn to entrust every situation to God... But faith without works is dead, therefore I must also learn that there are things I can do in order for God to be able to work in and through me.

The things you read I have learned in Church (Jim Howard, Gary Adams and Pastor Dennis Ward), or have heard from various teachers (Chuck Missler, Charles Stanley, Dick Reuben and Joyce meyer) and what I have learned through reading my Bible.

I do hope all I have written here makes sense... :o)

Thank you for taking the time to write to me, and to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you again.

In His name,

Jenny