Dallas Willard - Being Saved: What is it Like?

NOTES: dwillard.s3.us-west-1.amazona...
Is "being saved" just being forgiven and getting a ticket to heaven? No, salvation is now and Christ is alive here on earth to transform our lives. Dallas offers very practical insights into how you can grow in the goodness of God. How you can become what the world needs, a good person.
This is from a Westmont chapel service in 2011 originally titled, "Spiritual Formation & Theology."
Dallas expands greatly on what it's like to live here and now in the Kingdom of God in his book, The Divine Conspiracy. Visit our website to learn more: dwillard.org/books/divine-con...
#DallasWillard #SpiritualFormation #Theology #KingdomOfGod #WillardWednesday

[@JunebugsMamaTX]

About a decade ago when we decided to homeschool using a classical Christian pedagogy, I had asked God to help me to understand the phrase of seeking “truth, beauty & goodness” that is so commonly said among those trying to return to this educational model. God answered by bringing this specific video from Westmont to my attention. I’ve shared it innumerable times in my sphere since then, and praise God for His servant, Dallas Willard, and his unique way of sharing clear thinking in the confusion of our day!!! If you bother to take an honest look at anything Dallas had to say about our Lord Jesus, then you might conclude what an incredible, loving encouragement his teaching brings in repositioning Jesus as King over it all! 😍❤️👍🏻

[@michaelbrickley2443]

Amen

[@no42arak-st-floor44]

No doubt he was a true gift from the Devine!💯💯💯

[@tdiddle8950]

I love your zeal. What a wondrous world we would live in if everyone was as thoughtful as you are about how their everyday life has spiritual ramifications.

[@dacoolfruit]

Can listen over and over, truth never gets old!

[@benreed3517]

So grateful for the concrete practical guidance! Praise the Lord for this mentor who has passed on to heaven.

[@no42arak-st-floor44]

Thank you teacher ! May your soul 🙏 rest in peace!💯💯💯

[@danjustthinking1188]

Love love and love. What the world needs so very badly….a vision and reality of beauty, truth and goodness.

[@georgiamarysampsonkok8572]

In the pursuit of redeeming one's life, the starting point for progress is being thankful or grateful for the opportunities. Through this expression of gratitude, doors open to personal growth, self-awareness, and spiritual enlightenment and salvation that God has given us, that is the greatest life that we need to redeem. ❤❤🌹🌹

[@eliacuomo490]

Dallas and St. Ignatius of Loyola are my mentors and guides to lead a life full of goodness and desire to know Jesus more, follow Him more closely and love Him more dearly

[@wmalgal]

How can I be a Christian like Dallas?

[@viennehaake9149]

Saved from what? Indeed.

[@timsmith3377]

This sounds familiar. Was this speech added to one of his books? Maybe "The Great Omission?" I've heard so much of his stuff that it's all running together 🙂

[@michaelbrickley2443]

As a person who speaks to a lot of people about Jesus, I can honestly admit that certain stories and “lines” of truth are often repeated. I’m sure Dallas repeated himself often as well. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you were right. You may find an equal but you won’t find a better teacher. Shalom Aleichem

[@donaz4050]

I've watched and listened to dozens, if not hundreds, of Dallas Willard talks, and there are themes that run through them all, with some themes very common. The most common was the Kingdom of God, which is the heart of the Gospel and thus the heart of Dr. Willard's talks.

[@andrewmeneely9774]

Reverse that after the books 📚 most of these speeches refer too his books.. NOT all content does though. AWESOME DISCIPLE MADE ( still making ) DISCIPLES. ♥ FOR JESUS AND HIS KINGDOM. Also, yes the KINGDOM OF GOD IS A REPEATED THEME ( others also ) like spiritual FORMATION . ❤😅

[@awakened514]

Are there any New Testament scholars who can support his reading of the word wrath in Romans five as stated near the beginning of this talk?

[@donaz4050]

I provided a more lengthy response to this, but for some reason my comment disappeared. I'm no NT scholar, but here's my view of this ... Dr. Willard is correct in his comment that the "of God" insertion into translations is not present in the original Greek. The King James does not have it; the NIV and ESV do; the Berean Study Bible (BSB) does not. The original Greek word translated "wrath" is "orgé," which seems to carry the idea of a settled and steadfast inclination. Dr. Willard's reading is not, I believe, on so solid a ground that it can't be challenged. But I also don't think he meant it that way. (He very often would say, "I could be wrong, and I invite you to tell me if I am." So he was open to exploration of his viewpoint.) To my ear, it seems he's offering an additional viewpoint to consider. He often did this: he'd make a challenging statement to break people out of embedded patterns of thinking. Also, he seemed to be very interested in moving people away from the idea of God being mostly an angry and vengeful God. On many occasions he stressed the goodness of God as being a more beneficial way to view things. In thinking about this, my mind goes to other things Paul wrote about the war between "the flesh" and "the spirit." My sense is the message is "the flesh" is in a settled and steadfast posture of opposition to the things of God, which is why Paul (and others) speak of mortifying, or subduing, the flesh. Jesus's statement about losing one's life to find it fits in with this. The picture is painted of "the flesh" consuming the person if allowed to flourish unchecked. This could be the "wrath" Dr. Willard is referring to here. It aligns with his broader theme of transformation. In summary, I do not believe Dr. Willard is ruling out the possibility of God possessing wrath; I think here he's looking to jolt people a bit to get them to think more broadly, and to focus on whole-life redemption and not simply the forgiveness of sins view that's common.

[@donaz4050]

In my earlier comment that was removed for some reason, I commented on how Dr. Willard is often misunderstood at a logical level. He would often present an argument like this: "Not *just* X, but also Y, which *includes* X." He's doing that in this talk: "Salvation is not *just* forgiveness of sins; it *includes* that, but it's more than *just* that." I think he's doing that with the word wrath in Romans 5:9: "The wrath is not *just* of God, but also from other sources, possibly from yourself." Here he does not make so clear the " not *just* " element. The trouble is, people often take his argument as: "Not X, but Y." In other words, they hear an argument that rejects X and substitutes Y. Dr. Willard is not saying that, but based on criticisms I've seen, that's the breakdown in understanding that takes place. I'm not saying you are doing this ... I'm offering an observation of what I've seen in the critical comments and commentary I've read in other places.

[@beckyheatley]

@@donaz4050 I see a long and helpful reply from you above. Did you also post another comment that was removed? Thanks for your input!

[@donaz4050]

Hi Becky! After I saw my comment had disappeared, I re-wrote it but in slightly shorter format. The reason the first was removed, I think, was because I had a link in it formed when I spelled out the host name for Biblehub, including the dot and the org. Reading around, it appears Google will move to moderation any post with a link. That's why it disappeared. If you see it in some "held for moderation" folder, you can delete it. BTW, I'm the same "Don" working with James on transcribing other talks. That's been fun! 🙂

[@beckyheatley]

@@donaz4050 Thanks for the lesson on the workings of KZbin, Don. The leader of our KZbin team is on a mission trip, so I appreciate the tip! And thanks for being on our transcription team. I'm really excited about that project. Bless you!

[@uiPublic]

Redeeming soul's Reprograms stuff likes AI & T unfortunately for Personal users front ends an impossibility unless Players stop selling indulgences again?!

[@uiPublic]

Purgatory and Salvation for strays unlike Cattle or dogs aren't What's talking here...

[@uiPublic]

A few Big bosses hire Offshore their wealth funds safekeeping.

[@tdiddle8950]

From a theological, religious, philosophical, ideological standpoint, I don't agree with this guy at all. But I love his zeal. I don't need to agree with someone about their spiritual precepts...I just admonish all that they should delve into spirituality. It's everything at the end of the day.

[@jannawalters232]

Not if their doctrine is false!

[@tdiddle8950]

@@jannawalters232 And who decides if a doctrine is false? With Christianity alone, there are 14,000 denominations/sects within which there are a dizzying array of beliefs. Each sect claims that their doctrine is the single correct system of beliefs. Just within Christianity, often Pentacostals don't believe those who aren't baptized by the Holy Spirit are going to hell, and likewise some (or more) Holiness believe anyone not completely sanctified is going to hell. Beliefs can become much wackier than even this. Even within these sects, individuals all have their own beliefs, each person thinking they are right. This same process occurs throught the world and history...but of course, whoever is speaking is the right one. In effect, each person (who is a fundamental believer) thinks they, and those in their close circle, are going to heaven and everyone else is going to hell. This is group psycho-dynamics, not spirituality.

[@tdiddle8950]

Responding to what you said...it surely would be extraordinary if Christians really took it to heart that Jesus commanded to love your neighbor as yourself. Just consider...for a moment...what the world would be like if everyone went by only two dictums straight from Jesus' mouth: Love thy neighbor as thyself. And...Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

[@michaelbrickley2443]

You’re speaking to one of the few who point out to people that Jesus first great commandments were about love and the judging part was regarding brethren as in church family, blood family and always with the look at yourself first admonition. Shalom Aleichem

[@damienmulder909]

Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus is not talking to you. Jesus preaches Judiasm while alive. Learn how to rightly divide.

[@tdiddle8950]

@@damienmulder909 Of course Jesus isn't speaking to me. I'm unclean, sacrosanct, and generally unworthy. Jesus is only going to speak to those who're worthy of His time, right? Why reach out to unbelievers? Why, as an ultimate god, show yourself to people that you expect to obey you? Blind obedience is the mark of a pure soul, right?

[@damienmulder909]

@@tdiddle8950 No, kid, Jesus' earthly ministry is Jewish. I don't know what you're babbling about but everything before Jesus' death is Old Testament. Spend less time pretending to be sarcastic or witty, instead learn how to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

[@michaelbrickley2443]

@@damienmulder909 the Chosen had to reject and they did. Read in context