Darkness to Light Home Page

Books and eBooks by the Director

A DREAM

By Gary F. Zeolla

Sky -cloudsOn a beautiful summer day, I was standing outside with another person. A trumpet started to sound. Looking up at the sky, we saw the end of a trumpet taking shape in the middle of a white cloud. At first I thought it was my brother playing his trumpet (he plays the trumpet in his church's worship band).

But as the sound became louder and louder and the trumpet grew larger and larger, I realized it couldn't be him! I then thought, "This must be it!" After several seconds I asked to myself, "Well, am I going or not?" At this point I was "raptured" up into a room high in the sky. In the room were six other people.

After a long wait, a lady came in and told us we had to do "something" (I can't remember what it was) in order to go up higher. After some hesitation, five people did the "work" we were told to do. But one woman and I refused. We both said, "You don't get to heaven by doing any kind of work but by trusting in the grace of God."

The five people who did the work were then escorted out of the room by the lady. As they disappeared out the door, we saw them going DOWN!

The woman and I waited an uncomfortably long period of time. I began thinking, "Maybe I should have done what we were told to do." But just then we were "raptured" to a room higher in the sky. I had the feeling we were right below heaven.

After a long wait, the same lady as before entered. She again told us we had to do "something" to proceed higher. We again refused, giving the same reason as before. The lady left the room. We waited and waited - and then I woke up.

I rarely remember my dreams and generally do not put much credence in them. But the above dream was very vivid. I could say much about this dream. But I am relating it here as I believe it illustrates an important Scriptural truth: SALVATION IS EITHER BY GRACE OR BY WORKS. A "grace plus works" salvation system is illogical.

You are either trusting in the grace of God for your salvation, or in your own works. The two cannot be combined. As Paul put it:

"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works;
otherwise grace is no longer grace.
But if it is of works, it is no longer grace;
otherwise works is no longer work"

(Rom 11:6; see also John 6:28,29; Rom 4:1-8; Gal 3:1-14).


Trusting Genesis and the Gospels
A Defense of Divine Creation, of the Resurrection of Christ, and of Salvation in Christ 

This book addresses three vital subjects in regards to the Christian faith

The above article originally appeared in Darkness to Light newsletter in 1994.
It was posted on this Web site in July 1996.

Forgiveness and Salvation

Text Search     Alphabetical List of Pages     Subject Index
General Information on Articles     Contact Information

Darkness to Light Home Page
www.dtl.org

Click Here for Books and eBooks by Gary F. Zeolla