Posted on 02/19/2015 4:20:17 PM PST by RnMomof7
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
[LearsFool]”The marching was faith in action.
That’s a good answer! Without the obedient action, where’s the faith? It’s as dead as a corpse. “Can that faith save?” According to James, no.
Those who want to separate our faith from our works are trying to kill our faith.
They would’ve told Naaman he didn’t need to dip seven times in the Jordan, because God can heal people without water. If he had listened to them, he would’ve remained a leper.
They would’ve told Noah he didn’t need to build an ark, because God can save people without boats. If he had listened to them, he and his family would’ve perished in the flood.
They would’ve told Abraham not to offer Isaac for a sacrifice to God, because God doesn’t need human sacrifice.
They would’ve told Rahab not to hide the spies, because God could keep them safe from harm without her help, and anything she did would be trying to earn her way into the promises to Israel.
They would’ve told Moses’ parents to go ahead and have him put to death, because God promised to deliver Israel from bondage and didn’t need their help, and because anything they might do would be a denial of God’s power to save.
They will tell us not to kill the old slave man in baptism and be raised from the water a new free man, because God’s already done everything, and any obedience we might render would be earning our salvation. And those who listen to them and ignore God are still in bondage to sin and don’t even know it.”
Your post is so good I’m going to re-post it. Yes, we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. However, we have to qualify for that grace by following God’s commandments. That’s the eternal law governing salvation given by God the Father and repeated by Jesus Himself.
We will be judged on our works. Those are Jesus’ own words.
Absolutely CynicalBear! And God never lies.
You bet’cha....what better way to attack the church than from within.
**No more blindness for me.**
It’s great that God’s been leading you, but do you see this?....
“..Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
Is it from heaven, or of men?
Not true, or do you not think that God can save and redeem?
If He can, then surely He wouldn’t be able to lose those He’s saved.
If He cannot, and it’s upon us (granted choice is, but not keeping or even drawing us unto salvation..that is by God alone), then the Gospel isn’t sure, and is false.
But it’s not false, and we can know we have Jesus!
Ever drift away from God's presence? Just kinda doin what’cha want, when ya want with lil regard to Abba?
Ever feel the strong tug to return to Him? While on the temporal band wagon, have ya ever felt empty, wayward at the end of the day, at bedtime?
This is the spirit of the Almighty calling you back. Once you become a child of the Most High, he will never allow you to drift too far. He will leave the flock to come find’jah.
Not pompous and unbiblical.
It only seems pompous for those depending on their good works.
For those depending on the finished work of Christ on the cross, it's a matter of trust and assurance.
Here's Biblical support for it.
Security of the believer
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 10:25-30 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”
1 Corinthians 1:4-8 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
2 Corinthians 5:4-8 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 2:13-14 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3156607/posts?page=313#313
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
For which the Greek, from the Byzantine, is:
2Corinthians 1:21-22 ο δε βεβαιων ημας συν υμιν εις χριστον και χρισας ημας θεος ο και σφραγισαμενος ημας και δους τον αρραβωνα του πνευματος εν ταις καρδιαις ημων
The first word in bold above is “bebaion,” the idea of confirmation, frequently used in commercial settings to confirm a bargain. Which of course makes sense of the remaining terms used here, which are also elements of a secured contract.
The second word in bold above is “sphragisamenos,” being sealed is to be marked by the signature, signet ring, or other unique proof of identity, that we belong to God, and this sealing is done by God, who is the one taking action in this verse. We do not and cannot seal ourselves. We do not, by our own powers, have access to God’s “signet ring.”
The third bolded word above is “arrabona,” and indicates what we might loosely refer to as earnest money, but in Hebrew culture conveys more the idea of a pledge of covenant, a security given as a guarantee that the deal will go through, though we only receive part payment at the beginning. See ערב for the related Hebrew stem indicating “pledge.”
Yep.
1 Peter 1:23 -
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
**Galatians 2:21: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”**
You do realize the context, I hope...
Paul is writing “unto the churches of Galatia” (1:2), or anyone displaying their situation: Having been born again (obedience to Acts 2:38; it IS from heaven, and not of men.) some chose to continue in the works of the Law, which was done away with by the Lord.
Thank you. :-)
You’re absolutely right. God expects obedient faith, faith that is alive and not dead.
We need only re-read and recall the events in the lives of Samson, Daniel, Moses, Rahab, Joshua, Abraham, Noah, and all the others in Hebrews 11, to see what faith looks like when it’s alive.
Those who don’t understand that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which results from faith and belief on Christ is what causes the deeds will always focus on the works rather than the faith.
Amen and Amen!
The Lord led me out of a works based cult, to glorious faith in Christ. I repented and was both water baptized and baptised in the Holy Spirit. Life is grand. I wish everyone would experience it.
Oh, my focus is not on “works rather than faith,” as you suggest.
No, I’m sure anyone reading my posts will see the focus is on:
- Faith that’s alive, as contrasted with faith that’s dead.
- Faith that’s fruitful, as contrasted with faith that’s barren.
- Faith that the disciples of Christ have, as contrasted with faith that the devils have.
- Faith that works, as contrasted with faith that doesn’t.
Faith that doesn’t produce fruit isn’t faith in Christ anyway so what’s the deal? I don’t have to focus on the fruits if I focus on the faith. Let the Holy Spirit handle the “works”. I teach faith. Those who teach works end up with works and no faith. Mother Teresa would have been a good example of works with no faith. She said that whatever god you served was good enough but she sure did have works.
There is no doctrine of apostolic succession in the scriptures
Paul laid hands on Titus, Titus lays hands on elders in Crete, these elders lay hands on other men........been happening to close to 2,000 years now. an unbroken chain in Christ’s CHURCH or what we call apostolic succession.
hmm, didn’t think I was breaking any rules, but then I don’t make or interpret the rules.
I am all for the recent spate of threads attacking the historical, orthodox Faith by supposedly quoting the Catholic Church Fathers. I say keep them coming, because I think a sincere seeker of truth will be inspired to actually read the Fathers for themselves and then compare the 16th century tradition of men that so many on this site follow to what Christians have believed and taught for 2,000 years. Keep em coming.......
The answer to both of those is faith. They could have walked for a month or more and nothing would have happened without faith. People can work their whole lives but without faith they are going to hell. I’ll preach the faith and let the Holy Spirit inspire the works.
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