Posted on 11/21/2013 11:02:12 AM PST by redleghunter
Paul calls for an examination in another passage and I want you to notice this. It's the last chapter of II Corinthians, Chapter 13, and verse 5, I want you to note what it says, Il Corinthians 13:5, just the first sentence, "'Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; (prove it, is what he's saying) prove yourselves." You say to someone "are you a Christian?" 'Yes.' What do you base that on? 'Well so many years ago I made a decision.' That means nothing. The Bible never verifies anybodies salvation on the basis of the past, It's always on the basis of the present, And if you don't have the evident proof of real salvation in your life now, there's a very real possibility you're not a Christian at all, no matter what happened in the past. So examine yourself, to se whether you are in the faith prove yourself. You say John' how do do that? How do I know if I'm really a Christian? I believe! (Maybe you've even been baptized.) I go to church, I, think I'm a Christian.' Look with me Matthew Chapter 5 and let's find out. When Jesus had arrived on the scene, the Jews had already decided what right-living was all about. They had already built their own code. They had already developed their own system, and they had it pretty cu and dried and pretty well laid out that this is what it was to be holy, and it was all external, it was all self-righteousness and works, and Jesus came and shattered that thing and He said I want to give you a new standard for living.
(Excerpt) Read more at gty.org ...
I will say Spurgeon gave quite the same types of sermons. He was very direct.
I want to thank all who responded and commented.
God Bless!
I have FINALLY figured out what has been bugging me about this.
We are to exam ourselves to find out if we are in *the faith*, as if faith is something to be in.
Catholics use the term *the faith* as a synonym for Catholicism. Others use it in terms of religion, as in a denomination.
It’s not my being in *the faith* that saves me. I’m not saved because I’m in *the faith*, I’m saved because I’m in Jesus.
It’s Jesus who saves me THROUGH the mechanism of faith. *The faith* is not a thing.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
So, I am not going to see if I’m in *the faith* because being a religious system does not do anything for me.
bump
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20).
It is the faith OF CHRIST that sustains my life now. He is IN ME and I am IN HIM. That is why I can have assurance, salvation, redemption, sanctification, justification, and a heavenly hope. If I were depending on my faith, it would most certainly have to be examined. There is a big difference. One will free you, the other makes you a slave to your own abilities.
I was sitting out front of a little eatery the other night, here in Davao City, Philippines. Most of the people there were Roman Catholic. Most of them were pedicab drivers and were now relaxing and drinking Tanduay Rum. I got into a discussion with one young man, visiting from the mountains nearby, and discovered when I quoted Scripture, he would name the chapter and verse. Upon query, I found he was Protestant and came from a church which teaches well.
As we talked, the drivers began asking questions and showing interest in the conversation. We didn't convert any that evening but I saw some seed was sown!
As for this thread, only one Scripture comes to mind that directly answers all...
Romans 7: 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Excellent commentary on Hebrews.
Much of that book has given a lot of people a lot of trouble and I’ve heard many pastors try to explain it who didn’t do such a good job.
I agree! I also was rather bothered by the term and the whole attitude of the piece. But you are correct.
“Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”
He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.” [John 6: 49-71]
I know a guy who’s a Christan and a used car dealer.
Kinda sounds like an oxymoron, but the guy is really on fire for the Lord and he reaches a lot of unsuspecting people who think they’re going into his office just to buy a car.
He reaches people who would never darken the door of a church. But everyone needs a car to drive. And he’s not threatening as talking to a pastor would be. People freeze up around pastors and try to impress them but everyone can feel better about themselves than a used car dealer.
There’s something about a relaxed atmosphere that does wonders for sharing the gospel.
I don’t drink. I don’t see how people getting stoned drunk can be Christians any more than telling me your best witnessing happened in whorehouses... Handing them Bibles on your way out.
It would come across better if he said to examine ourselves to see if we’re trusting Christ.
Now, I know that he is quoting the Scripture verse and it does say that, but considering that these says being in *the faith* equates more to being in a religious system or something we can put ourselves in to, there would be better ways of expressing it.
Exactly. It is Christ’s work in me not my work.
>>One will free you, the other makes you a slave to your own abilities<<
Well put. It would also tend to be cause for boosting if it was something we did.
I heard that clip form Graham and thought he nailed it. What a humble man of God he is.
I will say since we deal with the “purgatory posse” here on FR daily, we sometimes take sermons as this one as promoting a works based or works mixed salvation.
I never got that impression from JMac’s sermons both Part 1 and Part 2.
I will note we all quote Paul’s epistles quite often on the RF because of the audience we debate. If we examine the epistles of John, we see quite penetrating language on “if” and “then.” Like “if you love Him, then you will obey Him.”
I read and study John’s epistles often. I don’t think he preached a faith+works salvation either. I think those epistles with Peter’s and James epistles are important to examine our walk with Jesus Christ. It is a marriage after all. We who are married love our spouse and we prove it too by our actions.
I didn’t read what WVK related as saying that anyone who claimed to be a Christian was getting stoned drunk.
Now, I would agree with you on your post, but since he didn’t relate as to anyone being drunk, as much as drinking, I don’t think there’s really anything to object to.
I agree. Focusing in what WE do always leads to some sort of legalism.
Thanks great story, and scripture.
Whoa! Where did that “getting stoned drunk” comment come from? I didn’t get any “stoned drunk” from his comments.
Yes indeed he did get into good detail with those passages that are usually used by others to deny eternal security.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.