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Examine Yourselves Whether You Be in the Faith, Part 1
GTY.org ^ | September 24, 1978 | John MacArthur

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 ...


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Theology
KEYWORDS: bullinger; darby; dispensationalism; faith; hyper; hyperdip; obedience; salvation
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To: metmom; redleghunter; CynicalBear

THAT’S IT IN A NUTSHELL, mm! Thank you!


81 posted on 11/23/2013 6:48:07 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: CynicalBear

AMEN. I’ll even tell you this, my opinion ONLY, so no one gets upset...Hebrews through Revelation...is Daniel’s 70th week of information. Written specifically for those last day saints going through the tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week. That’s why Hebrews, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, and Jude are the authors, through the Holy Spirit, of those Books.


82 posted on 11/23/2013 6:51:02 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: CynicalBear; redleghunter; metmom

AMEN. I’ll even tell you this, my opinion ONLY, so no one gets upset...Hebrews through Revelation...is Daniel’s 70th week of information. Written specifically for those last day saints going through the tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week. That’s why Hebrews, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, and Jude are the authors, through the Holy Spirit, of those Books.


83 posted on 11/23/2013 6:51:23 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: CynicalBear

That, however, does not address the early church which was largely Jewish. Even in Paul’s epistles he says both circumcised and uncircumcised alike are under Grace. Even the trib saints will be saved by Grace through faith. This side of the Cross it is always the shed Blood of Christ.


84 posted on 11/23/2013 7:04:47 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: smvoice

Peter, John and James preach the same Gospel as Paul. Christ crucified, died and Risen from the dead. Same Gospel and same Grace.


85 posted on 11/23/2013 7:07:34 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: CynicalBear

I understand where “that which restrains is no more” is interpreted. It is a long stretch to say there will be believers in the trib and no Holy Spirit indwelling those believers. We need a bit more scriptures than that one reference to come to such a bold conclusion.

A sure fire way to determine if this is the case is to expound on the Gospel the two witnesses will preach as well as the 144,000 sealed of Israel. If we say they bring a different gospel than the NT then we put ourselves in the error of the Mormons and others.

I tend to not let eschatology drive Soteriology.


86 posted on 11/23/2013 7:20:09 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: GeronL; redleghunter; GarySpFc; Elsie; metmom; CynicalBear; roamer_1; boatbums; cva66snipe

Matthew 9: 9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”


87 posted on 11/23/2013 7:20:36 PM PST by WVKayaker ("Because nothing says "rugged individualism" like heavy-handed big government.../sarc" -Sarah Palin)
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To: redleghunter; CynicalBear; metmom
...but they do not. Recall James "faith without works is dead". Peter anticipates the activity of the Adversary in their suffering. (1 Peter. 5:8,9). 2nd Peter anticipates the advanced issues of resisting the seduction of the Satanic Policy of Evil (2 Pet. 3:17). John's 3 Books focus on the tests necessary for detection of error and discerning for truth, and overcoming the wicked one (1 John 2:14). Jude anticipates the end result of God's judgement and the glory of Christ's reign of Revelation. (Jude 22-25). And Revelation speaks for itself. Rev. 22:18-19 anticipates that there is nothing more to link to- it is all "done". God has revealed ALL He needs to about the future and His purpose to glorify Himself through Jesus Christ in it.

Each Book links itself to the following Book. Beginning with Hebrews, written TO THE HEBREWS, and is all about "these last days" (Heb. 1:2). And so on through Revelation.

It is for these reasons that I believe that Hebrews is written as instruction and doctrine for Daniel's 70th week.

As far as "the same Gospel", please read Rom. 2:16. Paul calls it "my gospel", not "our gospel".

88 posted on 11/23/2013 7:21:29 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: redleghunter
Which is also expressed by James dealing with dead faith.

In-deed.

89 posted on 11/23/2013 7:24:23 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: metmom

You explained that well. The Jews rejected the kingdom gospel yes, but the fact that we are on this side of the Cross there is only one way for the remission of sins. The shed Blood of Christ. That goes in this age and any that come after. Peter and the 11 were not under a different gospel.


90 posted on 11/23/2013 7:26:15 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: smvoice; CynicalBear; redleghunter
We quote from Paul because we live in the dispensation of the grace of God. John, Peter, James all belong to the gospel of the kingdom, dealing with Israel, the tribulation, and the Kingdom that is to be established when Christ the Messiah returns. That is why James (faith and works) is trotted out so often to refute Paul’s gospel of the grace of God (faith alone). They are not the same.

The sooner that artificial division of the gospel is abandoned the better. Peter and Paul preach the same gospel, which is why the former was reproved by the latter, as being inconsistent with what Peter himself affirmed.

In Acts 15 the early church discerned the Scriptural substantiation for the Lord granting repentance to the Gentiles, and affirmed

we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (Acts 15:11)

There was a transitional period from observing ceremonial laws as being part of the obedience of faith, to the fulness of the new covenant, but any idea that Peter preached the former is without actual warrant. Meanwhile, Paul is the one who of his own accord took a Jewish vow, (Acts 18:18) before James naively had Paul take another one. (Acts 21) While Paul's main commission was to the Gentiles, and Peter's to the Jews, they both preached to both, and with the same gospel of salvation by grace thru faith, . (Acts 2:14-40; 3:19; 13:15-41)

In Acts 2:38 Peter preached salvation by faith, that being expressed in baptism, like as Paul preached "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10) There is no real difference in confessing Christ by moving your mouth or your legs in body language, rather than lead 3k souls in a sinners prayer. And as it is such faith as is expressed in baptism that appropriates justification, thus Peter in Acts 10:36-43 in preaching to the Gentiles, promised,

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43; cf. 15:7-9) And thus they confessed that faith in baptism. (Acts 10:47)

And if Peter is seen preaching a gospel of faith and works somewhere, then so is Paul, who taught "not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." (Romans 2:13) for works evidence faith, though they do not earn justification, and believers are given grace so "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:4)

As salvific faith, that which appropriates justification, is a faith that characteristically follows Christ, so the lack of "things which accompany salvation" (Heb. 6:9) and a life contrary to it testifies to unbelief. And which is a result of not looking to the Lord Jesus of Scripture.

Thus Paul stated such a one has denied the faith, (1Tim. 5:8; cf. Gal. 5:1-4) and excluded "Christian" fornicators from salvation. And in so doing he taught this meant exclusion from the kingdom:

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)

And in which kingdom Paul worked, for the elect are those who were called to be in His kingdom, (1Thes. 2:12) and to be in the body of Christ is to be in the kingdom of God, and to be in the kingdom of God is to be in the body of Christ.

Peter was also adding souls to the body of Christ before Paul was born again, while Paul provided for theology behind it.

John also clearly preached the same gospel of salvation by grace thru faith,(Jn. 3:16; 5:24; 1Jn. 4:10) but a faith that has holy effects. James is very Jewish, with no real mention of the atonement, but its focus is on the type of faith that is salvific, with works justifying that one has true faith, and which is comparable to some things Paul said as well.

I am not sure where this idea came from that Peter John preached a kingdom of believers and Paul for a body of believers, but they are one and the same.

91 posted on 11/23/2013 7:36:01 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: smvoice

We only have to go to the Great Commission given by Christ to know from THAT day it was one Gospel in the shed Blood of Christ. He commanded to make disciples in all nations. Paul preached the same Gospel Peter preach to Cornelius the Gentile.

I agree the church is not Israel and the church is not the Kingdom; however believers are Kingdom citizens.


92 posted on 11/23/2013 7:37:45 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: metmom

See above http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3093981/posts?page=91#91


93 posted on 11/23/2013 7:39:49 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: smvoice

I am glad you said opinion. Hebrews 10 discusses the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ.


94 posted on 11/23/2013 7:40:48 PM PST by redleghunter
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To: daniel1212; CynicalBear

Please show in Scripture when Peter first preached the same gospel as Paul. If it was before Paul was saved, then it would have to be before Acts 9.


95 posted on 11/23/2013 7:40:52 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: redleghunter; CynicalBear
Just what is the Kingdom of God made up of? The ENTIRE kingdom. It is made up of a kingdom of earthy believers (Israel) who will be a nation of priests and a blessing to all nations when Christ sets up His kingdom (The Abramanic and Davidic Covenants), AND a Body of believers (The Church the Body of Christ), who have their promises and blessings in the heavenlies (Romans through Philemon).

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth". (Gen. 1:1.) He created the heaven (not HEAVENS) for a reason. He created the earth for a reason. BOTH are part of God's entire Kingdom. But they have two different purposes, destinies, and promises.

96 posted on 11/23/2013 7:49:41 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: smvoice; redleghunter; CynicalBear; metmom; boatbums; caww; presently no screen name; ...
Paul's first six Epistles (1 and 2 Thess.; Gal.; 1 and 2 Cor.; and Rom.) are those whereby he went to the Jew first (Rom. 1:16 with Acts 13:5,14,46). He performed many miracles, signs and wonders (Acts 19:12) and legal ceremonies (Acts 16:3-4), ...."because of the Jews")(Acts 16:3) with (1 Cor. 9:20-23; 10:32).

I honestly find this to a contrivance. As said above , they preached the same gospel to each, and there simply is no real difference in the gospel message preached in theses 6 books verses the others. .

And which would have confused the church, which, as in the churches these epistles were written to, was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. And with the latter being whom the most miracles were provided for

97 posted on 11/23/2013 7:51:03 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: redleghunter; CynicalBear

Are you CERTAIN the Great Commission contains the gospel of the grace of God? I’m reading it right now, and I don’t find it there. Exactly which Book are you reading it from?


98 posted on 11/23/2013 7:54:09 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: daniel1212; CynicalBear

Then please show me from Scripture when Peter first preached the same gospel that Paul preached. Paul calls his “my gospel”, ROm 2:16. Not “our gospel”. And where did Paul get his gospel from? Was he taught it by the 12?


99 posted on 11/23/2013 7:57:05 PM PST by smvoice (HELP! I'm trapped inside this body and I can't get out!)
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To: smvoice
Please show in Scripture when Peter first preached the same gospel as Paul. If it was before Paul was saved, then it would have to be before Acts 9.

That is why i provided Scripture references, and explanations.

Must get some zzzzs now. Try to get back to you tomorrow. Have a God night.

100 posted on 11/23/2013 8:07:23 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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