Posted on 12/10/2013 5:23:53 AM PST by CynicalBear
What of the mafia members who kept the Sabbath, gave to charities and believed in God while also knowingly and wantingly committing mortal sins (Murder, adultery, etc.)? Some of these men confessed they believed in Jesus, accepted him and yet knew they were destined for Hell.
I submit that judgement comes only from God. Any interpretation by man is a best guess.
“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]
No interpretation needed. Scripture is rather clear. We are told that a true faith would produce a changed life.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
While it is true that only God knows the heart we are told what true faith looks like. I, for one, wouldn’t choose to emulate those that show no change in their life. I suppose each person has to decide for themselves which is the more prudent path. Salvation, after all, is a personal thing.
Thank you for your contribution.
“Religion is man trying to reach God by his own efforts, through rituals and ceremonies and keeping of the laws and rules of the religion he is practicing.”
Lie
“mafia members” is a perfect example of claiming you’re saved doesn’t make it so. But then, claiming and sincerely believing and sincerely trying doesn’t mean you wont sin again either....but that’s what repenting is for. Claim it, live it, and as you fail, repent of it and try to get smarter about avoiding future failing. That’s the call.
God asks us to try, with all our informed heart, and be contrite where we fail. He’ll decide whether we’re worthy - the good and bad news is, it’s not up to our own judgement of “worthy”, as we aren’t, but the good news is He tells us He’s All Loving and All Merciful and we Trust in Him.
when you join the Cosa Nostra you commit to hell, they just go to confession for show
Faith by works. They can say they knew Jesus all they want. Their actions say different. Claiming to know Him and knowing Him are two vastly different things. While we are all sinners, to overtly and egregiously continue to sin in the face of God demonstrates a lack of faith.
Like most things, much easier SAID than DONE.
Of all the people I remember telling me they had accepted Jesus into their life... none have actually been 'true' to Jesus.
Those who tell others all they have to do is accept Jesus into their life (like Televangelists)... always turn out to be the biggest sinners.
False dichotomy, based on a wrong understanding of the term "religious." Of course those who are adherents of false relgions are not saved, since they don't believe in the one true God. But Christians, i.e., those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, are also--and should be--"religious," meaning that they are members of a church, are regular and active in the life of the congregation, attending services, receiving Word and Sacrament, etc.
Look at the life together of "those who were being saved" (Acts 2) in the very first church: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42). Those folks sound pretty "religious" to me.
And, while we cannot read hearts, there may be some people who are "religious" hypocrites, outwardly active in a Christian congregation but inwardly not trusting in Christ. But hopefully they are in the distinct minority--at least in the congregations I pastor. ;^)
As though anyone should take that whiny Charlie Hustle guy seriously...
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast
You left out the "and this not from yourselves" part of the verse. It's important. There can be arguments over it, but I see it saying that even faith is a gift from God.
But works helps our faith grow, doesn’t it? We all have something to give and in that giving we nurture what God has placed in us all. We become happy doing the right thing and we are ashamed and miserable when we do the wrong thing.
If I’m ashamed I don’t feel worthy of God or His grace—even if I know I can’t earn worth I won’t be trying to hide from God in shame. I know you can’t hide from God but we try when we are not living right. At least I do.
When I do what I know in my heart is the right thing, I find happiness and it helps my faith to grow and I feel closer to God. I don’t think I can change the grace of God, because grace is an unwarranted gift but it certainly helps me from trying to hide and hanging my head in shame.
That’s why government welfare is so insidious, it steals our faith and is a barrier in our faith. If we aren’t directly involved in helping one another it is all empty and we aren’t happy and we are ashamed with ourselves—that keeps us far from God and trying to run from Him. It makes us hopeless slaves to this world not a free people of God?
“Once saved, always saved”. Water baptismal not important, so long as you are “born again”. Praise the Lord and pass the coffee.
~ Brother Jimmy Swaggart
Yes, but since that gift is available to everyone, it's a given. It's a baseline from which everyone starts.
Nah...If you read the entire piece it's not too hard to see the distinction as related to the topic...Of course you can be religious and be saved...But being religious won't get you saved...And being a member in a religion that looks (or not) religious won't get you saved...
~ Brother Jimmy Swaggart and Jesus Christ thru the Apostle Paul...
Doesn't Jesus say that the demons also believe, and trermble?
Religion and salvation are two vastly different things.
Have to disagree just a bit on that harsh of a statement. There are two types of religion manrntioned in Scripture. One certainly meets the criteria for what you piece is trying to say. The other is salvific religion.
James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
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