[Salvation]

The Lord says that we should beware of hypocrisy, careful that we’re not living in a pretend world. Regarding Heaven, none but the pure in heart can just walk up there. We should not be so quick to presume that we have the purity of heart to simply walk into Heaven. God is very holy, and Heaven is a place of the souls of just men made perfect (Heb 12:23). Jesus says, you must be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mat 5:48).

Reality -- not pretend.

[Salvation]

Monsignor Pope Ping!

[RedStateRocker]

The ‘problem’ with pretenders is that everybody knows they are pretending. Somebody trying to act pious, regardless of the faith tradition, is not only easy to pick out but gives a ‘negative’ witness to whatever belief they are trying to promulgate. I have more respect for an in-you-face atheist than someone who ACTS holy in public and says all the right words, but treats other humans like crap.

[tired&retired]

Bump for later

[boatbums]

The Lord says that we should beware of hypocrisy, careful that we’re not living in a pretend world. Regarding Heaven, none but the pure in heart can just walk up there. We should not be so quick to presume that we have the purity of heart to simply walk into Heaven. God is very holy, and Heaven is a place of the souls of just men made perfect (Heb 12:23). Jesus says, you must be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mat 5:48). Reality -- not pretend.

And the reality is that NO ONE is righteous in God's sight without the righteousness of Christ imputed by faith to the believer. Purity of heart - the kind of holiness that without it NO ONE will see God - only comes to those who humbly recognize their sinfulness and utter inability to attain the kind of righteousness needed for heaven and who turn to God in repentance receiving the gift of eternal life by faith and who walk in newness of life having Jesus as both Lord and Savior. The hypocrisy of the religious leaders of Jesus' day still exist even today and is prevalent especially among the "pious" - those who make an outward show of their spirituality. Time and again Jesus said that we should do our good deeds to be seen by God and not by men and that those who did their deeds to gain the notice and approval of men, already have their reward - but NOT from God.

Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. (I Peter 2:11,12)