Posted on 12/04/2022 1:16:23 PM PST by metmom
“‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 13:11).
In the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:10) we see two aspects of the kingdom of heaven. “On earth” refers to the present kingdom, mediated through God’s servants, and “in heaven” refers to God’s universal, direct reign.
Through the centuries the present kingdom has attracted both true and false citizens. Only God can infallibly distinguish true citizens (the redeemed) from false ones. Jesus shows that many branches that seem to belong to the vine actually do not. The spurious ones will be pruned away and thrown into the fire (John 15:2, 6). Such people only superficially identify with Christ but are never really citizens of the kingdom of heaven or part of the body of Christ. They appear to be true citizens only from an imperfect human perspective.
Paradoxically, Scripture uses terms such as Israel, God’s people, and disciples that can include both nominal and genuine believers. Paul does make it clear, however, that “he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart” (Rom. 2:29; cf. 9:6–7). Only at the very end of the age, when the eternal kingdom begins, will those who are true citizens of God’s kingdom be clear to everyone. (Even during the Millennium, when Christ directly rules on earth, there will be disloyal citizens; cf. Rev. 20:7–8.)
The only way now to ensure your kingdom citizenship is to repent, trust in Jesus Christ, and pursue the sanctification that new life in Him brings (cf. Mark 1:15).
Ask Yourself
What should churches do to discern and encourage those who are Christians in name only to put their faith in Christ wholeheartedly? Why do we tend to avoid dealing in touchy matters like these? And what is the result of our reticence?
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
Thank you, Brother. see you in the clouds.
Interesting.....
You are exactly right here!
And the answer is:
Frankly, I am seeing your position as unbelief that God saves to the uttermost, as you tout your inference that you can lose what only God can give and ONLY God can maintain.
That's what I've been trying to get across throughout this whole discussion.
Then why all of the warning verses?
Yup, Jesus sure does all the saving, and the BELEIVER does all the BELIEVIN'!
OOoooh!
Appeal to authority!
Wuh, all ya had to do was some hollerin’!
True, GOD saves to the uttermost, but GOD does NOT force you to continue to believe against your will.
You wanna think you're changed into a religious robot when you get saved, go right ahead.
But I will not claim it will affect your salvation.
I see that you have equated 'believing' as a type of work.
I do not.
I have always maintained that one is saved by grace and one is kept by grace as well.
And drown out that still, small Voice?
No, no, no, no, and nevah!
Interesting opinion you have.
Can you explain in a bit more detail as to what is WRONG with the NIV and how it may detract from a person's ability to believe in the Gospel presented on it's pages?
Hebrews 7:25 (AV):
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
. . . . . . .
2 Timothy 1:12 (AV):
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
. . . . . . .
Heb 12:22 -24 (AV):
22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assemblypanegyria and churchekklesia of the firstborn, which are written* in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
-----------
* where my name is written forever
. . . . . . . .
Col 3:3-4 (AV):
3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. ===============
The theologian who is not entirely convinced that when he/she agrees to accept The Father's gift of everlasting life which entails Jesus having with His Shed Blood purchased that person's body, soul, spirit, sins (past, present, and future), as well as everything one thinks that he/she owns, in which process he/she has irreversibly been judicially adopted as the child of God, and that the transaction of change of masters is never to be rescinded; and thinks he/she has the power to nullify this transaction; in fact has not fully exercised commitment of self to the Savior of everything one is or can be, wherefore no matter what one professes has not been redeemed as was Enoch and Noah and Abraham and Job and David and Elijah and John Baptist.
That person has not "lost' the salvation that he/she professes to have gotten; but rather lacks having given over that last teeny bit of TOTAL release of self into the Savior's comprehensive ownership and care, without which neither Jesus nor His Father moves forward, regardless of one's enthusiasm, and the Spirit takes not up residence to assure the conclusion of this induction into newness of life.
The Scriptures have convinced me that the person siding with Arminianism, and chides others who do not likewise affiliate with it, are like the Eliphaz the Temanite that took up the unauthorized role of scolding the Job who in the end pled for Jehovah's mercy on his own depraved, abhorrent self, and saw the LORD's righteousness and love for him prevail, as he had presupposed.
This is true:
No one or thing else other than Him, and His Perfect Salvation is instantaneously effective and irrevocable.
I can, but I won't in this devotional time of focus. No doubt you can investigate this for yourself. Perhaps a start would be with this inexpensive volume:
"If The Foundations Be Destroyed" by Chick Salliby (click here)
Reading the review on that page gives an indication.
Sure, one of the best, recognized globally, and that for 400 years. It was the English translation authorized throughout the British Empire acceptable in pulpits and in courts throughout, recognized as THE authority for public service everywhere. Even now.
In the last few years, I have skirted the use of the words "Christian" and "belief" or "faith" or "believer" or "saved" because they have come to mean different things to different people, and can result in a great deal of confusion.
To say that one believes does not indicate that the person is a child of God, or "saved," and the Bible says so:
James 2:19 (AV):What I have said before is that I do all the sinning, and Jesus does all the saving. When you used that pattern for the above quote from you, I just don't know what you mean by it. Certainly Satan and his minions have a much greater perception that the Godhead exists and have immesurable powers that most humans only take as partial or ineffective or even non-existent. Or only a figure of speech. Els, you've got to come to a little better definition to be taken seriously in this arena.Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Here is a much better definition of sincere belief or a faith that one can depend on:
Rom 4:20-21 (AV' bolding added for emphasis):Now, "complete trust" or "conviction" or "fully persuaded" or "completely confident" are better ways to convey the meaning of the nature of a "saving faith" used in a contextually proper way. Just telling me that someone is a "believer" says very little these days, of what the depth of commitment to Jesus really is.20HeAbraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what heJehovah had promised, heJehovah was able also to perform.
I hope that you are getting the gist of this, without making some kind of witty remark about it for your own entertainment.
Brother Elsie, you ask, “Why all the warning verses?”
Are they warning verses to the Body of Christ or to Israel?
Please remember that God is not done with Israel. Also, that the Church is a one-time, unique organism as the Body of Christ. When it is taken, so is salvation by grace in the way we know it. With that in mind, maybe some of the passages will become clearer to you.
Israel still has work to do and a role to fulfill in the future. They must endure to the end.
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.