Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
I need to get back to you on this, Manfred.
Some of the verses do seem to indicate heavenly rewards, but most of the them don’t call it out specifically. Interesting post, though. Did you find this on a website?
Randy Alcorn is a former pastor and author, founder of Eternal Perspectives Ministry - http://www.epm.org/ He has much biblical analysis on this topic and that’s where I looked to for much of what I posted in my last response to you.
I guess that for me the clinching argument is John 14:2 and the commentaries that such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine had on it.
Okay, I’ve learned something. Thank you.
I truly wish and pray each of us would truly love the Lord Jesus and obey Him as He has commanded us. Walk in the spirit and many thanks for your courteous and sometimes rambunctious conversation.
But how would you know that if you did not have the Scriptures to tell you that??? And when Scripture says "Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart", the God you are supposed to love is the God who gave us the Scriptures, right????
As Jesus put it, You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)
Jesus is telling them and you that He is the God of the Scriptures. You cannot have the one without the other. Read the verses before that:
"And the Father himself who has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape, and you have not His word abiding in you, for whom he has sent, him you do not believe." [John 5:37-38]
How does anyone claim with an honest heart that they love the God revealed in the Holy Scriptures, while at the same time trying to minimize those same Holy Scriptures of that God. It's a package deal. One cannot love God without also loving the Scriptures that He gave us.
AMEN!!!
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." -- 1 John 1:8
I ask my RC friends who they would rather be employed by? A boss or a father?
A man labors for a boss to please him and get a paycheck. A man labors for his father because his father loves him.
One is recompense; the other gratitude and love.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." -- Romans 4:4-5"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Can God justify a person in His sight when that person is NOT actually righteous? There are two, and ONLY two schools of thought in the Christian world.
And, there is Sola Fide, by faith alone that a man is justified. This is the view of Luther and the Reformers. Justification is forensic. We are declared righteous through the imputation of the "alien" righteousness of Christ to us.
I am in Christ Jesus who became for me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and REDEMPTION.
I have coram deo (righteousness before God). God justifies the ungodly.
I have coram hominibus (righteousness before man). This is by works of faith. As James said, "I'll show you my faith...."
It is faith alone which saves, but this faith is never alone. Faith without works is dead.
Rome is wrong. Let her repent of her vain attempts to become righteous and her blasphemies against Christ. Let her discard her filthy rags and embrace the righteousness from God. Let her take up the message of outreach: God sees men righteous solely because of the blood of Christ. Simul Iustus et Peccator. Your contribution to your salvation: your sin. God's contribution to your salvation: the grace of God which was shed. God justifies the ungodly. This is the message of salvation. This is the message of the Reformers.
Let Rome repent and her sisters with her. Let her take up the battle cries of the Reformation and be reformed by the Word of God....
Sola Scriptura
Sola Gratia
Sola Fide
Solo Christo
Soli Deo Gloria
Wonderful article. Thanks for posting it. All too true, I’m afraid. Sigh.
I think this the result of them teaching an exclusivity that is not found in Scripture. The praying to statues, seeing apparitions that are believed to be Mary, the adoration for Mary that sure looks like worship from the outside, and the ever increasing supernatural powers attributed to Mary are all permissible because of the teaching of exclusivity.
I think the missionaries encounter problems from the RC's because by introducing the preeminence of Scripture the argument for exclusivity falls apart and a great deal of what they do comes into question.
There’s no doubt that many Catholics have been martyred, just as there are many other Christians who dare to share their faith and stand strong have been.
[Righteousness] shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. ~ Gospel truth.
Sola Fide!!!
Amen!
When I describe the role of works in the Christian's life I take those who are parents to the image of a Kindergarten open house. As you look along the walls you see really bad art drawn by the kids, it does nothing for you until you see your own child's handiwork and it is absolutely beautiful. Your child is thrilled to give it to you. Is it really beautiful or is it pleasing because your child child drew it?
It's the same with God. Everyone's work is filthy rags until they perform those works out of a loving response to the free grace God has poured over them. Then, and only then, is it pleasing. And now the work we offer up to a loving Father is in love and gratitude instead of a pathetic bribe attempting to placate a wrathful judge.
No, I don’t think any really would. That’s something we need to leave to God, for HIM to convict them through His Word or through the HS. Mxxx
No, I don’t think any really would. That’s something we need to leave to God, for HIM to convict them through His Word or through the HS. Mxxx
Amen. Thanks.
Mary:No, I don’t think any really would. That’s something we need to leave to God, for HIM to convict them through His Word or through the HS.
We have to try though. If we just throw up our hands and say "we don't agree, but that's okay" we fail to serve our Saviour. We never know who has been quickened by God.
Titus 1:13-14 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
Always nice to see your posts.
I’m learning to not only believe in Christ, but to put my faith and trust for my whole life in His hands.
Ah, but our God is even the God of our falling shorts. (smile)
“We never know who has been quickened by God”.
May the saints preserve me!-—I found something where we can agree. :-)
“There is cause for rejoicing here.”
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