Posted on 08/17/2015 9:45:07 AM PDT by amessenger4god
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" - Matthew 7:21-23
Brothers and sisters, it is seriously time to drop the works-righteousness. Time is so short. When you stand before the Lord don't for one second think you can offer your works as the admittance fee. The deluded folks Jesus mentioned above did just that and were told that He never knew them.
Works-righteousness is something that I and almost every Christian I know falls into over and over again. It goes something like this: Jesus died for me, but I have to hold me (truth: Philippians 1:6, John 6:39). Jesus died for me, but I have to prove myself to Him. Oh man of dust, how great do you think you are that somehow you can ever measure up to the standard of the holy and living God? That arrogance is called self-righteousness, the very thing the Bible says will lead to death.
Understand that this issue is at the very heart of the Gospel and is the very heart of the Reformation. It is a Catholic doctrine that you must somehow balance faith and works, as if Paul and James were not in agreement (they were in complete agreement: see here, here, here, here, and here). Sadly many Evangelicals are taking the road paved by N.T. Wright right back to Rome. I see many watchers doing the same thing. You can't possibly balance faith and works. It is either all grace or all works. The only works you've ever done that have pleased God are the ones that came from your trust in the sufficiency of Christ's own work.
Good works will never come from your efforts to 1. prove yourself, 2. prove that you're saved, 3. atone for your sins, 4. save yourself. These are rubbish works, which the Pharisees do. Your job/your choice is simply to trust that Jesus died for your sins and rose gain and then not let go of this hope (see also here). Forgiveness is not a debit card. If you really believe that Jesus died for ALL of your sins and that you've been set free from sin and death and that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you unconditionally, you will:
1. Be saved.
2. Be extremely grateful.
3. Be extremely joyful.
4. Dance with all your might.
5. Love unconditionally because you know you were loved unconditionally.
If you still think that you are saved by grace + works, or mostly grace with a few works, or if you are just confused about what the Gospel is, I recommend you read Part One in this series.
What’s God’s will that we have to do to get into heaven?
Surely you must have some kind of idea what that entails.
Please clarify this for me.
Do you believe that - if you were to commit murder and did not repent of it before death - you would still go to heaven because you are ‘saved’?
It’s a heck of a rhetorical question, I know.
AMEN!!!!!!!!!
Sorry guys, my client is here. Sorry to disappear like this.
God bless us all.
Those entering Heaven will be those who do God’s will. That is a statement of fact, not causation. What causes us to be accounted righteous in God’s eyes? What is the basis of our justification? It is impossible to conclude from apostolic testimony in Scripture that adherence to a behavioral code, no matter how good, can justify anyone. Jesus and Paul are not in opposition. They are both teaching divine truth, just different aspects of it. The Pharisees were off base for thinking they could rewrite the divine law, because that is just another way of ignoring it. But Paul is also right to say we cannot meet the law’s requirements apart from becoming a new creation in Christ, identified with Him in both His death and in His righteous life. Putting those two realities in opposition to each other is a false dilemma. Like the man in the back row who couldn’t bear to look heavenward, the only ones going home justified are those who have given up on themselves and put all their trust in Christ. Those who are preoccupied with listing to God all the reasons God should be happy with them will be disappointed with the results of that strategy. It’s what Jesus said, so I believe it.
Peace,
SR
Quite a Catch 22 depending on your own works of righteousness in light of God’s standards for perfection.
“Do you believe that - if you were to commit murder and did not repent of it before death - you would still go to heaven because you are ‘saved’?”
Thank you for the question. Yes, if the person was truly saved by accepting the Gospel. The Gospel is either true or it isn’t. Jesus either died for ALL of your sins, or none of your sins.
However, you mention “repentance”, and I believe no truly saved person could die unrepentant anyway.
Many Christians claim to be under grace yet justify their sin by saying it is not sin (i.e. homosexual “married” Christians, gay ordination, pornography in marriage, etc). I would say these are not saved because they have effectually rejected the need for God’s forgiveness over some part of the life.
Jesus is clear, you either let Jesus clean you or you remain unclean. http://biblehub.com/john/13-8.htm
“But isn’t believing a work? Are you saying that when belief is the work unto righteousness, righteousness is not of grace? Please explain how a work like belief can be unto righteousness when righteousness “is either all of works or all of grace but not both.”
Your argument is not with .45, it is with the Bible:
Romans 4:3 - What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
James 2:23 - And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
Genesis 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
The Bible is abundantly clear that belief/faith and works are two different things.
Romans 4:5 - However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
The same way Jesus does.
Matthew 25:35-40
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
See post 30 for a good start.
Right THERE we see why the Roman Catholic Mass is a blasphemy. Their catechism claims the priest at every Mass brings Christ down from His throne to attend the mass in t he wafer the priest holds up, claiming it then contains the real presence of Christ in actual body, blood, soul and DIVINITY for the attendees to eat. By so doing this 'righteous work', the adherents supposedly get the eternal life in them ... until they need to go through Mass again, to continue the crucifixion sacrifice, over and over and over.
John 3:3-8 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
How do you know you’ve done enough?
How do you know that you did it with the right motivation?
How do you know God didn’t want you doing something for someone besides who you decided to help?
What about the Ten Commandments?
What about the Beatitudes?
Is anyone’s thought life perfect? No hatred? No lusting? Ever?
You've been playing chess with pigeons too long, teacher. When you see what appears to be a contradiction in scriptures there is a deep and very important lesson there for YOU. Jesus told the Pharisees what is the work God requires for salvation/eternal life. If you could drop or lose eternal life, it would not be eternal life, it would be temporary life. Jesus said no man can take His born from above family members from the two hands of God. That includes YOU, teacher.
You have a problem mixing 'rewards ceremonies' with judgment seats. try to study to show yourself approved.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds
“The same way Jesus does.
Matthew 25:35-40”
Matthew 25, is not how Jesus defines the way to God. He defines the way to God in John 14:4-6:
“You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Now regarding Matthew 25, see here: http://www.gotquestions.org/parable-sheep-goats.html
See also: https://hischarisisenough.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/of-goats-and-sheep-2/
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