Results 461 - 480 of 495
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Results from: Notes Author: Aixen7z4 Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
461 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151668 | ||
What does it mean to “just be Christian”? This may be only wishful thinking. They say a man often hears what he wants to hear. But think I hear you saying that you wish we could all be simply Christians, saying the same thing, instead of a number of camps within the church, each claiming to have found the truth. I would fight with you for unity, to find a way for us to say the same thing. I do believe there is a command to that effect in 1 Corinthians 1 and elsewhere: I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. But I fear I may be wrong, and more, that I will be disappointed. You have chosen the topic of Election, one that is noted for the disagreements that it engenders. Besides, you have illustrated the disagreement. One says, “Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved”. You say, “I simply do not read the words of scripture as making such a statement as is noted above.” This starts another round of the endless debate that leaves us with, “I am right” and “No, I am right”. How then can we “just be Christians”? I do believe there is a way for us as followers of Christ to all say the same thing, as in 1 Corinthians 1:10, and I‘d be glad to explore it with you from the Scriptures. Is that what you are seeking at this time? Is that what you mean by “just be Christian”? If not, I will leave this discussion at this point and plan to start another at some point. I guess I am looking for some genuine interest in the topic, but I would like to know from you personally. if your post is a call for oneness of mind among Christians. |
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462 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151799 | ||
Are we not obligated to obey God? Does he not command (1 Corinthians 1:10) that we speak the same thing? Should we not then seek to do that? We do a grave wrong, and harm, by disregarding that command. I have come to see that. And I stand ready to fight, with (not against, but together, on the same side) to work on it, with anyone who wants to right that wrong. I would have hoped that someone would be interested in finding ways for us to do it, to speak the same thing. But strangely, we seem to take delight, and pride, in saying, “I disagree”. One of these days, I hope that we will stop that, and decide to do what God says. He says we should speak the same thing. And may I say, the context indicates he does mean that we should all say, “I disagree”. O that we would focus on the nugget of truth in what our brother or sister is saying, and magnify that! We could contend for the faith (Jude). We could stand in defense of the Gospel (Philippians 1). We could fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6), together (2 Timothy 4:14). Our house will stand (Matthew 16) because God is able to make it stand. But it is yet his will that we stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith. Anyone can disagree with that, and they can attach scripture to support their disagreement. Someone will say we cannot let false doctrine go unchallenged. But the challenge before us is to find the part that we agree on, and focus on that. Finally, my brother, whatsoever things are true, think on these things. |
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463 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151850 | ||
I should have known. No wonder God resorted to words such as “I call upon you“, “I am pleading with you“, “I beseech you”, “I exhort you“, I'll put it as urgently as I can“, and “I beg you”. He even invokes the name of the one we profess to love, our Lord Jesus Christ. He knew it would not be easy to get through to us. He knew we would resort to “quotations” and pats on the back from others who were equally defiant. He knew we would not obey. Wherefore he is grieved with this generation, and says, “They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways“. But, come to think of it, it is a wonder. How Gracious! How patient! How merciful! How wonderful our God is! |
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464 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151939 | ||
It is certainly good that those who fear the Lord would talk to one another. God has shown us: In the days of Malachi, they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And “They shall be mine“, says the LORD of hosts, “in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him“. Then let us be sure that we are among them. Let us be sure that we fear the Lord, enough to obey him. Let each of us be sure that we are a son that serves him. God has made it clear that he is not interested in what we say (Exodus 19) but that we do what he says (Deuteronomy 29). For why do we call him “Lord, Lord” …? By talking we may show what we know (Isaiah 5). By listening, we may learn more (Proverbs 18:15). But knowledge without obedience is deceiving (James 1). Knowledge puffs us up (1 Corinthians 8) but obedience to the law of love, that accomplishes something (1 Corinthians 13). There is a certain perverse pleasure that we may get from hearing our own voice (Proverbs 10:8) and an itching ear may delight in hearing another’s voice (2 Timothy 4). But God is looking for those who will hear his voice (Isaiah 66:2) and will not harden their hearts (Hebrews 3) but will do what God says (1 Samuel 15). |
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465 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153009 | ||
With that short answer from him, and from you, I received a great blessing; greater than you know, perhaps. Or perhaps you do know. My initial response was disappointment, since I had been asking for, and looking for, scripture references. But that response caused me to think, and to think of many scriptures. I have a sense that it was the same for you. Though you are obviously widely read, I have also seen that you know the word of God quite well. I suspect that you could have quoted many passages, but you used wisdom and chose not to. I would be very curious to know what passages you thought of, or what the young man in your story thought of. But if you choose not to share them, I will understand. Just rest assured that what you did share was a great blessing me. So, thank you, Doc. |
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466 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153028 | ||
Brother Ray: May the Lord bless you. Please forgive me if I fail to comment on the differences among the translations. Since I am not an expert in the original languages or manuscripts, I tend to use all of the translations rather than to choose among them. I tend to see what they have in common rather than the ways in which they are different. I note, for example, the appearance of the little word “If” in so many of the verses. Thank God that our lives do not consist of continual suffering. But there are times when we suffer, and sometimes the suffering is an injustice, for no good reason, so to speak. Sometimes we suffer at the hands of professing brethren. At this point I am intensely interested in that topic, and would like to stick to it. The prevailing message that I get from Peter, and from the rest of Scripture, is that suffering is a natural part of life and we should bear it. The example that we have from Jesus is that he bore it. Like a sheep before her sharers, like a lamb brought to the slaughter, we should bear it. Some say we are fools to bear it. Some say our religion is foolish since it calls on us to bear it. There also seems to be a natural instinct to rebel against it. Add to that the fact that God is just and calls on us to be just. All of that may lead us to question why we should tolerate injustice, or how or when he wants us to. I agree that Peter says we (should) suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. I also see that we glorify God when we suffer for doing right, and that God gets no glory from our suffering when we suffer for having done wrong. But beyond that, there is justice that characterizes God (Psalm 89:14) that God commands (Isaiah 56:1; Micah 6:8) and commends (1 Chronicles 18:14) and there is injustice that God condemns (Isaiah 59:4). Something in us seems to crave justice. God seems to say it is commendable that we desire it (Matthew 5: 6) and we should be willing to wait for it (Isaiah 40:4). But the man of God asks, “How long?” (Habakkuk1). It does seem quite profound, and strange sometimes, that God allows injustice, that he suffered it himself in Jesus, and that he asks us to bear with it. He will get glory in the future when he rights the wrongs and compensates the victims, it seems, but it might help us now to understand all that. Please try to combine the verses and the translations and tell me what you find. |
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467 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153033 | ||
Every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30) and surely there is pure honey, and dynamite too, in Matthew 10:16. Jesus told the apostles, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves“, and I think we can relate that to problem of injustice. Let me do it this way. Let us say it takes wisdom to go into a world of wicked men with the Gospel, for all men have not faith (2 Thessalonians 3:2). As a wolf tears a sheep, so wicked men can hurt you (1 Corinthians 15:32). One must be wise. But consider what happens when that wolf puts on sheep’s clothing, and you cannot tell by outward appearance that he is a wolf (Matthew 7:15). It takes wisdom. Consider what happens when those wolves have come into the church (as in Acts 20:29 and 2 Peter 2:12)! Now, what if those wolves dispense justice in the church? What when they pervert justice? Is the church then to bear with it, or to root it out? There was injustice in the early church, and “there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration“. The questions I have are these: Should the Grecians have murmured? Or should they have suffered themselves to be defrauded (as in 1 Corinthians 6:7)? And there is injustice in the church today. I hope all who read this would consider that these are not theoretical questions. I am aware of the way that people are treated in church, and the complaints sometimes come into my ears. My impression is that most people bear with it. Otherwise they move to another church, or they forsake the assembling of themselves together. And I am pondering this today, unsure of what’s to be done. The problem is everywhere. It is in society. Nonbelievers encounter it. Believers encounter it as they live their ordinary quiet lives, and as they present the Gospel. That latter situation is probably where we need the wisdom of serpents most, and the harmlessness of doves. But we need wisdom to face injustice in the church as well, and for me the question is urgent. As Peter would say (4:17) “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God“. |
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468 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153064 | ||
You are correct, of course, especially with reference to that previous discussion. The answers have been given to the leaders of the church. We presume that they have read the letters and they know what to do. But we are in the same situation as Habakkuk saw, and Jeremiah, where it is the leaders themselves who are perverting justice. One may well sing the dirge again: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” from Psalm 11. It is a rhetorical question, perhaps, and one should not expect an answer, except the one that God gives. The truth is, my dear sister, that I ask the question here in fear. There has been someone who would discourage anyone from providing suggestions here because he knows that I seek these answers, not necessarily for myself, but for some who come to me for help. And sometimes I am lost for words to say to one who is suffering emotionally and otherwise because of the treatment they receive at church. I have tried what I know, to give words of comfort, and to intervene on their behalf. And I know what it means to be ignored, or attacked, for “interfering” on behalf of a victim of injustice. But I ask the question if perhaps it might focus attention on what is going on, and maybe prick a conscience. I am about to leave for a meeting now, and I am taking along a young man who has been a victim. I can but hope that the sight of him will touch the hearts of the leaders who have been against him. I am afraid that he will leave the church and abandon his efforts to serve the Lord there. I do not know if this trip will be a step forward or backward. I think of your words again, and Jesus’ words, that one must be wise and harmless. I hope I can be that. It is a strange phenomenon that I see, no matter how often I see it, and though I know the word of God is true: “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they” (Ecclesiastes 5). One should rest in the fact that God sees, perhaps, but it is hard to stand and look. Even men of the world have been moved by conscience to shake off slavery and apartheid and discrimination. But what will the righteous do? |
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469 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153211 | ||
Understand that the matter is important. It is not a theoretical issue, even as the Bible is not a theoretical book. God’s word is given to guide our lives. In it there is direction as to the way to confront injustice and to promote justice. But most of us ignore the problem even as our brothers and sisters, and sometimes we ourselves are suffering from it. The least we can do is to talk about it, but my fear is that we won’t, and that some will seek as in the past to actively suppress the discussion. I know it sounds paranoid, but that is what happens. That is why the issue is not discussed. That is why injustice proceeds unchallenged, and justice fails, to the detriment and suffering of many. That is my fear, that the issue will be not only ignored but actively suppressed. I hope you understand. The meeting that I spoke of went quite well, in many ways. The Gospel was preached and some came to faith in Christ. The young man in question took part and said that he was glad for it. But the leaders of the church were not there to see what he was willing to do and able to do. That is what I had planned for them to see and I had hoped it would encourage them to allow him to use his gift in church. As it was, they did not get to know him that way and they still have not called him as they had promised about the task he had volunteered for. He told me he will look to other churches now for opportunities, and indeed he visited another church with me the next day and spoke to the elders there. It is good that there are other churches, and I trust that he will have a chance to use his gifts and further develop them. I understand and agree with all that you have said. We all should use our gifts to meet needs. The scriptures teaching that are well known, I hope. Titus 3:14 is a key passage concerning this. Thank you for pointing it out. But we must keep in mind it was Paul writing to his delegate and specifically instructing him to monitor and facilitate this. “I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking” (Titus 1:5). There are things that are lacking, and some would volunteer to make up the lack and use their gifts to meet the needs. But there are those who guard the gates and choose the players, and injustice occurs when some are denied opportunity. I hope you agree that everyone has both needs and gifts. That is what I get from passages such as Ephesians 4:16. The question has been how we should react when we see injustice, when gifts are not used and needs are not met. I had hoped that this discussion would have revealed some scriptural ideas for us to use, each in our area, as we see the need. Contrary to the idea of promoting some and consigning others to the role of spectator, which often takes hold, we ought to provoke one another to love and to good works. |
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470 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | Aixen7z4 | 99501 | ||
I think that that notice was put up specifically because of a current debate on the recurring topic of Calvinism, in which there seemed to be a certain pushing of a denominational bias, which many people were expressing the wish that there was a way to stop it. I think that was the moderator's attempt to stop it. | ||||||
471 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | Aixen7z4 | 99504 | ||
Dear Joe: It was good to hear from you. When I logged in today and saw the notice, I was afraid we might have lost you. I suppose we have all seen it, to wit, "NOTICE: Pushing one's denominational bias and engaging in debates, such as Calvinism/Arminianism, are strictly forbidden on this StudyBibleForum. Failure to comply may result in revocation of your privilege to post to this Forum". It was with a desire to end the debate that I made a call for reconciliation. I do believe that it is better to try to reconcile the two positions than to doggedly stand for one extreme. The same Bible which says, “No man can come to me …” also says, “Come unto me all …” and each of us says, “The Bible does not contradict itself”. It behooves us to resolve any apparent conflict in our own minds before attempting to convince another. If we say we are not attempting to convince but to glorify God then it may be that we are only glorifying our position. Again, I do not seem to know nearly as much as I might about those who use he name “Reformed” or about the “Reformed movement”. It do not feel the need to need to study it in depth any more than I feel the need to study Mormonism or Confucianism or any of the hundreds of other isms out there in depth. For one thing, there is not the time. And yet I can understand why it is so important to some people they would change their names to reflect it. I guess they would die for the cause. I can only say again that I think we should only feel that way about Christ himself. “I do fear that those who cling so tightly to such a label should have given that kind of attention only to Christ himself. It seems to be quite important to them and I wonder whether it is the object of their faith and their hope of salvation”. I am surprised to hear that they are also champions of introspection. I do not understand how someone who believes he has been predestined to believe what he believes can know whether what he believes is the truth. Again, one cannot logically believe in determinism. He cannot help himself. Whether is locked into salvation or damnation, he cannot know. Now, if someone cannot see the logic in that statement, there is nothing more that I can say. And again, if God is either irresistible or unapproachable, then my words are also likely to be incomprehensible. Again, I was really not aware that Luther and Bunyon and Spurgeon were Calvinists. Now I find out that the list is even longer. But it really does not matter. I would only note that I do not see Peter or Paul or James or John on that list. I am surprised that Harold Camping is not on the list and I think he would be surprised as well. He certainly seems to preach the doctrine. On the other hand I think John McArthur would be surprised to find himself on it. But it may be that I have not heard him say it and I have not followed him that closely. I must say that there is something about Reformer Joe and John Reformed that really impresses me. They sound like the same person! Indeed, I had to check again to whom I am responding to, and my response to the one seems to fit both. I think it should cause us all to ask ourselves if we might all be that indistinct as Christians. Or are we different from them but similar to others for the same reason. Do we each, and all, believe what we believe for the same reason that these two men do? The BibleStudyForum is a good thing and I hope that none of us is eliminated for breaking the rules. I hope to see you there, discussing important topics such as personal salvation and Christian unity. It is my hope that the goal of each participant in each discussion would be learning, sharing, changing, reconciliation of the viewpoints and resolution of the issues. My hope is that we would be followers, not of men or isms, but of Christ. |
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472 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | Aixen7z4 | 99691 | ||
This is a test. I have come to believe that it really dos not matter what a person says. To some of the participants here, a chance to respond is a chance to espouse their doctrine. Now, let's say I am "labouring under the mistake notion" that that is the case. Let's see if there will be another attempt to clear up a "mis-conception" and if it will lead into another statement of the doctrine. |
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473 | What is the difference between believing | 1 John | Aixen7z4 | 142013 | ||
Not sure what the statement means, that Satan believes in Jesus. The first responder seems to be referring to the fact the devils believe there is one God (James 2:19). Though language may seem to equate “I believe in God” with “I believe that God exists”, it is doubtful that “I believe in Jesus” is ever spoken to mean “I believe that Jesus exists”. It seems to me that believing in Jesus and believing on Jesus are exactly the same thing. The words seem to be exactly the same in the original language, and they mean to trust in him, not to believe that he exists. I write this to encourage us to keep the message of the Gospel as simple as it is given us and not to complicate it unnecessarily. Not everyone that says “Lord, Lord” believes in or on the Lord. Those who do the will of the Father enter the kingdom of heaven. But what is the will of the Father? They said they unto him, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent”. Again he said, “This is the will of him that sent me, that every one who sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6). And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ (in order to have everlasting life -- as in John 6 above, Acts 16:31, etc.) and love one another (after we are saved -- as in 1 John 3:16) as he gave us (believers, his disciples -- John 13, 15) commandment. We are saved when we believe in (Romans 10:14) or on (1 Timothy 1:16), or trust in (1 Timothy 4:10) the Lord Jesus Christ. Thereafter, we do good works, not in order to have salvation, but because we have it (Ephesians 2). The Holy Spirit guides us (Romans 8) and the love of Christ constrains us (2 Corinthians 5). |
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474 | If our sins are forgiven, why repent? | 1 John 1:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152264 | ||
It is true that our sins are forgiven at the time of salvation. It is because we repent of sin and put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. All of our sins are forgiven at that time. When we have repented, we have turned away from sin, and it is no longer a habit (1 John 3:9). But we do sin (Galatians 5:17). Even David sinned (1 Kings 15:5) and needed to confess it (Psalm 51). Even the apostles sinned, and needed to admit to the fact and to confess their sins (1 John 1). It is quite like a person who has bathed himself thoroughly and yet finds at the end of the day that his feet are dirty (John 13). He needs to have his feet washed in order to maintain fellowship with the Lord (Isaiah 59). What shall we do then? Shall we tolerate the sin that has come into our lives? (As in 2 Peter 2:22). We should rather seek to be cleansed from it lest we allow it to continue and to grow (as in 1 Corinthians 5). The way to be cleansed from it is to confess it and forsake it (Proverbs 28:13). Or shall we say that that sin is already covered since we are saved? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (See Romans 6). Then we might well ask ourselves whether we do in fact have an abhorrence of sin that would have led us to repent in the first place. Sin ought to make us sad, and we should be sad about the fact that we still sin. We should resist the devil and draw nigh to God so we can live with him in holiness. Some say we should simply thank God that our sins are forgiven. We should thank him always and forever, for our salvation with the forgiveness of sin, the washing, and all else that it entails (Revelation 1). But the occasion of sin is not the time for that (James 4). There is a time to weep (Ecclesiastes 3). Some say we should confess our sins every day. Better perhaps to say we should confess every time we pray. When we come into the presence of a holy God, we recognize also our sinful nature (Isaiah 6). It is an opportunity to be touched and cleansed again. The fact is, we sin without knowing it (Psalm 19:12). We should not justify ourselves, but rather avail ourselves of searchlight of the word of God (Psalm 119) the knowledge of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8) and the love that causes the Lord to wash our feet. It is a good example that the apostles set for us in 1 John 1, and that David set in Psalm 139. David has a prophet who would come to him, and we have the Holy Spirit who lives within. We can do even better than he did (2 Samuel 12) and confess our sins immediately, as we are convicted without the need for human instrumentality (John 16). Sin, after we are saved, will not keep us from heaven (Romans 8). But it will continue to beset us, and we must strive against it (Hebrews 12). We can overcome it too (1 Corinthians 10), but is not by ignoring it or by minimizing it. While we are here on this earth, we are in the presence of sin (John 17). We spare ourselves some trouble, and save ourselves from God’s judgment and chastisement by recognizing and confessing and forsaking sin (1 Corinthians 11). We can copy a prayer of confession, I suppose, as Jonah did. Even when we are not aware of any particular sin, we can say as David did, in Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting“. |
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475 | If our sins are forgiven, why repent? | 1 John 1:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152269 | ||
I appreciate your thoughts. And thank God for mothers who say things like that. I can understand your hesitation to use use the word "mistake" in reference to sin. Yet it may be that, at the one end of the spectrum, there are mistakes. At the other end, there are willful, premeditated, deliberate, perhaps persistent transgressions. Where does my sin fall? I chose the particular word because I was at that very moment aware that, in spite of my best intentions, I had made a mistake. Even now I am wondering if it was a mistake to use the word “mistake”. If everyone understands the idea of secret faults (Psalm 19) then I would feel better. If anyone thinks that the idea is to excuse sin, then it would have been a mistake. I do not know how to avoid it. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12). I think of James’ point (James 3) that we offend with our words. And sometimes we offend without intending so to do. That is what I mean by “mistake“. Since it is not like me to write a short response, and at the risk of making another mistake, let me add this: I am meticulous in my preaching, (though perhaps not as much so as I think) and I worry about making a mistake. I sometimes fill my outline with annotations and references and try so hard to stick to them. Yet I often find myself including things I had not planned to say. I take these additions as from the Spirit, and yet I worry about not having had the opportunity to clear all points through Scripture in advance. What if I say something wrong??!! Last week I preached at a certain church and got carried away with the subject. It was an interactive exercise and everyone seemed to enjoy it. More than that, they actually practiced the word, which I try to include in all my messages. I thought in the end that it had gone perfectly. But then someone pointed out that we had gone beyond the allotted time. That was my mistake. I had offended someone, and I apologized and asked forgiveness. It is not my intention to garner sympathy here. I realize that some will think it was no mistake. Some might say it was the Spirit leading us beyond the man-made time slot, and the complainer was at fault, etc. But the point is that we make mistakes, and it is often wise to simply apologize, when someone is offended. I do not mean either to defend use of the term “mistake”, though I do think that we make mistakes, and I am not sure we can avoid them. There is something in the definition that includes that. But I agree that we should hesitate to call sin a mistake; someone may get the wrong idea. Many sins, perhaps most sins, are anything but mistakes. Usually, there is manageable time in the progression from being tempted, to sinning, and to death (James 1) and it can be short-circuited. But sometimes there is little time, as between thinking and speaking, and we do not make a right response. We should be quick to hear and slow to speak, but sometimes we do not take the time. That in itself is a mistake, and it may lead to sin. Thank God for the provision of forgiveness. We may not be able to avoid sin completely, but we can confess it when it happens, and be cleansed from all unrighteousness. |
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476 | How do we know that we are truly saved? | 1 John 3:24 | Aixen7z4 | 141566 | ||
He came to save us, Angel, and when you trust in him, you're in (1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17). You have eternal life (John 5:24). You will never perish (John 10:28). You have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) and he lets you know you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). His presence in you is a guarantee of your salvation (Ephesians 1:13,14). If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have this assurance (2 Timothy 1:12). Jesus guarantees salvation to those who trust in him. God is willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, so he confirms it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast (Hebrews 6). And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life (1 John 2:25). |
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477 | How do we know that we are truly saved? | 1 John 3:24 | Aixen7z4 | 141586 | ||
The witness in ourselves is not between our spirit and our flesh but between our spirit and the Holy Spirit who is given to us to indwell us, the same witness that you referenced in Romans 8. The witness that we get from communicating with God is greater and more important than what we may get in communicating with other men. What God says, in his word, and by his Spirit, is more important than what other people say. This may be related to the comments made by Angel on this day. Men may look on the outward appearance. They may see our failures. But God looks on the heart. He knows whether we have repented and put our trust in his Son. He knows whether we are his, and he lets us know. The witness of God is great. It is in his word, and he communicates it to us by his Spirit. This communication is to us as individuals, to our hearts, if you will, so that we can know for sure that we are saved. |
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478 | How do we know that we are truly saved? | 1 John 3:24 | Aixen7z4 | 141588 | ||
Hi, Angel. I did not realize before now that there are those who think that to trust in the Lord means we quote His Gospels! And I was not aware that many Christians trust in Jesus in the sense that we trust in one another. It is obviously important that those of us who call him Lord should do what he says. But here is the point, and I hope you do not miss it: It is not doing good works that makes us saved. It is because we are saved that we should do good works. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (Titus 3:5). Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9). We are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Ephesians 2:10). In saving us, God changes us, and thereafter we are expected to do good works. We do not do them automatically, and that is why the epistles are given to encourage us in that regard. Now, there are some other interesting quotes in your post. “If you do not abide in me you will be removed”. Yes, John 15 records Jesus saying that. But I encourage you to consider that he was speaking of being removed from a place of service. That happens (See revelation 2:5). It may involve being removed from this life (1 Corinthians 11:30). Yet the soul that trusts in Jesus will be saved (1 Corinthians 3:15). Jesus will say, to use your wording, “Begone from me you children of iniquity!” But I note it is not they had worked iniquity (we’ve all done that, as Romans 3 reminds us). It is because “I never knew you”. We need to make sure that he knows us. The best way it seems to ensure that he knows us is that we introduce ourselves to him. Come to him, admit that we are sinners, ask him to change us, and he does. It is only then that we can do good works that are not filthy rags, after he has changed us. You refer to people learning scripture and memorizing passages and chanting hymns and enunciating prayers, and I agree that those things will not save them. But neither will their attempt to love their enemies, uphold the Sacrament of Matrimony, or otherwise to “obey His commandments”. All those good works come after salvation. You note well that we own a guarantee of salvation which we have done nothing to merit! The fact is, we cannot merit salvation. After you have done all those good words you will still find you have come up short (Romans 3:23). We declare ourselves bankrupt, and then we trust in his merit alone. So, admonish us, but we do not believe you that we can merit salvation. We claim salvation by faith, not by works. We claim that good works come after salvation. We do believe that those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved, because it says so in Romans 1:13. And yes, we do believe that we have safe passage and a secured place in heaven. Passages such as John 5:24 and 1 Peter 1:3, 4 assure us of that. We who are saved ought to be doing good, as all of the New Testament commands us and encourages us. We are ashamed of our failures and our sins. We are encouraged to abide in him and to follow his way so as not to be ashamed at his appearing (1 John 2:28). But please do not insist on condemning us, because God may ask you who are you (See Romans 8:33,34). Yet I do believe that you mean well in all that you have said. If we are not concerned about our behavior it may well mean that we are not saved. Since we have been forgiven and cleansed and saved, we should not return to sinning. God forbid (Romans 6). To the extent that we do sin after we are saved, please correct us. But please leave us the right to know that we are saved. Our salvation is our motivation to do good works (2 Corinthians 5:14). We know we could have done nothing to merit our salvation. Finally, I find myself in agreement with your last statement. We should boast in Jesus, and Him Crucified for our Salvation. It is He who secures our salvation. Without Him we are nothing! Amen. |
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479 | How do we know that we are truly saved? | 1 John 3:24 | Aixen7z4 | 141639 | ||
I must say "Amen" to the response that Pastor Glenn gave. Those are the words of Scripture, and an expression of the heart of God. He loves us, and he wants us to love him. Love is the motivation for our obedience. As for feeling the presence of God, I agree as well. Whether or not we feel him, he is with us. Fact is, he is in us. Whither shall I go from his spirit? Or whither shall I flee from his presence? If I ascend up into heaven, he is there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, he is there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall his hand lead me, and his right hand shall hold me. It may be that we feel alone when we are closest to him and cannot see him from afar. It may be we should rejoice in those moments and say, “I am hid away with Christ in God”. |
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480 | How do we know that we are truly saved? | 1 John 3:24 | Aixen7z4 | 141640 | ||
I think that 9 verse 9 is talking about our spirit, the inward man, as in 2 Corinthians 4:16. With that in mind, I would also have to choose the NASB version for verse 10. But these are deep things of God, and I think we would do well to keep both versions in mind. It is a fellowship between God and us, between his Spirit and our spirit, that is in view here, and it is perhaps that dynamic relationship we should be thinking of and in no way seeking to think of ourselves as separated from him. I can only imagine the dilemma the translators had in choosing the words to place here. I find a need to change even my favorite translation slightly so that it makes sense to me. We are not controlled by your sinful nature. We are controlled by the Spirit. And this can only happen because the Spirit of God is living in us. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not his people at all.) Since Christ lives within us, we have this situation: although our body is slowly wearing out because of sin, our spirit is vibrant and alive because we have been made right with God. |
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