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Our Lord Jesus Christ loves you.
287013 Posts in 27572 Topics by 3790 Members
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1  Fellowship / You name it!! / Theology on: January 29, 2005, 11:09:34 AM
WARNING: What you are about to read is Truth of the extremely blinding and revealing kind. Therefore DO NOT CONTINUE if you are easily enflamed when the veils of the heart are ripped back, its nakedness exposed to the Light of God's absolute Truths.

I allege the following axiom (sense 2) was given to me by the Lord last year (I am myself a born-again Christian, btw):

Barring any specific intervention by God to the contrary, man, even born-again Christian man, will always limit theology to that which he has either personally experienced or is willing to yet undergo, even at the cost of others' potentially eternal souls.

Selah (kindly think upon it for a time), bj
brotherjim@mail.com
2  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: August 27, 2004, 04:43:17 PM
"Why We as Christians Refuse to Love as Commanded," extracted from the book Fruits of the Spirit and of God by brother jim

Perhaps the singular biggest reason we as believers in Christ Jesus do not Love as commanded, is fear. We are afraid of being vulnerable, afraid of being used us as a "doormat," afraid of being hurt if the Love we express is unwanted and rejected.

Oh how greatly our adversary has used that fear to keep us bound to him, even to keep us from eternal Life.

While today's Evangelical and charismatic church has all but lost the true, apostolic Gospel of Christ Jesus, the devil is neither so blind nor forgetful. He knows, even if we do not, that eternal Life will only be inherited in the next age by those who have allowed God, by only His Spirit and Graces of course, to perfect His Love in them (Lk. 10:25-28, 1 Jn. 2:3-5, 1 Jn. 4:16-18, Rev. 22:14, Jn. 14:21-23, Lk. 13:6-9, etc.).

In Truth, however, such perfect Love of God is not something to be feared.

While most do not, the person who has received the fullness of God's Love (which is given just as instantly and miraculously as the New Birth)--not to be confused with It's perfection, which comes later, soon comes to realize that our adversary has been lying to them all along. Such step back amazed, as a spectator of sorts, when they discover the supernatural Love of God made to flow through them, when rejected, really does not hurt. It may at times bring sorrow, strictly being unselfishly sorrowed that the person who rejected such Love is missing out on Its blessing. But such truly does not bring the hurt of rejection that we all as adults have come to experience through the years, the result of our puppy and other humanistic loves.

When the born-again Christian receives the Love of God, and witnesses Its manifestation in those situations when God brings it forth, such is so supernatural, Its source so far removed from any work of man and his flesh, that the conduit of it most often realizes any rejection of God's Love is just that, a rejection of God and something He did, and is not taken personally.

(I emphasized the above phrase because people, both Christian and unbelievers alike, are quite mistaken to consider the actions of God's Love as being something that's manifested at all times and to all audiences. It is most definitely not so all-encompassing. When we as both Christian's and Love's recipients are flowing in that Love, walking in the Spirit, God will supernaturally and specifically manifest to others that Love when He so ordains, and also withhold it when He likewise so ordains--it's not a decision of man [except of course if we sinfully refuse to let it flow forth].)

(Know this: God's no fool; "God is not mocked." He will only ever allow Himself to be a doormat when He so desires to suffer that death. But most of the time He jealously guards Himself, not casting His "pearls before swine." But when He does become vulnerable, it's a pure display of the unconditionality of His Love, so done to give someone some final or near final opportunity to be saved from the consuming fire warned of in Luke 13:6-9, i.e. it's Him "dung[ing]" us.)

Sure, there are exceptions, for we are not perfect creatures and therefore even when the perfect Love of God is given to us, we at times will fail to let It alone. We will occasionally attempt to take away Its autonomy and will attach ourselves, trying to manipulate God's Love and join it to what our flesh wants to form in the way of friendships and the like. But the Word warns that we cannot be friends with the world, and by implication not be friends with the worldly, even the born-again worldly. But after just a few well-spaced allowances by God, when He steps back for a moment and lets us try and harness His Love and manipulate it, we will learn our lesson and let well enough, perfection, alone.

Besides, God does not need our help--contrary to popular opinion, and the best we can do is go along with Him for the Ride. We can "decrease," get out of His Way, sit back as He folds down the convertible top and brings forth the sunshine upon our countenance,--.

Or we can try and help, "think more highly of [our]selves than [we] ought," stick our fumbling hands into God's holy fire of Love, and get burnt a time or two or three, or however many times we want to masochistically indulge in our flesh.

But when we have studied the Commandments of Love; have meditated upon Love's definition as found in 1 Cor. Chap. 13--and all its synonyms; have perhaps read Paul's personal testimony of how he became "all things to all men, in the hopes [he] might save some," which is walking in Love as ALL are likewise commanded and required to do (again, by Grace and S(s)pirit only of course); then we have taken the first step after the New Birth in obtaining the next step of Grace leading to eternal salvation.

Please, I beseech you on behalf of Christ Jesus the Lord, do not buy into the great lie of the devil, which deception has us fear that if God's Love flows through us it will bring us hurt. For on the contrary, our participation is to get out of, and stay out of, Love's Way. When so accomplished we will amazingly discover of a Truth, it is truly God] supernaturally at work and therefore it is Him who is rejected and not us. And He will even at times allow us to walk away from Love’s rejection more joyous than ever, us knowing that He counted us worthy to "suffer" persecution for Him--although He will make it so as to not seem like it's suffering at all, but sheer Joy in the Holy Ghost.

Besides, it's the only Way to eternal Life, and "where are we to go, Jesus? You alone have the Words of Life." John 6:66--68 para.

Copyright 2004 by brother jim, Box 124, Allentown, PA, 18105-0124, USA--may be freely shared if done so without charge and if this notice is included.
3  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: August 20, 2004, 01:38:07 PM
Luke
13:6
He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  
13:7
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  
13:8
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  
13:9
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.  
4  Theology / Bible Study / Re:I, II, III John on: August 20, 2004, 01:27:11 PM
Btw, my post above was written mainly for the benefit of those of us who ALREADY know that we know that we know, that God does not allow the born-again Christian to daily spit in the Face of Jesus and His Grace, and still in the end inherit eternal Life. As for those who desire to live lawless, such will always find what they insist are "loopholes in the Law" that allow them to live with their remaining sins of the heart and still inherit eternal Life. To the latter, God just had to suffer the trampling underfoot of His precious Truths, not only so that those of a sincere heart would understand the Biblical precepts behind what they know is Truth, but also for the slim chance that some who have wandered too far away may still be recovered from the snare of the adversary who has taken them captive to do his will, "if God peradventure will grant them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth," as hard as that is for any of us to have the Faith and believe. Therefore, if such happens, ALL glory to God and Grace alone, amen? Amen!

bj
5  Theology / Bible Study / Re:I, II, III John on: August 20, 2004, 12:55:04 PM
The books of I, II, III John are books that are not written to the Body of Christ. Many who know how to rightly divide use some verses from these books but fail to notice what verses go with them them.

As we know we are not under the law, not saved by keeping the commandments, and our sins are already forgiven us in Christ the moment we believed. . . .
Whoever,

Oh, my. I thought I had heard all the excuses.

I could almost understand how in times past man and his traditions and superstitions have taken the Holy Scriptures and bent and perverted them to justify man's remaining sins that he loves more than he Loves God, . . .

. . . . but to throw out entire Books of the Bible is certainly a much easier way not to confront Truth, I suppose.

Sadly, the poster I quote even has a grain of Truth mixed in with his distorted de-canonization.

The Truth is, the Epistles of John were indeed not letters written to every born-again Christian who lived at John's time or who ever would live. They were intimate communications between John and his "children," those of the Heavenly Father through the New Birth who were FURTHER given over to John for his "espous[ing]" them to the bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11 - Paul). They were apostolicaly birthed into the Kingdom (as compared to those who attempt to be their own apostle, and perevert God's Truth accordingly).

Furthermore, we find as such, these who were children of an Apostle were well on the Way to being perfected in God's Love, that which the Word clearly staes, and in more than one place, is required for eternal Life.

For example, in Luke 10:25-28, Jesus Himself clearly states that eternal Life is only inherited by those who live in obedience to the NT's 3 (by impl.) Comm. of Love and Faith.

Graciously, since many will self-justify away Jesus' plainly spoken Words there, we are given 1 John 2:3-5 which basically says the same thing. But obviously, for those who have decided they have the power to throw away that entire Epistle, well--.

The Truth is, when we have been given by Grace the true doctrine of eternal Life, we will find no need to disregard any Scripture for any reason, not even the need to try and take Sciptures of square pegs and jam them into round holes. When we have the Truth by Grace, we will find that ALL Scriptures harmoniously agree with all others.

In Truth, the litmus tests of James' "works" and 1 Jn. 2:3-5 and Luke 10:25-28 are just that. They tell us if we are deceived or in Christ and in the Way and in the Truth.

If we have found the Way, which is the Love of God perfected in us by God's Spirit and Graces alone, we will automatically find our lives are being lived in obedience to the NT's 3 Commandments of Love and Faith. And such did not result from any fleshly works, but was simply the end result of our walking in the Spirit, that which the Word declares is necessary if we are to remain out from under the Law of Sin and Death, and continue under the protective umbrella of "the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1-2).

Yes, such is the "Law" all Christians are under if they continue in Grace. To say that there is no Law for the believer is clearly proven incorrect by Rom. 8:2, not to mention the very basics of human logic and principles of the universe. ALL entities must have in existence laws under which they operate, for where there is no law there is lawlessness. God did not take the Christian out from under the Law of Sin and Death to have them live lawless lives.

"For then with the mind I myself [Paul] SERVE the Laws of God."

We are taken out from UNDER the dead letter of the Law so that we have every advantage to SERVE the NT Law of Life in Christ Jesus by the Spirit, in newness of Spirit (Rom. 7:6).

The difference between being under a dead law and serving a life-giving law, is all the difference in the world, the difference between Life and death.

Law was not eliminated from society, but changed.

"For where there is a change in the priesthood, there is also of necessity a CHANGE n the Law."

But the lawless in heart, the lawless who seek justification for continuing to serve the still-remaining idols/impure motives of their heart, will always insist upon--.

So then the Gospel is quite simple. We are taken out from under the Law of Sin and Death so that the power of sin is broken, whereby we then have access to every Grace we need to continue in life "walking in the Spirit." But if instead we choose to continue and agape Love our remaining sins of the heart more than God, if instead of walking in Spirit who seeks fellowship with us so that He can reveal those remaining sins and further deliver us and subsequently equip us with more Grace, we rather choose to give into the dictates of our flesh, we place ourselves back under the Law of Sin and death, for we have counted the Blood of Christ Jesus a common thing, have trampled underfoot His Grace and made an open mockery of Him and His holiness, and no longer does any sacrifice remain because we have willfully sinned and in the Law of our mind (Heb. 11:26-29; Rom. 7:21, 25) have decided to serve our hearts' idols of sin rather than the Living God.

But then if we just decide we can throw out the Books of Hebrews too, then we can live in safety, correct?

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatever a man sows, that will he also reap," born-again or not. Guaranteed!

But neither can we be as the foolish Galatians, who attempted to live by the Commandments through means other than strictly God' Spirit and Graces.

Give up, let Him, bro. jim

brotherjim@mail.com
6  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: August 10, 2004, 10:05:12 PM
"He who has My Commandments and keeps them, it is he who Loves Me.

"And he who Loves Me will be Loved by My Father, and I [too] will Love him and manifest Myself to him. . . .

"If anyone Loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will Love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."


But since we also know: "By the works [of the flesh] of the Law, no person is justified in His Sight," then . . .

we can know that our obedience to the Commandments must ALL be by God's Spirit and Grace alone.

The next needed step after being born-again is our receiving the fullness of God's Love, which is given just as instantly and completely and miraculously as the New Birth. We become a candidate when we come out into the Light of Day that declares we have not been walking in Love and in the Spirit as we were commanded, and as the Word clearly and plainly states is required for eternal salvation (Luke 10:25-28, 1 Jn. 2:3-5, 1 Jn. 4:16-18, Rev. 22:14, etc.).

bj
7  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:Awesome Scripture on: August 02, 2004, 12:41:03 PM
"For where there is a change of the priesthood, there is also of necessity a change of the Law,". . . "so then I myself [Paul] serve the [New Covenant] Law of God."
8  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 29, 2004, 02:15:06 PM
"Blessed are those who do His Commandments, that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the Gates into The City, for outside [is] . . . whoever loves and practices a lie."

Rev. 22:14-15
9  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 23, 2004, 02:22:54 AM
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

"And the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Rev. 14:9-12
10  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 19, 2004, 12:58:38 PM
"And we have known and believed the Love that God has to us. God is Love; and he that dwells in Love dwells in God, and God in him.

Herein is Love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is [perfect in Love], so are we in this world[, if indeed we are].

There is no fear in Love; but perfect Love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears [the Day of Judgment] is not made perfect in Love."

1 John 4:16-18
11  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 15, 2004, 01:22:47 AM
"And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments.

"He that says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His Commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him.

"But whoever keeps His Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby we know that we are in Him."


1 Jn. 2:3-5
12  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 08, 2004, 09:33:36 PM
Luke 10:25-28:

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted [Jesus], saying, 'Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?';

"He said unto him, 'What is written in the Law, how do you understand it to be?'

"And he answering, said, 'You shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.'

"And He said unto him, 'You have answered correctly: this do, and you will live.'"
13  Fellowship / You name it!! / The true, unadulterated, simple, apostolic, and only Gospel of Christ Jesus on: July 05, 2004, 02:13:06 PM
All people who ever lived will die, and then one day be resurrected to stand before the Creator of the world to be judged.

So God sent His Son, Jesus, 2,000 years ago to tell men by what criteria they would be judged after their death. Then He gave up His earthly Life so that His priceless Blood would seal, guarantee, the Covenant made between His Words and mankind.

We were told by Jesus that those who Love God with all facets of their being, and who Love all human beings in the same unconditional manner as He, God's Son, Loved us by giving up His Life for us, will then be allowed to live forever with God the Father and Jesus in a new, eternal Kingdom.

On the other hand, those who during their mortal life refused to Love God and all people the Way God the Father through Jesus commanded, would not be allowed to live eternally with Them.

But Jesus, when He was briefly here in the world in the flesh, also unveiled the Truth that no man has the ability to Love God and all people the Way that God requires. So when He gave up His Life for us, that sacrifice made available Graces, supernatural abilities that God instantly gives people as free gifts, that would enable a person to Love God and all people the way He requires.

The first Grace someone needs to receive from God is an event known as the New Birth, when God supernaturally and instantly gives a person a new spirit that joins them together in a spiritual union with God, it making God their Father and them His children. And we also get a new spiritual heart, it being of a "softer" substance than the one we hardened through years of being hurt in the world.

The next Graces needed to eventually be perfected in the Love of God that will one day qualify us for eternal Life, will vary from person to person. The new heart that was begun at the time of the New Birth will still have many impurities, so perhaps God will want to give us a Grace that instantly and miraculously cleanses us from one or more of these impurities. Or He may give us some other Grace first.

Regardless, after all impurities of the heart have been instantly and supernaturally removed over time; and after we have received from God all the Fruits of the Spirit (Love, Meekness, Joy, Peace, etc. - Gal. 5) in their fullness, and the Fruit of godly Wisdom, and are obedient to them; we will qualify for eternal Life, for such Graces will have finally yielded our being perfected in God's Love.

Of course, we could die here in the earth at any time before receiving all the Graces that are necessary to be perfected in God's Love, but since we have no control over that, and God has complete control, we can be sure that He knows what He is doing and that our responsibility is "just" to commit at whatever and all cost to the above, that which God says is required for us to live forever with Him.

Copyright 2004 by brother jim, Box 124, Allentown, PA, 18105, USA, brotherjim@mail.com - may be freely shared if done so without charge and if this notice is included.
14  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:The Great Hypocrisy in the Church: Nowhere in God's Word Do We Find . . . on: November 14, 2003, 10:00:26 AM
So, then, getting back to the Holy Word of God, the only Standard given to mankind from Heaven upon which all can agree and know what is Truth, and what is error . . .

. . . using the scriptures already referenced, quoted in past posts, which speak specifically of eternal Life and its exact requirements without any ambiguity or need of special interpretation, those passages which, among still others, tells man exactly what he must possess in order for him to one day inherit eternal Life, and cannot justifiably be misunderstood. . .

. . . let us then summarize them and bring this thread back to its topic, and premise of the thread's starter.

By now we should have clearly seen in God's Word that:

1) In order to inherit eternal Life, we must be in obedience to the NT's Two Commandments of Love. (Luke 10:25-28, 1 Jn. 2:3-5, etc.)

2) If we are not living in obedience to the NT's Two Commandments of Love, then we do not know Christ as we have assumed, are no longer remaining in Him, and the Truth does not exist in us. (1 Jn. 2:3-5)

3) If someone does not hear the Truth of these scriptures, then they do not know God as they may have presumed, and are living according to a spirit of error. (1 Jn. 4:6-8)

4) We cannot Love God and all human beings as commanded and required for eternal Life unless we receive the Grace to do so: it cannot be performed by works of the flesh. (Gal. 2:16, John 6:63, etc., etc.)

5) This Grace that is needed for us to obey the NT's Two Commandments of Love is specifically the Love of God perfected in our hearts by Him. (1 Jn. 4:16-18, 1 Jn. 2:3-5)

6) If this Love of God is not perfected in our hearts, we have every justifiable reason to fear our Day of Judgment, that Day when those who do will inherit eternal Life. (1 Jn. 4:16-18, Matt. 25)

7) The only people we are told of in the Word who have a right and access to the Tree of Life in the next age, that Tree which gives eternal Life when eaten from, are those that obey the NT's Two Commandments of Love. (Gen. 3:24, Rev. 22:14, Luke 10:25-28, 1 Jn. 4:16-18 by implication, etc.)

Anyone can read these referenced scriptures for their own selves, either in their Bible or in back posts where they were quoted, and see and know that the words above correctly convey the exact meaning of each scripture referenced.

If what you have been believing in is not the above true Gospel of Christ Jesus for eternal Life according to the whole counsel of His Word, then you are believing the Lie, having been deceived and beguiled by a false Gospel (2Cor.11, Jude, etc.). And even if everyone you know is believing the same thing, it is still a false Gospel, still a lie, for man cannot change God, His Holy Word, or His clearly stated requirements for eternal Life. It's that simple; it's that clear; it's that true. "Thy Word is Truth."

In conclusion, then:

When we come out into the full Light of God's Word (as compared to choosing to remain in darkness - John 3:19-21), allow It to reveal our remaining rebellion and disobedience, our refusal to Love God and all people as commanded, and then receive from Heaven the needed godly sorrow, repentance and deliverance, we are enabled by Grace to commit to Love, and become a candidate for instantly and miraculously receiving the fullness of His Love - just like when we who were were born from above.

Then, as we walk in obedience to Love's fullness, not making a mere idol of the heart out of it like we once also did with the New Birth experience, then eventually the Grace of Love will bring all other facets of our being into obedience to the whole counsel of God's Holy Word, and we will find ourselves one day with the Love of God perfected in our hearts. And if we then endure to the end, remaining in that perfection, we, and we alone, will inherit eternal Life and reign forever with Christ Jesus.

"Narrow is the Way, and few there be. . . ."

May each of you who read this allow the Heavenly Father to give you His Grace needed for you to face, realize and admit to the Truth of His Word, and be delivered from the Lie, in Jesus' Name, amen. Amen.

God bless, brother jim
brotherjim@mail.com
15  Fellowship / You name it!! / Re:In Answer to "Brother Jim" on: November 09, 2003, 08:03:05 AM
Quote from: ollie
John 3:15.  "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
 16.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 17.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."


Quote

Dear ollie,

Truly, the only Way to eternal Life is to receive the Graces of God, by Faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus, and the first step of Grace must be for us to be born from above (AKA "born again" - a misnomer; "saved").

For until we are first born from above, we cannot even "see" (Jn. 3:3) the Kingdom of God, much less have any chance at all of obtaining by Grace alone, eternal Life.

But "just" seeing the Kingdom is not equal to obtaining eternal Life.

There are numerous promises of eternal Life throughout the scriptures, and all come qwith qualifiers telling us exactly who qualifies. Never, not one time, is this qualifier "only" the New Birth.

If someone will just spend a few hours and search out all of these passages regarding eternal Life themselves, not taking the opinion and word of any man - including me, when combined they will have assembled a short list of all that is needed to qualify for eternal Life.

This list will include:

Having the Love of God perfected in our heart.

Living in obedience to the NT's Two Commandments of Love.

Walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

Suffering with Christ.

Loving Christ, which again is living in obedience to ALL His Commandments and not just the easy ones that we like.

Them that obey Him.

Who by patient continuance in well doing.

Doing the will of God.

Crucifying the flesh.

Etc., etc.

And all the above must be by Grace and Grace alone, by works of the Spirit only, for by works of the flesh no man is ever justified.

[So we can see from these scriptures and their requirements - such as they are found in Luke 10:25-28, 1 Jn. 2:3-5, 1 Jn. 4:16-18, etc., etc. -  then, Ollie, that your personal opinion, that which you have surmised was implied by John 3:15-17, cannot be true, for it is not agreed upon by the numerous other scripture references which clearly and plainly state, without the need of opinions or special interpretation, exactly what is required for eternal Life, and being born from above is just the first step, just one of the many requirements, just one of the many Graces.]

Each of you have a potentially eternal soul that is worth your spending a few hours and finding out directly from the Word what is required, according to the whole counsel of God's Word, for eternal Life.

Being saved is not an automatic guarantee of eternal Life: they are not made equal in the Word - nowhere, only in the fantasies and superstitions and traditions of men. And since all men are liars and only God and His Holy Word always true, it would behoove all to only go to His Word and find Truth for themselves.

But because virtually all Christians have already been beguiled by a perverted Gospel, their minds are askew and they do not see clearly. Everywhere they read of salvation and being saved in the Word, they automatically add conjecture and presumption, thoughts that simply are not there, thereby making salvation equal to eternal Life. They make equivalent connections, such as with Jn. 3:17 and what's before it, that are not equal connections. It is all in their mind, and their mind and heart betrays them and the true Gospel of Christ Jesus.

[Salvation, the act of being saved, is not a synonym of eternal Life - except in man's distorted, self-justifying vision.]

I'm amazed at how God ordained the Reformation, and expended the lives of many, so that we could obtain Truth without having to depend upon man, and yet we still believe men over the Truth of the Word that we hold in our hands and can see for our own selves.

Please, I beseech all on behalf of Christ Jesus, stop listening to men and find for yourself in the Bible all of what God requires for eternal Life. These qual;ifiers are most often clearly and plainly stated. Many will be ambiguous, them not telling us exactly all of what must be "believed" or exactly what Graces are needed (there are many Graces), but God made certain that we would have many Biblical passages that did clearly spell out exactly His requirements.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is good for. . . ."

We cannot merely isolate those scripture that are ambiguous and therefore can be bent and twisted to conform to our manmade doctrine, and bury our head in the sand from all others, for those others, when combined, prove our belief false, of man and not of God, and the opinions of man cannot save anyone.

So entrust your soul to no man's opinion: assemble your own list from the Word of its clearly and plainly stated requirements for eternal Life. You will either know the whole Truth now, or on your Judgment Day. And ignorance of the Law has never been an accepted excuse for having to not pay the penalties of the Law.

The Law is only blotted out in each of our lives when we live according to Love (Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14), that Love possible to be manifested in us by Faith in the Grace of the finished work of the Cross that makes available such Love.

The fullness of God's Love can be received by us just as instantly and miraculously as is the New Birth, and must be.

As we then live in obedience to Love's fullness, it will eventually bring all facets of our being into alignment with the Word and its commandments and requirement for eternal Life.

Guaranteed by Grace, by Jesus, by Jesus' Blood and Word.

brother jim

(Or we could just throw in God's Face of Grace yet more ambiguous scriptures of mere self-justification, continue in self-denial of both God's requirements for eternal Life and our own continuing, unrepented of sins and rebellion and outright refusal to Love as commanded. "The Day will reveal it. . . .")

NOTICE: I will not respond again on this thread, for I know that many will come after and seek to make the Truth of God of none affect, trampling under their feet the precious pearls of God's Holy Word (read Heb. 10:26-31, 2 Cor. 11 and Jude). [Watch and see, compare their words with mine, compare what they say that I said and what I actually posted, and see how they twist and pervert any or all.]

God's Truth cannot be intellectually obtained, but only through the Spirit and through Grace [and not Grace as the majority have so narrowly confined it to suit their "itching ears"], so I will not debate here. Any who sincerely seek God and His Truth - as compared to mere self-justification for their gross deficiencies and unrepented of sin - can contact me directly at brotherjim@mail.com if they want more of what I allege to be the Truth of God.

Better still, search the scriptures for yourself and let the Holy Ghost, in the Name of Christ Jesus, guide you into what is Truth and what is error. And know, that even if the entire church believes a lie, if God's Word proves it is a lie, then it is a lie.

Please also see my thread "The Great Hypocrisy of the Church . . ." by brotherjim, lasted posted on on Nov. 8.

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatever a man sows, that will he also reap," born from above or not.
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