Am I Going to Heaven ?

[Petro]

SonofAslan.........continued for previous post..

Third point, baptism. Here is where sacramental understandings come in to play. It really is a tragedy that our post-Cartesian world has turned away from traditional metaphysical understandings. It is no coincidence, in my opinion, that Protestantism, with its great errors, is roughly contemporaneous with Descartes and his ultimate destruction of metaphysics. The greatest loss to come out of this is a loss of sacramental mentality. Baptism is a sacrament. What does that mean? It means the form can't be separated from the underlying reality. It means the infinite touches the finite. The infinite unites itself to the finite. This is why the sacraments are called mysteries. Because how can the infinite unite with the finite? How can that which transcends all reality become immanent in created reality? How can God become man? The Incarnation is the foundation for all sacraments. Now baptism is a sacrament. This means that the infinite reality, the bestowing of grace on man, the participation of man in the death and resurrection of Christ, become a reality through the finite reality of going under water. The reality of the sacrament cannot be separated from its form in the water. Now this doesn't necessarily have to be immersion, but it does require water. One can say it's symbolic, but this is only true if one understands a symbol to carry the reality of that which it symbolizes within it.

The Brazen Serpent was a real object, and yet, it symbolized life or death depending whether someone looked upon it in faith, or not,  (of course scripture doesn't say,  these exact words that they who looked upon it by faith would live), but it is plain the peoples FAITH was not in the object but in the promise of God, that whosoever looked upon it, would live, after having bitten by the serpent, and yet this symbol of life, which gave prevented death to many, had to be destroyed because in the end,  because, it became a symbol of death, when they worshipped it by burning incense to it.

Water Baptism, plainly is symbolic of the real Baptism, promised in John 1:31, and according to the scriptures it is grasped by faith. (Col 2:10-12),  I agree, it is an sacramental ordinance, and should  be obediently observed by all Christians, unfortunately it is emphasized as though the mere act of baptism obtains the spiritual reality of it.  

This is evident in the the baptism of infants, within churches, this very act, is contray to scripture, since Jesus made it clear, who is saved.

The parameters of the ordinance was defined by the Lord, at Mat 16:16, He emphacized that same word "believeth" as the qualifying factor, it is plain, and unbeliever , i.e. Such as an infant may be baptized, or some other person, but it accomplishes nothing for them.

In fact, one could almost state, there are people, that have died in unbelief, having been baptized in water.

If by symbol one simply means that it merely represents some other reality, then that is false. Symbols are in a very real sense, that which they symbolize. Can someone be saved without being baptized.

I  agree, perfectly at this point.

Does your church followup, on infants who have been baptized, to bring them into a more perfect understanding of the scriptural teaching??

Or, does the church just assume they will be saved, down the road.

In exceptional circumstances, sure. God can do what he wants. But that is not the normal means by which the Holy Spirit enters the life of a believer. It is an exceptional case. Just as the thief on the cross is an exceptional case.

And so was, Paul, Cornelius, and his family, the Ethiopian Eunuch, and all others who are saved, after Pentecost;  this is where we disagree, since salvation occurs at the baptism/sealing of the Holy Spirit and not when water baptism occurs, the ordinance of the physical is ssymbolic of the reality, I think thiese where your words.

Your understanding of two types of baptism is false, because it separates something that Scripture doesn't separate. Scripture talks about the ultimate reality behind the physical manifestation of that reality, but it doesn't separate out separate kinds of baptism. And yes, I know the Acts verses where the disciples said they only received the baptism of John. But that's not conclusive one way or the other. Were they baptized by John, prior to Christ? Who knows? At Pentecost, the ultimate reality of the Holy Spirit transformed the physical reality of baptism, because that's what baptism does, it is where the Holy Spirit comes upon the believer. This wasn't possible before the Holy Spirit had been sent, and this is what happened at Pentecost. That there is only one baptism is explicitly stated by Paul in Ephesians 4:5. And I've seen your interpretation of 1 Peter 3:21. It is wrong. The Baptism Peter is talking about is baptism in water. That's why he says "not the removing of dirt from the body". It is not that water washes away physical dirt that baptism saves us, but rather because it restores our conscience. This is also what Paul talks about when he says we are baptized into Christ death and raised with Him into life. This is all baptism in water, understood sacramentally.

Ohh...........?  The scriptures tell us , There were many disciples that followed Jesus, and when He spoke it was necessary to  eat His flesh and drinking His blood, many where offended, and followed Him no more, (Jhn 6:66)
The Orthodox church is no different than the Catholic church, or the Lutheran chuch, together with others, which baptize infants, many people in these instituions (not all I admit) have been water baptized and, cannot articulate, what you have articulated about water baptism, all they know is I am a Christian because I have been baptized and am a member of this  church.

I separate them, not because they are seprate but because, in order to see the error, it needs to be separated to be examined, closely, More emphasis is made on water baptism, than the baptism, which Jhn said would be performed by Jesus (Jhn 1:31)

Ok, one last thing. You stated to Ollie that the works of Matt 25 were different works. No. They are the same works. They are the works that arise from a living and obedient faith. It isn't the specific acts that save us. We aren't saved because we fed the hungry. We are saved because our living and obedient faith activated the grace bestowed on us by God for our salvation (more on that later too – probably on the other trhead).

Well, actually, Ollie, does not believe in Adams sin (original sin), being passed on to all men (Rom 5:12), but it matters little whether one believes it, won't change the truth one bit, since ALL sin, and there is none that doeth right ( Rom 3:10,23), none includes infants, unfortunately.

But infants and their deatrh, is another matter, no sense in discussin git here.

You are confusing the issue though, you need to explain what you mean, here.

You said, above;
"We aren't saved because we fed the hungry. We are saved because our living and obedient faith activated the grace bestowed on us by God for our salvation."

The scriptures do not support this statement at all, as written, please explain.

The fact is the saved, Christian do these things, not to be saved,

But because we the elect,  are saved. And these works are Evidenced by our obedient living.
Jesus put it this way.........................

................You shall know them by their fruits.
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(Mat 7:16-18)

Blessings,

Petro

[Ambassador4Christ]

I believe that all you have to do is follow this verse: Romans 10:9 " That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth thy Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved."  

Now if you want treasure to throw at Jesus's feet you will do works to please and worship Him.  I am not saying that works get you into heaven because they don't.  Read Titus 3:5.  

I don't believe that anyone can loose salvation.  Read Romans 8:38-39 and Jesus said that there is one that He ever lost, which would be Judas because he betrayed Jesus just before He was dying on the cross.

I believe that once you are saved you can never loose salvation because I believe that Jesus wipes away the sins of your past, present and future.  

I hope that you all can know your security in Christ and that you can't loose salvation.  Please I didn't do this to start a fight, but only to state what I believe is the truth.  I refuse to fight with anyone( I was veiwing the past forums).

Hope all find security in Jesus,

Kris

Thank You Kriss777
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEN!!

[TheComforter]

Wheeeeeew!

What is Up in the Cyber-Body?

I must first admit that after intent study as I began this set of threadly's, I did slack off and quick read to the end. I saw a few things I just wanted to mention if you do not mind, of course...

Good stuff popping up here and there, good points, questions, etc. Passion and kindness that compared to the world today can bring a tear to the trained eye because it is rarer than you think.

I will further clear the air with a quick admission: I am a Bible Nerd! Long Time, been there done that...and I have a couple of things I just wanted to share from an oldie with hours of Flight time, You know what I am say-in?

You gain levels as you study that can not be faked nor forgotten. You see things besides just main keywords like law, and salvation, and Believe, and well you get the idea.

Example:
You find that knowing Him really means knowing Him. You hear Him speak within scripture and you notice after a while you can tell when He is talking to one group and later just by the tone you know unto whom He is speaking then also.

Anger in "Think not that I come to save, But to DESTROY"  and you see the Tare being scolded and warned to Fear The Lord!

Love in "I come not to Destroy, but to save that which was Lost!"

You know who is being spoken to but some how never log it as being very important. After learning this well, and feeling what He must have felt while speaking, you quickly learn how to know He is talking to more than one group throughout the tale, and when.

Holy - Rare
Righteous - Few
Unjust - Many
Filthy - Most

As a matter of Fact this knowledge of Him is so important He has enclosed four examples every time (almost) He had the chance within scripture just to make this stick out as much as possible.

Look for clusters of four from the following examples within scripture, see for your self If what I am trying to share with you is a fact or fiction:

Grass
Trees
Suns
Moons
Locust
Scorpion
creepy thing
Fowls of the Air
Canker Worm
Spider
Conie
Vine
Branches
Fig Tree
Olive Tree
Wheat
Tare


The list is very long so I will not attempt to post it all, and the above are not linked but instead in random order, so you will be looking for "any" four, not just any order of the ones listed.


Conclusion:

Every One here seems to be in Love with Jesus Christ.

They desire to Know Him even while He is away, and with little to go on they press on doing the best they can with what they have got.

As I read your posts here I see the tale differently because of the levels I have running at all times. I see as He turns His head speaking unto one, and then the other. I feel in His Heart a great depression as He must sound angry because it is so hard for Him to even sound Mean. I myself must confess in finding New examples and subjects within scripture that I have never before had time to explore, and I tear them up! (Get into them so deep they bust...), but my interest is deeper than who He is speaking to at any given moment, I use these levels to better position myself into Hearing Exactly what He says.


Scripture is still fresh with me, as if new each time.

But I know Him. I follow Him in the Word, Yes, but also at every turn of the Head, and every change of the Tone. This is all I have found missing that is a must Have unto all who desire to know Him. To know unto whom is being spoken too is Key when rightly dividing the Word. We all use this every day as you might be sweet all day and then have to yell at some jerk who leaves a dog out That's too big and actually a danger to others. Should you think Me always sweet and find me foney because you saw me yell once, will you think I mean all dogs or just that one,  that is the sway of something besides the Rock. Knowing me would cause a close one to know exactly how I felt and why I was saying what I was saying. Every time He speaks He may be talking to a different group. If one group takes all things spoken as unto them only, you would be looking at exactly what is wrong with the union of Churches today.

What Union you say?

Exactly!

All of these studies are good in the Word, but let's remember we are supposed to be getting to know Him, not each other.

Please get to know Him, so that you can better believe Him.  

It is a pleasure to serve.

John.

[SonofAslan]

Ambassador,

I’m still waiting for an honest, direct and sincere answer to a very simple question.



Petro,

I had a long answer that got lost, so I will shorten it.

First, that some Orthodox don’t understand Orthodoxy is irrelevant. What many Orthodox can or cacnnot articulate is irrelevant.
Second, you can’t separate the symbol from the reality.
Third, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate Paul, and Cornelius weren’t baptized, and Scripture clearly says the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized.
Fourth, you have a wrong understanding of salvation if you think it is something that happens and is over with. Salvation is the process of becoming a son of God. What Christ is by nature, we become by grace. If you want Scripture for this, see 2 Peter 1:4
Fifth. We aren’t judged by our deeds because we are trying to be judged by our deeds. God isn’t bound by our standards. He creates His own. You won’t find the notion that judgment according to our deeds is merely God stooping to our expectations anywhere in Scripture. But you will find numerous passages that say we must watch, we must strive, we will be judged by our deeds, we must do good works, etc. that is all OVER Scripture as a warning against becoming complacent and assuming that you don’t have to do anything and God will just *poof* you into heaven.
Sixth, yes Hebrews does say we must believe THAT… (I had actually forgotten that passage), but I don’t think it takes away from my main point which is that believing IN Someone, in this case Christ (John 3:16 for one clearly says that it is Christ we are to believe in, but I don’t think you can believe in Christ without believing in the Father and vice versa, so I don’t want to press this point) establishes an intimate relationship with that person. It is not just believing certain facts about a person. Just like “know” is used to refer to the union of a married couple in the conjugal act, so also believing in Christ indicates a union with God that is typified by the union between a married couple in sex. This is why Paul compares the Church’s relationship with Christ to that of a marriage.

Scripture is clear that our works play a role in our salvation, but don’t in themselves save us. If you’re trying to pursue this discussion from a Calvinistic standpoint where God choose who will and will not be saved without ANY desire on our part, then I will have to bring out different points. From some other posts I’ve seen you make, this would seem to be the case, but I don’t want to assume it, so I’m asking. Is this where you’re coming from? God arbitrarily chooses who will and won’t be saved?

[Ambassador4Christ]

If we are willing to accept and teach the truth as outlined in Ephesians 4:4-6, we can do away with a lot of confusion and division among the local churches and denominations. Many false teachers have lied to us and tried to make us do certain things to help the Lord out and to make us have a part in our salvation, but when we know the truth, we can see that He did it all.

 

Ephesians 4:14 that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

 

Ephesians 4:4 there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 6. One God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

 

[Ambassador4Christ]

First, it must be noted that the Bible in my hand says "The gospel of Christ is the power of Cod unto salvation" (Ro. 1:16), not our good works (Ephesians 2:8 and 9) or our righteous lifestyle (Ti. 3:5) or our baptism (1 Co.1:17).
Second, the Bible also states that the gospel, "by which also ye are saved..." is that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried and that he rose again on the third day." (1 Co. 15:1-4)
That is all pretty straight forward and simple.
But nobody likes to be told that he is a sinner and must trust what someone else did to make amends.

Instead of being told to trust the finished work of Jesus Christ, people are instead being instructed to come forward and make a commitment, or to sign a card, but that is not the same thing.
Others are told to pray through and I was at one meeting where a potential convert had come forward and one altar worker was telling them to 'let go' while another altar worker on person's other side was telling them to 'hang on."
Popular today is to "Open your heart's door and let Jesus into your heart;"but that is not the gospel either: hearts do not have doors, and no verse in any Bible says that Jesus wants into the heart.
Many have the idea that Christianity is joining a church or giving money, but none of those things are included in the gospel of salvation.
It should be obvious that if a man can do things to earn his trip to heaven, Jesus Christ wasted His time on Calvary's cross. In fact, His death was for our sins, His burial was payment for the wages of sin, and His resurrection
demonstrated victory of death and hell. Those items are the elements of the gospel. Faith in what Jesus did, then, is what saves.
It could not be much simpler, but maybe that is the problem. Mankind tends to reject simple solutions, especially when such solutions declare man's best efforts worthless in the face of what Cod, in Christ, has already accomplished.

Grace & Peace  

[Ambassador4Christ]

"There is none righteous, no not one."
"How should man be just with God?"
(Romans 3:10 and Job 9:2)


Since man is a sinner and God is holy, how can they meet? Job asked this question thousands of years ago, and man is still asking how he may become righteous in the eyes of God, or how God might excuse him for his sin. Job's three friends each had a solution to the problem; each one had a different idea, but the foundation of all three was a salvation based on human works. So, today, men are still offering the same answers as did the three friends of Job.
First - Bring God down to man's level. That is Demonism.
Second - Evolve man to God's level. That is modernism.
Third - Put on a nice, outward appearance. That is ritualism.

There is always a way "that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

To Job's three friends, God said. "Ye have not spoken unto Me things which are right, like My servent Job." Therefore we conclude that Job knew the right answer and that his three friends were wrong. Job's answer was:
"For He is not a man as I am, that I should answer Him and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any DAYSMAN betwixt us that might lay His hand upon us both" (Job 9:32-33). In otherwords, Job said that there must be a MEDIATOR, or a go-between, if he was to be accepted by God. What kind of a mediator did Job need? What kind of a mediator does man need today?

First of all, that mediator must be both God and man, and not only that, He must also be a REDEEMER, in order to redeem man from sin. And Job could say: "I know that my REDEEMER liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth" (Job 19:25). In I Timothy 2:5 we read: "There is ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." That One who was in the form of God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servent, came in the likeness of men, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). By His death on the cross He became the Redeemer of mankind.

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (II Corinthians 8:9).

How then, can man receive the blessings of this matchless work of grace? First let us see how it is not obtained:

NOT BY WORKS


"Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Titus 3:5)
"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
"For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God...Abraham believed God, and it (his faith) was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:2-3).

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).


NOT BY THE LAW
(The ten Commandments)


"A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,....for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

"If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:21).

The purpose of the law is to stop all mouths; and it is the instrument by which the whole world is proven guilty before God. See Romans 3:19-20.

The law curses. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continnot in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10).

The law is called the ministration of death, "written and engraven in stones," in II Corinthians 3:7.

"The law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ" (Galatians 3:24). "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4), and He "took it out of the way, nailing it to His (Colossians 2:14). And now - "Ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).


"THEREFORE" -


"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28).

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

"By Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

John Bunyan wrote the following lines: "The righteousness of God, that is a righteousness of God's completing, a righteousness of God's bestowing, a righteousness that God gives unto and puts upon all them that believe, a righteousness that stands in the work of Christ, and that is imputed both by the grace and justice of God, the righteousness by which we stand just before God from the curse, was performed long ago by the Person of Jesus Christ."

By grace we are saved - Eph. 2:8-9.
By grace we are redeemed - Gal. 3:13.
By grace we are brought near - Eph. 2:13.
By grace we are justified - I Tim. 1:15.

 

[Brother Love]

If we are willing to accept and teach the truth as outlined in Ephesians 4:4-6, we can do away with a lot of confusion and division among the local churches and denominations. Many false teachers have lied to us and tried to make us do certain things to help the Lord out and to make us have a part in our salvation, but when we know the truth, we can see that He did it all.

 

Ephesians 4:14 that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

 

Ephesians 4:4 there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 6. One God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

 

Thank You A4C Amen

[Ambassador4Christ]

Only as we thus "rightly divide the word of truth" can we be sure that we have a legitimate part in the program of God-and only then can we begin to fully comprehend what God has so richly given us in Christ.

 

[Ambassador4Christ]

Many people think they will go to heaven because they have lived a good life. Perhaps, they treat all of their neighbors fairly. Maybe they volunteer for charity work and have never broken the law. Maybe they were even baptized or go to church regularly. But the Bible, God's Word, says that no one can live up to God's standard of righteousness.

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one ...."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ...."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Salvation cannot be earned. Everyone is a sinner and deserves death, but God gives eternal life. So how can we receive God's gift of eternal life?

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ...."

To be saved, we must believe the gospel. The word "gospel" means "good news". But before we can believe the good news, we have to know what it is.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel ... that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures ...."

This is the gospel which we must believe in order to be saved. Now, how does believing this gospel save us?

Romans 5:8-9 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

Romans 3:22-26 "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (appeasing sacrifice) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

We can be saved from the wrath of God, because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and rose from the dead. He paid the price for us, and we are justified in God's eyes through our faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast."

There will be no boasting in heaven. We cannot be saved by our own righteousness, but only by God's grace, through faith.

Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

Once we believe the gospel, we are sealed with God's Holy Spirit. This is God's deposit, that guarantees he will redeem us, whom our Lord Jesus Christ "purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).

Studying the Bible is an essential part of the growth of every believer.
 
 

[Brother Love]

"There is none righteous, no not one."
"How should man be just with God?"
(Romans 3:10 and Job 9:2)


Since man is a sinner and God is holy, how can they meet? Job asked this question thousands of years ago, and man is still asking how he may become righteous in the eyes of God, or how God might excuse him for his sin. Job's three friends each had a solution to the problem; each one had a different idea, but the foundation of all three was a salvation based on human works. So, today, men are still offering the same answers as did the three friends of Job.
First - Bring God down to man's level. That is Demonism.
Second - Evolve man to God's level. That is modernism.
Third - Put on a nice, outward appearance. That is ritualism.

There is always a way "that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

To Job's three friends, God said. "Ye have not spoken unto Me things which are right, like My servent Job." Therefore we conclude that Job knew the right answer and that his three friends were wrong. Job's answer was:
"For He is not a man as I am, that I should answer Him and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any DAYSMAN betwixt us that might lay His hand upon us both" (Job 9:32-33). In otherwords, Job said that there must be a MEDIATOR, or a go-between, if he was to be accepted by God. What kind of a mediator did Job need? What kind of a mediator does man need today?

First of all, that mediator must be both God and man, and not only that, He must also be a REDEEMER, in order to redeem man from sin. And Job could say: "I know that my REDEEMER liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth" (Job 19:25). In I Timothy 2:5 we read: "There is ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." That One who was in the form of God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servent, came in the likeness of men, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). By His death on the cross He became the Redeemer of mankind.

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (II Corinthians 8:9).

How then, can man receive the blessings of this matchless work of grace? First let us see how it is not obtained:

NOT BY WORKS


"Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Titus 3:5)
"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
"For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God...Abraham believed God, and it (his faith) was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:2-3).

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).


NOT BY THE LAW
(The ten Commandments)


"A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,....for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

"If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:21).

The purpose of the law is to stop all mouths; and it is the instrument by which the whole world is proven guilty before God. See Romans 3:19-20.

The law curses. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continnot in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10).

The law is called the ministration of death, "written and engraven in stones," in II Corinthians 3:7.

"The law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ" (Galatians 3:24). "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4), and He "took it out of the way, nailing it to His (Colossians 2:14). And now - "Ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).


"THEREFORE" -


"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28).

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

"By Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

John Bunyan wrote the following lines: "The righteousness of God, that is a righteousness of God's completing, a righteousness of God's bestowing, a righteousness that God gives unto and puts upon all them that believe, a righteousness that stands in the work of Christ, and that is imputed both by the grace and justice of God, the righteousness by which we stand just before God from the curse, was performed long ago by the Person of Jesus Christ."

By grace we are saved - Eph. 2:8-9.
By grace we are redeemed - Gal. 3:13.
By grace we are brought near - Eph. 2:13.
By grace we are justified - I Tim. 1:15.

 

Amen!

By grace we are saved - Eph. 2:8-9.
By grace we are redeemed - Gal. 3:13.
By grace we are brought near - Eph. 2:13.
By grace we are justified - I Tim. 1:15.
 Amen & Amen

Brother Love

[Brother Love]

Quote A4C: There will be no boasting in heaven. We cannot be saved by our own righteousness, but only by God's grace, through faith.
 Amen Brother

Brother Love

[ollie]

Matthew 11:27.  All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
 28.  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 29.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
 30.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

All ye that take Jesus Christ's yoke upon you and learn of Him are going to find rest.

[ollie]

 Hebrews 4:9.  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
 10.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
 11.  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
 12.  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[Ambassador4Christ]

Gods Word to me

The Bible declares that "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10).

Works do not help here. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the "GIFT" of God, not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

"But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died "FOR" us" (Romans 5:.

"Being now declared righteous by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9).

"The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that BELIEVE" (Romans 3:22).

Romans 5:15-21 tells of God's FREE GIFT of His righteousness and eternal life. "...so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21).

Receive Christ now ! "AS ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord..."(Colossians 2:6). In Him is forgiveness of sins, God's perfect righteousness, and sure hope of heaven.

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation..." (Ephesians 1:13).

There is no other way. "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:.

I repeat, Gods Word to me

Amen & Amen

Thjank You Jesus