Am I Going to Heaven ?

[avemaria]

Continued.....

-----------------------------------------------------------

Salvation is an ongoing process throughout our lives. It is a life long struggle.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil 2:12
This verse is in direct conflict with the notion of "Once saved, always saved".

We were saved in the past: Rom 5:1-2,8:24, Eph 2:5-8, 2Tim 1:9, Tit 3:5.

We are being saved now: Rom 5:9-10, 1Cor 1:18,15:2, Phil 2:12, 1Pet 1:8-9,2:1-2.

We will be saved in the future: Mt 10:22,24:13, Rom 13:11, 1Cor 3:12-15,5:5, 2Tim 2:11-13, Rev 21:6-7.


-----------------------------------------------------------We can lose our salvation:

Those who believe "Once saved, always saved", assume (presumption?) that they are written in the "Book of Life" (Dan 12:1) in red indelible ink, and cannot ever be removed from it no matter how much they sin.
How then could they ever explain Ex 32:33:
"The Lord answered, 'Him only who has sinned against Me will I strike out of My book'"?

Even St. Paul admitted that he could lose his salvation:
"...but I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps after preaching to others I myself should be rejected."
1Cor 9:27

Then there is Rom 11:22, "See, then, the goodness and the severity of GOD: His severity towards those who have fallen, but the goodness of GOD towards you if you abide in His goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

"I have confidence in you the Lord, that you will not think otherwise; but he who disturbs you will bear the penalty, whoever he may be." Gal 5:10

"But that servant who knew his masters will, and did not make ready for him and did not act according to his will, will be beaten with many stripes." Luke 12:47

"You therefore, brethren, since you know this beforehand, be on your guard lest, carried away by the error of the foolish, you fall away from your own steadfastness." 2Pet 3:17
Is this "once saved, always saved"? Well then, what about those who fall into this trap?

Who are those who gloss over these verses and present a blind eye to them?
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are immorality, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, jealousies, anger, quarrels, factions, parties, envies, murders, drunkenness, carousings, and suchlike. AND CONCERNING THESE I WARN YOU, AS I HAVE WARNED YOU, THAT THEY WHO DO SUCH THINGS WILL NOT ATTAIN THE KINGDOM OF GOD." Gal 5:19-21

Again, does this sound like "Once saved, always saved"?
Who can ignore Matt 25:31-46, where the shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats and the righteous will receive their reward but the accursed will depart into the everlasting fire?
See also, Matt 6:14-15, 7:21, 24:44-51, Mark 11:26, Luke 10:16, John 14:21, Rom 11:22,
and Rev 21:8.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Perseverance in doing the will of the Father:
This virtue will bring us to our goal:

"...but he who has persevered to the end will be saved." Matt 10:22, 24:13
Notice that these verses do not say that we are saved but that we will be saved...future tense. What does "persevered" mean? Why should anyone have to worry about perseverance if they are already saved?

"Life eternal indeed he will give to those who by patience in good works seek glory and honor and immortality; but wrath and indignation to those who are contentious, and who do not submit to the truth but assent to iniquity." Rom 2:7-8

"And in doing good, let us not grow tired; for in due time we shall reap if we do not relax." Gal 6:9

"Do not therefore, lose your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of patience that, doing the will of GOD, you may receive the promise:" Heb 10:35-36

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which GOD has promised to those who love Him." Jam 1:12

"But he who has looked carefully into the perfect law of liberty and has remained in it, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, shall be blessed in his deed." Jam 1:25

"Take, brethren, as an example of labor and patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." Jam 5:10

"Therefore, brethren, strive even more by good works to make your calling and election sure. For if you do this, you will not fall into sin at any time. Indeed, in this way will be amply provided for you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ." 2Pet 1:10-11
Well, this verse makes it clear that you need good works to help you to your salvation.

"Once saved, always saved" does not look so promising anymore, does it?
"Him who overcomes I will permit to eat of the tree of life, which is the paradise of my GOD."
Rev 2:7

"Fear none of those things that you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be you faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev 2:10

"And to him who overcomes, and who keeps My works unto the end, I will give authority over the nations." Rev 2:26

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
1Cor 10:12

See also: John 15:4-10, 1Cor 15:58, Eph 4:14,6:10-17, 1Thes 3:8,5:21-22, 2Thes 2:15-17,
Heb12:1-15,13:9, Jam1:4,2:14-26, 1Pet1:4-7,5:8, Rev2:17,3:5,11-12,21,21:7
-----------------------------------------------------------For all of those who think they are "saved", I must warn them that it is a sin of presumption to believe that false Protestant invented doctrine. Show me a genuine historical document written before 1500 which documents it?

"So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
1Cor 13:13

So if we are saved by faith alone, then what is the purpose of Scripture telling us to have hope? There would be no need for hope if we are saved already. What does that verse say about love?
It says love is greater than faith. For those who say they are saved by faith alone, are they not insinuating that faith is greater than love? Aren't they ignoring both hope and love?

Since I mentioned the year 1500 above, there was a reason why I did. It was Martin Luther who "invented" the false doctrine of "Once saved, always saved", when in Romans 3:28 he added the word "alone" to his German translation of Holy Scripture. That verse then read, "...a man is justified by faith alone". This action on his part was an embarassment to the other reformers, and so you will not find that little word "alone" in Romans 3:28 in the King James or any other Protestant Bible except for his.

Here is one quote from Luther regarding "Once saved always saved",
"Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly... No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day."
Martin Luther, letter to Melanchthon, August 1, 1521

What about those verses I quoted previously regarding the command of Jesus to sin no more."

Is this the meaning of "Once saved always saved"?

Can we throw out the ten commandments now along with scores of other verses?

Not at all according to John 14:15, "If you love me you will keep my commandments".

How can anyone possibly reconcile those Words of Christ with that quote from Luther above?

Of what purpose does that verse serve with Luther's twisted theology?

What about "Thou shalt not commit adultery and thou shalt not kill?

Shall we believe the words of Luther or the Words of GOD?

Did you know that Martin Luther wrote the obituary for his own church?

In this quote from one of his writings, he was speaking of "Saved by Faith alone (or only)".
"If this article stands, the church stands; if it collapses, the church collapses."
Martin Luther, Exposition of Psalms 130,4


Well, Martin, that 'article' of yours did not stand, but did indeed collapse.
I have shown more than ample evidence of that collapse in the verses included in this writing, soooo....?
-----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------
Interestingly, the people who believe in "Are You Saved", or "Once Saved, Always Saved", are the same people who berate the Catholic Church for canonizing saints. Now the word "Saint" simply means, a "Holy One", or a person who is in heaven. So, by believing in, "Once Saved, Always Saved", it simply means that those who believe in it are canonizing themselves. In other words, since I am "saved", "I will go to heaven, and therefore, all who are in heaven are saints, therefore I am a saint already".


"For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, but the man whom the Lord commends."
2Corinthians 10:18
AGAIN, JESUS DID NOT DIE JUST SO WE COULD SIN.

[Ambassador4Christ]

Continued.....

-----------------------------------------------------------

Salvation is an ongoing process throughout our lives. It is a life long struggle.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil 2:12
This verse is in direct conflict with the notion of "Once saved, always saved".

We were saved in the past: Rom 5:1-2,8:24, Eph 2:5-8, 2Tim 1:9, Tit 3:5.

We are being saved now: Rom 5:9-10, 1Cor 1:18,15:2, Phil 2:12, 1Pet 1:8-9,2:1-2.

We will be saved in the future: Mt 10:22,24:13, Rom 13:11, 1Cor 3:12-15,5:5, 2Tim 2:11-13, Rev 21:6-7.


-----------------------------------------------------------We can lose our salvation:

Those who believe "Once saved, always saved", assume (presumption?) that they are written in the "Book of Life" (Dan 12:1) in red indelible ink, and cannot ever be removed from it no matter how much they sin.
How then could they ever explain Ex 32:33:
"The Lord answered, 'Him only who has sinned against Me will I strike out of My book'"?

Even St. Paul admitted that he could lose his salvation:
"...but I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps after preaching to others I myself should be rejected."
1Cor 9:27

Then there is Rom 11:22, "See, then, the goodness and the severity of GOD: His severity towards those who have fallen, but the goodness of GOD towards you if you abide in His goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

"I have confidence in you the Lord, that you will not think otherwise; but he who disturbs you will bear the penalty, whoever he may be." Gal 5:10

"But that servant who knew his masters will, and did not make ready for him and did not act according to his will, will be beaten with many stripes." Luke 12:47

"You therefore, brethren, since you know this beforehand, be on your guard lest, carried away by the error of the foolish, you fall away from your own steadfastness." 2Pet 3:17
Is this "once saved, always saved"? Well then, what about those who fall into this trap?

Who are those who gloss over these verses and present a blind eye to them?
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are immorality, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, jealousies, anger, quarrels, factions, parties, envies, murders, drunkenness, carousings, and suchlike. AND CONCERNING THESE I WARN YOU, AS I HAVE WARNED YOU, THAT THEY WHO DO SUCH THINGS WILL NOT ATTAIN THE KINGDOM OF GOD." Gal 5:19-21

Again, does this sound like "Once saved, always saved"?
Who can ignore Matt 25:31-46, where the shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats and the righteous will receive their reward but the accursed will depart into the everlasting fire?
See also, Matt 6:14-15, 7:21, 24:44-51, Mark 11:26, Luke 10:16, John 14:21, Rom 11:22,
and Rev 21:8.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Perseverance in doing the will of the Father:
This virtue will bring us to our goal:

"...but he who has persevered to the end will be saved." Matt 10:22, 24:13
Notice that these verses do not say that we are saved but that we will be saved...future tense. What does "persevered" mean? Why should anyone have to worry about perseverance if they are already saved?

"Life eternal indeed he will give to those who by patience in good works seek glory and honor and immortality; but wrath and indignation to those who are contentious, and who do not submit to the truth but assent to iniquity." Rom 2:7-8

"And in doing good, let us not grow tired; for in due time we shall reap if we do not relax." Gal 6:9

"Do not therefore, lose your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of patience that, doing the will of GOD, you may receive the promise:" Heb 10:35-36

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which GOD has promised to those who love Him." Jam 1:12

"But he who has looked carefully into the perfect law of liberty and has remained in it, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, shall be blessed in his deed." Jam 1:25

"Take, brethren, as an example of labor and patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." Jam 5:10

"Therefore, brethren, strive even more by good works to make your calling and election sure. For if you do this, you will not fall into sin at any time. Indeed, in this way will be amply provided for you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ." 2Pet 1:10-11
Well, this verse makes it clear that you need good works to help you to your salvation.

"Once saved, always saved" does not look so promising anymore, does it?
"Him who overcomes I will permit to eat of the tree of life, which is the paradise of my GOD."
Rev 2:7

"Fear none of those things that you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be you faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev 2:10

"And to him who overcomes, and who keeps My works unto the end, I will give authority over the nations." Rev 2:26

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
1Cor 10:12

See also: John 15:4-10, 1Cor 15:58, Eph 4:14,6:10-17, 1Thes 3:8,5:21-22, 2Thes 2:15-17,
Heb12:1-15,13:9, Jam1:4,2:14-26, 1Pet1:4-7,5:8, Rev2:17,3:5,11-12,21,21:7
-----------------------------------------------------------For all of those who think they are "saved", I must warn them that it is a sin of presumption to believe that false Protestant invented doctrine. Show me a genuine historical document written before 1500 which documents it?

"So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
1Cor 13:13

So if we are saved by faith alone, then what is the purpose of Scripture telling us to have hope? There would be no need for hope if we are saved already. What does that verse say about love?
It says love is greater than faith. For those who say they are saved by faith alone, are they not insinuating that faith is greater than love? Aren't they ignoring both hope and love?

Since I mentioned the year 1500 above, there was a reason why I did. It was Martin Luther who "invented" the false doctrine of "Once saved, always saved", when in Romans 3:28 he added the word "alone" to his German translation of Holy Scripture. That verse then read, "...a man is justified by faith alone". This action on his part was an embarassment to the other reformers, and so you will not find that little word "alone" in Romans 3:28 in the King James or any other Protestant Bible except for his.

Here is one quote from Luther regarding "Once saved always saved",
"Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly... No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day."
Martin Luther, letter to Melanchthon, August 1, 1521

What about those verses I quoted previously regarding the command of Jesus to sin no more."

Is this the meaning of "Once saved always saved"?

Can we throw out the ten commandments now along with scores of other verses?

Not at all according to John 14:15, "If you love me you will keep my commandments".

How can anyone possibly reconcile those Words of Christ with that quote from Luther above?

Of what purpose does that verse serve with Luther's twisted theology?

What about "Thou shalt not commit adultery and thou shalt not kill?

Shall we believe the words of Luther or the Words of GOD?

Did you know that Martin Luther wrote the obituary for his own church?

In this quote from one of his writings, he was speaking of "Saved by Faith alone (or only)".
"If this article stands, the church stands; if it collapses, the church collapses."
Martin Luther, Exposition of Psalms 130,4


Well, Martin, that 'article' of yours did not stand, but did indeed collapse.
I have shown more than ample evidence of that collapse in the verses included in this writing, soooo....?
-----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------
Interestingly, the people who believe in "Are You Saved", or "Once Saved, Always Saved", are the same people who berate the Catholic Church for canonizing saints. Now the word "Saint" simply means, a "Holy One", or a person who is in heaven. So, by believing in, "Once Saved, Always Saved", it simply means that those who believe in it are canonizing themselves. In other words, since I am "saved", "I will go to heaven, and therefore, all who are in heaven are saints, therefore I am a saint already".


"For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, but the man whom the Lord commends."
2Corinthians 10:18
AGAIN, JESUS DID NOT DIE JUST SO WE COULD SIN.

Hail Mary

Benny Hinn is that you

[avemaria]

Ambassador - not much of a thinker are you?

so glad you can have an original thought in your head.  again, i have not a clue what on earth you are talking about with this benny thing.  Perhaps it's an inside joke or something.

If you have something theological to add, I would be happy to chime in.

Again, typical born again christian diversion tactic.  Truth a little too much for ya?

[Sower]

He did His part, now it is up to each one of us to do our part by our co-operation with His unlimited sacrifice on the cross --AveMaria

AveMaria:

This is typical Roman Catholic theology: "He did His part, now we must do our part in order to:(1) be saved (2) remain saved (3) to stay out of purgatory (4) to stay out of hell."

Evidently you have never closely studied what the Bible teaches about justification by God's grace through faith. Had you simply believed what the Lord Jesus said to the malefactor on the cross beside Him at Golgotha, you would never speak about "us doing our part", since that poor crucified criminal was there in his dying moments, yet was promised Paradise that very day, and what Christ promises He also fulfills!

Be that as it may, let's take the Parable of the Prodigal Son and apply it to your dogma, and let's see what this Prodigal's part was in getting back into the good graces of his father, since this parable teaches the truths of salvation very graphically (Luke 15:12-32):

1. The younger son was obviously a sinner -- selfish, greedy, inconsiderate, profligate, and debauched (vv. 11-14).

2. He came to his senses during the famine which forced him to eat the food of pigs (vv. 14-17)

3. He finally decided to return to his father and confess that he was a sinner who deserved nothing good from his father (vv. 18-19)

4. His father, on the other hand, loved him with such a great love, that (1) he waited for his return daily (2) saw him returning while yet a great way off (3) ran to this filthy sinner (4) embraced him (5) kissed him (6) ordered "the best" robe for him (7) ordered a magnificent ring for his hand ( ordered the finest shoes for his feet (9) ordered a glorious feast for him with "the best calf" -- the fatted calf -- being sacrificed(10) encouraged music and dancing for the return of the prodigal, and (11) finally declared: "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; HE WAS LOST AND IS FOUND" (vv. 20-24).

Now please tell us what part this filthy son had in this entire scenario other than repenting of his sins against his father and confessing his own sinfulness and unworthiness?

BTW, this also corresponds to the Parable of the Publican [a known sinner] and the Pharisee [a covert sinner] who both prayed.  However the publican confessed that he was a sinner and unworthy of the grace of God, while the Pharisee reminded God that "he had done his part".  Pray tell, which of these two went home "justified"?

[Ambassador4Christ]

Ambassador - not much of a thinker are you?

so glad you can have an original thought in your head.  again, i have not a clue what on earth you are talking about with this benny thing.  Perhaps it's an inside joke or something.

If you have something theological to add, I would be happy to chime in.

Again, typical born again christian diversion tactic.  Truth a little too much for ya?

Its better that I joke with you, at this time.

Hail Mary

[avemaria]

I get that sometimes when an honest and solid answer can't be found for miles.

[Tibby]

Sometimes? Where do you think you are theologyonline? This is Christiansunite! We don't jave honest and solid answers We do have Harry Potter, though

[Allinall]

Yup.  Those who know me know I'm about to go on my "grammatical, contextual, and literal hermeneutic" approach yet again...

Salvation is an ongoing process throughout our lives. It is a life long struggle.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil 2:12
This verse is in direct conflict with the notion of "Once saved, always saved".

As is often the case, one verse is taken and the others left behind, thereby making an incorrect doctrinal assumption.  The direct passage reads:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13

If I am to work out my own salvation, thereby earning that salvation, and this work is what God works in me both to will and to work...then it is God Who makes me lose my salvation.  This, however, is not what the passage teaches.  "As you have obeyed...work out your own salvation..."  This is the biblical doctrine of sanctification.  We are saved, but we are not devoid of needing an obedience to the working of God in our lives.  This obedience is work, not[/b] for salvation, but rather in light of so great a salvation.  And we are to do so with fear and trembling, not in losing something God gave us, but in respect to the God Who did give this salvation to us.

And here's another interesting hermeneutic...whenever the word "therefore" shows up, we are always behooved to find out why the "therefore is there for..."

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-11

Jesus is shown not only to be God very God, but a humbly obedient servant - a mindset we are admonished to take up ourselves.  Now.  Paul tells us to be imitators of Christ in humble obedience to God - and then tells us that we must earn our own salvation?  Usually the author sticks to his thoughts rather than pulling one out of left field, throwing it in, and then continuing.  

Simply put, this passage DOES NOT TEACH THAT WE MUST EARN OUR OWN SALVATION[/b][/u].  Perhaps I've been a bit to emphatic...but it was God any less emphatic when He wrote:

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.  And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
"This is the covenant that I will make with them
   after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
   and write them on their minds,"
then he adds,   "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:11-18

[Brother Love]

Sometimes? Where do you think you are theologyonline? This is Christiansunite! We don't jave honest and solid answers We do have Harry Potter, though

One thing for sure Harry Potter knows God, more than the pope

I am sure A4C can handle the false teachings of the Cult called the roman catholic religion. Dont let your heads get to big.

Brother Love

[Brother Love]

I get that sometimes when an honest and solid answer can't be found for miles.

Your religion has very little truth, and if A4C does not start picking your Cult apart, rest assure I will.

Have a Nice Day

Brother Love

[Ambassador4Christ]

Paul wrote: "Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:7-10)
Galatians is a letter Paul wrote to warn Christians about turning from a life of Grace to a life of Law. Grace brings freedom. Law brings slavery. Paul's message of salvation had freed the Galatians from their guilt. False teachers had followed Paul into the region and preached a message that brought guilt back to the Galatians. Paul asked the question brilliantly: "Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" The answer, of course, is that they received the Spirit by faith. We don't receive Christ by human effort. We also cannot attain our spiritual goals by human effort. We attain by Grace through faith. That is the essence of GraceLife.
Prior to the words about reaping and sowing, Paul wrote: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal. 5:1) He also wrote: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Gal. 5:13-14) Paul told the Galatians: "...live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature...if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law." Paul enumerated the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit. They are opposites. That is the way it is between unsaved and saved. God will do different things in the lives of His children than will Satan in the lives of his children. We ought to know because we once belonged to Satan.

In the words just preceeding "reaping and sowing," Paul wrote about carrying the burdens of others. He also wrote that "anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor." Then, Paul wrote: "do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." This has nothing to do with whether a Christian will go to heaven or hell. That's been settled in heaven once and for all (Eph. 1:3-14). In Galatians, Paul is dealing with the way a Christian lives their life. They can lead it any way they want since they're free. But ... what Christians should do is live their lives for God and others, not themselves. A life lived selfishly is a life wasted. A life lived for God and the good of others is a life lived well. Pleasing your sinful nature is wasting the time and resources God gives you. None of it will last through eternity. Paul wrote, "Everything is permissible'---but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'---but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." (1 Cor. 10:23-24). The context deals with the way we live our lives in view of other people.

The day will come when every Christian will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, "that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10) You and I have nothing to fear from sin in our lives. Christ paid for all sin. We are holy in God's eyes. What we should concern ourselves with is how we are living to please God. That's the big issue now. Eternal life is ahead of us. We will someday spend eternity with God in heaven. Our time on earth is the only time we'll ever have to live for Christ while still in sinful flesh. We get new bodies in heaven. We leave the sinful flesh behind. It will be easy to obey God in heaven because we won't have a sinful cell in our new bodies. Now is our time to demonstrate to God our deep and abiding love and thankfulness to Him for His Grace toward us. God knows the pull that sinful flesh has on us. He knows how much strength and character it takes to say "no" to sin and "yes" to righteous living.

Paul was telling the Galatian Christians then, and is telling us now to live a life dedicated to God and doing good to others. Sowing and reaping are an intregal part of the physical and spiritual laws God designed into the system of life. Paul tells us how to get the most out of both.

[Brother Love]

Amen Ambassador
++++++++++++++++

It Is All Of Grace

                                               
                       


When we learn about grace we learn what life is all about.  The "IN CHRIST" expression occurs some seventy times in Paul's epistles and only twice elsewhere.  The central passage on this truth is 2 Corinthians 5:17: " Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  Other passages tell us we are in him: Romans 8:1; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 2:10; Ephesians 2:13.

We learn who we are "In Christ" and more importantly we learn about who God is, what the Gospel is for the age of Grace and our relation-ship with Him.  We enter into a dimension of life we never dreamed possible.  And was not pos-sible to the Nation of Israel, as they were under, obedience, law, and some 350 ordinances.  Praise the Lord all these were nailed to the cross at the death of Christ (Col 2:14).

GRACE is not getting what you do deserve, but receiving what we do not deserve. GRACE is  the unmerited favor that God has given to us by His choice (Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9).

GRACE is Being "in Christ" the believer is made to share in the whole history of Christ's passion, burial, resurrection, ascension, and glorification.

GRACE  is knowing that there is no more guilt, condemnation  (Rom. 8:1)

GRACE  is knowing that we were chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).

GRACE  is knowing we have been jointly cru-cified with Christ (Rom. 6:6 and Gal. 2:20).

GRACE  is knowing that God accepts me just the way I am, accepted in the beloved (Eph. 1:6).

GRACE  is knowing that I am not under law but under grace (Rom. 6:14) and that Christ is the end of the law (Rom. 10:4), it is not up to me to live the Christian life, but to trust Christ in me to do it (Gal. 2:20).

GRACE is knowing we have been made to jointly live with Christ (Eph.2:5).

GRACE is knowing we are jointly seated with  Christ at present in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1).

GRACE is knowing we are jointly glorified with Christ (Romans 8:17; 8:30).

GRACE is knowing that the believer has already died unto sin through Christ's death (Rom. 6:10).

GRACE is knowing that the believer was bap-tized (Identified) by the Spirit into one body. (1 Cor. 12:13).

GRACE is knowing that we have been blessed with all Spiritual Blessings in heavenlies in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

GRACE is knowing we can walk around in His good works (Eph. 2:10).

GRACE  is knowing that Satan was defeated at the cross and has no power over me (Col. 2:15).

GRACE  is knowing that  there  is  no  Jew  or Gentile in the body of Christ, we are all the same, members of His body, the Body of Christ.

GRACE is knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head, and that we are the body.

GRACE is knowing our blessed hope, the being caught up into the air to meet out Lord (Titus 2:13; 1 Thes. 4:13-18).

GRACE is knowing that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13).

GRACE is knowing we are His inheritance, and we are His will (Eph. 1:18).

GRACE is knowing that God will finish the good work that He has begun in his (Phi.1:6).

GRACE is knowing that we have the mind of Christ (Phil 2:5).

GRACE is knowing that we can walk by faith (Col. 2:6)    

I pray that this will be a rich blessing in your life, for it surely has been in mine. For your own growth "in Christ", don't just read this, but take and study each Scripture, and  I know that the Holy Spirit will lead you into the Truth.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
This is my last day on this Forum.

Grace & Peace

Brother Love  

[Ambassador4Christ]

It Is All Of Grace

Amen Brother, thanks for posting this message

[The Crusader]

The Answer Is None of the above.

The Crusader

[Ambassador4Christ]

The Answer Is None of the above.

The Crusader

Yes Crusader, the answer is none of the above.

Grace & Peace