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Because someone twists the true, I'm not going to change what I believe the Bible teaches.
There is so much more to this than the light surface scratches we always seem to get stalled in.
No, I'm not.You ARE in fact talking about motivation as being the heart of what makes your system work.
I mean, are you just assuming that unless you crack the whip, people don't move? I'm saying, when we see God has thrown away the whip, we don't hesitate to follow.I'm just saying that it borders on it a little too much for my taste. :)
I suppose there probably is, including the part about how those with self-confidence issues might never even come to the place of obedience if they didn't feel they were already accepted by God. But see, I agree with that much, only I think it has to be stressed that they can't live there forever, and the part many don't take into account is that a steady diet of "grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace..." can get misleading when it is preached at the expense of talking about making Him LORD over our lives. A terrible imbalance there leads to a lot of the trouble.
It's not so much an error in what is said sometimes, but in how much is said about one thing at the expense of how little is said about the other.
I'm talking about yielding ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit in us. How we become less and He becomes more.
Jesus said, I do what the Father does, I speak what the Father speaks. I don't have a system. I have a relationship. The outworking of that relationship is my transformation. I come to know Him, and I become different, more like Him.
If we are focused on our behavior, and getting motivated to just finally start obeying the commandments, that's our focus.
I mean, are you just assuming that unless you crack the whip, people don't move? I'm saying, when we see God has thrown away the whip, we don't hesitate to follow.
Much love!
Surprising answer!Ah, but that in and of itself is a theological system. You can't escape it.
Jesus is unto us wisdom.Yes God's love motivates us to follow Him, but it is the fear of God that is the beginning of wisdom. Without it, many would depart from Him, thinking all is well in "Graceland" when in fact it is not.
No, even if you take away all my Bibles, I STILL have that relationship. If I forget every Bible verse I've ever learned, every doctrine, every argument, I STILL have that relationship.
Jesus is unto us wisdom.
But even so, God knows how to train His children. He is VERY capable.
Salvation is by the grace of God a free irrevocable gift unto those he believed in before the foundation of the world. And haven written our names in his book of life before he created the world
There is no scripture that states God will blot names out of his book of life.God tells us that He blots out of His those who sin against Him, in the OT, and Jesus affirms names can be blotted out of the book of life:
GOD: Exodus 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
JESUS:
Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Scripture says white robes/raiment are the righteousness of saints, and Jesus warned those in the church of Sardis, that they have defiled their white robes, meaning they are no longer righteous, and warns them they must repent, or have their names blotted out of the book of life.
OSAS is not taught in scriptures, but in fact the opposite is true.
Jesus also taught that some believe only for a while, but then fall away.
Paul wrote that he had to control his flesh daily, lest after preaching to others, he could become a reprobate.
And he warned believers to examine themselves, to see if they are in the faith, or are reprobates.
There’s a books worth of warnings by Paul to be not deceived about the consequences of going back to living in sin, and that if they do, they won’t see heaven.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.… John 10-27
I don't know what tradition you follow that has corrupted the truth of God in such ways however, if it be God's will, you will come to the knowledge of the truth.Yet Jesus says He rejects the lukewarm, and spews them out of His mouth, in Revelation.
That no one can take them out of His hand doesn’t mean He can’t let them go if they stop living righteously and start living in sin again, per my post about Jesus warning the church of Sardis that most of them had defiled their righteousness, and needed to repent, or He will blot them out of the book of life.
Paul wrote that to remain in Christ is conditional on continuing to walk in the light, as He is in the light, and is conditional on walking after the Spirit, and not after the flesh.
There’s no promise that a believer can stop living righteously, and live in sin again, and remain in Christ.
Surprising answer!
No, even if you take away all my Bibles, I STILL have that relationship. If I forget every Bible verse I've ever learned, every doctrine, every argument, I STILL have that relationship.
Much love!
No, it can't. Else God is a liar."Can salvation be lost"
Of course it can.
John 15:1-2 (NKJV)
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;
I've been enjoying your contributions, @marks . Salvation is all about our relationship with Jesus Christ. Well said.
No, God isn't a liar. You're just ignoring a LOT of Scripture.No, it can't. Else God is a liar.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.13 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."14
Apostle Paul:
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."10 Because the fruit is of the Holy Spirit, we won't have it unless we have the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is a test for the presence of the Spirit. We will have the fruit if we have the Spirit."
The cut vines cast into the fire are the nominal fake xtians. Those never nourished by the true vine.
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
God knows his own.
"Lord , are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, `Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, `I don't know you or where you come from.'
"Then you will say, `We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
"But he will reply, `I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out."34