When Jesus' words make us question our salvation? (Gospel, doctrine, church)
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I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
The only requirement for eternal life is to believe in Christ for salvation (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Works have nothing to do with salvation. Works are a result of spiritual growth after salvation. Not a requirement for salvation.
The Scriptures directly state that salvation is not by works, but by faith in Christ. (Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). The believer if he is growing spiritually will have good works, but again, that is a completely different issue than becoming saved through faith in Christ. The believer will be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ for any divine good he produces during his time on this earth (1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:10).
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
Trimac, I see it only as God wanting us to fully understand LOVE and He will make sure that we do. ALL of us.
Look at how many atheists/agnostics/people of varying religions who are very loving people who have much compassion for others and help people and they do it out of TRUE love in their hearts, out of MERCY and compassion in their hearts. Trimac, THESE are among those people who God will say:
‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Believe it.
What is LOVE is from God. ALL LOVE comes from the source: GOD.
Unbeknownst to some people, they are being LED by God and some of them do not even yet "Believe IN God". That is what is so GLORIOUS about His plan. He is NO RESPECTOR of persons. Do you understand that? And WHY that is part of His plan? It is because HE is UNFOLDING the truth for ALL of us. Truth STANDS. What is truth? GOD IS LOVE. Love is the most powerful thing there is. LOVE CONQUERS ALL. God doesn't need a group of people with a certain set of labels attached to theirselves. That means NOTHING. What matters is what is in the HEART. Religion seeks to separate people and label them, while God PROVES over and over and over.. how that does NOT matter. IT IS THE HEART that He sees. IT is the HEART where His truth is REVEALED, both inwardly and outwardly!! This is good news. Because the love that you feel and see and sense in others... is REAL. It is God shining through.
Now think of many people who "believe IN God" and "got saved" and go to church, and do this and do that.... and SOME of THOSE people will hear this:
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
WHY!?? Because they did those things NOT OUT OF LOVE in their heart, NOT OUT OF MERCY And COMPASSION For their fellow man, but out of a sense of "obligation", out of a sense of hoping to get some future rewards in heaven!! Their motives were not PURE. Their motives were NOT LOVE!
God is NOT interested in our labels or what we "CLAIM TO BELIEVE"!
God is interested in what is REAL. What is TRUTH. What is TRULY in our HEARTS.
WHY??? Because He wants us to KNOW and UNDERSTAND LOVE. He is refining us ALL.
ALL of us will go through BOTH scenario's above. This isn't about one group versus another group. This is about EACH and EVERY one of us being refined, burning away the dross, burning away the non-love in us.
There is no "us versus them". The only separation will be God separating the LOVE from the NON-LOVE within ourselves.
We are all in this together... and everything that God does is for the purpose of REFINING us and helping us to learn the most PROFOUND thing there is to learn.... WHAT IS LOVE. In other words... "What/WHO is God?"
ALL of us WILL "love God with all of our mind, heart and soul".
We all will. He loves each and every one of us more than we will ever know, and we will Love HIM beyound our wildest imaginations.
Perfect love casts out ALL fear.
Remember that, when the fear starts to creep back in.
Keep fear on a short leash. He's the little man, keep that chain on him. Give him too much fuel and he will turn into the big man towering over you. Put him back in his place. Keep him on that short leash and do not allow him to make you think he is more powerful than LOVE. LOVE DESTROYS FEAR. Don't allow fear to attempt to destroy love. What wins in the end? LOVE. Guaranteed.
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
If you believe the Bible, believe this:
Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
*************
Relax, but pursue this: James 2:14-21-What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Bottom line: you are not saved by works, but if you trust in Jesus, take the time and effort to do good works. That pleases God. OK?
Trimac, I see it only as God wanting us to fully understand LOVE and He will make sure that we do. ALL of us.
Look at how many atheists/agnostics/people of varying religions who are very loving people who have much compassion for others and help people and they do it out of TRUE love in their hearts, out of MERCY and compassion in their hearts. Trimac, THESE are among those people who God will say:
‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Believe it.
What is LOVE is from God. ALL LOVE comes from the source: GOD.
Unbeknownst to some people, they are being LED by God and some of them do not even yet "Believe IN God". That is what is so GLORIOUS about His plan. He is NO RESPECTOR of persons. Do you understand that? And WHY that is part of His plan? It is because HE is UNFOLDING the truth for ALL of us. Truth STANDS. What is truth? GOD IS LOVE. Love is the most powerful thing there is. LOVE CONQUERS ALL. God doesn't need a group of people with a certain set of labels attached to theirselves. That means NOTHING. What matters is what is in the HEART. Religion seeks to separate people and label them, while God PROVES over and over and over.. how that does NOT matter. IT IS THE HEART that He sees. IT is the HEART where His truth is REVEALED, both inwardly and outwardly!! This is good news. Because the love that you feel and see and sense in others... is REAL. It is God shining through.
Now think of many people who "believe IN God" and "got saved" and go to church, and do this and do that.... and SOME of THOSE people will hear this:
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
WHY!?? Because they did those things NOT OUT OF LOVE in their heart, NOT OUT OF MERCY And COMPASSION For their fellow man, but out of a sense of "obligation", out of a sense of hoping to get some future rewards in heaven!! Their motives were not PURE. Their motives were NOT LOVE!
God is NOT interested in our labels or what we "CLAIM TO BELIEVE"!
God is interested in what is REAL. What is TRUTH. What is TRULY in our HEARTS.
WHY??? Because He wants us to KNOW and UNDERSTAND LOVE. He is refining us ALL.
ALL of us will go through BOTH scenario's above. This isn't about one group versus another group. This is about EACH and EVERY one of us being refined, burning away the dross, burning away the non-love in us.
There is no "us versus them". The only separation will be God separating the LOVE from the NON-LOVE within ourselves.
We are all in this together... and everything that God does is for the purpose of REFINING us and helping us to learn the most PROFOUND thing there is to learn.... WHAT IS LOVE. In other words... "What/WHO is God?"
ALL of us WILL "love God with all of our mind, heart and soul".
We all will. He loves each and every one of us more than we will ever know, and we will Love HIM beyound our wildest imaginations.
Perfect love casts out ALL fear.
Remember that, when the fear starts to creep back in.
Keep fear on a short leash. He's the little man, keep that chain on him. Give him too much fuel and he will turn into the big man towering over you. Put him back in his place. Keep him on that short leash and do not allow him to make you think he is more powerful than LOVE. LOVE DESTROYS FEAR. Don't allow fear to attempt to destroy love. What wins in the end? LOVE. Guaranteed.
peace friend,
sparrow
Sparrow, birds have ultra-vision.
Beyond the visible spectrum.
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
Do you mean the Parable of the Talents?...Because the Parable of the Workers (Hired by the Vineyard Owner?) regards the Sovreignty of God in that He has a right to do as He wishes...If you have walked a straight path your whole Christian life and you are standing before the Lord next to one has has been on a roller coaster their whole Christian life and He says to both of you "well, Done"...you may look sideways at the other man and say "But Lord, look how he has lived his Christian life, and look how i have lived my Christian life...Why should you consider us equal?"...What do you think God would say to you?....
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
Have you admitted that you're a sinner? Do you believe that Jesus Christ was the one, true Son of God? That He died in payment of your sins and rose from death on the 3rd day? Have you confessed that to another person?
If so, you have nothing to worry about. When doubts creep in, stand firmly on the simplicity of the salvation message found in the Gospel. Don't let those who would try to complicate it bother you.
Now...if you're worried about YOUR works, here's a tip: When you surrender your life to the Lord totally and completely, He'll move you into whatever works He's prepared you for and you'll be perfectly equipped to do it. Whatever He calls you to do, He empowers you to do. The trick is to accept that HIS mission for you might not be the one YOU would chose, but who's in charge here?
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
I'm afraid that among those who hear that will be those who reject the word of God, but claim His Son. A faith in something other than the Jesus of the Bible will be found totally insufficient for salvation.
There will be great wailing and gnashing of teeth when they realize they've been deceived.
I know he says those things in order to make us we are truly following him, but I think there's a bit of a tension here. On one hand, there's the simple promises that believers will inherit eternal life, then all that stuff about those 'false believers', and others who will not make it for some reason or another. Like someone who is seemingly strong in faith but doesn't do enough work for the Cause (e.g. Parable of the workers) will be dismissed by Christ/God. How do you reconcile all of this? What if you feel you can't always meet these expectations?
That is the problem, exclusionary doctrines without exception do not give any individual true assurance. The assurance only comes from what the person can claim, not what can be scripturally demonstrated.
So what do you do when you feel you cannot always meet the requirements of exclusionary doctrines? Realize that they are false and hold on to the true assurance for ALL human beings.
All mankind has the assurance of salvation, what the exclusionaries can't show is that their beliefs they will tell you to hold on to can save you. As long as it is believed it is possible for even one to be excluded, you CANNOT prove that you have done it all right to NOT be one of them that is excluded.
So think of the character of the Creator that adores you no matter what and realize that creator despite your freedom to make choices will NEVER give up on you.
Trimac, I see it only as God wanting us to fully understand LOVE and He will make sure that we do. ALL of us.
Look at how many atheists/agnostics/people of varying religions who are very loving people who have much compassion for others and help people and they do it out of TRUE love in their hearts, out of MERCY and compassion in their hearts. Trimac, THESE are among those people who God will say:
‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Believe it.
What is LOVE is from God. ALL LOVE comes from the source: GOD.
Unbeknownst to some people, they are being LED by God and some of them do not even yet "Believe IN God". That is what is so GLORIOUS about His plan. He is NO RESPECTOR of persons. Do you understand that? And WHY that is part of His plan? It is because HE is UNFOLDING the truth for ALL of us. Truth STANDS. What is truth? GOD IS LOVE. Love is the most powerful thing there is. LOVE CONQUERS ALL. God doesn't need a group of people with a certain set of labels attached to theirselves. That means NOTHING. What matters is what is in the HEART. Religion seeks to separate people and label them, while God PROVES over and over and over.. how that does NOT matter. IT IS THE HEART that He sees. IT is the HEART where His truth is REVEALED, both inwardly and outwardly!! This is good news. Because the love that you feel and see and sense in others... is REAL. It is God shining through.
Now think of many people who "believe IN God" and "got saved" and go to church, and do this and do that.... and SOME of THOSE people will hear this:
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
WHY!?? Because they did those things NOT OUT OF LOVE in their heart, NOT OUT OF MERCY And COMPASSION For their fellow man, but out of a sense of "obligation", out of a sense of hoping to get some future rewards in heaven!! Their motives were not PURE. Their motives were NOT LOVE!
God is NOT interested in our labels or what we "CLAIM TO BELIEVE"!
God is interested in what is REAL. What is TRUTH. What is TRULY in our HEARTS.
WHY??? Because He wants us to KNOW and UNDERSTAND LOVE. He is refining us ALL.
ALL of us will go through BOTH scenario's above. This isn't about one group versus another group. This is about EACH and EVERY one of us being refined, burning away the dross, burning away the non-love in us.
There is no "us versus them". The only separation will be God separating the LOVE from the NON-LOVE within ourselves.
We are all in this together... and everything that God does is for the purpose of REFINING us and helping us to learn the most PROFOUND thing there is to learn.... WHAT IS LOVE. In other words... "What/WHO is God?"
ALL of us WILL "love God with all of our mind, heart and soul".
We all will. He loves each and every one of us more than we will ever know, and we will Love HIM beyound our wildest imaginations.
Perfect love casts out ALL fear.
Remember that, when the fear starts to creep back in.
Keep fear on a short leash. He's the little man, keep that chain on him. Give him too much fuel and he will turn into the big man towering over you. Put him back in his place. Keep him on that short leash and do not allow him to make you think he is more powerful than LOVE. LOVE DESTROYS FEAR. Don't allow fear to attempt to destroy love. What wins in the end? LOVE. Guaranteed.
peace friend,
sparrow
Wonderful post!
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