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How is it then that you say can't tell the difference between the church and the world today?. The love of God manifested as far as i am concerned can easily be seen if you are looking.
The scriptures say that we will be known by our fruit. I made my comment in light of the fact that many people in churches today, who profess to be Christians, don't look or act any differently than unbelievers. How? The list is long. And the fruit of the Spirit is not evident in how they live, speak, act or the things they do. They've conformed to this world instead of coming out from it, setting themselves apart unto Christ.
When Christians do that, the world will know who they are. And so will other true believers.
No, Mr Graham, they reject your understanding of it that is founded on biases and prejudices of being saved from eternal torment.
I perused this forum for a time before joining. I'm aware that the "Christian" forum is prevalent with Universalism. God is love and there either isn't a hell, or it's temporary. But there's never any mention (or responses to questions asked about) sin, repentance, all the references to hell being eternal, ever-lasting, etc., even from the mouth of Jesus Himself.
God's love takes precedence with them while they ignore His other attributes and characteristics, such as being holy, just and righteous; being a God of wrath and anger as well as love.
I've also learned that we aren't called to convert anyone. That's between them and the Holy Spirit. We are called to be obedient and declare the good news -- the FULL gospel of Christ -- and leave the results up to the Holy Spirit. We're called to discern debates from sincere seeking, and know when to move on instead of taking the bait.
God allows every person the free will to choose to follow Him or not. To pick and choose which parts of the scriptures we like and those we don't is setting ourselves up as God and lowering God to that of a created being of our liking, that we want to believe. It's a complete role reversal from the Truth.
But, with choices come consequences and we're all responsible for those, too. All of us.
The scriptures say that we will be known by our fruit. I made my comment in light of the fact that many people in churches today, who profess to be Christians, don't look or act any differently than unbelievers. How? The list is long. And the fruit of the Spirit is not evident in how they live, speak, act or the things they do. They've conformed to this world instead of coming out from it, setting themselves apart unto Christ.
When Christians do that, the world will know who they are. And so will other true believers.
How are they conformed to this world?, i am thinking this has got nothing to do with the fruit of the Spirit, but everything to do with right believing and separating yourself from what you assume is not of God.
Great question sgraham...Any thought...sorry, any egoic thought, (fear, pride, anger...) would keep one out of the Kingdom.
Why?
Because when the cup is full of something else, there is no room for God's Kingdom.
The cup must be empty...some other words could be pure...waiting...ready...still...
God's Kingdom is easy..it takes all of the above ..sometimes with desire added, sometimes not.
Despising the bible has ZERO to do with a real relationship with god.
Chapter and verse that tells us LOVING and RESPECTING the bible is a pre-requisite to knowing or loving god?
1 John 2
4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.…
Psalm 119
“Oh how I love your law!”
1 Thessalonians 5
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut. 6:6–7).
In these last days when unrighteousness and unholiness are accepted by the world and the Church alike, the Scriptures declare otherwise; these deeds will prevent one from entering God's Kingdom.
Romans 1
[28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
[29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
[30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
[31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
[32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
In the end of the day the only thing which will keep you out if unbelief / rejection of Christ.
In the end of the day the only thing which will keep you out if unbelief / rejection of Christ.
And favoring the bible over the Christ it testifies of. Which every single fundy without fail does.
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