Believers stay righteous through their obedience

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Zachary

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We’re talking about obedience to Jesus’ teachings and commands!
Continuing obedience is what “being faithful” means!


“… only we who believe can enter His rest … but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.” (Hebrews 4:3, 7)
Disobedience proves Unbelief --- Unbelief causes Disobedience
“And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest … so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it … IF we disobey God … we will fall.” (Hebrews 3:18 - 4:11)

“… make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God … so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” (Hebrews 3:12)
If we are deceived by sin (especially habitual sin), this can result in departing from God
with
“an evil heart of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12).

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either (slaves) of sin which leads to
(eternal) death, OR (slaves) of obedience leading too righteousness?” (Romans 6:16)

Slaves of obedience > eternal life --- Slaves of sin > eternal death

“Only those who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God.
But there is no (eternal) life in those who do not keep His commandments.”

(from “The Shepherd of Hermas”, quoted as Scripture by such early Christian leaders
as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria,
and Origen. It was probably the most popular book
in the Christian
church during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries a.d.)

“Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to
those who love Him.” (James 1:12)
The “crown of life” means eternal life.

“You are truly my disciples, if you remain faithful to my teachings ...
anyone who obeys my teachings will never die!” (John 8:31, 51)


“Therefore, go and make disciples … Teach these new disciples
to obey all the commands I have given you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)


“We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
(2 Corinthians 10:5)


“To all who are victorious (overcomers) who obey Me to the very end,
to them I will give authority over all the nations.”
(Revelation 2:26)

The church: “all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17)

“So, you must live as God’s obedient children.” (1 Peter 1:14)

Question:
Must one love Jesus (thus obey His commandments) to get to heaven?

“If you love Me, obey My commandments.” (John 14:15)
“Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me …
All who love Me will do what I say. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me.”
(John 14:21-24)
“When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love” (John 15:10)
“You are My friends, if you do what I command.” (John 15:14)
“We can be sure we know Him, if we obey His commandments” (1 John 2:3)
“He who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him” (1 John 3:24)
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (1 John 3:24)
“Loving God means keeping His commandments” (1 John 5:3)
“Love means doing what God has commanded us” (2 John 6)

Even though OT people had none of our advantages, God said He would show mercy
“to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:6)
 
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justbyfaith

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Romans 4:5 indicates that our identity in Christ is that we are righteous even when we blow it. Now let us live according to who the Lord says we are in Christ (1 John 3:7).

See also Romans 4:8.
 
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Hidden In Him

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We’re talking about obedience to Jesus’ teachings and commands!
Continuing obedience is what “being faithful” means!


“… only we who believe can enter His rest … but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.” (Hebrews 4:3, 7)
Disobedience proves Unbelief --- Unbelief causes Disobedience

“And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest … so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it … IF we disobey God … we will fall.” (Hebrews 3:18 - 4:11)

“… make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God … so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” (Hebrews 3:12)
If we are deceived by sin (especially habitual sin), this can result in departing from God
with
“an evil heart of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12).

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either (slaves) of sin which leads to
(eternal) death, OR (slaves) of obedience leading too righteousness?” (Romans 6:16)

Slaves of obedience > eternal life --- Slaves of sin > eternal death

“Only those who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God.
But there is no (eternal) life in those who do not keep His commandments.”

(from “The Shepherd of Hermas”, quoted as Scripture by such early Christian leaders
as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria,
and Origen. It was probably the most popular book
in the Christian
church during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries a.d.)

“Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to
those who love Him.” (James 1:12)
The “crown of life” means eternal life.

“You are truly my disciples, if you remain faithful to my teachings ...
anyone who obeys my teachings will never die!” (John 8:31, 51)


“Therefore, go and make disciples … Teach these new disciples
to obey all the commands I have given you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)


“We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
(2 Corinthians 10:5)


“To all who are victorious (overcomers) who obey Me to the very end,
to them I will give authority over all the nations.”
(Revelation 2:26)

The church: “all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17)

“So, you must live as God’s obedient children.” (1 Peter 1:14)

Question:
Must one love Jesus (thus obey His commandments) to get to heaven?

“If you love Me, obey My commandments.” (John 14:15)
“Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me …
All who love Me will do what I say. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me.”
(John 14:21-24)
“When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love” (John 15:10)
“You are My friends, if you do what I command.” (John 15:14)
“We can be sure we know Him, if we obey His commandments” (1 John 2:3)
“He who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him” (1 John 3:24)
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (1 John 3:24)
“Loving God means keeping His commandments” (1 John 5:3)
“Love means doing what God has commanded us” (2 John 6)

Even though OT people had none of our advantages, God said He would show mercy
“to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:6)

This is a good collection of verses, Zachary. The translation on some of them is a little lose, but they nevertheless present a fairly clear argument.

Your quote from The Shepherd of Hermas is a nice touch as well.
 
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Dave L

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Legalistic love is not love. A loving heart on the other hand is.
“And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” (Deuteronomy 30:6) (KJV 1900)
 

Hidden In Him

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Legalistic love is not love. A loving heart on the other hand is.
“And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” (Deuteronomy 30:6) (KJV 1900)

The loving heart of a child will respond with loving obedience to his Father, yes?
 

Enoch111

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Question:
Must one love Jesus (thus obey His commandments) to get to heaven?
Obviously you have not understand the meaning of being saved by grace.

TITUS 3
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
 

Hidden In Him

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To warn those whose hearts are not satisfactory?

No, LoL. Maybe sometimes, but in general He asks for obedience because His ultimate objective is to set up a kingdom that will last forever, and kingdom's only stand if their citizens honor its laws, and willingly submit to the King and His Lordship.
 

Zachary

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... in general He asks for obedience because His ultimate objective is to set up a kingdom that will last forever, and kingdom's only stand if their citizens honor its laws, and willingly submit to the King and His Lordship.
Sorry, but I prefer ...
Those who are obedient to Jesus' commandments are proving that they love Him.
Jesus says this 4 times in John 14 ... How come you missed it? LoL
 

Frank Lee

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Galatians 3:2-3 KJVS
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
 
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Zachary

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Galatians 3:2-3 KJVS
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Paul is referring to those Jewish believers who were insisting that
some (all?) of the Jewish stuff was also to be adhered to!
So, he was referring to old their fleshly laws, which were now obsolete.
 

justbyfaith

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The whole of the book of Galatians concerns justification and how we obtain it...we cannot obtain it through the works of the law and it is the tendency of our human hearts to try to do so.

If we keep in memory that we are justified through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we are set free to obey the Lord through obeying His commandments, without losing the proper focus that our justification is through faith alone in what Christ did for us.

The moment we think we are justified through keeping the commandments, the blood no longer applies.

But if we keep in mind that our justification is solely in Christ's shed blood, we are set free to obey Him, with the understanding that our obedience doesn't justify but that it is merely the result of becoming a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
 
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Frank Lee

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Paul, sent to the church, all the church, was referring to works of the law which were clearly stated to be a schoolmaster to instruct us, all of us, that the law, is unkeepable.

The law indeed is works of the flesh. Vain offerings, routines, traditions and rituals.

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

Jesus plus forms one dead denomination after another.

You don't begin in the spirit and become perfected by your own works.

Do you have a particular denomination you are joined to?

Fortunately many are saved outside denominational church walls and owe their allegiance to God and His word and not to doctrines and traditions of man created denominations. Not saying this is you by the way, but is a common condition that arises.
 
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justbyfaith

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Believe it or not, I count myself to be a combination of Calvary Chapel, Nazarene, and Oneness. But I also was truly saved outside of the walls of a church denomination.

The law no longer condemns us from the outside as believers and it does not save us.

But I do believe that Jesus saves us unto an obedient life (Ephesians 2:10). This may be too meaty for some; because most people need the milk of knowing that the Lord has saved them through grace.

It is ordained that we should fall in love with Him because of His grace in forgiving us through the Cross.

However, when we begin to truly love Him, we will obey His commandments. And I believe that God is truly One (Deuteronomy 6:4).
 

justbyfaith

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1 John 2:6 does apply to a certain extent, but I meant to quote 2 John 1:6; and corrected it in the post..