Seek The Things That Are Above

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justbyfaith

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And this is where I differ from some, in that I see the seed on stony ground not a saving faith.
Right. It's faith; but it won't ultimately save them because it has no root and therefore will not last or stand the test when the storms of life come in.

It is mental assent and a nominal or lukewarm faith as opposed to a living and saving, heart faith that is unto righteousness (Romans 10:10) and enduring to the end (Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14, Matthew 10:22).

There is faith and then there is faith.
 

Nancy

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And this is where I differ from some, in that I see the seed on stony ground not a saving faith. A happy emotion, a mental assent, but no root in themself. It never penetrated into them.

Testing proves the true from the false. Even John wrote that we can't tell the true from the false until they leave the rest.

The parable of the wheat and the tares, the owner told his servants Don't pull up the tares, so you don't inadvertantly pull up wheat with them.

I'm thinking the idea here is that when people start trying to sort out true believers from the untrue, the tendency is to look at some of the true, and judge by appearance, just our own perceptions of what we think we see, and judge them false.

Too easy to see a real child of God, and see their sin, and assume that's all there is, if we don't happen to see more than that.

If we let them just all grow together until the end of the age, Jesus will sort it all out when He comes.

I see the one who receives the word with a good and honest heart, that one is born again, that one bears fruit.

Much love!
Mark

Well put Marks,
Yep, it all comes out in the wash (harvest) if nothing has taken root, how can one grow??
 
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justbyfaith

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agreed if the heart is receptive

It brings up the concept of whether grace is irresistible.

On the one hand, there is Acts of the Apostles 7:51.

On the other hand, there is 1 Corinthians 13:8a.
 

VictoryinJesus

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And this is where I differ from some, in that I see the seed on stony ground not a saving faith. A happy emotion, a mental assent, but no root in themself. It never penetrated into them.

“...not a saving faith.” Would agree. Consider the stony ground...there is only the good ground there in the parable which produces fruit and not just any fruit but the fruit of the Spirit. Mark 4:8-9[8] And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. [9] And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

“yield fruit that sprang up and increased;” for His namesake. Saving faith being the good ground in that the Spirit is there and instead of “I never knew you” ...they shall be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: [20] That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
 
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Ezra

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It brings up the concept of whether grace is irresistible.
yes and no this is calvinist doctrine grace is irresistible . for years God convicted me to the fact i should get saved.. i was more into the pleasures of sin for a season .for years i said No but then God my attention with a trip to federal court growing marijuana on fed land me and other person 30 plants . $500.00 fine 2 years probation drug classes . at the end of the probation on a friday night ,the very last night of my probation . in a revival i did not want to Go to . i heard God speak now or never i took the Now . these are all christian men our meetings have went down bad in attendance. the enthusiasm is lacking.. one guy brings his tablet reads a dev from on line .times a small discussion comes up.other times its just coffee shop talk . col 3 tells us to seek those things above a spiritual kingdom /with a spiritual mind . do we look for something other than food? each one of us has to come to the decision to inquire more of God less of us
 

CoreIssue

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yes and no this is calvinist doctrine grace is irresistible . for years God convicted me to the fact i should get saved.. i was more into the pleasures of sin for a season .for years i said No but then God my attention with a trip to federal court growing marijuana on fed land me and other person 30 plants . $500.00 fine 2 years probation drug classes . at the end of the probation on a friday night ,the very last night of my probation . in a revival i did not want to Go to . i heard God speak now or never i took the Now . these are all christian men our meetings have went down bad in attendance. the enthusiasm is lacking.. one guy brings his tablet reads a dev from on line .times a small discussion comes up.other times its just coffee shop talk . col 3 tells us to seek those things above a spiritual kingdom /with a spiritual mind . do we look for something other than food? each one of us has to come to the decision to inquire more of God less of us
Calvinism is not salvation by faith. It is salvation by dictation.

The Holy Spirit can strongly speak to us. Strongly push us in the correct direction.

But ultimately it is up to us to say yes or no by free will.

Like Paul on the road to Damascus. He could have said no to Jesus.
 

justbyfaith

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But salvation in Calvinism is not based on love. But it rolled of the dice.
Nevertheless, the half-verse does seem to support the Calvinistic concept of Irresistible Grace.

If love never fails, then love cannot fail to apprehend the ones whom God has chosen.
 

justbyfaith

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cont'd from #31:

This would lead us to the understanding either that 1) Everyone will be saved; or, 2) Limited Atonement.

Because if love cannot fail to apprehend those whom God loves, then if God loves everyone, everyone will be saved.

But if God loves only a select few, then those whom God loves will be brought into heaven without fail.

We reject Universalism because of such passages as Matthew 13:41-42, Matthew 13:49-50, and Matthew 25:46.

However, Limited Atonement cannot be the reality in light of Irresistible Grace because scripture is clear that the Lord died for everyone; is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

This would lead us back to Universalism since the Lord cannot fail to apprehend those whom He loves. And yet Universalism is not true because of the passages mentioned.

It is either one or the other if Irresisitble Grace be the reality.

And yet, scripturally, it is neither.

I conclude that what love cannot fail to do, is not to apprehend each and every person that the Lord loves; but that rather, love cannot fail to give every man a free will decision as to what they want to do with Jesus when faced with the gospel message.

This is in the nature of what we might call love: to give every man a free choice in his eternal destiny.

While some might call it love to force the issue; and to apprehend the person completely because love cannot fail to do so: it remains that love always behaves as a gentleman and will not lord it over those whom it desires to rescue.

If I throw a life-preserver out to someone who is drowning but they are insane and actually want to drown, I have done my duty to them in throwing them the life-preserver; and have also loved them as much as love requires me to love them.

I suppose that I could wait until they have no strength left and then save their lives; but what is to stop them from going for another swim later? if they want to perish, then love would demand that I seek to convince them to desire to save their lives; but if it is their choice to die, love would dictate that I give them the right to do that.
 

justbyfaith

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No it is, not in the slightest.

Love is not a dice roll.
What if it is based on the emotions that the Lord has towards each individual?

Mal 1:2, I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
Mal 1:3, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
 

justbyfaith

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Hos 9:15, All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
 

VictoryinJesus

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how do we seek the things above and what are the things above ?

“How do you seek the things above?”Matthew 6:33
[33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

“What are the things above? Galatians 5:22-23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:9-10
[9] (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth[10] Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.


Colossians 3:1-4
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:14-15
[14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
 
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Ezra

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“How do you seek the things above?”Matthew 6:33
[33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

“What are the things above? Galatians 5:22-23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:9-10
[9] (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth[10] Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.




Colossians 3:14-15
[14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
some of these very things come up in our meeting and it was bible discussion another man takes it next month.. i hope things to start picking up . a seed was planted today.. see my entire thoughts of this we are bombed with junk everyday.. we have to take the trash out..put the spiritual things in . paul wrote not to be conformed ( the world mold us/influence us ) but transformed/changed by renewing of our mind.. i hear this since i got filled with the HolyGhost ..this is not a one time thing.. we replace the rubbish we have to take out. with the spiritual things by products of the fruit of the spirit ..so what are we producing