GISMYS_7
Well-Known Member
For some reason, emotional trauma, betrayal, judgementalism, hurt people have found the connection between trying to be good, balancing ones good works with evil deeds, a rejected belief system. The new adopted belief system says they are acceptable as they are, because God has done everything.
As with all idealistic summaries, it is extend to a degree that is absurd. The need is acceptance by God and stopping OCD self condemnation. What is missed is are we worthy of being judged and does God bring hope for change?
For whatever reason "hope for change" is rejected as unbelief, because of its association with proving value in the balance of good and evil. Scripture repeatedly says if one walks righteously in faith, one will be forgiven and cleansed, and the evil done in the past forgotten, taken away.
If one cannot see change is part of the gospel, part of repentance (hebrew regret, return, greek, change ones heart, direction, mindset) is change, absolute and complete, then is one a christian at all?
If a person claims they can sin and knowingly not repent, feel sorrow, desire to be different but arrogantly assume God forgives them, they are no longer part of Judaism or Christianity.
Works are the absolute outflow of repentance, of entering the Kingdom of Jesus, heaven, and being filled with love from the heart. As John describes
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.
11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
1 John 2:9-11
These are two realities, polarised, without compromise.
I wonder if people fear that in their hearts they will discover they are not in the Kingdom? But if this is so, God is faithful, if they repent and put their faith in Him love will spring from their hearts and lives. It is because this love is not our own, it is love that God grants us, that He sets free. It is a miracle of grace, the work of the cross, the start of the reality of knowing Jesus. But equally if so many are clouded in darkness, and love shut out, this sounds like a alien testimony and a place they have not gone, yet for them they have faith and know the truth. Maybe they will have ears to hear, and God may grant them repentance.
God bless you
Those that are saved will want to do good works Not in order to be saved but because the ARE saved!!