A message for those of you expecting to go to heaven

Either I'm missing it or you forgot one:

Follow peace with all [men], and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14

Gee John you mention all works but no faith? What you present is not the gospel. :mellow: What happened to faith in the death, burial, and resurrection in our Lord Jesus Christ?

John, good post. When I see titles like you have chosen, I always expect an immoral lesson on "faith, not works" with a theme that there's no reason for us to be good because it's all about faith. Or worse, some people teach that it's a sin to be good because then we're being "religious", "legalistic", or some such thing. But, faith without works is dead. And, if you don't choose to be good, you don't have faith in Christ.

It's good to have a reminder of how Christians should live. Our duty is to be blameless.

Let's talk on a practical level. What does it mean to be blameless? How can persons really know they are blameless?

ChristRoseFromTheDead said:

Let's talk on a practical level. What does it mean to be blameless? How can persons really know they are blameless?

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Faith in the completed work or the Lamb.

The new covenant is faith in the final sacrifice....Jesus....but there are conditions to this covenant ....obey Gods commandments to love God and your neighbor, to keep your garment white, through daily repentance, to keep your lamps filled with oil. produce fruit.

Faith without works is damnation

Ruth said:

The new covenant is faith in the final sacrifice....Jesus....but there are conditions to this covenant ....obey Gods commandments to love God and your neighbor, to keep your garment white, through daily repentance, to keep your lamps filled with oil. produce fruit.

Faith without works is damnation

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Faith without works is mental belief.

ChristRoseFromTheDead said:

Faith without works is mental belief.

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?

ChristRoseFromTheDead said:

Faith without works is mental belief.

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Works for the purpose of securing one's own destiny is works without faith.

It would do some good to actually read the rest of the whole letter from James. James reprimanded the readers because in his observation, they were lacking a genuine love for one another. But He did not tell them to prove their faith to God. He simply reminded them that if they really had faith, it might show by how they treated one another. Where is the law in this letter? Where is the suggestion that they had to walk perfectly or without sin in their life? It is absent. It is not appropriate to put words in Jame's mouth.

The purpose of faith is that by it we receive something from God. Imagine getting a gift card for a new pair of shoes, putting it in your wallet, and then claiming that you have new shoes. The gift card at that point would have not served its purpose. It is dormant until one acquires the shoes that it represents.
This illustrates faith. By faith we receive a new man, the new birth. As well, by faith we receive the indwelling presence of God through His Spirit. These will automatically produce fruit all on their own, unless the bearer actively opposes it. Fruit will happen. The love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom.5:5). Therefore if faith is genuine, we will see a change in a person. Not because he changed himself, but through the work of God in his life.

Here is the part that you need to understand. If our faith were not genuine, God would have headed it off at the pass. He would not have given life, nor the Spirit in the first place. They (we) who have the Son, HAVE LIFE!!!

Jesus in John 5:24, assured us that ..." he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, AND (FURTHERMORE)...SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT, BUT HAS PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE.

If James was questioning anyone's faith, he was suggesting that they were without the Spirit. He was not inciting them to works. That would be redundant. The order is to come to God for life, BY FAITH> then one can commence a walk of fruit. If they were without works it was because they were without faith.

It is a grave error to come to those who are of faith and suggest to them that if their works do not meet a specific standard then they will be forsaken by God. This is an offense to the children of God, to the work of the cross, and the work of the Spirit of grace. By the promise in John 5:24, those who are of faith in Him WILL NOT BE JUDGED! So who are you to judge, when God will not?

NO ONE HAS ANY BUSINESS TAKING AWAY THE ASSURANCE AND THE GUARANTEE THAT THE SPIRIT CAME TO GIVE THOSE WHO BELONG TO GOD.

Psalm 32:1-2
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,

Romans 4:4-6
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.
5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Psalm 19:9-13
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Notice David does not say he will keep himself back, rather requests God to do it and holds faith that He will. None will be able to stand the judgment of God, it is only through faith that we can be blameless, holy, perfect, without blemish. This is because it is only Jesus the Messiah that is sinless, and we must don His righteousness, the righteousness of God, to stand before the judgment of a righteous, holy God. This is only through faith that we can do this, no work of our own.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Notice again who is the One choosing, sanctifying, and presenting. Jesus not us!

Jude 24
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.


I like Jude :lol:

There are a ton more passages that express what I am presenting. Salvation is through faith + nothing, which is the free gift through Jesus Christ. What needs to be qualified is the type of faith you have, complete or hollow. A saving faith willingly loves because God is the one producing the desire and seeing it through to the end. Loving God above all else, and loving our neighbor as our selves, is what God allows to happen for the new creation. This is where James comes in, explaining that if you are not living out the commandment your faith is hollow.

James 2:22-23
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

Abraham acted on his faith, living out the faith that he had, proving it.
And what is the work of God?

John 6:27-29
27 “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Jesus created the peace with God by being the accepted sacrifice, propitiation for sin. Through our faith in His completed work we are justified, being justified we are deemed righteous, being righteous we are blameless before God.

In those who are being saved, fruit will always be evident. We do not work to keep our salvation, nor do we earn our salvation. We work because God is working in us, and through us, for His purpose. Through this outworking of faith, our faith is perfected.

Ruth said:

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Sorry, Ruth. I was a little cryptic. The work of GOD is to believe into Christ. This requires an obedience of the whole being. Mental belief alone that Jesus is GOD cannot save because it is only a mental image in the mind. Thus it is belief without works.

williemac said:

Works for the purpose of securing one's own destiny is works without faith.

...

NO ONE HAS ANY BUSINESS TAKING AWAY THE ASSURANCE AND THE GUARANTEE THAT THE SPIRIT CAME TO GIVE THOSE WHO BELONG TO GOD.

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I sure like reading your posts.

John Zain said:

[SIZE=11pt]-- unrepented sin results in spiritual death (ditto for habitual sin)[/SIZE]

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I think we need to explore this to understand what does lead to death and what doesn't.

Sorry for bringing the light of the Gospel, people need to wake up of deception. Jesus Christ 2nd comming is not just to visit us, No, He will set up a new covernement here on earth for ever, this what we praying in the model prayer asking Him to set up His Kingdom here on Earth.

The subject of going to heaven is preach by false religions.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” ( Matt. 5:5).
Have you ever heard even one minister say that God’s purpose for Christians is to “inherit the EARTH”? I doubt it. Read also John 3:13
Before Christ’s Return, God ( YHWH ) will officially grant Him the authority to rule the whole world.
Notice: “And there was GIVEN Him [Christ] dominion, and glory, and a kingdom” (Dan. 7:14).
Where will this kingdom be? Daniel answers, “…that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
It will be on Earth. Matthew 6:10 As we pray, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Before Christ’s Return, God will officially grant Him the authority to rule the world.
Christ and the saints will rule peoples and nations on Earth.
You have surely heard Christ referred to as “KING of kings and LORD of lords.” Now you know why!
, “And Enoch also...prophesied of these, saying, Behold, Jesus Christ (Yahushua) comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all…” (vs. 14-15).
Did you notice Jesus Christ “comes” to Earth rather than Christians “go” to heaven? And the saints assist Him in “executing judgment.”
　
　

Abba4youall.net

What is it meant by being "holy" ? In the Bible book of Exodus, the word "holy" (Hebrew qodhesh, meaning "a sacred place or thing", Greek hagios, meaning "sacred [physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated"], Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible) is used 61 times, in Leviticus almost 100 times and in the Bible almost 1,000 times.


Hence, to be holy means "religious cleanness or purity; sacredness", with the Hebrew word qodhesh conveying the thought of separateness, exclusiveness, or sanctification to God, who is holy. And in the Christian Greek Scriptures (commonly called the New Testament), the Greek words for "holy" (hagios) and "holiness" (hagiasmos, hagiotes, hagiosyne) likewise denote separation to God.


At Exodus 39, concerning "the holy sign of dedication" or "shining plate" made out of pure gold that was affixed to the high priest turban, it says that "they made the shining plate, the holy sign of dedication, out of pure gold and inscribed upon it an inscription wih the engravings of a seal: "Holiness belongs to Jehovah."(Ex 39:30) What does this show ? That the high priest was set apart to a service of special holiness. And in the book of Zechariah, it says that "in that day there will prove to be upon the bells of the horse ' Holiness belongs to Jehovah.' "(Zech 14:20)


And Christ Jesus addressed Jehovah as "Holy Father".(John 17:11) And at Revelation 4, the "four living creatures" day and night keep saying: "Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming."(Rev 4:8; see also Isa 6:3) Hence, our Creator, Jehovah God, is holy to the perfect degree, setting the standard of what is holy.


Those who want to please him must also be holy, for Peter (quoting from Leviticus 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:26), said that "in accord with the Holy One who called you, do you also become holy yourself in all your conduct, because it is written: "You must be holy, because I am holy."(1 Pet 1:15, 16)


What is required to be ' holy in all your conduct ' ? Jesus was born holy, for the angel Gabriel told Mary, after she asked how she was to be pregnant since she was not having sexual relations with a man: "Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God's Son."(Luke 1:35) Hence, Jesus, by his life pattern which can be seen, established what is holy for all who wish to be holy as he is, for he told the Jews that "I always do the things pleasing to" Jehovah.(John 8:29)


Jesus told his eleven faithful apostles: "These things I command you, that you love one another."(John 15:17) Thence, to be holy requires that a person show genuine love, and not follow the nationalistic interest of the nations to go to war and shed blood, whereby Jesus continued telling his apostles that they would be "hated" for observing his word of being "no part of the world."(John 15:18, 19) His loyal apostles were then being holy, separated to God, by not involving themselves in the "world" and its political and militaristic agenda.


At Revelation 14, it says of the 144,000 ("joint-heirs with Christ", Rom 8:17, the "little flock" that makes up the "kingdom", Luke 12:32, "a kingdom and priests to our God", Rev 5:10, the "woman's seed", Gen 3:15) that "these are the ones who did not defile themselves with women, in fact, they are virgins.These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes.....and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish."(Rev 14:4, 5) These ones are holy, not ' defiling themselves with women', remaining spiritually clean, not adulterating themselves with worldly politics and false religion.


James wrote: "Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God ? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God."(James 4:4) True Christians thus remain neutral with regard to the "world" and its political agenda, giving neither physical nor mental support.(Rev 13:16)


To be holy also requires that a person "strip off the old personality with its (immoral and degraded) practices", replacing it with the "new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One (Jehovah God) who created it."(Col 3:9, 10)

Those who strive to be holy, after stripping off the "old man"(KJV), clothe themselves with that which is patterned after Jehovah (Ps 18:35, where the Hebrew word 'anvah is used with regard to Jehovah, meaning "mildness"), showing genuine love and humility, allowing themselves to be taught by him.(John 6:45; Isa 54:13) These become "meek", and the majority of "meek" ones have the hope of living on an earthly paradise forever.(Matt 5:5; Ps 37:11, 29) This only touches the "fringes" of what it means to be holy.