- Aug 28, 2010
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Here is a very simple question, to which some may, or may not reply. Most I know will not even agree, but this is the reason for a forum. But if you do respond, please provide scriptures that helped you come to your conclusion.
The question:
If a person does all that they can to keep the statues, commandments and laws of God to the best of their ability, even if they do not keep them perfectly, will it DECREASE their chance of entering God's kingdom?
Hopefully you will answer honestly, although it may go totally against what you feel or have been taught.
Because to be honest......I can find NOWHERE in the scriptures where it says, "If you KEEP God's laws to the best of your abilities, it will lessen your chances or you will NOT get into His kingdom if you try!"
So many people say, ‘It is impossible to keep ALL of God’s Laws Perfectly!” And they are right! It IS impossible! But God, NEVER EVER tells us we should not TRY to keep them! As a matter of fact, from Gen. to Rev. the one thing God tells us to do over and over again is to KEEP His Commandments.
Now let's just be real for a moment, the scriptures says the following:
1 Peter 4
[18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Now I don't know about you, but I do know for a fact the following people were considered truly righteous in God's eye:
Heb.11
[4] By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain...
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death...
[7] By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
[8] By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
[20] By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
[31] By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
[36] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
[37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
[39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
ALL of the above saints died with a good report. All of these saints are righteous according to God. Now do you think they did their best to keep God’s commandments? Of course. Do you think they kept them perfectly? Of course not. And yet the inspired word of God tell us ALL died with a good report. Can you think of a more righteous group than this?
Now if these "SCARCELY be saved", where does that leave you and me?
“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (And for the record, a sinner is one that BREAKS the laws, commandments and statues of God!)
Please understand,
I’m not asking about being justified by the law, or that it’s impossible to keep ALL of God’s laws, or if you break one you break them all, or having faith, or anything about God’s grace and the blood shed for our PAST sins.
It’s just a simple question
So again I ask:
If a person does all that they can to keep the statues, commandments and laws of God, even if they do not keep them perfectly, will it DECREASE their chances of getting into His kingdom?
“Will keeping God’s laws cause a person NOT to enter into His kingdom?”
Because if keeping God’s laws will NOT decrease my chances, that means it can only HELP!!!!
A very wise man once said;
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Again, God’s word says, “And if the righteous scarcely be saved….”, now shouldn’t we do ALL we can to better our chances! That’s right…..I said DO!
Why?
Because faith alone just does not cut it;
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
EVEN IF YOU DO NOT REPLY……….AT LEAST THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!
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