No, heaven is a place. Salvation means to be delivered from the condemnation of sin. God is holy and must judge sin. Don't die in your sins, call on Christ to save you, Romans 10:13.
RELIGION: Trying to do in the flesh what God has already done in Jesus Christ
- Thread starter Robert Pate
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Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
I disagree with you on one point. I think heaven is the peace of mind we have when we repent of our sin (Matthew 4:17).
No, You are confusing peace, which is spiritual with a physical place,
How many sins do you have to repent of until you have peace of mind?
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
Of what value is heaven if it doesn't include peace of mind?
Matthew 4:17 tells us heaven is at hand. What place is at hand?
To have complete peace of mind, we need to repent of all of our sins. Is it that hard to obey the commandments?
But you don't obey the commandments. It is not possible for you to obey the commandments because you were born into sin, Psalm 51:5. You will never see heaven if you don't renounce your righteousness and trust in the righteousness of Christ to save you.
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
The law and the commandments are one entity. If you fail in one point of the law you have failed the whole thing, James 2:10.
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
All of them. All of the law keeping Pharisees went to hell, even the ones that were tithing down to the mint in their gardens, Mathew 23:23.
Here is how we fulfill the commandments of Christ. Not according to works of righteousness that we do, because even our love for the Lord thy God and thy neighbor comes through His Spirit working in us.
Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
This is called working out, not working for our salvation, but because we are saved we work out (sanctification) that by which God is working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12-13 (KJV) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
This is true! And even the ability to repent and believe in Christ comes through the gift of faith that accompanies all who are eternally saved.
John 4:10 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Romans 5:15 (KJV) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
The gift of God is salvation for whosoever believes in the Gospel. That gift comes by grace through faith; the gift of God that no man may boast. Fallen mankind, spiritually dead in trespasses and sins must be imputed with faith to believe which is the result of God's grace. So then faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God (Gospel).
Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Romans 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 6:29 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
I don't think you understand the purpose of the law.
There are certain things that we can do that bring trouble into our lives. Therefore, the Lord warned us not to do those things. For instance, if I rob a bank, I go to prison. Therefore, the Lord warned us not to steal.
I don't understand this contempt you have for the law.
The purpose of the law is to judge and condemn.
Christians are led by the Holy Spirit, not by laws, rules or religion. We are not Pharisees.
I don't have contempt for the law. The law is the nature and character of God.
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
It may be for you, but not for me. I am led and directed by the Holy Spirit; you are a Pharisee.
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
No, I just know that when I sin, trouble enters my life, so I try not to sin. That is what Jesus told us to do (Matthew 4:17).
Galatians 3:19-25
New King James Version
Purpose of the Law
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, [a]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our [b]tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.