The error of the Pharisee

[Theodore A. Jones]

The narrow gate is Him... the only way to the Father...

But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.

That's why He casts them into outer darkness... because they don't know Him...

Can't you see that's not about you becoming as good as God so you can be good enough for salvation?

Can't you see it's about knowing Him?

Don't you realize that if you did know Him you would never be so prideful as to say, "I will be like the most High"

Instead you would only say, "God be merciful to me a sinner"

When we stand in the light of Christ and see the level of perfection necessary for salvation based on works... we realize there is no salvation apart from being covered by His blood... and we give Him the glory as being the only One who was able to fulfill the law.

The reason why we still think we're pretty close to being able to attain righteousness through our own effort is because we don't know Him.

The narrow gate is Him? No. For he has perfected it, but it is required of you to use it or it is a disobedience that is not forgiveable.

 

[Robbie]

Nice sentence taken out of context... here's a couple more... all you had to do was go one more chapter for the first two... haha... better think again!!! or better yet.. try reading again in context...

1. Romans 3:20
   
   Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
2. Romans 3:28
   
   Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
3. Galatians 2:16
   
   knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
4. Galatians 3:11
   
   But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

Really... He's not the only way to the Father? He's not the Way? He's not the gate?

Nothing like people who try and set themselves up as teachers that don't even have a clue as to what they're talking about... haha

Then they try and use fear tactics to make themselves sound right... haha... what a joke...

 

[Duckybill]

Those of you who think you can live in sin are going to find that you will not receive mercy from God.

Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV)
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

You can't say you haven't been warned.

 

[Insight]

Yeah insight... I believe there's no greater way I can honer God than recognizing the truth of who He is... by knowing Him through Christ... and by proclaiming Him by proclaiming Christ...

And there's no greater way I can help myself than recognizing the truth of who i am... by knowing myself... and by confessing my sins and recognizing my desperate need for a savior...

When I know the perfect revelation of God's Love in Christ... and the truth of my sin.. that's when I have full understanding that there is no salvation for myself apart from His Mercy, Grace and Love shown towards me when His Son died for me on the cross... and covered me with His blood.

When I recognize this I stop living my life hiding my talents because of fear of God's judgment as His Son already paid for that... and I can start using my talents to further His Kingdom as I no longer have fear of judgment since I already know He showed the perfect example of His love for me when His Son died for me when I was at my absolute worst.

Yes Robbie,

While all of us are unprofitable servants in one way or another...many are weak today through fear of Judgement or being unmotivated not responding to the Spirit of His Word. The 1 Talented man was such a man. His view of Christ was twisted and warped. He thought his master was harsh (hard) and unreasonable and spoke a number of lies in defending his laziness. Eventually the truth came out in that he "feared" Jesus. He was scared (without love) that he could not fulfil his Masters requirements, although he was given sufficient ability to care for his goods.

It’s a sullen man who knows not the love of the Father and Son.

Robbie, without your passion and enthusiasm we are deemed “Wicked” Mat 25:26 not that we are intrinsically evil, but as the Gk implies "hurtful”, “to cause pain” which he did by not using his talent “Slothfully” - - maybe there are some here who lack the confidence in the power of Christs blood to cleanse and save? Maybe they believe deep down that sin is actually more powerful than the perfect sacrifice and shed blood?

These are they who cause pain in others!

Paul understood this:

That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. [sup]31[/sup] But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. [sup]32[/sup] Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

If one believes they are being disciplined from above how could they possibly question their salvation?

The 5 Talented man understood who gave him his abilities to serve.
The 2 Talented man understood who gave him his abilities to serve.
The 1 Talented man failed because he thought above himself and could not see from within his God given ability. He failed miserably because he didn’t understand the work of Jesus Christ.

Choose a number 5, 2 or 1?

 

[Prentis]

He is the way, but the way profits you nothing if you do not walk in it.

 

[Duckybill]

God's commandments are not requests.

 

[Prentis]

Those of you who think you can live in sin are going to find that you will not receive mercy from God.

Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV)
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

You can't say you haven't been warned.

Yes. We think that somehow God has changed, erased righteousness, and come so we can 'hide' our sins behind him. He came to make a way so that we CAN walk in his righteousness. That's why he's the WAY.

God's commandments are not requests.

Amen again. He who obeys me follows my commands, as he says.

 

[Robbie]

I don't think anyone can look at the cross and see their sins hanging with Jesus and want to live in sin Duck...

It's not like anyone here is saying, "Yay!!! Jesus died for our sins... let's go get some hookers and smoke some crack and rob a bank"

But I do think people struggle with sin... and I think we all fail and blow it... and when we confess those sins He's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

But then there's some who think they're going to become perfect and their own righteousness is what's going to make them acceptable before God.

When we make it about our righteousness... we'll never have assurance of salvation... or the revelation of God's perfect love... because based on our own righteousness we'll never stand righteous before God... and if we don't see the truth of just how far from righteous we are even on our best day... we'll never see how perfect God's love for us is that He sent His Son to die for a bunch of disgusting sinners.

Are you without sin Ducky? do you live perfect?

Are you also without sin Prentis? do you live perfect?

Yes insight.. our greatest fear should be not knowing God... since eternal life is to know God... it's without relationship that we die...

 

[Prentis]

Is God really powerless to save us from the power of sin NOW?

 

[Insight]

Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing securely should watch out so he doesn't fall.

 

[Duckybill]

Are you without sin Ducky? do you live perfect?

No I am not. But I am striving. There's a HUGE difference between committing a sin and living in sin.

 

[Insight]

God's commandments are not requests.

I agree as per my signature.

 

[Robbie]

He has Prentis... you just don't want to accept that He's done it through Jesus Christ... you want to make it about you...

Christ is the way the Father chose to save us... it doesn't matter that because all things are possible with Him you think He should have done it differently and turned you into some sort of perfect person according to your own works...

I mean dude... look at how prideful you already are and you aren't even righteous... could you imagine what a handful you'd be if you actually were without sin according to your own works?

So once again Ducky and Prentis...

Are you without sin Ducky? do you live perfect?

Are you also without sin Prentis? do you live perfect?

I mean Ducky you're always condemning people for living in a sinful state... are you living perfectly?

What about you Prentis?

 

[Duckybill]

I mean Ducky you're always condemning people for living in a sinful state... are you living perfectly?

Those who live sinful lives condemn themselves.

1 John 3:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

 

[Robbie]

Are you without sin Ducky? are you living perfectly?

 

[Duckybill]

Are you without sin Ducky? are you living perfectly?

Stop evading the issue. The issue is 'practicing sin'. Not committing a sin.

 

[Robbie]

The bottom line is Ducky is you have just as much cake on your face as everyone else... and the same blood which is the only way to their salvation... is the same blood that is the only way to your salvation...

Get over yourself... you're just a hypocrite...

 

[Prentis]

I am not perfect. Do I use my own experience to discern the word of God, or does the word of God discern my experience, and judges me accordingly?

The word says 'be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect', and it says 'I write this to you so that you do not sin'.

The word tells me that through Christ, I can overcome, so I believe it and cling to Christ, who is my hope, so that I might find deliverance and be like him. He commands to to overcome, and so I seek to do so.

The word also tells me that in our immaturity, we fall. It says 'if any of you sin, we have an advocate with the Father'. And so I believe it. It tells me that if I, now made alive by the Spirit, would walk by the Spirit, I would not fulfill the deeds of the flesh. And so I believe it also.

Jesus says 'No learner is greater than his teacher, but when he is fully trained he is as his teacher.' So I believe him also.

Am I justified by my belief? In no way. I have faith towards Christ that if I persevere and hold on to the words he has given me and to his promises, he will be faithful to have mercy and to make me as he is. Only I have no faith in my own ability to stay faithful, knowing that I can fail, and so I beseech the one who called me to give me strength.

 

[Duckybill]

The bottom line is Ducky is you have just as much cake on your face as everyone else... and the same blood which is the only way to their salvation... is the same blood that is the only way to your salvation...

Get over yourself... you're just a hypocrite...

There's reasons why you defend living in sin Robbie. Stop trying to put the rest of us in your boat.

 

[Robbie]

Well since no one has ever been perfect except Christ... outside of being covered by His blood... and you're also not perfect or without sin...

Why in God's Holy Name would I give up the assured salvation in the blood of Jesus Christ for this other gospel you're preaching when you yourself can't even live up to it? nor has anyone else? haha... no thanks man...

It's like we fell out of a plane... and we're falling towards the ground... and I have Christ as my parachute and you're like, "No man... all things re possible with God... get rid of the parachute and just flap your arms" and I'm like, "You're flapping your arms have you stopped falling yet?" and you're like, "No" hahaha...

When you become as perfect as Christ come back and talk to me and I'll listen to what you have to say.

Until then all my hope will just be in Jesus...

It's like your preaching something that you're not even living up to... what a joke dude... you can take that death and bury it...