Uncovering the Devil's Strategy

[Behold]

Yes...BUT...how many believers are actually really truly dong that? Offering ourselves as living sacrifices in 100% consecration?

Well the good news is.......God's salvation is not based on how we behave, after we have received God's Salvation as the free "gift of Salvation".
And that is because our Salvation, is based solely on The Lord Jesus, The Christ, who faithfully completed it perfectly for us.

So, your question is a good question, and i can only guess at the number of people who are serving God, and nothing else.

Its obviouly not anyone who has to work a "job" for a living, or has children, or is married.

So, that narrows it down to a very small percentage of born again believers, who are doing nothing but Godwork.

I'd say that is going to be a foreign field unmarried Missionary, a Born again Nun who is working in a foreign field, and a constantly traveling unmarried Evangelist.

 

[Lizbeth]

Well the good news is.......God's salvation is not based on how we behave, after we have received God's Salvation as the free "gift of Salvation".
And that is because our Salvation, is based solely on The Lord Jesus, The Christ, who faithfully completed it perfectly for us.

So, your question is a good question, and i can only guess at the number of people who are serving God, and nothing else.

Its obviouly not anyone who has to work a "job" for a living, or has children, or is married.

So, that narrows it down to a very small percentage of born again believers, who are doing nothing but Godwork.

I'd say that is going to be a foreign field unmarried Missionary, a Born again Nun who is working in a foreign field, and a constantly traveling unmarried Evangelist.

I don't think being fully consecrated and "entirely sanctified" necessarily means not having a job or other regular responsibilities...that isn't what it means.

 

[Behold]

I don't think being fully consecrated and "entirely sanctified" necessarily means not having a job or other regular responsibilities...that isn't what it means.

Well, all the born again are entirely sanctified in Christ...forever. 1 Cor 1:30 (KJV)

And then there is our discipleship.......

So, when we present our body as IN SERVICE to God....... this dedication is going to be tempered by what we have in our lives that we have to do, during the day........that is not purely in service of the Lord.
So, if we are married, then there is the issue of supporting the family and nuturing the family, and protecting the family, and this takes a lot of time.......devoted to THEM, that is not a "service" to the Lord.
The Christian not is not purely ministring to God as their service, when we are working a job, or dealing with a family.

See, the reason that Paul said its best to stay single if possible, is because the "cares of this world"......the responsibilites of a Family for example are going to interfere with purely serving the Lord, all the time.

So, serving God is really completely related to what is keeping you from spending all your time doing that.......every day, every minute.

 

[Episkopos]

Been looking, but I cant seem to find that scripture...which one are you referring to here Epi? I'm just wondering if the "all who fear God" there might be referring to all within a subset of those who know Christ. (If even righteous living Jews under the Law needed the gospel to be saved, so how much more unbelieving Gentiles)

Acts 10: 34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

As to the Jews...rejecting the Lord is neither an act of righteousness nor fearing the Lord.

Most "believers" have been conditioned to think that they are saved exclusively by their lip-service and that God is wrathful towards any who are not just like them. Can you say religious hypocrisy?

Jesus was sent ONLY to the Jews. His warnings of not believing in Him are towards them...since He was sent to them...His visitation was to them...to those who claimed to know God.

fast forward to today with those who now claim to know God. What will their visitation look like?

So we see God's mercy toward all who fear Him and do what is right in His eyes. All will only be judged for what they have done (with what they have been given)

Jesus said that the towns where He was rejected in spite of His great works there would fare worse than Sodom on judgment day. They knew not the time of their visitation.

So we are to seek God for ourselves and implore the Lord for His visitation now...thus making our claims of knowing God real when He accepts our sacrifice (think Abel)...making our calling and election sure. And even then we are to think of ourselves as lowly servants and as guests invited to the feast and NOT as some privileged person who is guaranteed a place of honour...that of being the Bride. Let the Lord affirm us and not ourselves. Jesus counseled us to take the lower place. It is better to be called up than to be sent down. But such wisdom doesn't find many modern ears.

The spirit of Cain is alive in the church of today. Rather than seek the Lord until He is found of them...these rail against the testimony of those who actually know the Lord and have been dealt with by the cross.

A tree is known of its fruit.

 

[Behold]

So we see God's mercy toward all who fear Him and do what is right in His eyes.

God does not accept you because you "do what is right".....as that is SELF EFFORT and works.
So, if God accepted you for trying to work at what is right, the Jesus died on the Cross for no reason.

So, the issue, is that you teach a works based false gospel, that denies the Cross of Christ, as God's ONLY way to Heaven, @Episkopos .

John 14:6

Your "gospel" is : Galatians 1:8

 

[Episkopos]

God does not accept you because you "do what is right".....as that is SELF EFFORT and works.

The bible says that "works righteousness" gets you accepted....but you are unable to break from your indoctrination long enough to believe the words of God. You have twisted the meaning of Paul...which is about holiness, not just salvation.

So, if God accepted you for trying to work at what is right, the Jesus died on the Cross for no reason.

That is the reasoning of a "reformer" who has been indoctrinated into Luther (not Christ). Jesus died on the cross to save the world, not condemn the world as you do. Stop with the religious narcissism already. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world...especially those who believe. And that includes all workers of righteousness and all who fear Him. Would you condemn yourself by judging those who God doesn't judge?

So, the issue, is that you teach a works based false gospel, that denies the Cross of Christ, as God's ONLY way to Heaven, @Episkopos .

John 14:6

Your "gospel" is : Galatians 1:8

Jesus is the door and the way to the Father and eternal life. Enter into life and walk as Jesus walked without sin. Overcome as He did. The love of God and mercy are not against the higher walk in holiness. Election is for saints only. But the general call to believe is upon ALL who would be guests at the wedding feast of the Lord. Unplug from that twisted religion of yours and surrender your carnal religious mind to God. He will give you light in that darkness.

Many claim great things for themselves...but judgment is coming.

 

[Behold]

The bible says that "works righteousness" gets you accepted...

The NT teaches , that Jesus told you.....that "I am the only way to the Father, and no person (you) comes to the Father, but by ME".

See that?

That is THE CROSS OF CHRIST......and if a person has been there been there, they would not be always trying to prove that their WORKS are their salvation. @Episkopos .

But go ahead and keep showing us your "working my way to God"......so that these Members can see through your usual fog of incoherent verbage spiritual pretense.

Jesus died for the sins of the whole world...especially those who believe.

So, you're a universalist also?

Listen the reason that your verse says....>"especially those who believe" is explaining that Jesus is The only Savior, and the only ones saved are the BELIEVERS.

Enter into life and walk as Jesus walked without sin.

The only way you can be "without sin" is to be born again, as A "new Creation" in Christ......whereby "God hath made Jesus to be sin for us"........>"who are not under the law, but under Grace".

So, this is referring to a born again believer, and not some Calvinist Universalist "higher walk in zion" fringe religious concoction , who is trying to "work righteousness" to try to get God to accept them.

 

[Episkopos]

The NT teaches , that Jesus told you.....that "I am the only way to the Father, and no person (you) comes to the Father, but by ME".

See that?

That is THE CROSS OF CHRIST......and if a person has been there been there, they would not be always trying to prove that their WORKS are their salvation. @Episkopos .

But go ahead and keep showing us your "working my way to God"......so that these Members can see through your usual fog of incoherent verbage spiritual pretense.




So, you're a universalist also?

Listen the reason that your verse says....>"especially those who believe" is explaining that Jesus is The only Savior, and the only ones saved are the BELIEVERS.




The only way you can be "without sin" is to be born again, as A "new Creation" in Christ......whereby "God hath made Jesus to be sin for us"........>"who are not under the law, but under Grace".

So, this is referring to a born again believer, and not some Calvinist Universalist "higher walk in zion" fringe religious concoction , who is trying to "work righteousness" to try to get God to accept them.

Jesus came to set us free from sin...and to destroy the work of the devil that fools people into thinking that we have to fight our own battle over sin, and the pull of its nature within us.

The saint is someone who is not just set apart but also empowered to be as Christ in HIS perfection...His purity, His holiness. (But not in His maturity and character...hence the need of discipleship)

Evangelism is about bringing GUESTS to the great feast of the Lord...not saints. God calls His saints Himself.
You have to look at both standards to understand the gospel....both the Bride AND the guests.

Check out the distinction...

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day). 2 Thess. 1:10

Of course, most will read this in a blinded state, not rightly DIVIDING the word.

But the guests (Matt. 22) are those who believed the gospel report from other humans and these will ADMIRE the Lord (from a distance).

However God will be glorified in His saints...who are the Bride of Christ.

 

[Behold]

Jesus came to set us free from sin...

If your sin is not forgiven, then you are an unforgiven sinner......right now.

Jesus died on THE Cross to forgive YOUR SIN.

So, once The Cross of Christ has forgiven your sin.......then now being "born again"... as 'made righteous".. having received "the Gift of righteousness"...... = then the CHRISTian...is no longer """"under the Law but under Grace"".......so, that places them in this place........

= "where there is no LAW......there is no SIN (Transgression)"...found.

So, this means that the CHRISTian, is delivered from sin......by being forgiven it all......and delivered from the dominion of the Law that is no longer able to define a born again Christian as a sinner.

"Christ is the END OF THE LAW... for everyone who Believes"...... (is born again).

The saint is someone who is not just set apart but also empowered to be as Christ in HIS perfection...His purity, His holiness. (But not in His maturity and character...hence the need of discipleship)

A Christian has Jesus in them......as "Christ in you, the hope of Glory".....and they have become "the temple of the Holy Spirit", and '"ONE with God".
You can't become "one with God" unless you have received from God....."The Gift of Righteousness".
So, all that, means that they have entered the KOG., as a "new Creation, in Christ".

Whereas....Discipleship, is "present your body as a living sacrifice to God which is your reasonable SERVICE".. down here.. daily.

Evangelism is about bringing GUESTS to the great feast of the Lord...not saints. God calls His saints Himself.

Evangelism is about "winning souls for Christ'. or "leading unbelievers to trust in Jesus".

Its "preaching the Gospel"..to the lost.

Check out the distinction...

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day). 2 Thess. 1:10

There is in the future the pending Rapture,.......... and there is also the fact that right now, "Christ in YOU"... .is to have become "the temple of the Holy Spirit", if the person is Born again...
In Fact.. "If you have not the Spirit of God, (Christ IN you) then you are none of God's".

Of course, most will read this in a blinded state, not rightly DIVIDING the word.

You are a person who teaches that """"The Cross is not about forgiveness""".. who is always pretending that you are able to "rightly divide the word".

You are only kidding yourself and some of these members, who can't discern truth vs deception.

 

[Hepzibah]

Hope I'm not rambling too much, it is a lot to discuss and put in writing.

Not at all.

Yes I admit to being a stickler for words at times, deification and theosis seem like they might be overstating the case somewhat.

To be united with God is to share in His attributes, and holiness is the most significant.

I agree that Christ's transfiguration is also something we are to get hold of. I had always wondered about it... so now I know it is talking about that entire sanctification and second blessing. Glorification might be another term for it.....where it says "He comes to be glorified in His saints" - His glory in us.

Yes agreed. Glorification is for this life which certain scriptures confirm.

Jesus is our forerunner and we are to follow in His footsteps, so it stands to reason that if He experienced something on earth (like transfiguration) He did so for our sakes so that we could follow on to experience it also.

Agreed.

I agree. I don't think anyone is in a state of sin or sins at all when walking in the spirit, it is a state of being transported (transfigured?) above the flesh and sin.....which we can taste of at times along the way, as part of the process. "Taste and see that the Lord is good"...so that we can be inspired and encouraged to seek and eat the entire meal. I like how Andrew Murray, what I'm reading so far, has an encouraging stance, he is encouraging and inspiring and strengthening faith rather than beating us down with the truth. I have fear of the unknown with this, for those who have fear Murray has the right approach in my opinion.....we need to think of surrendering ourselves entirely to the Lord as being a good thing and a blessing, to be able to trust the Lord with our entire life, to hand ourselves entirely over to Him without conditions. Think it's good to focus on what we will be receiving, not on what we are afraid we might be losing or of what the Lord might ask of us....."for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross."

Yes but we underestimate the power of the flesh when we are still bound by it and rather than die, it will resist to the end and scream while doing so.

What Christ asks of us seems so horrifying and if there is a hint of a get out the flesh will cling to it, which is where Keswick theology comes from. To be free of intentional sin sounds doable to the flesh, not going so far as absolute surrender.

Under His wrath only in the sense of being judged and chastised now so that we will not be judged with the world....? Which I don't think of that as being wrath but rather discipline..God's training and discipling. The child of God is no longer under wrath in the strict sense of the word...I don't believe we are under the curse and condemnation of the Law.

We are under the condemnation of the law if we do not have the Spirit dwell within us. In the OT God shows that He is angry with His people who disobey Him and hold the truth in unrighteousness. Only the perfect in the OT escape His wrath.

As born again and enlightened believers who have received His Spirit and faith that is not of our own, we differ from the world and "Israel after the flesh". We're not appointed to wrath............unless someone falls away, then they are back in the same condition as an unbeliever. I know we need to be careful of not abusing His grace though, that would be making a mockery of it and wouldn't end well....we dont' want to make it sound as though His grace is something to be taken for granted.

We do receive the Spirit but to be baptized wherein means that He can dwell within, not just have communication and Him be with us in a sense. The whole OT is about God being unable to dwell where there is sin and thanks to Jesus, He opened up the possibility of the cleansing required and paid the enormous price for us to be restored to what God intended, not after death but now.

“Striving but not able to enter in”…….seems to refer to them running out of time, if we look at the context. And the parable of the virgins indicates this as well. We need to be accruing that extra oil by paying a price for it now as we go along, counting the cost as we go. I wonder if being cast into outer darkness speaks to the unwise virgins losing their faith in the end? That would seem to agree with another scripture about the servant who didn’t invest his talent (pay the price)….even what he had would be taken away and given to another.

The unwise virgins did not have the faith that comes from God when we unite with Him, which would have told them not to take for granted He would be on time. They decided that in their own minds and therefore were not dwelt within and only had their own faith.

The fear of the Lord is a real thing, and we certainly need it. But I also believe we need the encouragement of being reminded of His grace, too when appropriate, otherwise some of us we might be tempted to give up on ourselves at times. These things are spiritual in nature.....to my understanding He portions each of them out to each soul and reminds us of each one, if and when He knows in His wisdom we need whichever one. I can certainly understand why a complacent, lackadaisical church needs to be shaken out of complacency with holy fear, but if some souls are despairing and discouraged they might need encouragement or comforting at the right time. I think of God as being a perfect Father. I've heard a few testimonies of some being visited with His holy fear that shook them to the core....they thought they were goners.......and I just think if that's what I need then Lord please do it.

We are so blind in the flesh. Anything that takes away that push to entire and radical abandonment is not a good thing though the flesh in us will jump at it. If the Holy Spirit is convicting us of our poor service and failures, any get out will be erroneous to our souls health.

It is better to have a millstone around our necks.

The answer is to take that step over the precipice and throw ourselves at His mercy.

I don't think I'm cottoning on to where Andrew Murray and earlier church differ exactly, I must have missed something, foggy brain...do you mind laying out the main points they differ on for me maybe? Just if you have the time and when you're having a good day...no rush. :)

Andrew Murray along with others of the Keswick spirituality will say without sin but when you try to pin them down they generally mean no deliberate sin and if so to repent at once. That is not the walking in the Spirit I speak of. If ones sins in that you are out of the blessing. But it is not likely. What usually happens is that we lean on our own understanding over something. That will lead to sin but the desire to sin is gone in the ES state.

 

[Lizbeth]

Well, all the born again are entirely sanctified in Christ...forever. 1 Cor 1:30 (KJV)

And then there is our discipleship.......

So, when we present our body as IN SERVICE to God....... this dedication is going to be tempered by what we have in our lives that we have to do, during the day........that is not purely in service of the Lord.
So, if we are married, then there is the issue of supporting the family and nuturing the family, and protecting the family, and this takes a lot of time.......devoted to THEM, that is not a "service" to the Lord.
The Christian not is not purely ministring to God as their service, when we are working a job, or dealing with a family.

See, the reason that Paul said its best to stay single if possible, is because the "cares of this world"......the responsibilites of a Family for example are going to interfere with purely serving the Lord, all the time.

So, serving God is really completely related to what is keeping you from spending all your time doing that.......every day, every minute.

Well, we have had a disagreement about OSAS for a long time, though I don't think I've argued about it much since coming to this site, and won't get into it on this thread.

However being fully consecrated to the Lord...as in entering and walking fully in the kingdom, walking fully in the Spirit, entire sanctification, second blessing, higher walk or however one wants to describe it - is a matter and state of the heart, not a matter of how much time one is spending on anything per se. I imagine anyone who enters this state and who happens to have "secular" responsibilities would just be going about them in a much more truly God-glorifying way, walking in the Spirit and being at rest and fully submitted to Him. But I agree cares of life can be a great hindrance from entering it in the first place, because our hearts tend to be too bound up and distracted with them. People in full time ministry type pursuits can be just as distracted and bound up with that too. I'm guessing there are probably more older 'saints' (by this definition) than younger ones, with a lot of cares and distractions of whatever kind in the past.

 

[Hepzibah]

No worries......and I sure do know the feeling sister, lol. ;)


ok, but I believe we should keep in mind that even the teachings of the early church, after the apostles died, need to be tested.....because Paul said after he departed wolves would come in not sparing the flock. Even in his day things were going awry that he was having to correct and warn the flock about.

The early church was all about this doctrine. Of course there would be dissenters from NT times but the first few hundred years were spent fighting the gnositics and arians. It was taken for granted that holiness teaching was understood and accepted.

Not all Orthodox writers were accepted as theologians, just a handful were, and they were the ones who were walking in the blessing. No one else was accepted as able to theologise. All bishops had to be in the blessing but things began to go downhill and they started to allow it due to lack of candidates.

Word of mouth coming down from the ES'ed was accepted as authoritative. And yes scripture but the deeper spiritual meaning is missed by the carnal.

I don't think I know enough to really compare the different schools of thought or recognize where someone else is influenced. I've only recently become fully conscious of the fact that I have really been looking for and needing and hoping for more witnesses to things I believe the Lord has shown me in scripture.


My understanding at present is that there are only two paths...one is the broad way and the other is the narrow way. The broad way I believe includes unbelievers and believers who are using grace as a license to sin or for whatever reason are just not engaged in the race or seeking righteousness and are worldly. As babes and immature believers I believe we were placed on the right path that is leading to maturity and potentially the full stature of Christ......whether we all remain on the narrow path is another question. When the testings and trials start to come, I suspect and seem to observe that many are tempted to take the easy way out and roll off the altar/narrow path... I'm guessing the most common one these days might be to divorce one's spouse against the words of Jesus because of being "unhappy"........but this is why trials are called temptations. I don't believe the good intentions of unbelievers by themselves are enough for eternal life (though maybe in some cases it can attract the favour of God so that He gives them the gospel, like Cornelious). We need to have come to have our good intentions by the new birth and coming to faith, being enlightened and having God/Christ revealed to us, so that now our intention is that we want to obey and be pleasing to Him because of knowing this is right and true, knowing that HE is right and true. Something of eternal worth did happen to us when we came to faith.....nobody can tell me otherwise......we changed for the better....our good intentions and desire to please God I believe are the fruit of the Spirit...but just not yet fruit brought to perfection, because the flesh and carnal mind (old man) still interferes and we still need instruction and washing of the word and to have the power of the old man broken through the trials and chastisements we go through as God's children.

Indeed it is life-changing coming to Christ and we wish to be obedient. But the HS is not indwelling as we would haver no problem with sin.

As new believers we are or were just at the beginning of the race with good seed and all its holy potential having been planted in us. As I understand these things at present. I have in mind that maybe none of us can quite nail all this down in every detail because of seeing through a glass darkly.


I understand Romans 7 as talking about the as yet immature or carnal believer. I don't think Paul was talking about himself before he was enlightened, but for a season afterwards. I don't think unbelieving souls under the Law really "delight" in the Law of God after the inward man (only the regenerated inner man can delight in it).....they tend to see it as a drudgery and a burden and not as a beautiful light in a dark world that we are aspiring to. That is why Paul said if I do that which I don't want/will to do, it is no longer I who sin but sin living in me.......how the Lord is graciously looking at these inadvertent sins concerning His babies and little children, not condemning them.

Paul would not have been in such distress if he thought that there was no condemnation. There was till chapter 8 when he had crossed the sea and said straight away 'there is therefore no condemnation' in his new state.

I seemed to have observed and been experiencing that believers follow the same pattern as unbelieving Israel in the wilderness, their journey is a picture of our journey.....but we have to remember it is not literal because we as believers start out on a higher spiritual level, if I can put it that way, with the new birth. Their journey was just the shadow or type in the natural realm....ours is the spiritual substance. Part of that pattern involves being tutored in the Law leading to Christ....so we follow that pattern also, but not that we are any longer under the curse of it as they were. Similar to Israel's pattern, we need to realize our inability to fulfill the Law (Christ's commandments)in our own flesh and carnal nature so that we seek HIM to be finally and truly delivered from that old man still clinging to us. They sought it in the gospel, but we seek it in a "second blessing" and full measure of the Spirit. Anyway it is good to see Andrew Murray saying much the same thing...another witness for me. The Israelites dying those 40 years in the wilderness is a picture of believers dying to ourselves so that we can enter and receive the promise. Flesh cannot enter...it had to die. Their "children" in the natural realm represent our innocent new inner man, once it is no longer hampered and encumbered by the flesh.

No, to clarify, I don't at all believe our inadvertent sins are acceptable to God, but He graciously chooses to overlook and forgive at least some of them as we do it in ignorance, not wilfully on purpose. Like a parent not holding their little children to the same standard they would expect if their children were adults. We should hate even our inadvertent sins, when we become aware of them and repent and seek to do better. We should be starting to know ourselves better as the years go by, if we are growing, and allowing and seeking for His light to "search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us" and that is why we seek to be delivered from ourself, to die to ourself.....because of "seeing" in the light that we need to be.

More coming....I have to go out for a while.

' The Israelites dying those 40 years in the wilderness is a picture of believers dying to ourselves so that we can enter and receive the promise.'

They died - game over and as it says in the OT, the tree remains where it lies. They had lost the chance of the promised land.

'to die to ourself..'

We are to deny self not die to it. Death is for the old man who is not the same as self.

 

[Behold]

Well, we have had a disagreement about OSAS for a long time, though I don't think I've argued about it much since coming to this site, and won't get into it on this thread.

I dont teach the Jewish subverstion of God's Grace, that Jude explains as..>>"they have twisted the Gospel of Grace, so that a person who does not understand it....will believe that God's Grace is "license to sin".


I teach that '""""""""""Jesus who saved you, keeps you saved"""""....... and not you.........as you are not the Savior.

higher walk or however one wants to describe it

"Higher walk in Zion" ?????????????????????????????????

Try to avoid that false teacher... as he'll have you working for your salvation, same as he's trying to do it for himself.

 

[Hepzibah]

I don't think I'm cottoning on to where Andrew Murray and earlier church differ exactly, I must have missed something, foggy brain...do you mind laying out the main points they differ on for me maybe? Just if you have the time and when you're having a good day...no rush. :)

Andrew Murray said there are two stages on the highway to holiness - the carnal then the entirely sanctified. The early church said three - the carnal, the enlightened and the deified or ES'ed.

He speaks as an enlightened soul.

He claims that we are saved at the 'first' blessing or stage. The early church said it is union with Christ that saves us which is at the end of the highway or the start of life in the Spirit and a man of full stature and maturity in Christ.

He says we have the Holy Spirit even when we sin. The early church denied that. It goes against all of the OT and the picture of the temple with the outer court, the inner court, and the holy of holies.

 

[Behold]

- is a matter and state of the heart, not a matter of how much time one is spending on anything per se.

Actually, its a matter of the Heart that is going to dictact how you spend your time.

This is why millions of "christians", spend 2 hrs a week in Church, and 60 hrs in front of a Big Screen TV, per week.

Thats a "heart condition" that is dictating their time.......as what you do with your time, proves what you are in your Heart.

 

[Behold]

So, what is the "devil's strategy"?

Well, its to deceive........that's his "strategy".

He wants to decieve unbelievers all the way to Hell.
He wants to deceive a Christian into some cult theology, like Calvinism, or MaryCult, or Mormonism, or Universalism, or similar. "ISM".

See, .. the Devil can't lead a Christian into Hell.........because God has already spiritually birthed them into Himself, as "in Christ" and "one with God".
This is why the NT, says that all the born again, are "seated in heavenly places, IN CHRIST"....

So, He can't touch your Salvation, but he can get in your head, and lead you into a broken faith.
He can keep you from understanding who you have become as a "new creation" in Christ.......so that you never find out.
He can lead you to someone who is teaching false theology on a Forum, or from a Pulpit, or in a Youtube video, or on a online site......., and they will ruin your faith and keep you from understanding your Salvation.
So, once that happens to you..... your Salvation is not changed, but your discipleship is ruined......because if your Salvation Theology is utterly wrong, your walk of faith is also......

 

[Dash RipRock]

Jesus was sent ONLY to the Jews.

Paul must have missed that memo

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

[Lizbeth]

I dont teach the Jewish subverstion of God's Grace, that Jude explains as..>>"they have twisted the Gospel of Grace, so that a person who does not understand it....will believe that God's Grace is "license to sin".

I teach that '""""""""""Jesus who saved you, keeps you saved"""""....... and not you.........as you are not the Savior.






"Higher walk in Zion" ?????????????????????????????????

Try to avoid that false teacher... as he'll have you working for your salvation, same as he's trying to do it for himself.

I dont teach the Jewish subverstion of God's Grace, that Jude explains as..>>"they have twisted the Gospel of Grace, so that a person who does not understand it....will believe that God's Grace is "license to sin".


I teach that '""""""""""Jesus who saved you, keeps you saved"""""....... and not you.........as you are not the Savior.






"Higher walk in Zion" ?????????????????????????????????

Try to avoid that false teacher... as he'll have you working for your salvation, same as he's trying to do it for himself.

Seems to me from scripture that He is keeping us saved as long as we remain in Him. It doesn't mean He is "keeping" in the sense of preventing souls from falling away. He doesn't force anyone to follow and remain in Him. It just means that He has power to save and keep us in a state of grace as long as we do remain in Him. Clearly from scriptures of old and new testaments, people can fall away, apostasize and backslide.

We need to look at these things in a balanced way. We don't work for our salvation, yet by works is faith perfected. It says of Abraham that "faith wrought with his works." The scriptures say such things as that we are to run the race so as to win it, and to press into the kingdom and sow to the spirit not to the flesh, etc. Should we disobey because these are "works"? But I believe there is a difference between rightly motivated works and wrongly motivated works, and whether we are doing our own will or God's will in the way that we serve. Those ones who said "Lord, Lord, didnt' we do thus and such for you" were dong works of "ministry" but not God's will according to Jesus. Apparently they were serving Him the way they wanted to, not the way He wanted. Reaping earthly rewards instead of heavenly was probably a part of it I'm surmising....think we see a lot of that today....fame and fortune and to be seen by men and so they have already received their reward on earth.

Different people use different terms to describe what we have been talking about...higher walk in Zion is talking about walking in the spirit, walking in the kingdom of God, aka heavenly Zion. I don't think there's anything wrong with using those terms descriptively. Some people call it the second blessing, or entire sanctification and maybe one or two other terms that aren't coming to mind at the moment. I sometimes think of it in terms of consecration.

 

[Lizbeth]

Actually, its a matter of the Heart that is going to dictact how you spend your time.

This is why millions of "christians", spend 2 hrs a week in Church, and 60 hrs in front of a Big Screen TV, per week.

Thats a "heart condition" that is dictating their time.......as what you do with your time, proves what you are in your Heart.

Don't forget that people dont' always have choices in how to spend their time. They have on their plate what they have on their plate and it is glorifying to God if we "do everything as unto the Lord." (And just to say, I still remember how disillusioned and disappointed I felt coming to realize that "being in church" often has no bearing at all on people's true spiritual condition, sadly.)

 

[Lizbeth]

Acts 10: 34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

ok....so what is the point he is making here? Looks to me as though Peter was humbling those Jews who thought they were saved by the exclusivity of having the Law and Torah. Those from other nations who feared God and worked righteousness were just as accepted as Jews under the Law were who feared God and worked righteousness. I expect that such Gentiles were included in those who "without us would not be made perfect". It doesn't mean any of them, righteous Jews under the Law or righteous Gentiles apart from the Law, didn't still need the gospel for salvation and eternal life.

As to the Jews...rejecting the Lord is neither an act of righteousness nor fearing the Lord.

Most "believers" have been conditioned to think that they are saved exclusively by their lip-service and that God is wrathful towards any who are not just like them. Can you say religious hypocrisy?

Jesus was sent ONLY to the Jews. His warnings of not believing in Him are towards them...since He was sent to them...His visitation was to them...to those who claimed to know God.

fast forward to today with those who now claim to know God. What will their visitation look like?

So we see God's mercy toward all who fear Him and do what is right in His eyes. All will only be judged for what they have done (with what they have been given)

Jesus said that the towns where He was rejected in spite of His great works there would fare worse than Sodom on judgment day. They knew not the time of their visitation.

So we are to seek God for ourselves and implore the Lord for His visitation now...thus making our claims of knowing God real when He accepts our sacrifice (think Abel)...making our calling and election sure. And even then we are to think of ourselves as lowly servants and as guests invited to the feast and NOT as some privileged person who is guaranteed a place of honour...that of being the Bride. Let the Lord affirm us and not ourselves. Jesus counseled us to take the lower place. It is better to be called up than to be sent down. But such wisdom doesn't find many modern ears.

The spirit of Cain is alive in the church of today. Rather than seek the Lord until He is found of them...these rail against the testimony of those who actually know the Lord and have been dealt with by the cross.

A tree is known of its fruit.

I agree, in principle at least.