What is the Kingdom of God?

[Lizbeth]

Smoke-srceening. And strawman-ing. Of course people do what they think is right. Do people do works that they don't believe in?

The premise is that people do things based on a ideological belief system. Only religious people do that.

And you are arguing in favour of human beliefs over faith. Faith is NOT beliefs.

Jesus said faith can move mountains...do the impossible...not just give people religious opinions.

Was Ahab justified because of her religious beliefs? Were her beliefs accurate enough to save her? no. She was justified by what she did.

Was Phinehas justified for his religious beliefs about God. No. He was justified because of what he did.

Was Abraham justified because of his religious beliefs about God? No...his was a case where FAITH was involved...where he believed God for the impossible. And that kind of faith IS necessary to go into the higher walk...from faith INTO faith.

Now an example of faith in our time is to believe God about the higher walk (which many believe is impossible) and trust that it IS possible and even desirable to do so...even if that faithful one seems to be unable at the present time. When Abraham believed God he was still not a father...that's why it is called "faith."

So then you believe that it is impossible to have a higher walk in Christ. Is that faith or unbelief? God said about the Israelites ... "I swore in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest"

Why is that? Unbelief

So to argue over faith and works when a person is looking to smokescreen the real test of faith...is moot.

You would do better to argue FOR works...as faith is lacking.

Faith in God/Christ is not a religious opinion. Only those who don't know what it is to know Him by faith would think so.

I do believe and am blessed to experience at times, just as the BIBLE teaches, that we are to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh. I don't believe in a man-made doctrine of something called " higher walk" which is not mentioned in scripture.

The scripture says if we believe, we HAVE entered His rest (Heb.4:3). And it also says we ARE not in the flesh but in the Spirit if the Spirit dwells in us. (Rom 8:9) That would be all born again believers (assuming they haven't fallen away).

You are making things too compartmentalized (carnal mind) and divorced from the foundation, which foundation includes those two scrips I just mentioned.. You need to believe and teach GOD'S Word, not your own words.

 

[Episkopos]

Faith in God/Christ is not a religious opinion. Only those who don't know what it is to know Him by faith would think so.

A religious opinion places you in a favourable light in order to name and claim all the benefits of the bible while ignoring ALL the warnings of the bible. Because this is artificial...there is NO repentance possible nor any fear of the Lord.

I do believe and am blessed to experience at times, just as the BIBLE teaches, that we are to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh. I don't believe in a man-made doctrine of something called " higher walk" which is not mentioned in scripture.

I rest my case.

The scripture says if we believe, we HAVE entered His rest (Heb.4:3). And it also says we ARE not in the flesh but in the Spirit if the Spirit dwells in us. (Rom 8:9) That would be all born again believers (assuming they haven't fallen away).

If we believe INTO Christ. A whole realm away...

You are making things too compartmentalized (carnal mind) and divorced from the foundation, which foundation includes those two scrips I just mentioned.. You need to believe and teach GOD'S Word, not your own words.

Leave the foundation...learn to seek the Lord and His kingdom.

 

[Lizbeth]

A religious opinion places you in a favourable light in order to name and claim all the benefits of the bible while ignoring ALL the warnings of the bible. Because this is artificial...there is NO repentance possible nor any fear of the Lord.


I rest my case.

If we believe INTO Christ. A whole realm away...

Leave the foundation...learn to seek the Lord and His kingdom.

We are IN Christ....did you not read that......if He is dwelling in us then we ARE in Him.

Did you think that was literal about leaving the foundation? You're mistaken again. We are to be building upon it and out of it and plumb with it. And of course it is often necessary to talk about the foundation for the sake of others, and especially for those who have an entirely wrong foundation that is not aligned with the Cornerstone. No idea how anyone can have a foundation without the Cornerstone IN place.

Anyway, merry-go-round in here...you're sticking with your script. Au revoir.

 

[Episkopos]

We are IN Christ....did you not read that......if He is dwelling in us then we ARE in Him.

Not the same. Read the parable of the good figs and bad figs. All are put in the mouth (in Christ) ....but half are spit back out. Read about Laodicia. Laodicea is the church in our time. Notice how they are deceived into thinking they are something...but it is superficial. They are in Christ....but are not taken INTO Him. They remain in the mouth, and unless they change their flavour...are destined to be spit back out.

Am I making this up? No. Quite the opposite. People read the bible and make things up about themselves rather than passing the time of their sojourning here in fear. The foolish virgins have no idea what's coming.

Did you think that was literal about leaving the foundation? You're mistaken again. We are to be building upon it and out of it and plumb with it. And of course it is often necessary to talk about the foundation for the sake of others, and especially for those who have an entirely wrong foundation that is not aligned with the Cornerstone. No idea how anyone can have a foundation without the Cornerstone IN place.

Anyway, merry-go-round in here...you're sticking with your script. Au revoir.

We are all building on the foundation. Unless we go to God for His proven material....eternally tested in the fire...then our edifice will come down...and we will wander in nakedness for ever.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

Luther is NOT an apostle. He is a bringer of great delusion. ....to the degree that his doctrine immunizes people so that they are unable to endure sound doctrine.

No to mention he was a drunk and a big fan of the writing of augustine as was John Calvin.

Luther and calvin both were greatly influenced by the false teachings of augustine the manichaean monk who played like he was a Christian

 

[Episkopos]

No to mention he was a drunk and a big fan of the writing of augustine as was John Calvin.

Luther and calvin both were greatly influenced by the false teachings of augustine the manichaean monk who played like he was a Christian

...and don't forget Luther being anti-Semite. People will overlook an obvious bad character if it suits their own agenda. I think for some people nice sounding words TRUMP good character.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

Yep, hitler learned to hate the jews by ... reading luther's writings.
Luther wrote about how he thought all jews should be expelled from Germany

I guess the reformers refer to him as... brutha adolf

 

[Lizbeth]

Not the same. Read the parable of the good figs and bad figs. All are put in the mouth (in Christ) ....but half are spit back out. Read about Laodicia. Laodicea is the church in our time. Notice how they are deceived into thinking they are something...but it is superficial. They are in Christ....but are not taken INTO Him. They remain in the mouth, and unless they change their flavour...are destined to be spit back out.

Am I making this up? No. Quite the opposite. People read the bible and make things up about themselves rather than passing the time of their sojourning here in fear. The foolish virgins have no idea what's coming.

We are all building on the foundation. Unless we go to God for His proven material....eternally tested in the fire...then our edifice will come down...and we will wander in nakedness for ever.

All good truth Epi and I'm well familiar with scriptures and truths like these....it has been lighting my path for a long time. You are always accusing and assuming and speaking as though I am against things that I'm not. But just that I can't enjoy it and come into agreement when it is being used as the lure to other things that are so wrong. Can't drink it from this well, sorry.

You've been proven wrong with so many scriptures that you won't acknowledge so nothing more to say here.

 

[Lizbeth]

No to mention he was a drunk and a big fan of the writing of augustine as was John Calvin.

Luther and calvin both were greatly influenced by the false teachings of augustine the manichaean monk who played like he was a Christian

All the more reason to just get with the Lord and read the bible for ourselves and not listen to what others teach. Which is what I've been doing for at least a couple of decades now, and others that I know of. Yet some of us are always being accused on this man's threads of listening to and being influenced by Luther and Calvin when we're not. Not to mention other accusations. Oh well, God knows. (smh)

 

[Episkopos]

All good truth Epi and I'm well familiar with scriptures and truths like these....it has been lighting my path for a long time. You are always accusing and assuming and speaking as though I am against things that I'm not. But just that I can't enjoy it and come into agreement when it is being used as the lure to other things that are so wrong. Can't drink it from this well, sorry.

You've been proven wrong with so many scriptures that you won't acknowledge so nothing more to say here.

The opposite is true. I am encouraging people to press into the kingdom. I did a post on that recently. If people are unable to press into the kingdom realm then it is better to admit that and remain humble, fearing the Lord. Acknowledging His ways being higher than our wisdom, knowledge and understanding can presently grasp. All the privileges afforded to us as rich Westerners are an actual DISADVANTAGE to us when it come to the right kind of attitude in regards to the kingdom of God. We are used to being catered to...hence the state of the modern church. We like being molly-coddled...from birth to new birth.

However....He gives grace to the humble. And this is of course intolerable for the spoiled carnal person (let's be truthful)...especially when that carnal one has become convinced he/she is somehow special to God and that He judges from a partiality (favouritism) towards certain people (like born-agains). But God is not a respecter of persons. To whom much is given MORE is required. And He gives MORE grace...or...grace ON grace....IF we seek for it as for precious treasure.

Warnings aren't meant to be comforting. But they do save lives. That's what I'm trying to do with the very stubborn and unwilling ones.

But I am only doing what I would hope that another would do for me if I only had a little knowledge...just enough to trap me in delusional thinking.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

The op encourages people to try to get into the kingdom illegally, Or try to pay for entrance into the kingdom.

Don't fall for religion. Fall for the gift of God.

 

[Mr E]

The op encourages people to try to get into the kingdom illegally, Or try to pay for entrance into the kingdom.

Don't fall for religion. Fall for the gift of God.

@Episkopos is one of those coyotes you can pay to sneak you in?

His book is both a how-to-guide and a quasi-passport.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

@Episkopos is one of those coyotes you can pay to sneak you in?

His book is both a how-to-guide and a quasi-passport.

Is this supposed to be funny?

He tries to pay for his own entrance, and encourages others to pay their way in.

 

[Mr E]

Is this supposed to be funny?

He tries to pay for his own entrance, and encourages others to pay their way in.

Just like the "coyotes" on our Southern border get the illegal immigrants across. I was asking if that's how you see @Episkopos since you framed it in this fashion---

The op encourages people to try to get into the kingdom illegally, Or try to pay for entrance into the kingdom.

 

[Episkopos]

The op encourages people to try to get into the kingdom illegally, Or try to pay for entrance into the kingdom.

Don't fall for religion. Fall for the gift of God.

Seeking by faith is not illegal. What is illegal is to claim to be in the kingdom when you are not. God decides who enters in. Naming and claiming are presumptuous sins.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

All the more reason to just get with the Lord and read the bible for ourselves

The Holy Ghost... is the Teacher the Lord sent to lead and guide us into ALL Truth.

Jesus said the Holy Ghost would lead us in to ALL Truth (John 16:13),
and Jesus said God's Word IS Truth (John 17:17)

Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

 

[Episkopos]

Is this supposed to be funny?

He tries to pay for his own entrance, and encourages others to pay their way in.

If you read the bible you will see that the kingdom costs everything to enter into. If you only read what I say, without reading the bible for yourself, then you will think that those who taught you are right. But all you have to do is read the bible to see that I'm speaking the truth ...and your teachers...well. like I said...you have to read the bible..not just believe everything you hear.

Again, not everyone here will be able to read the verses below.

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matt. 13:44


And then it is too late...the wise already have entered in.

But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ Matt. 25:9

The wise buy the field...entrance into the kingdom realm. The foolish do not.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Just like the "coyotes" on our Southern border get the illegal immigrants across. I was asking if that's how you see @Episkopos since you framed it in this fashion---

This makes no sense

It wouold resemble people coming to the border. and offering money to people to let them in.

But this is a basic example which does not come close to what I said..

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Seeking by faith is not illegal.

It is when you claim it is by faith PLUS works..

What is illegal is to claim to be in the kingdom when you are not.

Oh I agree. many think they are in, yet they are not

God decides who enters in.

I agree. And he told us who gets in and who does not.. He said one must be born again if they want to enter. and told us how to be born again

Naming and claiming are presumptuous sins.

I have no idea what this even means, Just another of your nonsensical reasons to deny the truth

Did the tax collector name and claim it? of course not

 

[Eternally Grateful]

If you read the bible you will see that the kingdom costs everything to enter into.

Your right, It Cost Christ everything to pay for me to enter into it

If you only read what I say, without reading the bible for yourself, then you will think that those who taught you are right. But all you have to do is read the bible to see that I'm speaking the truth ...and your teachers...well. like I said...you have to read the bible..not just believe everything you hear.

Again, not everyone here will be able to read the verses below.

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matt. 13:44


And then it is too late...the wise already have entered in.

But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ Matt. 25:9

The wise buy the field...entrance into the kingdom realm. The foolish do not.

See. You just proved my point.

Thank you kind sir