Does this theology really exist or am I making it up?
IMHO yes it really does exist. If you ask most people in the Christian religion why they think they are going to heaven the first things out of their mouth will be about what they do, or have done. --- In other words it will be about themselves and their works. -- Very few will “”first”” say it is because Jesus’ work on the cross paid for their sins. If they mention the cross it will have to be coerced. -- Why do they do that? IMHO it is because they feel their works are what really matters. Perhaps that is because that is what they have been taught in a “works theology.”
The most discussed idea on forums is works. To believe works follow faith is find, but to constantly harp on it is to judge other Christians and to make “”works the center of Christianity.”” This is a form of boasting and trying to elevate some people as being closer to God than others. It makes Christianity a class system. IMHO this is what causes the world to turn against Christianity. The world see Christianity as a works based religion just like all the other works based religions and not as a religion in which God has reconciled sinners to God.
Since true faith WILL produce good works why are so many constantly harping that a person must have good works? If they are a Christian won’t they have good works? Do they need others to kick them into doing good works? A true child of God does not do good works to be seen by men. They do not do them to prove they have faith. God knows whether they have faith or not. No one needs to prove their faith to any man.
Seems to me that if they are not Christians all the harping about doing good works will not make them a Christian. It also seems to me that all the harping about good works only frustrates a child of God who is living in a body with a sinful nature that will sin.
Where am I wrong?
****
Besides, since a true child of God is NOT doing works to be seen by men how can you tell if they are doing good works. Oh, I get it, they must do their good works so that men can see them and say how wonderful they are. --- Amazing!
Matt 6:1-4 Do Good to Please God
1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. NKJV
I don't think the above tell us to do good works so that men will see them.
Jesus told the world about God. I believe we are to tell the world about Jesus. We are to teach that God was in Jesus reconciling mankind to God. That is how we glorify God and His Son. I believe this to be our primary mission.
I don't see the children of God as being lazy. I see all of mankind living in bodies with a sinful nature needing Jesus' work on the cross. When I start thinking of myself as being better than others then I need to look in a mirror. When I think I am so good it is then that I should compare myself to Jesus and realize how sinful I am.
I think people ought to take another look at the event in the garden. Didn't Satan tell eve that she could be "LIKE GOD?"
I don't approve of Christians going around pretending to be like Jesus when there is no way under the sun that they can be like Jesus. If you want the world to look at you and see Jesus then what you are saying to the world is that Jesus is like you and that is just plain wrong. Jesus is God and we are not like Him in the flesh.
continued
IMHO yes it really does exist. If you ask most people in the Christian religion why they think they are going to heaven the first things out of their mouth will be about what they do, or have done. --- In other words it will be about themselves and their works. -- Very few will “”first”” say it is because Jesus’ work on the cross paid for their sins. If they mention the cross it will have to be coerced. -- Why do they do that? IMHO it is because they feel their works are what really matters. Perhaps that is because that is what they have been taught in a “works theology.”
The most discussed idea on forums is works. To believe works follow faith is find, but to constantly harp on it is to judge other Christians and to make “”works the center of Christianity.”” This is a form of boasting and trying to elevate some people as being closer to God than others. It makes Christianity a class system. IMHO this is what causes the world to turn against Christianity. The world see Christianity as a works based religion just like all the other works based religions and not as a religion in which God has reconciled sinners to God.
Since true faith WILL produce good works why are so many constantly harping that a person must have good works? If they are a Christian won’t they have good works? Do they need others to kick them into doing good works? A true child of God does not do good works to be seen by men. They do not do them to prove they have faith. God knows whether they have faith or not. No one needs to prove their faith to any man.
Seems to me that if they are not Christians all the harping about doing good works will not make them a Christian. It also seems to me that all the harping about good works only frustrates a child of God who is living in a body with a sinful nature that will sin.
Where am I wrong?
****
Besides, since a true child of God is NOT doing works to be seen by men how can you tell if they are doing good works. Oh, I get it, they must do their good works so that men can see them and say how wonderful they are. --- Amazing!
Matt 6:1-4 Do Good to Please God
1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. NKJV
I don't think the above tell us to do good works so that men will see them.
Jesus told the world about God. I believe we are to tell the world about Jesus. We are to teach that God was in Jesus reconciling mankind to God. That is how we glorify God and His Son. I believe this to be our primary mission.
I don't see the children of God as being lazy. I see all of mankind living in bodies with a sinful nature needing Jesus' work on the cross. When I start thinking of myself as being better than others then I need to look in a mirror. When I think I am so good it is then that I should compare myself to Jesus and realize how sinful I am.
I think people ought to take another look at the event in the garden. Didn't Satan tell eve that she could be "LIKE GOD?"
I don't approve of Christians going around pretending to be like Jesus when there is no way under the sun that they can be like Jesus. If you want the world to look at you and see Jesus then what you are saying to the world is that Jesus is like you and that is just plain wrong. Jesus is God and we are not like Him in the flesh.
continued