Its about GRACE not about Works of SELF righteousness

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Ariel82

Guest
#1
#1
I"m tired of all the threads about how you have to WORK WORK WORK.

Yes I thank God for giving me good works to do but I don't think that is ALL God wants us to do. He is not some slave master that makes you work 24-7. we are not His slaves. We are His children.

He loves us, He trains us and teaches us as a loving parent would.

If He asks us to do work its because He trusts us to share His love and wisdom with the world. Its not to EARN His love. its not to be qualified to be a child of God.

We can never earn the right, because Faith is a gift from God. Grace is a gift from God.

our next breathe is a gift from God.

Some days I just want to give up, but even then God sends people to encourage and uplift me.

At the end of the day, I give to God. the good and the bad.

when I was younger, I used to just want to give Him the bad things, expect Him to forgive the bad things I did but keep claim to the good things I did in the day. I built my tower of pride around my "good" deeds.

Eventually God showed me how sinful that was. How wrong it is to just asking God to forgive the bad and not give Him credit for helping to do the good works I did through out the day too.

I learned what it meant to have filthly rags of self righteousness according to the law. how you can be blameless yet still not know the joy and peace it comes to have God's righteousness according to Grace and forgiveness. To have God's love no matter what, no matter how undeserving you feel because in truth you can never earn your way into Heaven.\

if you think you can then you don't know the Law very well. the good things we don't do but know we should, those are the type of things that convict me.

I am left asking God HOW, teach me How Lord.

and He always answers, but I'm just slow at learning.

I'm just ranting, but if anyone else understands what I'm trying to say, it would be a great reassurance if you told me. thanks.
 
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Mich223

Guest
#2
#2
What about the scripture faith without works is dead. I think we do works when we go to church, give to charity, help in a soup kitchen, etc. Faith is needed for grace and to earn his love. Seems like you trust in God during good times and bad. May God bless you.
 
RedTent

RedTent

Banned
#3
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
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#3
Ariel82: Your Post is wonderful, and I am one of those “works, works, works, people you talk about. You are so right, the most wonderful thing, the most important thing to us is grace, grace, grace.

If I could get back on my bandwagon once again, the second to grace is balance. The road God shows us is never extreme, except perhaps about grace. I see people so misunderstadning Paul’s instructions to not follow the Jews of that time who thought their doing without their heart would equal grace so it becomes a teaching to not listen to the entire law. Or Paul’s instructions to follow the Holy Spirit to mean that we must not learn law. As if Paul would speak against God the Father, saying Christ is apart and different from the Father. So I post about listening to the Father Creator, too.

But you are so right and thank you for calling it to our attention. No work is done to make ourselves so holy we can be with our Lord forever, we are born in sin since Eve knew sin. First, foremost, and most important is grace. Ever since Eve, grace is connected with innocent blood shed for us.
 
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Ariel82

Guest
#4
#4
I don't have anything against good works. but sometimes all I hear is how we NEED to DO things all the time. People who know me know I'm busy a lot and willing to do anything to help others, even when it would be MORE helpful for them to just do it themselves.

Sometimes the world tries and keep me so busy busy busy all the time I forget WHY I'm doing it at all.

I had a rough day at work. the kids were awful and very disrespectful. didn't listen to a thing I said, or at least that was how I felt at the end of the day.

Makes one wonder why teach at all?

but all I know is that we pray and allow God to make the best of it. sometimes we don't see the results of what we do but if we trust God He will make it right. some days it seems more like a failure then a success but we do it because God asks us to and because in the end we love them, even if they will never understand why.

I don't know i think i just need to read my Bible pray and allow God to take care of it.

i may not be able to teach them everything in Earth science but hopefully we can reinforce the concepts of mutual respect and striving to learn.

sometimes all we can do is try our best and pray God leads us to do things that show His love and not just out of pride or selfish ambition. sometimes God shows us how unimportant things are by revealing the truly important things in life.

I look at the world and see so much that could be done, people who need a listening ear, kids who need to know that others care... its just overwhelming at times.

I really just come here to read scripture and get encouragement.

to know there are others in the world who love as God loves and see the bigger picture.
 
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apocalypse

Banned
#5
Oct 11, 2012
37
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0
#5
In the Olivet discourse, Jesus clearly outlines His judging at His coming in power. The sheep on the right, kids on His left. He outlined how he judges. Those who 'gave Him something to drink, eat' etc. get His approval. He explaines that we do this in a proxy fashion, taking care of 'the smallest of His brothers'.

Interestingly, He explains that those with whom He is pleased are not knowing how it was that they pleased Him. On the other hand, those who are sure of themselves argue with Him, question His judgement, as they seem self-assured that they are righteous.

Who are the 'smallest of my (His) brothers'...? We learn from the good Samaritan.
 
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Ariel82

Guest
#6
#6
apocalypse said:
In the Olivet discourse, Jesus clearly outlines His judging at His coming in power. The sheep on the right, kids on His left. He outlined how he judges. Those who 'gave Him something to drink, eat' etc. get His approval. He explaines that we do this in a proxy fashion, taking care of 'the smallest of His brothers'.

Interestingly, He explains that those with whom He is pleased are not knowing how it was that they pleased Him. On the other hand, those who are sure of themselves argue with Him, question His judgement, as they seem self-assured that they are righteous.

Who are the 'smallest of my (His) brothers'...? We learn from the good Samaritan.
Click to expand...
I think its because those who did those good deeds did not let their left hand know what their right was doing and did it out of LOVE and not duty, out of brotherly kindness not fear of punishment or hope of reward or repayment.
 
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apocalypse

Banned
#7
Oct 11, 2012
37
0
0
#7
Ariel82 said:
I think its because those who did those good deeds did not let their left hand know what their right was doing and did it out of LOVE and not duty, out of brotherly kindness not fear of punishment or hope of reward or repayment.
Click to expand...

Intersting thought. I have personally thought it was because they did good to everyone as a rule, and at some point along the way, did good to one who Jesus viewed as a little brother.

So, I try to do right be whom ever I can as a rule. Be charitable and not greedy. And I am not killing myself. It gives me joy.
 
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Ariel82

Guest
#8
#8
apocalypse said:
Intersting thought. I have personally thought it was because they did good to everyone as a rule, and at some point along the way, did good to one who Jesus viewed as a little brother.

So, I try to do right be whom ever I can as a rule. Be charitable and not greedy. And I am not killing myself. It gives me joy.
Click to expand...
I do think its a wonderful rule to be kind to everyone as a general rule but even if Jesus didn't view them as a little brother or sister, God still told us to love and treat them as if they were because we are to be kind to those who even hate and persecute us.

I was told I was too nice today, it kind of makes me wonder can you be too nice?

Will people disrespect you if you are nice and polite?

perhaps its because they are teenagers and we as teachers are suppose to coerce them into doing things they are not instrinsically motivated to do?

sorry its just kind of bothering me. how do you apply the lessons God wants us to learn in real life?

God is loving but firm. He sets expectations of what he wants us to do, but He forgives us if misunderstand directions. He punishes out of love when we willfully do things we KNOW are wrong.

Perhaps if we can learn to teach and love others as God does, it will all work out better.

however how do you teach children respect and foster a love of learning if its not already there?
 
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clarkthompson

Senior Member
#9
Jul 8, 2012
624
7
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#9
we have Christ for relationship the works will come but it is not all about works but grace and love now works has it's place it is behind grace and love because grace is the only thing that can save us and works will follow out of our own relationship with God
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

Banned
#10
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
128
0
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#10
When resist temptation, we escape a lot of unpleasantness.
 
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