Not By Works

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
113
There are laws in the Kingdom, but they reveal how the Kingdom works. Not that we have to obey them...they are instruction on walking or living here, out of our position of sitting down with Him in the heavenlies.

Something very few Pastors touch on. And I'm still learning.
 
May 12, 2017
2,641
65
0
I point out that he was speaking of Wimber's views as being aligned with things John did not hold to. He was not addressing what your particular church may have evolved into... nor my Vineyard. Actually, my own congregation has drifted a fair ways from what true stated and documented Vineyard beliefs and values are.
Like what willie?..

Wimber is know for his authentic belief that signs, wonders and miracles should happen in the church...He was known by many to be the father of 3rd wave kingdom dominionism theology...
 

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
113
Sorry for being unclear in my question. Will re ask. Do you see the New Covenant as a will of inheritance? That was what I was wanting to know.
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,903
4,347
113
gentiles to me in the old testement where the people who where uncirmusized... if God hadnt brought forward a new order i bet most of us would be circumsized by now…
Ouch makes my eyes water.

 
S

sevenseas

Guest
Thank you for the hug, and hugs in return... interesting about your OBE... God did allow it, but aside from that, I am curious as to what you were exploring at the time, if anything, meaning, were you a seeker but not Christian at the time? Were you dabbling in things you maybe ought not to have been?

truly glad you asked that question and thanks for the return hug :)

I just ate lunch and just want to answer yr question before I get back to work.

this experience was totally against my will, I did nothing to make it happen and I don't know what happened...I was not aware...only aware I was OBE as you say

I was saved and desiring to 'serve' God but quite young. through a family member, we became involved with a well known 'evangelist' (at the time and I won't name him...no purpose to it now and I'm really a pretty private person)

there were suspicions about this individual, but he had hundreds...literally hundreds...of invitations to conduct 'crusades' in Pentecostal churches across the US and some in Canada

I got to know him very well. he was thrown out of his denom and excommunicated. he was a practicing sexual deviant (no...he never touched me but he did slap me across the face one time when I innocently said he looked tired)

there were plenty of strange goings on. my experience was one and many other people suffered things while being involved

years later, when I was counselling with someone and praying with them, another woman and it was just the 2 of us...she had asked for help but I will never go alone again..not even same sex..as I was reading from the Bible and asking her to participate (she was a believer) I felt strange all of a sudden. we were across the living room from each other and I don't remember what she was saying...but I remember the look on her face.

I started to feel as I had when I had the OBE. I immediately shut it all down. She was involved in sexual fantasies and imagined someone in love with her. I was trying to bring her out of that deception. The man whom she fancied in love with her, thought she had mental problems.

it is my experience that those that have sexual demons attached to them have influence over others and some know they have this influence and enjoy it and others are oblivious and as much a victim of the demon as the ones bothered by it. not everyone will be 'bothered'. the Bible is clear that we should run from sexual sins. that is my best advice also

this is not an isolated thing. people are embarrassed to talk about this kind of thing but it is actually common.

I am not saying people are demon possessed. I do not see in scripture where believers are possessed by the devil. Influenced, bothered, even directed by...whatever, but we do know our enemies are spiritual and far more cunning then many will concede.

I don't make it my business to look into things like that, but if you do know something, sometimes someone will ask for help or need counselling.

now that's a long answer and maybe more than you would want to hear, but that's what happened

this same woman that I tried to help was involved in extra-biblical beliefs and loved how so called special knowledge made her feel superior and important. it also turned out that she had had several so called 'spiritual' involvements with men, thinking they were attracted to her or in love with her
 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
The True Gospel of Works (made me laugh):

[FONT=&]John 3:16-17
16 For God so hated the world, that he tortured and murdered his only begotten Son, that whosoever behaveth like him should not perish, maybe, conditional to a sufficiently fruitful life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to save the world; but that the world through him might be given an ensample to follow.[/FONT]
You forgot the rest:

John 3:17-21
John 3:36


John 3:17-21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the [a]only begotten Son of God.

19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”



John 3:36 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not [a]obey the

Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”



It's nice to choose only the verses we tend to like.
The problem is that the bible is a COMPLETE book and must be read as a Whole.

Jesus did not come to judge the world because it's already judged...
Those who believe in Him and do His will are saved.
Those who do not believe in Him are not saved.

So if He didn't come to judge, what did He come for?
To save.
From what?

From the grip of satan.
Which means that we are no longer slaves to satan.
And our ways will no longer be wicked. On those the wrath of God will rest.

But we are to obey Christ.
Obey what?
What did He tell us to do?
Anything??
 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
just a sidenote- the gentiles were never under the Mosaic covenant. Israel only.
The gentiles were under something though... Weren't they?
Romans 1:19-20

God was Always around. Even for the Gentiles.
But, yes, the Covenants were for the Hebrews, Israelites and Jews.

The New Covenant is for everyone. Whoever wants to be in it.
You do, however, have to be in it.
 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
Here is where we differ Fran...or at least one of them...It's not that we cannot...it's that we will not.

One is under law...the other under the power of Holy Spirit working. And a new creation being.
First of all, I wish everybody would post the entire post.
I don't even remember what we were talking about.

So it's difficult for me to answer you.

I don't think ANYBODY on this thread is under the Law.
I do believe we're all under the New Covenant.

Why would you think anybody is under the OC if Jesus has died and HIS TESTAMENT has taken effect??
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,903
4,347
113
I am not saying people are demon possessed. I do not see in scripture where believers are possessed by the devil. Influenced, bothered, even directed by...whatever, but we do know our enemies are spiritual and far more cunning then many will concede.
Not fully sure what you are saying here.

Mainly with your last sentence.

I do agree with your first sentence. I believe a believer cannot be possessed by a demon but I do believe a they can be oppressed and give a foothold that can cause spiritual problems.

Firstly with sexual sins as you say.

But also

Ephesians 4:26-27
26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

If anger gives a foothold then that anger distorts our walk.
We don't forgive, we become bitter, self focused, withdraw, detract, lack love.
That then will affect our walk with God as well. Surely it has to.

If I have got your post wrong then I'm sorry and disregard my post.
 
J

joefizz

Guest
First of all, I wish everybody would post the entire post.
I don't even remember what we were talking about.

So it's difficult for me to answer you.

I don't think ANYBODY on this thread is under the Law.
I do believe we're all under the New Covenant.

Why would you think anybody is under the OC if Jesus has died and HIS TESTAMENT has taken effect??
I'm not under a bridge I know that much miss fine lol!
 
Mar 7, 2016
4,678
24
0
~Actually Jim...we are circumcised in heart when we are born again.

I don't know why but where I grew up, circumcision is done on the baby boys. We do sign for it, but I thought it was actually a law until I came to the first forum years ago, and found out it is not. Not even in nursing did I hear it wasn't law. All my family are.

I think Jews viewed gentiles as pagans. They were clean people in every way. The Jews I mean...I have no idea about pagans. lol
The Jews lol dont me started hahaha... seariously being circumsised in the heart i know but what the the gentiles dont realise is it as the same process for the None gentiles at that time..

To understand this you need to imagine that the Jews where the finished work in the father.. and so if you lived in that time you would be considered not the finished work of christ coz you where not circumsised..
circusising was for the jews only..how ever it was to be the finished work of the father in them befor Jesus the circumsising of the heart as you put it...
…13"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14"But an un circumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin,that person shall be cutoff from his people; he has broken My covenant."


How ever circumsising of the heart is what exactly ? salvation ? a type of salvation ? being connected to the vineyard ? having his laws written on all of every women man on the face of this earth from the least to the greatest ? ... hmmmmm mayb you have something i dont know please enlighten me


 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
I think there is a lot of confusion surrounding covenants.

Abraham believed God's promise to him, and that faith was counted to him as righteousness. The next question out of Abraham's mouth "How will I KNOW that I will inherit it?"
God proceeds to put him in a deep sleep of horror and great darkness.

THEN ONLY God walked through the cut up animals, swearing by HIMSELF that He would fulfill His promise to Abraham.

4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
7 Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

This is an UNCONDITIONAL Covenant! There was/is NOTHING Abraham had to do on his end except believe, which he did, but STILL questioned. His question didn't change God's resolve.

The Mosaic covenant is FULL of conditions. If the nation does X God WILL do Y. If the nation doesn't do X, God WILL Y.

In the new Covenant, our faith given to us by God in Jesus is accounted as righteousness to us. We WERE dead, now we're born again, and SEALED with the Holy Spirit.

Just like the Abrahamic Covenant, the new Covenant is UNCONDITIONAL ​after we have Jesus righteousness imputed to us.
The New Covenant is an unconditional covenant.
Unilateral.
God will accomplish it whether we want to or not.
God's grace, mercy, love and acceptance will be for all nations.
Thus fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant.

But each one has a sign that is to be taken.
The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant is circumcision... to show that these people belonged
to God. To separate them from everyone else.

The New Covenant also has a sign:
Baptism.

Although God will accomplish the New Covenant unilaterally whether or not we want it to be accomplished,
we do have to accept the sign of Batptism.
It separates us from everyone else. Just like circumcision did.

IT SEPARATES US FROM EVERYONE ELSE.
Why?
Because once we decide to join the NC and are baptized, we agree to accept the Holy Spirit and thus
a change is created in our lives.

The OC could reveal transgression, but it could not CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

Obedience is still required --- sorry if these words offend some; I find that rather unfortunate.

But in the NC an internal transformation takes place, they will know God (Jeremiah 31:34)
He will be their God and they will be His people.

No one here is under the Law. We should stop saying that.
We here are all under the New Covenant - or we don't believe in Jesus as we should.

§Sorry, I got carried away...
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,903
4,347
113
The gentiles were under something though... Weren't they?
Romans 1:19-20

God was Always around. Even for the Gentiles.
But, yes, the Covenants were for the Hebrews, Israelites and Jews.

The New Covenant is for everyone. Whoever wants to be in it.
You do, however, have to be in it.
Mind you the Gentiles could be part of the OC if they wished.

Exodus 12:47-49
47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
 
Mar 7, 2016
4,678
24
0
thus gentiles none jews at that time could be bought as slaves and cirumsised into the family :)
 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
Gentiles are not God's chosen. The hebrews through jacob was chosen as God's people. Everybody else was known as gentiles.
Gentiles were not God's chosen.
§So what are you saying?
We all know this.

But they also knew about keeping God's Laws.
They knew about the Natural Law...

Romans 2:13-15

Romans 2:13-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

13 for it is not the hearers [a]of the Law who are just before God, but the doers [c]of the Law will be justified.

14 For when Gentiles who do not have [d]the Law do [e]instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having [f]the Law, are a law to themselves,

15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
 
Apr 30, 2016
5,162
75
0
There are laws in the Kingdom, but they reveal how the Kingdom works. Not that we have to obey them...they are instruction on walking or living here, out of our position of sitting down with Him in the heavenlies.

Something very few Pastors touch on. And I'm still learning.
We don't have to obey God's Laws in His own Kingdom.

I rest my case...
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,903
4,347
113
The New Covenant is an unconditional covenant.
Unilateral.
God will accomplish it whether we want to or not.
God's grace, mercy, love and acceptance will be for all nations.
Thus fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant.

But each one has a sign that is to be taken.
The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant is circumcision... to show that these people belonged
to God. To separate them from everyone else.

The New Covenant also has a sign:
Baptism.

Although God will accomplish the New Covenant unilaterally whether or not we want it to be accomplished,
we do have to accept the sign of Batptism.
It separates us from everyone else. Just like circumcision did.

IT SEPARATES US FROM EVERYONE ELSE.
Why?
Because once we decide to join the NC and are baptized, we agree to accept the Holy Spirit and thus
a change is created in our lives.

The OC could reveal transgression, but it could not CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

Obedience is still required --- sorry if these words offend some; I find that rather unfortunate.

But in the NC an internal transformation takes place, they will know God (Jeremiah 31:34)
He will be their God and they will be His people.

No one here is under the Law. We should stop saying that.
We here are all under the New Covenant - or we don't believe in Jesus as we should.

§Sorry, I got carried away...
You say the NC is unconditional but you post that it is.
You have often posted that obedience is required to stay saved.

The OC was also conditional.
Keep My commands and I will bless you.
Sins and disobedience was covered by various sacrifices.


What do you mean by "we have to accept the sign of the baptism?

Do you believe unless we are baptised then we are not part of the NC? If not then is internal transformation negated.
You have said when baptised we receive the Holy Spirit.

My 14 year old daughter has not been baptised, but believes in Jesus. Does she not have the Holy Spirit in her?

You posted earlier

Romans 1:19-20
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

My guess is that such people are not baptised. Not heard of Jesus and what he has asked of us.

Are they still saved having not been baptised?