Not By Works

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

I have found most people don't "lose faith in God"....so much as they lose faith in the false god or false gospel they were taught.

They lose faith in cold, dead, like warm churches filled with people who claim to be holy but are judgemental legalistic hypocrites who don't know the gospel themselves.

I do believe we do have some good Holy Spirit filled churches with people truly seeking God and His ways.

However the only way we can grow as a Body is to be truthful with one another about our strengths and weaknesses.

When we make a mistake, are we humble enough to admit it and apologize?

When we speak in anger instead of love, do we recognize our need to make amends?

Do we really want to understand what others believe or do we just want to be right?

Those are the questions I ask myself a lot to see if I live out what I believe God wants us to do and be:

Be humble enough to admit you aren't perfect and seek and give forgiveness when needed.

*****

The point being if people walk away, I always wonder....

Who do they believe God is?

What is the gospel they placed their trust in?

Because one of them is false or they would never have walked away from God.

Sometimes people don't believe God is loving enough to forgive and love Them, which is heart breaking and often shows the deterioration of families we have in ,the world today.

eternally-gratefull · Mar 17, 2018

dcontroversal said:

I think about the intelligence of God alot....like yesterday....I was thinking how he designed, created and brought man to life from the dirt of the ground....and then how a lump of living cells clumped together as our brain can recall, have, utilize memory.....how does our brain store memory in living cells and electrical impluses....?!

yup, next to God we are all prety stupid

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

TruthTalk said:

Romans 2:1-11 God’s Righteous Judgment You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism

.Titus 1:10-16 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

Hmmmm.... ElAmor wants to add OBEDIENCE to God's laws as a requirement for salvation? (based on his last quote to dcon that wasn't scripture)

How much OBEDIENCE is enough?

If you fall short, does that mean you don't get into heaven?

What happens if you trip and fall while running the race and break a leg?

What does God do?

What is God's role in what you see as the plan of salvation?

Is He just a cheerleader or does He carry you when you can't walk another step?

Does He nourishes you and give a you cool water to drink? Or is He a stern master expecting His dinner before He allows you the scraps from the table?

How does God work in your life?

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

I don't know who God is to you, but I have the testimony of the Holy spirit living in my heart and He tells me I am His beloved child.

I may not be perfect and God knows how often I fall short of who He has made me to be. I don't always make the wisest decisions and often my words and actions hurt myself and others. Often I am selfish and careless.

However, God still loves me in my clumsy attempts to walk with Him.

I look at myself and see all my faults and mistakes and wonder some days "how can God love a mess like me?"

Rich Mullins said once "God loves me..so what? God loves everybody. That just means God don't got no taste....Thank God."

When people meet God like Moses in a burning bush, or Paul on the road to Damascus, or Jacob wrestling all night...,when people meet the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the Universe, then our lives are changed forever.

If people don't have the Holy spirit inside their hearts telling them they are a beloved child of God, then something is wrong.

Most often what is wrong is they believe they haven't done enough to earn God's love (false works based gospel and false view of God as a unjust slave driver and not as our Loving Heavenly father) or they believe that they aren't important enough to hear from God (false view of their identities as beloved children of God whom He redeemed for a purpose).

There may be more reasons why people don't hear the Holy spirit in their hearts but those are the most common I have seen in these forums.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

This thread is about the milk...the foundation....but it seems that folks want to make it about the meat and being able to discern good and evil?

Why don't people understand the difference between the two?

How long do babies drink milk and eat pureed food?

How long did the apostles walk and learn directly from Jesus?

How long did Paul study before being sent on his first missionary journey?

This world wants fast food theology, but God always works in His timing.

God knows that before a tree can produce good fruit,it must have solid roots sunk deep in good soil,well watered with plenty of sun and shade.

God's love and grace and mercy is the Sunlight.

God's words spoken through the Bible and His Body (our brothers and sisters in Christ) and other means are the life giving waters we can share with others to for God pours it into our hearts.

And the soil? Humblenss and a willing,was to allow things to die, decompose and become soil..

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

New International Version 1984 Jude 1:8-25 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. A Call to Persevere But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Doxology To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

Do you read what you post?

"Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. "

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

Who are those who doubt?

Often it's those who are so beaten that they believe themselves unloveable....to these people God tells us to,show mercy.

Do you understand what that means or how we are to show it?

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

How does one snatch someone from the fire and save them?

What does that mean ?

Its a reference from the Old testament and can bring a lot of insight.

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

Ariel82 said:

i hope you like it...and benefitted from it.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

Others we are to give mercy mixed with fear, why fear?

Most likely because they are living sinful lives and God wants us to warn them of their upcoming chastenment?...yet it says "mercy mixed with fear"

The difference between Satan's condemnation and God's chastenment is that God focuses on how we can grow and change. God's message is always hope. He doesn't beat us down because we are sinners but instead,stops us and shows us how to be saints.

****

Well I feel like I am talking to myself and my tummy has settled enough for sleep.

So night all.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

ElAmor said:

I always like scriptures but posting it in forums without comment often implies you are talking to someone and those scriptures could be taken as a critique against someone,..,

So how do those scripture tie into the conversation?

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

Ariel82 said:

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

Ariel82 said:

2 Timothy 3:15-17 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

New International Version 1984 Romans 3:3-4 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

Ariel82 said:

Others we are to give mercy mixed with fear, why fear?

Most likely because they are living sinful lives and God wants us to warn them of their upcoming chastenment?...yet it says "mercy mixed with fear"

The difference between Satan's condemnation and God's chastenment is that God focuses on how we can grow and change. God's message is always hope. He doesn't beat us down because we are sinners but instead,stops us and shows us how to be saints.

****

Well I feel like I am talking to myself and my tummy has settled enough for sleep.

So night all.

good night coz i'm busy also.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

ElAmor said:

We love because God first loved us..,,go learn what it means when God says I would have mercy and not sacrifice.

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

ElAmor said:

Too busy to clarify these scriptures then?

****

They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
***

Romans 2:1-11 God’s Righteous Judgment You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

****

What is the difference between judgement and discernment?

How does one discern folks who are "clouds without rain" without judging them falsely?

ElAmor · Mar 17, 2018

Ariel82 said:

when did the gentile Christians like us been under the law of Moses?

Ariel82 · Mar 17, 2018

ElAmor said:

We are under the law of God, laid down since Adam and Eve were kicked out of Eden...

God added laws to keep us safe as the world grows more and more corrupt, but He explains why we keep some and why we can make exceptions when needed for His purpose and glory..,it's called faith and walking with the Holy spirit.

Why did Abel offer a lamb to God?

Not By Works

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