Not By Works

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stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
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I posted a good explanation on miscellaneous. And found it's a poem by St. John of the Cross.

Stillness has a poem in the poetry part that he wrote. He included the poem or parts of it.
 
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Burninglight

Guest
I would have no problems preaching from this text.
Of course the context is the whole epistle, and in fact 1 Corinthians as well...
So, I doubt I would come to the same conclusions as you, but there you go!
That makes two of us. The same God that hardened Pharaoh's heart is the same God who softens our hearts. God said he will take out our hearts of stone and put in us a heart of flesh. We have to depend on God for everything. We can do nothing good for ourselves or others without Him. Willybob leans toward a works trip< IMHO.
 
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JoDel

Guest
For a second there, I thought my own husband entered this thread by your "artillery" description... :D I've lost count, but know we are never without "lead and metal casings"! (Hope your mother's CAT scan proves positive on her behalf).
I meant "ARSENAL"... (stupid auto correct)!
 
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JoDel

Guest
Religion has corrupted and poisoned the reputation of God, making Him out to be a sadistic "puppeteer", or an iron-fisted "celestial super power" you can't dare approach unless you are living a "perfect" life, and perform as a "perfect" being. There's no such thing to be had. Life is no respecter of our identity and some of the curves it throws at us makes perfection just a definition of something well beyond our reach.
There's a reason for that--- If we "were" perfect, what would be our need for God? From what, would the desire come to seek out relationship with Him?
We are "created in His image" for a beautiful purpose of His own design. Simplistic in its explanation... He desires, craves to love us and to be loved by us.
The beauty of the love of God, is we can do nothing to earn it, nor can we do anything to escape it.


The reality and truth in that fact gets lost in our "trying to get it together" first, expecting He's going to have stipulations and rules before He will. Nope. Wrong concept. If that were true, then the Purpose of the Cross would be in vain and Jesus enduring the evil brutality inflicted upon Him would have been a merciless, senseless allowance from God.






Knowing exactly how mans heart would be selfish, He still breathed His “life-giving essence” into our existence! He still created ‘us’, knowing He would have to die to save us from our own rebellious acts against the Heart Who loves us, the Mind Who dreamed of us, the Intellect Who designed us, the Will Who brought us “into being”, and the Hands Who formed us. ~ The Holy Source from which the Breath of Life came.~
Jesus, the epitome of unconditional love~ from which His mercy, grace and forgiveness comes ~ From which “His Plan” was “birthed”…and…”executed”.
I am, a prodigal daughter who came home to her loving Father and I am the "lost sheep" He came to find. Always, His love finds me and reminds me to whom I belong. I am His, and I LOVE being loved by Him.
 
Feb 24, 2015
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The danger is always to label another believer. Labels help with reference points, but you can
end up talking how you describe the same thing starting from different places.

Standards define holiness. These standards measure failure not success.
Meeting the standard just implies a moral vessel, not a living relationship.

If one holds there are no standards one has left the faith.
What many do not see is a humble, contrite heart drawn by God listens and follows.
The test of where you are is joy in Christs words or condemnation.

Jesus's words are eternal, God is speaking. If condemnation flows, please tell us why
and where. Feelings deceive us, so we walk away, rather than resolve sin. Understand
our hearts will always compromise, it costs less, and makes us happy, but is the flesh
speaking.

To become like Jesus costs everything we are and have. There is no free ride here.
 
Feb 24, 2015
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The religion argument is about not knowing love and just feeling judged.
The cross says redemption and hope, brokenness and new life.

Repressed emotion is death to life in Jesus no matter ones theology.
In every strand of faith you can find people of the Kingdom, because
it is the treasure within that defines the reality, not the vessel that holds
it. So take heart and search Jesus in His words, for there is life.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,869
9,601
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I really don't care if people appreciate being called kindergarteners or not.. If they get offended, it's because they feel they're acting like one but don't want to admit it.. :eek: If the shoe fits.... LOL ;)


Oh boy, Blue, be careful with the kindergarten remark. ;)I made almost the exact same one you just did and "some" didn't appreciate it. (As if that changed my opinion). ;):D:cool:
 
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Ariel82

Guest
Yet God's grace and love is free.

I have had lots of "free rides" in my Christian life because I know I could never earn or pay for the blessings God has already given me.

Even if someone demand payment, I would have to look towards Dad for the coinage because I don't carry cash with me. I place my treasures in His loving arms, along with my sorrows.
 
Nov 22, 2015
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Originally Posted by willybob



This is because he believes in positional salvation, rather than manifest reality, which is the bed rock of Joseph Prince's doctrine...


I know there are a lot of Americans on this discussion board, which makes me wonder is Manifest Reality related to

Manifest Destiny or is it the other way around...
:)

At any rate there is a Manifest Buffet down the street from me and it is quite scrumptious!! ;)
Imagine actually "believing that Jesus is the Savior?" Imagine actually believing in Christ and what He has done for us? Imagine treating Jesus as if He is not a liar?"

What will those heretics that trust in Christ Himself and His work on the cross and resurrection come up with next...:rolleyes:

Make no mistake about it - there is an all-out war on the gospel of the grace of God and satan has his ministers of righteousness to try to distort the true gospel and get us to rely on our own self-efforts of self-righteousness "in order" to try to keep ourselves saved.

Jesus is the One and only Savior. We can trust Him.

Brethren - we are not redeemed until our next failure. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ speaks of better things.

We have eternal redemption
because of what Christ has already done and the fact that we are one spirit with Him. In Him we have eternal redemption through His blood - not by what we do or don't do.

Hebrews 9:12 (NASB)
[SUP]12 [/SUP] and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.


Ephesians 1:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Colossians 1:14 (KJV)
[SUP]14 [/SUP] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

We have = present tense - present tense is always present tense. When tomorrow comes - it will be present tense then too.

Does this make us want to go out and sin all we want? No, a thousand times No! Of course not - why?

Because "knowing this truth" releases the grace of God in our lives to operate to produce His life in and through us. Jesus said
"You shall know the truth and that truth shall make you free."

It's time to "repent and believe the gospel" like Jesus said in Mark 1:15 After all it is not called the "good news" for no reason.

We have a great and wondrous salvation but it is all in Christ and what He has already done. We receive this all by grace through faith. As we have received Christ - so we walk in Him in like manner.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
JoDei, the concept of unconditional love is foreign to the world and can't be explained only experienced. Agape love is a blessing from God and it's what God asks us to share with others.
 
Aug 15, 2009
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Stephen, I am less concerned about how sinner behave then how God asks me to respond.

There are so many worldly people already around us everyday, that I hope to find a few in CC and in church to make me less homesick.

I would rather look for the light shining from the hearts of people touched by His Holy Spirit, then focus always in the dark.

God tells us to be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hM98oFIrwQA

Yeah I know some days I ask God why He still has me here cuz I tend to make so many mistakes and am a broken mess. Somehow he patches us back together and gives us His love and shows us how he can make beauty out of our broken pieces.
God knows if we a broken mess, & He's gracious towards us.

But that's a far cry different from one who's a purposely blind broken mess. They're like that because they want to be.


I would rather look for the light shining from the hearts of people touched by His Holy Spirit, then focus always in the dark.
Really? Then how come you're analyzing all my posts?
 
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Ariel82

Guest
God knows if we a broken mess, & He's gracious towards us.

But that's a far cry different from one who's a purposely blind broken mess. They're like that because they want to be.


Really? Then how come you're analyzing all my posts?
Lol I analyze everyone's post (except the ones I have one ignore). You haven't noticed?

I just want to clarify what folks are saying.

If I truly think someone is evil, I just don't talk to them at all expect with scriotures. As in I will avoid threads they are in and never post in threads they start except for maybe one post with scripture to combat the lies.
 
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Feb 24, 2015
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As an American and a Marine (80s) I always jave from 1 to 5 or 6 weapons within reach...even now...I sit in a hospital in St. Louis (my mother having a cat scan) and am armed with a Ruger 9 with 2 magazines and 35 rounds of ammo....haahah You just never know....!
This is simply unexpected. Is this carried under the shirt, in a bag, armed and ready to fire?
In my whole life I have never needed a gun, or would unless I was in a war zone.

My trust is in Christ, and His love, not in mans ability to stop someone dead if they are a
threat. I would much rather live in the desire to give love to others than carry a means
to destroy someones life permanently where ever I walked. If Jesus wants to call me home,
amen, why resist it?
 
Feb 24, 2015
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Yet God's grace and love is free.

I have had lots of "free rides" in my Christian life because I know I could never earn or pay for the blessings God has already given me.

Even if someone demand payment, I would have to look towards Dad for the coinage because I don't carry cash with me. I place my treasures in His loving arms, along with my sorrows.
I like the idea that God is offering free salvation, but the price is our lives.

When did the sacrifice of ourselves get removed from the agenda.
We are called to die to self, to die to our passions and to live to Christ and
love.

It seems to be a distortion to say to live for love is earning it, it is because
sin and this world has destroyed us through death and separation from God,
that we are willing to give it up to walk in Jesus's ways.

And it is He who carries us, empowers us and teaches us.
So it is possible to get the faith all confused and wrapped up wrongly, and end
denying the very life that gives us life, the way of Jesus and obedience.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
Before God saved us, we were walking dead men.

Salvation just allowed us to recognize the truth of our former dead state.

We don't have to murder ourselves. We just have to shed the dead skin and grow up into spiritually mature people in Christ, joined to His Body lead by His Holy Spirit.

The next question is what does it mean to be lead by the Holy spirit?
 
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Aug 15, 2009
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Originally Posted by willybob



This is because he believes in positional salvation, rather than manifest reality, which is the bed rock of Joseph Prince's doctrine...




Imagine actually "believing that Jesus is the Savior?" Imagine actually believing in Christ and what He has done for us? Imagine treating Jesus as if He is not a liar?"

What will those heretics that trust in Christ Himself and His work on the cross and resurrection come up with next...:rolleyes:

Make no mistake about it - there is an all-out war on the gospel of the grace of God and satan has his ministers of righteousness to try to distort the true gospel and get us to rely on our own self-efforts of self-righteousness "in order" to try to keep ourselves saved.

Jesus is the One and only Savior. We can trust Him.

Brethren - we are not redeemed until our next failure. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ speaks of better things.

We have eternal redemption
because of what Christ has already done and the fact that we are one spirit with Him. In Him we have eternal redemption through His blood - not by what we do or don't do.

Hebrews 9:12 (NASB)
[SUP]12 [/SUP] and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.


Ephesians 1:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Colossians 1:14 (KJV)
[SUP]14 [/SUP] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

We have = present tense - present tense is always present tense. When tomorrow comes - it will be present tense then too.

Does this make us want to go out and sin all we want? No, a thousand times No! Of course not - why?

Because "knowing this truth" releases the grace of God in our lives to operate to produce His life in and through us. Jesus said
"You shall know the truth and that truth shall make you free."

It's time to "repent and believe the gospel" like Jesus said in Mark 1:15 After all it is not called the "good news" for no reason.

We have a great and wondrous salvation but it is all in Christ and what He has already done. We receive this all by grace through faith. As we have received Christ - so we walk in Him in like manner.
It's easy to say "I believe in what Jesus did for me", & "Jesus is the only savior", & I'm saved by grace thru faith,

And with every single phrase the meanings have been changed.

A false grace, a false faith, a false repentance, false conviction, & finally, a one-time acceptance of a false Jesus with lack of obedience following, something our Master would never put up with.

After all that, they say, "I believe the same way you do".

Yeah, right.

The Lord I serve wouldn't say "don't worry about sin, it's taken care of".

He wouldn't tell us "conviction is no more".

The more they claim to know, the more they don't know.

The more they claim to believe the scriptures, the more scripture they avoid that speaks the truth.

They'll harp on one verse, while ignoring 20 or more that counters their false doctrine.

It is well said that those that don't know the Word don't know God.
 

gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
11,748
6,332
113
I like the idea that God is offering free salvation, but the price is our lives.

When did the sacrifice of ourselves get removed from the agenda.
We are called to die to self, to die to our passions and to live to Christ and
love.

It seems to be a distortion to say to live for love is earning it, it is because
sin and this world has destroyed us through death and separation from God,
that we are willing to give it up to walk in Jesus's ways.

And it is He who carries us, empowers us and teaches us.
So it is possible to get the faith all confused and wrapped up wrongly, and end
denying the very life that gives us life, the way of Jesus and obedience.

here is what confuses one's faith- statements like these- " we are saved by grace, but one MUST,,,,,,"

salvation is free, but,,,,,,,,,", thus nullifying the meaning.

some ( you ) have to interject self, you have to be responsible for your own salvation, it can't be all God, it has to be me and God....................

all this is manly pride talking, not Biblical teaching.
 
Aug 15, 2009
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Lol I analyze everyone's post (except the ones I have one ignore). You haven't noticed?

I just want to clarify what folks are saying.

If I truly think someone is evil, I just don't talk to them at all expect with scriotures. As in I will avoid threads they are in and never post in threads they start except for maybe one post with scripture to combat the lies.
Really? You're in one right now.
 
Nov 22, 2015
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I love it when I get the opportunity to preach the gospel of the love and grace of our loving Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are saved by the life of the Lord Jesus Christ which is in us in our new creation. We are now learning how to walk by the spirit - which is our spirit in union with Christ by the Holy Spirit ( whom Jesus said would be in us forever - John 14:16 ).

Romans 5:10-11 (NASB)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

[SUP]11 [/SUP] And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Living by the flesh does not stop making us a new creation in Christ. It makes us deceived by sin and distorts our view of the Lord's love and grace towards God Himself, others and ourselves.

I have found the very same thing happening in my life. The more I see Christ and what He has done - and the more I agree with His work - the more He becomes manifested in my life and the things of the flesh just have fallen off like dead leaves on a branch.

Transformation is really the emerging new man that is in Christ being manifested in our bodies while we are here on this earth as our minds are renewed to the truths that are in Christ our Lord.

This transformation of what already is in us in Christ in our new creation ( It is not called a "new evolution" ) can be seen by man as our minds get renewed to the truth of Christ's work for us. Rom. 12:2

We are simply "being" who we already are when we "put on Christ".

The new man in Christ is like the invisible man - when he put clothes on, people could then see him. We put on Christ and people see the new man in Christ manifested and God gets glorified.

This all happens by grace through faith in what Christ has done and we participate in it with Him for it is God who is at work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He will be faithful to us. Phil. 2:13


As we learn to walk by the spirit instead of the flesh - then we experience God's kind of life in our lives.
 
Feb 24, 2015
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Conformity to Christ

We are called to be like Jesus, to walk in His ways and obey Him.
This means to listen to His eternal words and take them to heart.

Now any teacher who turns them aside, for whatever reason is a false
teacher.

The Kingdom is about walking blamelessly, in purity and holiness, with no impurity
or defilement. Scripture is clear on this subject, to teach against this is to teach
against Christ.

Abstain from every form of evil.

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Now how is it people who claim to know Jesus do exactly this.
But then the apostles found exactly the same thing in their church, because
the heart will always desire to justify sin, and not submit in total subjugation
to the Holy Spirit.