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.

benhur

Senior Member
Feb 8, 2018
1,534
121
63
Address me when you have the facts.....until then....nothing but hot air!
The facts are in your posts. Even in this post, using words like "nothing but hot air", is inappropriate for a good discussion on the doctrines of Christ.

How can 2 good Christians be so far apart in their beliefs?
 

benhur

Senior Member
Feb 8, 2018
1,534
121
63
Yes indeed.....by faith through grace without any embellishments based upon man
How bout embellisments based on God. Read an embellisment by Jesus himself in Matthew 6:15. Or did Paul do away with this saying?
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
According to your belief system, I don't have to worry a bit. I believe and I have faith, and I trust Jesus, therefore I am saved. (in past tense). If I decide to obey the commandments of Jesus or not, it is of little concern, since I have been saved. That's how it works, right?

And if that is not right, tell me where I am wrong?
It HAS to work that way or we are all doomed. No man can never ever have anger in his heart. He can't change his own heart. He HAS to have faith that God will give him a new heart and will renew his mind and change his thinking. So if a man is a murderer, having anger in his heart at others, who can be saved if a man must stop sinning first? The only thing he can do is agree with God that he is a murderer. He has changed his mind on the matter and he truthfully says, Lord have mercy on me, a sinner, a murderer. Before God changed his mind and renewed his mind on the matter, he thought he had always kept the command to not murder. Now he sees and he is honest and upright in his heart.

To be upright is not to stop sinning. It is to admit the truth. God takes it from there. The first step is admitting the truth. God sees to the work of making a man to actually stop his murdering. The man can't do it. Faith is trusting Him to do what He has said He will and make the man what He has said He will. You could try your whole lifetime to never murder and you would fail at some point. The child of your own working has to be sent away to make room for the child God has promised.
 
Jan 25, 2018
673
10
0
She said motive matters. You say this is untrue.

Heart motive is everything to God. It is EVERYTHING to Him. It is how He judges - not outwardly as men do, but inwardly, in the hearts motives.
Hi Stunned,

I was addressing not motives, but that everything people do is unacceptable to
God and rejected.

The clue is in me talking about Cornelius was listened to by God.
It is really this simple, God is aware of everything that is going on.

In the black and white world, only those filled with the Holy Spirit matter.
And in this imaginary world, these are Free Gracers and no one else.

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus.
 

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
113
According to your belief system, I don't have to worry a bit. I believe and I have faith, and I trust Jesus, therefore I am saved. (in past tense). If I decide to obey the commandments of Jesus or not, it is of little concern, since I have been saved. That's how it works, right?

And if that is not right, tell me where I am wrong?
To worry is not to trust, is this true? I believe it is. If you are placing your trust into your own keeping, then you will have reason to worry. There's not one thing we can add to the work of salvation that Jesus finished for mankind. Just believe He is truth and no lie.

What we do? Walk in this truth as who and what we are, what He has made us. A new creation man, one body living and moving together as one in Him on earth. Looking to Him, the head, and not around us on one another, nor downcast, earthly minded. Heavenly minded for our goals are birthed from above, not beneath.

The commands are daily given, for its always today in eternity. Out of our being,our belly, flowing.rivers, living waters.

Called resting in Him, that we might rise in His work of power.
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
Hi Stunned,

I was addressing not motives, but that everything people do is unacceptable to
God and rejected.

The clue is in me talking about Cornelius was listened to by God.
It is really this simple, God is aware of everything that is going on.

In the black and white world, only those filled with the Holy Spirit matter.
And in this imaginary world, these are Free Gracers and no one else.

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus.
A contrite and honest heart will not be rejected by God. God knows what Cornelius' prayers were and what the motives in his heart were.

Yes, God heard Cornelius. Are you meaning to say God heard Cornelius because of Cornelius' good works of giving to charities or some such?
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
A contrite and honest heart will not be rejected by God. God knows what Cornelius' prayers were and what the motives in his heart were.

Yes, God heard Cornelius. Are you meaning to say God heard Cornelius because of Cornelius' good works of giving to charities or some such?
Because a contrite heart says have mercy on me, a sinner.

A proud heart says, I do many good works, I give to charities, I tithe, I do this and that.
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
Because a contrite heart says have mercy on me, a sinner.

A proud heart says, I do many good works, I give to charities, I tithe, I do this and that.
Of the two, who goes away justified in what he has said and done? The one who does many good works of law or the one who is contrite?
 
Jan 25, 2018
673
10
0
No man can never ever have anger in his heart.
Hi Stunned,

Anger. You have an issue with anger, as if anger is a sin.
Murder is the sin, which leads from anger and rage.
Jesus's warning was against anger against ones brother in Christ.

To extend this to anger in general is a big mistake.
If you go to war, there is good reason to be angry and to kill. It is probably
impossible to kill without anger unless one has something seriously wrong in
ones head.

So unless you have the understanding Jesus can bring true purity and cleansing to
the heart of a believer, all the theology that flows will be distorted and wrong.

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus, amen.
 
Jan 25, 2018
673
10
0
Hi Stunned,

God listened to Cornelius, neither a Jew nor a Christian.
I was not saying why, just He listened.

The heresy that is being pushed is God does not know sinners, see sin,
desire people to walk in purity and holiness as His children.

So fake believers who are just hidden below Jesus are Gods holy people
as shame mockery of the work of the cross and the Holy Spirit dwelling in
Holy Temples of the people of God.

We are so used to running ourselves and everything down, claiming nothing
is worthy or cleansed or purified, the only thing anyone can say is woe is me,
a sinner doomed to hell, but because of this religious duty or belief I am ok.

This has always been fake faith, and fake reality. Love grows and never stops
growing in the heart of the believer and makes a true child of the living God,
redeeming all they are to His glory. Amen.
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
Hi Stunned,

Anger. You have an issue with anger, as if anger is a sin.
Murder is the sin, which leads from anger and rage.
Jesus's warning was against anger against ones brother in Christ.

To extend this to anger in general is a big mistake.
If you go to war, there is good reason to be angry and to kill. It is probably
impossible to kill without anger unless one has something seriously wrong in
ones head.

So unless you have the understanding Jesus can bring true purity and cleansing to
the heart of a believer, all the theology that flows will be distorted and wrong.

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus, amen.

We can look at it more closely. Anger WITHOUT CAUSE is what murder is. If you are extremely rude to me and I am angry, would that be anger with cause or anger without cause?
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
Well, my battery is running out while waiting for him to answer. Someone else take a stab at answering. :)
 

benhur

Senior Member
Feb 8, 2018
1,534
121
63
Amen.....Jesus came for, died for, and mediates for those who know they need him.....not the self righteous, sinless perfectionists working for who need to embellish the work of Christ in a feeble attempt to make the proverbial gates of heaven!
Again you mock. We who believe that faith and works work hand and glove to get us ready for living with God and Jesus for eternity are not self righteous, we are not sinless perfectionists, and it is not a feeble attempt to make the gates of heaven.

We obviously know that we need to have faith in Jesus and his grace. We also know that he has instructed us to do things out of love for him and to help his children to progress through this life, as this life brings lots of challenges to the children of God.
He wants us to help him ease the strain of the lives of his children. So we help the poor and the needy. We are peacemakers, we forgive so that we can be forgiven, we take care of our own personal temples. We know this aspect of the gospel is important too, since the bible tells us over and over again that it is.

So we believe and have faith and are saved, but now we go forth as a new person and do the will of our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Is that a self righteous embellishment that is good for nothing?
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
Peter, I am falling asleep waiting for your answer! Are you afraid to answer? Are you afraid I am trying to trap you or something?
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
It's been 50 minutes. I will come back in 30 minutes or so to see if you've answered yet. I really want to hear your thoughts on it. :)
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,883
4,334
113
Let me make a simple point that shows how untrue this is.

Cornelius was listened to be God for his gifts to the poor and his prayers to God.
He was neither a jew nor a christian, yet God heard him and rewarded his deeds.

It makes a farce of the idea God does not see all people do, and even sinners who
do good things, He values.

It is the enemy who spreads the idea right deeds have no value, and those who
spread such ideas are just doing his work.
LLH,

Who are the sinners who do good things that God values?
 

benhur

Senior Member
Feb 8, 2018
1,534
121
63
You should be more concerned with the lovers of self who use Jesus to justify their hypocrisy.
Do you think that my faith in Jesus is compromised somehow with doing good works out of love for him?
 
Jan 25, 2018
673
10
0
We can look at it more closely. Anger WITHOUT CAUSE is what murder is. If you are extremely rude to me and I am angry, would that be anger with cause or anger without cause?
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, 'is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Matt 5:22

Anger is for war, aggression, violence.
Annoyance is about irritation and identifying a problem.

The phrase "his brother", restricts murder with anger to those in ones family of believers, not an
enemy, or unbeliever.

We have no reason to be angry with a fellow believer, but what about a blasphemer,
or apostate?

On the subject of anger, the verse you quote maybe wrong.
The problem with the phrase "without cause" is not in all the copies of the gospel,
and seems a cop out. One could dream up lots of causes in ones own mind.

Now murder is a single act, angry is an emotional feeling that goes on.
Paul puts it like this

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:26-27

Paul seems to be saying anger will happen, but resolve it, or it becomes equivalent
to murder.

Now this thread is on salvation and not anger, being saved by faith and not works or
being a good person.