Faith is a work.

[eternally-gratefull]

Ok...understand...but, what does bema stand for?

If you looking to peter for answers you will not find any,, And if he tries, I would not suggest you trust what he says.


The word bema is a greak word used for the judgment for believers in 1 cor 3. As apposed to the greek word krino type judgment of which no believer will participate. Only death and hades will be present for that judgment, and everyone there is cast into hell.

 

[OneOfHis]

You are not saying a thing about the Scriptures I cited before ... just going somewhere else.

Tell me something: do you believe that these people here didn't put faith on Christ too?

Matt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Jesus never knew them.

They point to their "many wonderful works" to justify themselves.

Seeking to establish their own righteousness, they do not submit to the righteousness of God which gets imputed to all born again believers by grace through faith.

 

[OneOfHis]

These many people did not place their faith (belief, trust, reliance) in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, but instead were trusting in their works to save them. Jesus NEVER knew them which means they were NEVER saved. (Matthew 7:23)

In regards to Matthew 7:21-23, (I will never forget, prior to my conversion several years ago while still attending the Roman Catholic church) I read Matthew 7:22 and thought to myself, wow! These many people accomplished all of that, "prophesied in His name, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works" but that still was not "good enough?" Then I thought to myself at that time, how am I going to "top that" and be "good enough?" Such is the mindset of someone who believes that obtaining salvation is based on works.

Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

*John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

If these many people had a lot of faith on Him, then they would not have been looking to their works for salvation and Jesus would not have said, "I NEVER knew you." John 3:18 - He who believes on Him is not condemned.. These many people will be condemned. What does that tell you about their so called faith? These many people (unbelievers) in Matthew 7:22 had the wrong foundation. They were trusting in their works to save them and NOT IN CHRIST ALONE. Jesus NEVER knew them which means they were NEVER saved. Their hearts were not right with God, so their "attempted external obedience" (apart from the righteousness of God which is by faith and the blood of Christ) was stained with sin, so their righteousness amounted to filthy rags. *Seeking salvation by works is not the will of the Father.

They lacked authentic faith because Jesus NEVER knew them. John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. The term "know" implies intimate, experiential knowledge, through a relationship with Him, not merely theoretical knowledge. These many people were not true converts.

*Without faith it's impossible to please God no matter how many "alleged" wonderful works that these many people set out to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to obtain salvation based on works. This is why Jesus referred to these many people as "workers of iniquity." God does not see the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus (Romans 4:5-6; Philippians 3:9) in unbelievers, but instead He see's all of their sins which remain and have not been washed away by the blood of Christ. Hence, "workers of iniquity."

Amen. Spot on.

 

[FollowHisSteps]

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
1 Peter 3

15 in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good
behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
1 Peter 3

We are God righteous if we follow and obey, confessing our sins and accepting His forgiveness is faith.
Praise the Lord each day we stand rejoicing before Him knowing His blessing in our hearts,
Amen

 

[FollowHisSteps]

13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point
you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
Phil 3

When you read scripture pray before you read that God might make its meaning clear to your
heart, and at the end thank Him for His clarity. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us not man,
man only testifies to Gods work and words laid by God there to encourage others.

26 the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14

The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus's words and the scriptures that support us and encourage us
in Christ. Learn to lean on Him and ask Him to make this clear and plain. Amen.

 

[garee]

Jesus never knew them.

They point to their "many wonderful works" to justify themselves.

Seeking to establish their own righteousness, they do not submit to the righteousness of God which gets imputed to all born again believers by grace through faith.

I would agree .Jesus did not say they were not wonderful works or that demons were not cast out. but not theirs not of them, or generated by them. . One of the names of God is Jealous He will not share the born glory with the creation

They would seem to treat it as a sign and wonder that confirmed they were believers and not Christ who alone causes the work to sprout life and grow. We can plant the seed and water it .If it grows give honor to the one that breathes into the seed and starts the growth.

.In that way he is not served or worshipped by human hands.

 

[preston39]

The concept of the Bema Seat comes from the ancient Olympics, where a judge would sit on the Bema Seat at the finish line. The judge's purpose was to determine what position the runners came in-first, second, and so on-and then to give out the appropriate rewards. That is the imagery behind what is known as the Bema Seat.

Also known as the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Bema Seat is described in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." Your gold, silver, and costly stones are works done for the glory of God, with the right motive, and in dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

https://www.allaboutgod.com/bema-seat.htm

I thought you were outside of the Bible....with the word bema.

Do not add too or subtract from, G-d's word.

 

[preston39]

If you looking to peter for answers you will not find any,, And if he tries, I would not suggest you trust what he says.


The word bema is a greak word used for the judgment for believers in 1 cor 3. As apposed to the greek word krino type judgment of which no believer will participate. Only death and hades will be present for that judgment, and everyone there is cast into hell.

Thank you.
I knew it to be a greek word associated with the Gladiator era, but, he initially used it in a context that it was in the Bible...inferred....at best. I knew it wasn't in the KJV.

 

[FollowHisSteps]

I thought you were outside of the Bible....with the word bema.

Do not add too or subtract from, G-d's word.

Hi Preston,

Thank you for the encouragement to look deeper into bema or benatos, the greek we are talking about.

Bematos - a throne, a rostrum etc
Acts 12:21 Herod .... sat on his throne

2 cor 5:10 the judgement seat of Christ

It is interesting how one could down play coming before Christ. I am not sure this is painless, but
rather in Christ, a time of rejoicing, to know that our stand in Him brought fruit.

Thinking about it, we are so weak, and we contribute so little. Except life is full of little things, and
gifts of love are eternal acts, that shine like stars in peoples lives. So to be with Jesus and to share
our joy at witnessing to His great love on the cross, and how He opened the door that we might go
in. What a privilege on that day, in humbleness and confirmation to honour our Lord before all.

Thank you my friend, my Lord and my God that I can serve you in this way, and encourage your
people to walk in the eternal love that you give us through your sacrifice, Amen.

 

[bluto]

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that works it in you.”

Holy Scriptures have a way of saying one followed by the other. Like nothing else in the Bible, this is not accidental.

First of all "faith" is NOT a work. "For by grace you have been saved through (or by way of faith); and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." What do you think the words mean when it says, "Not of yourselves?" If I give you a gift let's say for example for your birthday, you simply accept the gift with no strings attached, it's free so how is that a work?

Secondly, your taking your taking Philippians 2:12 out of context. We "DO NOT" work out our salvation to be saved or even in order to stay saved. Read the complet context starting at Philippians verse 1.

The Philippians are already Christians and the Apostle Paul is telling them to be of the same mind (vs2) and quit being selfish and conceited, (vs3). At vs4, look out not only for yourself but put others first just as Jesus did when He, who was God took the form of a servant, i.e a man (vs5-7) and humbled Himself by dying on that cross for others.

And since Jesus did that for us Paul says at vs12 to work out the "deliverance" or the solution of your problems (which is thinking only of yourself) because (or why) Vs13, it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Vs14 itemizes this by saying, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing etc. You can read the rest yourself. Now, what did I say that is wrong? Btw, the works you do after your saved prove you are saved. You do not do works in order to be saved else wise there was no reason for Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Just like water baptisim does not save you but it shows your a disciple of Jesus Christ. Does this make sense to you?

IN GOD THE SON,
bluto