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Yeah, but your're forgetting something
Through Jesus and for his namesake we received grace and apostleship to call people from among the Gentiles(that's me) to the obediance that comes from faith
Rom 1:5
How come you never mention this? All you seem to want to talk about is looking to the literal law, striving to obey it and that's our righteousness. Why do you never mention obediance is by faith? I find that strange
Through Jesus and for his namesake we received grace and apostleship to call people from among the Gentiles(that's me) to the obediance that comes from faith
Rom 1:5
How come you never mention this? All you seem to want to talk about is looking to the literal law, striving to obey it and that's our righteousness. Why do you never mention obediance is by faith? I find that strange
I have...but I have no problem speaking about it again. Let's read what is needed for faith. And then once faith has been obtained what must be done afterward.
There is a path to faith. It does not come on its own. God's word tells us the steps that are needed to have faith. Let's read God's word....
Rom.10
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
But how do we get to the point that we even call upon Jesus name? God's word tells us...let's read;
[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
Paul asks the question....how can you call on someone you do not believe in. Does something else have to happen even before this? Of course.....let's read more....
[14].....and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
Paul then asks how can you believe in someone if you have never heard of the person. So up to this point....faith has yet to be obtained. Let's read more.....
[14].....and how shall they hear without a preacher?
So before you have faith in Jesus you have to go through a process. And even now....after asking 3 questions in the process faith has not be obtained. Is there more that must be done BEFORE faith is obtained? Let's read.....
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
So how is faith obtained? Is it something that God gives us or is it a process we go through and is up to us whether we obtain it? Let's read....
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So now we have the completed process for obtaining faith:
First we must hear about the Lord from a preacher. But the preacher MUST be sent by God.
After we hear about and have been told about Jesus we must then decide if we believe what we have been told. And once we believe THEN we can call upon Jesus name.
If one of those steps are missing can a person have faith in Jesus Christ?
So what's next. What do we do when we have been told and then believe in what we have been told? Do we just keep having that faith? Is our process complete? Is this the ONLY thing we need to do to be able to get into God's kingdom?
Does God's word EVER say that the ONLY thing we need to do is have faith?
Dose God's word EVER say that the ONLY thing that will determine whether or not we are allowed into God's kingdom is faith?
Let's read if there is something else that is required of us once we have obtained faith.....
Rom.10
[16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
Paul now tells us even AFTER receiving faith there are yet those that have not OBEYED those words which they were told. Let's confirm this....
Jam.1
[22] But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
[25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
So again we find that although faith has been obtained the Christian must not just have faith in the words that was preached to them...buy they must also act upon those words that they were taught. And what are some of the actions that must be taken to be blessed? Let's read some more of James 1;
[12] Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
James tells us if we endure temptation we will be blessed and will receive a crown of life.
Already we know we need to not only have faith....but we also NEED to endure temptation to receive eternal life. Let's read more about this temptation....
[14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
[15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
WOW! When men are swayed by lust and give in to temptation it brings on sin. And what is sin? "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." And what happens when sin is committed? ".... bringeth forth death."
James then tells us the following.....
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
So having faith in the engrafted word of God is able to save man. How? If we OBEY those words we now have faith in.
Again I ask......
Does God's word EVER say that the ONLY thing we need to do is have faith for entrance into His kingdom?
Dose God's word EVER say that the ONLY thing that will determine whether or not we are allowed into God's kingdom is faith?
Clearly no! For as we just read above,
" Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."
Along with having faith we must also endure temptation.
Having faith in God's word, thus being able to have faith in Jesus Christ, is just the beginning of our process to salvation.
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