Well, you do seem to treat the word of God as alphabet soup - give it a good stir, pull out a verse (out of context) and impress a meaning on it...
Good morning GraceNpeace
I come back every now and then and the difference of opinion is interesting to me.
Willybob says that on must have a new heart and faith in the Word which means obeying the word, IF one has FAITH in IT.
He gets resistance for saying that God is to be obeyed. This was also happening to me which is why I leave every now and then.
The discussion is a little whacky.
He is NOT pulling out verses.
Jesus came to set up a Kingdom. We're either in the Kingdom or out of the Kingdom.
I'd like to see some verses of Jesus talking about salvation as it is understood today.
You won't find any.
He talks about having to be born from above to be able to see the Kingdom.
What does it mean to YOU to be in the Kingdom?
If God has to do it all, as you claim, why did Jesus have to come and teach us, anyway?
God could have just given everybody a new heart.
In fact, I'd say He's rather mean not to.
Acts 20:25-37 is a good read.
verse 21 Paul tells the Ephesians that they MUST TURN to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus.
verse 22 Paul speaks about the gospel of grace. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...
This is the gospel of grace,but it does not negate that we also have to do our part, turn from the world, repent and believe in the gospel. Does the gospel say that God does everything? Did Jesus not leave us with teachings, commandments, requirements? Why would He even waste time doing that IF, once saved, God would do everything for us?
verse 25 Paul states clearly that he went about preaching the KINGDOM. Jesus meant to start a new generation of persons of which HE is the First Fruit and we are to follow in His ways and do as He taught.
verse 28 "Be shepherds of the Church". Paul is telling them that wolves will come ready to destroy them and their new-found faith. There is much resistance to the Word of God. "This is a diffiult teaching, who can accept it?" John 6:60
God's grace throught the Holy Spirit helps us to live in the Kingdom. Never did Jesus say it would be easy. He said to pick up our cross daily and that HE would help us to carry it. Mathew 11:28-30
This would be equivalent to saying that we can do nothing without HIM. HE is our rest.
This does not mean rest from what we are to do, but the rest we find in Him.
Just before this in Mathew 11:21 Jesus tells Chorazin that the people there did not repent. Jesus is looking for repentance, for acceptance of what He taught, and freedom from following Obedience of the Law, and instead we are to follow Obedience of Faith to Jesus and He will help us. It is HIS spirit working IN us, He does not DO everything for us. It is still our CHOICE to obey or not to obey.
verse 30 Jesus warns that from the very midst of believers men would rise up trying to draw away DISCIPLES.
What is a disciple but one who follows a teacher??
It does sound, many times, as if some here say that they are not preaching sin, but then by not admitting that it is NECESSARY to FOLOOW Jesus if we are to be His DISCIPLES, it does APPEAR to be tha way.
verse 31 Paul WARNED everyone day and night. What did he warn them of??
verse 32 is also interesting.
Paul commits them to God and to His word of Grace, which can BUILD THEM UP, and give an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. The inheritance goes to those who are sanctified IN THE END, we must HOLD FAST till the end. Many verses regarding this...
In verse 35 Paul speaks of the works which we are to do.
One cannot read the N.T. and get away from the idea that WE must turn to God of our own free will and we must desire to be in the Kingdom and do what is necessary to remain there.