The first part of rest is to know and be assured you will get to heaven based on the work of God, and not worrying about whether you will fail or not. God promised Abraham his people would be under seige for 400 years, but then be rescued and given the land he promised. Those who had faith in the promise of God entered his rest, because they KNEW GOD WOULD KEEP HIS PROMISE. thus never complained. Those who did not believe God would keep his promise. As God said, Would not enter his rest. why? because they sinned? No, because they did not believe.
Then comes the second aspect of rest. Learning to trust God in our every day lives. The people who had faith in Isreal learned to trust God, he would take care of their needs, He would defend their enemies. He would do all he promised to do. They were not perfect. but they understood who God was.
You want to reject the first part of rest. so how can you say you can even possibly enter his rest? Learn what it is before you start condemning people!
How can I be assured? Because I have the spirit of God in me, And God promised with the spirit, I will bear fruit. Because it is God working in me, Not me working. A fact you can;t comprehend
Work out my salvation? You mean the salvation I have? You grossly misinterpret what Paul said here. Everyone who is saved has salvation, and been given the means to be lights in the world. Our job is to be these lights which will draw people to God as God uses us, Paul said we should work out the RESULT of our salvation, and not have our light put out by doing something which would allow people to use those things against us,m and take away from the word of God.
If you do not have salvation, you HAVE NOTHING TO WORK OUT!
Because what you teach is about you. And not about God. You want to put yourself under law. And place your eternal life based on what YOU DO, or what you HOPE You do not do. There are to many I's in your gospel. and there is no I in salvation and no I in grace. When you figure this out, you will finally see God and the true love he has for his children.
Again your assumptions are amazing. I do this every day.
1. I see myself as guilty, totally unable to do anything without God
2. I see myself as condemned, A sinner, who is not worthy of the love of my father
3. I see myself as running the race. Knowing I no matter how hard I try, I still need to try harder, and trust God more and more. We are in a spiritual war. Being retired military, I know how the things of war goes. it is when we sit still and think we made it, when the enemy comes in and destroys us. If you think you ever made it, or could ever make it on your own, you are in serious danger.
I am flabberghasted at how blind you are to see what true rest is, What true salvation is. And how complete in Christ you could be if you would just get off your highhorse and get off self and place it all on Christ,
He promised us back in genesis he would take whoever believes in him to the promised land. If yuo want rest, You have to KNOW GOD WILL DO WHAT HE STARTED TO DO. You can;t do that, because you have to assume you will not fall off the path, because it is ALL ABOUT YOU, and NOT GOD
ok sir..you are not reading things right..like i said before..where, oh where did you see me condemning you? Did i say, thou art condemned? Nope..i did not..
So, how can you see if i am blind or seeing..or whatever it is you 'think' that you see? I am saying this in the most non combative manner i can, because i think you, and someone else here sadly think people are out to get them. I am not, i do not know you, i never will on this earth most likely. It is a forum, so i am typing it piece by piece. Read what i said, not what i did not..just like you said i called you a calvnist when i clearly did not..I think you and I are in more agreement than you think, or would want to admit. I believe in resting, but not just resting..believing because God said it, I can..with 'his help' and 'his leading' and 'his enabling me' do these things..Did Father Abraham..Moses, King David and all other great men of faith just rest in him or did they not also step out 'in faith' because faith without works is dead, like it says so in James..Did they not also take the step..so as to say, Ok God, I believe you..so here, I am stepping out..in Faith..I am working with you God..not myself..Not just you, with you..alongside.
How is that works..and how is that wrong? Please answer the question if you can so kindly sir. thank you..
Then comes the second aspect of rest. Learning to trust God in our every day lives. The people who had faith in Isreal learned to trust God, he would take care of their needs, He would defend their enemies. He would do all he promised to do. They were not perfect. but they understood who God was.
We trust him..because we exercise our faith..daily..reading..praying..learning in this walk..it is an active walk. You do not learn by sitting on blessed assurance, clearly that is what you saying, or seem to be saying..that we learn by learning to trust, we grow..in faith..step by step day by day..I agree with this too!
You want to reject the first part of rest. so how can you say you can even possibly enter his rest? Learn what it is before you start condemning people!
Reject what? I am not rejecting anything..You are not hearing me say i rejected anything. I simply said i trust God to enable me to live a right live..that is not meaning i am not a work in progress. But simply having a good church..good theology, feelings of assurance..etc that can only get me so far. I need my own walk, and my own walk with God, this relationship with God..is an active thing in my life. Are you in favor of this form of action? I am sure you are..because most in the OSAS camp can at least believe in having a walk with God, building their relationship with God. Once again, I am your fellow believer here, i am not your enemy..I never ever ever condemned you. You will not find such a post that i said you are going to hell..i simply said you, I and the rest of us had better be sure that we have fruit in our lives..not just theology/assurance..'faith' which without works is not really more than a belief. The demons believe too! ha! so what?
How can I be assured? Because I have the spirit of God in me, And God promised with the spirit, I will bear fruit. Because it is God working in me, Not me working. A fact you can;t comprehend
-huh..how so..I comprehend much more than you think. I do not recall you asking me if i comprehended God's work..but I sincerely do. Are you insinuating those in outside of the OSAS camp are not true believers? You can believe what you wish, i cannot change your mind if you think this..but you are sadly mistaken if that is the case neighbor. And if so..i am truly sorry and feel sorry for you.
Because there are believers in both camps..both OSAS and NON, arminian/reform...catholic/protestant..
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Work out my salvation? You mean the salvation I have? You grossly misinterpret what Paul said here. Everyone who is saved has salvation, and been given the means to be lights in the world. Our job is to be these lights which will draw people to God as God uses us, Paul said we should work out the RESULT of our salvation, and not have our light put out by doing something which would allow people to use those things against us,m and take away from the word of God.
If you do not have salvation, you HAVE NOTHING TO WORK OUT!
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Misinterpret what?(sorry..i got blue ink here..cannot undo it for some reason..:/)
Is not a joh inclusive with work. I am taking your words..our job, yes..our job! that means we have a job..which means you work..which means you labor.which is not a slavery thing..but out of gratitude..because of what he has done! Ok so if Paul said the result must be worked out, you said before focusing on yourself would take you from Jesus..wait, i smell a small contradiction here( this is not accusing you, see that please..i am simply trying to get where you are coming from..before you get on the defensive hear me out,stick with me here)
Ok so it if is all God, then why would we have a job? Technically would that make it less than a OSAS God's got me gospel? I am asking this to see where you are coming from..this is not a judgement..rather a question as earlier you said, nothing must be done by you, since GOd did it all..so, just rest. Now..you said we got a job to do..so what is it..either you act out your faith? Or you are playing spiritual powerball with your life?
That is not works based salvation to have a job, or work on you, or even say..hey,God is showing me areas..shining light in dark places needing work, and i am ok with that..we should all be. Why be afraid of that??
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cause what you teach is about you. And not about God. You want to put yourself under law. And place your eternal life based on what YOU DO, or what you HOPE You do not do. There are to many I's in your gospel. and there is no I in salvation and no I in grace. When you figure this out, you will finally see God and the true love he has for his children.
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I teach? Teach what? I am not a pastor..and I am simply reading what i have off the bible..i have shown you scriptures in romans 11..etc..perhaps you overlooked them. This is christian living here, not some 'new teaching' in all honesty. I know..you got burnt, And i am sorry..but does that mean you run the opposite direction and any action means/equates works based salvation? No!!
You can live for God, He said he would empower you to! Read it for yourself..its in your bible! I did not make this us..the denomination i go to did not make this up..its in the same bible..I am not some mormon or jehovahs witness! I am a christian as well!
This is not about 'I's" Its about 'we' Me and God,,and the church..and the body..sadly you make far too many assumptions to see this. If you would simply ask, before you assume..but i think you being hurt has not enabled you to see things as how they truly are..you see through your hurt..through your being burned as you said, by the 'other camp' as you said. As far as me figuring out things sir.
I for one
-am a child of God..
-I know that i know..that i know i have had an experience with him..i need not explain specifics..i know I have seen God's grace
- I also know that no one ever told me before up until recently how Holy God is..how serious this walk with him is, its the real deal. And how possible it is to actually live for him, with his help of course!
-Am truly sorry other christians have given you a bad taste in your mouth regarding anything that looks to be works or what i like to call active christianity..
I am sorry it has made you think others on the other side of christian expression are not of the flock and possibly out to get you, that is not true. It is a lie, and nothing could be further from the truth than this.
that said..i cannot convince you that i too, believe in the same gospel. Only God can..and I for one, do not see you as my enemy..if you trust in, adhere to, and rely on the one, the son..then praise God..maybe one day, even if its in heaven..all these silly forum talks won't matter.
After all, it is not about 'I' its about him.
Be blessed EG.