Let's get real a minute.
Falling from grace? Grace is what empowers us to be conformed into the Image of His Son.
Yet, if we think OUR works are needed for us to be saved, we frustrate grace, because we are not walking in the reality of what the cross accomplished. Yet, when we step into the rest found in the Lord we begin to see HIS WORK manifest through us. Jesus says, if we do not abide in Him we can do NOTHING. And then somehow people think that means abiding in Scripture? Yet, many religious teachers know Scripture better than any on this thread and have no faith.
But that's not all.
Some are still trying to be perfected by their works. Because they have not yet received the totality of His work.
To go a bit deeper, what's ironic about these threads is this: those who teach we must "work to keep ourselves saved" end up putting the focus on what doesn't empower the believer to actually walk in good works.
As a result many believers struggle instead of reigning in this life through His righteousness.
Yet this same powerless tradition keeps beating its drum, preachers put the focus on the effort of the believers instead of the faithfulness of God. And while self-righteousness begins reveal itself the good works of love rarely are.
Why do you think we have church clubs? Why do you think people come to these forums instead of going to their local church. It's so completely twisted and those who pound the drum of good works are only frustrating that which actually frees people!
As we read Scripture we see that it is primarily focused on Him not on us. We worship Him, we praise Him, we are thankful to Him, we celebrate Him, we are lead by Him. But then people say oh that's just "spiritual nonsense" just read your Bible!
And the powerless tradition is passed on.
And just like in the days of the Pharisees tradition teaches us to look in Scripture for what we must DO for eternal life instead of realizing it is always, completely, and fully pointing to Him.
Except now in the New Testament pointing to Him is pointing to Him in us.
We ARE His witnesses. Our hearts are an epistle written on by the hand of the Spirit of God. Our lives pointing to the cross that allows mankind to finally stop consuming the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And to finally receive the righteousness of Christ that allows them to stop looking at their nakedness and see His goodness.
This is the gospel.
2 Co 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[SUP]b[/SUP] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And what is God saying in His appeal though us? Be joined with Him. Receive His righteousness. And as we are abide in Him the FRUIT of the Spirit will grow mighty. And He shall be glorified.
Falling from grace? Grace is what empowers us to be conformed into the Image of His Son.
Yet, if we think OUR works are needed for us to be saved, we frustrate grace, because we are not walking in the reality of what the cross accomplished. Yet, when we step into the rest found in the Lord we begin to see HIS WORK manifest through us. Jesus says, if we do not abide in Him we can do NOTHING. And then somehow people think that means abiding in Scripture? Yet, many religious teachers know Scripture better than any on this thread and have no faith.
But that's not all.
Some are still trying to be perfected by their works. Because they have not yet received the totality of His work.
To go a bit deeper, what's ironic about these threads is this: those who teach we must "work to keep ourselves saved" end up putting the focus on what doesn't empower the believer to actually walk in good works.
As a result many believers struggle instead of reigning in this life through His righteousness.
Yet this same powerless tradition keeps beating its drum, preachers put the focus on the effort of the believers instead of the faithfulness of God. And while self-righteousness begins reveal itself the good works of love rarely are.
Why do you think we have church clubs? Why do you think people come to these forums instead of going to their local church. It's so completely twisted and those who pound the drum of good works are only frustrating that which actually frees people!
As we read Scripture we see that it is primarily focused on Him not on us. We worship Him, we praise Him, we are thankful to Him, we celebrate Him, we are lead by Him. But then people say oh that's just "spiritual nonsense" just read your Bible!
And the powerless tradition is passed on.
And just like in the days of the Pharisees tradition teaches us to look in Scripture for what we must DO for eternal life instead of realizing it is always, completely, and fully pointing to Him.
Except now in the New Testament pointing to Him is pointing to Him in us.
We ARE His witnesses. Our hearts are an epistle written on by the hand of the Spirit of God. Our lives pointing to the cross that allows mankind to finally stop consuming the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And to finally receive the righteousness of Christ that allows them to stop looking at their nakedness and see His goodness.
This is the gospel.
2 Co 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[SUP]b[/SUP] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And what is God saying in His appeal though us? Be joined with Him. Receive His righteousness. And as we are abide in Him the FRUIT of the Spirit will grow mighty. And He shall be glorified.