How do Christians find favor with God?

[Lightskin]

Christians, having already believed in Jesus Christ unto salvation, already have a continuous, uninterrupted flow of grace from God. They need not strive to obtain it, but only recognize and walk in it.

This ^^^^^

 

[posthuman]

...it's the spice of life.

i prefer it to Mssr. Hinn

 

[presidente]

James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

I Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

They wrote to people who already had believed in Jesus.

 

[tourist]

i prefer it to Mssr. Hinn

Benny Hinn is like salt that has lost its savor. The same is true for Jimmy Swaggart too. Flat and tasteless.

 

[Nehemiah6]

i am not sure 'frustrate' has the same connotation today as despise/reject/nullify ?

"Frustrate" is still applicable here:

Meanings of frustrate

1. to balk or defeat in an endeavor
2. to make ineffectual
3. bring to nothing
4. impede
5. obstruct
6. to make invalid or of no effect

 

[posthuman]

James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

I Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

They wrote to people who already had believed in Jesus.

exactly!

that's what the scriptures in posts #2-4 are saying, too - binding wisdom, love and faithfulness around you, in our distress seeking Him with humility. scripture says the one who does these things finds favor with God

 

[posthuman]

"Frustrate" is still applicable here:

Meanings of frustrate

1. to balk or defeat in an endeavor
2. to make ineffectual
3. bring to nothing
4. impede
5. obstruct
6. to make invalid or of no effect

i agree - Galatians 2:21 connects to 5:4

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
​

 

[posthuman]

Benny Hinn is like salt that has lost its savor. The same is true for Jimmy Swaggart too. Flat and tasteless.

he & i have a weird relationship. he stopped sending us letters. he used to ask us for money pretty often - i used the generous pre-paid envelope he sent to send his materials back & ask for some money from him? he just kept asking for money. once he was going to be nearby and he offered to let us visit him in an auditorium, if we gave him money. i used another pre-paid envelope to send him some pre-approved credit card offers.
but i haven't heard from him for quite a while now - maybe he found enough money?

 

[presidente]

Benny Hinn is like salt that has lost its savor. The same is true for Jimmy Swaggart too. Flat and tasteless.

I believe God can forgive Christians who sin. God judges, but is it wise for one of us to make the judgment that someone who sins is fit for nothing but to be trodden under the feet of men?

 

[presidente]

he & i have a weird relationship. he stopped sending us letters. he used to ask us for money pretty often - i used the generous pre-paid envelope he sent to send his materials back & ask for some money from him? he just kept asking for money. once he was going to be nearby and he offered to let us visit him in an auditorium, if we gave him money. i used another pre-paid envelope to send him some pre-approved credit card offers.
but i haven't heard from him for quite a while now - maybe he found enough money?

I wouldn't do that to a ministry, but I got something from the state Democratic Party, a survey asking about the then-current president, with a bunch of multiple choice answers about how I felt, all of them praising the current president. I put the whole package they sent me into the prepaid mail envelope and sent them back. I did that because I did not have a piece of lead that fit the envelope to mail back.

 

[posthuman]

I believe God can forgive Christians who sin. God judges, but is it wise for one of us to make the judgment that someone who sins is fit for nothing but to be trodden under the feet of men?

good question - how to discern discernment?

 

[posthuman]

I wouldn't do that to a ministry, but I got something from the state Democratic Party, a survey asking about the then-current president, with a bunch of multiple choice answers about how I felt, all of them praising the current president. I put the whole package they sent me into the prepaid mail envelope and sent them back. I did that because I did not have a piece of lead that fit the envelope to mail back.

to me it was just another credit card offer. i liked to mix them up and send them back to mismatched banks; i figure the post office makes out on the transaction, and i like having a postal service - and maybe eventually the banks would figure out it's not worth sending all their recycling to me.
but it didn't seem like a ministry at the time. it seemed like a solicitation. i should pay closer attention, without prejudice. =\
on the other hand i answered an auto-dialer call last week that was a brief prerecorded testimony and message about the gospel, with a number to call back if i wanted to talk about it. that seemed like a ministry to me - while it was technically a solicitation, too, in its own right.

 

[presidente]

to me it was just another credit card offer. i liked to mix them up and send them back to mismatched banks; i figure the post office makes out on the transaction, and i like having a postal service - and maybe eventually the banks would figure out it's not worth sending all their recycling to me.
but it didn't seem like a ministry at the time. it seemed like a solicitation. i should pay closer attention, without prejudice. =\
on the other hand i answered an auto-dialer call last week that was a brief prerecorded testimony and message about the gospel, with a number to call back if i wanted to talk about it. that seemed like a ministry to me - while it was technically a solicitation, too, in its own right.

Please tell me the recording did not say, "Press 1 to accept Jesus now." Some Evangelicals are getting that cheesy these days.

 

[posthuman]

i agree - Galatians 2:21 connects to 5:4

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. ​

​

& Galatians 5:4 connects here:

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
(Hebrews 12:14-17)​

to look out that no one fall from grace: because bitterness among us would defile many. the falling from grace is tied to believing righteousness is by the law, seeking to being justified by the law, to bitterness and defilement; to rejection and to Esau. there's something in Esau's history in the scripture that explains this.
and it is being countermanded by peace & holiness without respect of persons - here is, in the converse of falling from grace, remaining in His favor: He is life and peace, our righteousness and 'both just and justifier of the one who has faith' in Him, Jesus

 

[posthuman]

to look out that no one fall from grace: because bitterness among us would defile many. the falling from grace is tied to believing righteousness is by the law, seeking to being justified by the law, to bitterness and defilement; to rejection and to Esau. there's something in Esau's history in the scripture that explains this.
and it is being countermanded by peace & holiness without respect of persons - here is, in the converse of falling from grace, remaining in His favor: He is life and peace, our righteousness and 'both just and justifier of the one who has faith' in Him, Jesus

And Esau said, behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
(Genesis 25:32)
​

why did he think he was going to die?

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

This verse has nothing whatsoever to do with your question. It is a response to the Judaizers who wanted to promote the idea that Torah Observance was necessary for Christians.

As to God's grace to Christians, you will note that in almost every epistle, we are told that grace and peace come to us continuously through our Lord Jesus Christ.

You are reading and understanding from the letter (due to misplace faith). If your Faith is not placed and maintained exclusively in Christ and the Cross, "GRACE is cancelled, i.e., Christ has become of no benefit to you! You enter the Law of sin and death. Romans 8:2