“if I say...follow me to the store...do you continually try to figure out whether to turn left or right or straight? Or having made the decision to follow, do you simply follow along enjoying my company? “
well id say we should learn what he said about what to do is usually my point and then convert to what he taught believers to believe and do ….
so things like this
for me tend to shape how I believe about God and salvation and myself ect so for instance
See this to me doesn’t say “ just say I’m saved and don’t think I need to do anything
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth

proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Ephesians 5:1-17 KJV
see what I’m saying is just an example we should listen to “ what Paul is saying “ rather than find scriptures that seem to support our thoughts .and let our thinking fall in line with what he’s teaching there.
the important thing is that we make sure it’s the teachings of Jesus that form our faith and not those of Moses and the law or anyone telling us of another gospel.
It isn’t this
“And if any mischief follow, then
thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Exodus 21:23-25 KJV
Not equal wound and wrong for wrong …. But it’s what Jesus taught instead
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Matthew 5:38-39 KJV
Don’t repay blow for blow and wound for wound but instead forgive and don’t take revenge leave that for the lord and trust him to make all things right in the end
“Dearly beloved,
avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written,
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Romans 12:19 KJV
aid anyones sins need to be punished and paid for God will handle it vengeance isn’t ours but it belongs to the one who gave his life for us ….
the idea bro isnt working it’s learning and trusting and believing him as we follow him and yes of course enjoy his company but we can’t do that in our sins gotta leave hen behind for something better ahead
God is our source and all but what he teaches is we need to believe and do…..we need to do and believe as we learn from him . That’s all I’m saying of course we can’t be saved without Jesus death and resurrection but we also need to hear the things he said are true about life and death salvation and damnation ect and not reject those things
“
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:
the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
John 12:48 KJV
but
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:24 KJV
look what happens when we listen to him and learn from him believing ….
“
if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
that
ye put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
and
be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
and
that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Ephesians 4:21-24 KJV
we need to hear the gospel because of we do he can change our thinking from flawed to the truth directly from God meant to save and redeem our souls from slavery to sin and condemnation of death .
God was promising that the word that he spoke when he came as a man , would be what changed thier hearts and filled them with his spirit , he would also die as a atonement for sin but he also promised to renew thier minds and hearts with his word from his mouth ….
the gospel he preached sayong “ this is what Your Heavenly Father is like …. This is what he asks if you and this is what he promises you ….my kingdom is like this …forgivness is like this ect
those things if we believe in Jesus should be Gods word for us . What I’m saying is it isn’t about works but about faith in Jesus we need to listen to what he’s saying in the gospel about God and us and salvation eternal life ect because it’s this
“And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God, and eternal life.”
1 John 5:20 KJV
This understanding is in his doctrine his sermons and teachings ect …when he’s teaching them about God ….
“And
what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth :He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
For
he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for
God giveth not
the Spirit by measure unto him.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
and
he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
John 3:32-36
My belief is it’s all about Jesus and the gospel the apostles also taught the same things Jesus did but in some areas offer a more revealed account of something or add to what Jesus had said beforehand as he said they would do later
awe learn from the gospel itself that we actually do need to apply hos word and doctrine to our lives because of we don’t it won’t yield the same result as of we do . We learn from the gospel tbat we have a role and responsabilities in this as we mature . There’s a time when your correct like a babe we just don’t worry about anything or what we’re doing we just exist in daddy’s lap but later comes a time we need to do bc bores and work dads farm because we’re becoming adults