THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ETERNAL LIFE ACCORDING TO JESUS

[Ruthie]

Let us be very clear about something because what is being taught here is not a small misunderstanding. It is a serious distortion of what Jesus actually said and it needs to be addressed honestly and directly.

Yes Jesus said whoever believes has eternal life. That is true and nobody is arguing with it. But the question you are carefully avoiding is this. What did Jesus Himself mean by the word believes? Because the way you are using it, as though simply acknowledging Jesus exists and nodding your head in His direction is sufficient for eternal life, is not what Jesus taught. Not even close. And teaching people that it is will lead them straight to the most terrifying moment imaginable standing before Jesus and hearing words they never expected to hear.

Let us go directly to His words because His words are the only standard that matters here.

In the same chapter as the most quoted verse in the Bible Jesus said something that completely redefines what genuine belief means and most people conveniently skip straight past it:

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 3:36 KJV)

The phrase believeth not there is the Greek word apeitheo. It does not mean intellectual doubt. It means to disobey. To refuse to be persuaded. To be obstinate. John placed the promise of eternal life and the warning of God's wrath in the same sentence and defined the difference between them as obedience versus disobedience. Not belief versus atheism. Obedience versus disobedience. That is what genuine belief looks like according to the very chapter everyone quotes for their easy believe and you are saved theology.

And then Jesus said this in the same sermon where He promised eternal life to believers:

Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 KJV)

Saying Lord Lord is a declaration of belief. These people believed enough to call Him Lord. They believed enough to do works in His name. They prophesied in His name. They cast out demons in His name. They did wonderful works in His name. By every outward measure of Christian religious life they looked like genuine believers. And Jesus looked at them and said:

I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:23 KJV)

I never knew you. Not I used to know you. Not I knew you but you lost your salvation. I never knew you. Their belief was real enough to produce religious activity but not real enough to produce genuine obedience and genuine relationship with Christ. And Jesus rejected it completely and permanently. That is not a minor theological footnote. That is Jesus describing a massive category of people who thought they were saved, who called Him Lord, who did works in His name, and who will be devastated to discover on that final day that their easy believism was never the genuine article.

Jesus then tied belief, love and obedience together so tightly that no honest reading of His words can separate them:

If ye love me keep my commandments. (John 14:15 KJV)

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me. (John 14:21 KJV)

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. (John 14:24 KJV)

Read that last one again. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. Jesus is saying in plain language that a person who does not keep His words does not love Him. And a person who does not love Him does not genuinely believe in Him in the way that produces eternal life. You cannot honestly read those three verses and still teach that belief requires nothing beyond a mental acknowledgment. Jesus demolished that idea Himself in His own words on the night before He went to the cross.

He described genuine belief through the image of the vine and the branches and the warning He attached to it is sobering and serious:

If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. (John 15:6 KJV)

Cast into the fire. That is Jesus speaking. Not a theologian. Not a commentator. Jesus. A branch that produces no fruit is not genuinely connected to the vine regardless of how much it looks like it belongs there from the outside. And the destiny of that fruitless branch is fire.

He described it again through the two builders and the difference was not what they knew or what they believed intellectually. It was what they did with what they heard:

Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:26-27 KJV)

Great was the fall of it. That is a description of catastrophic and final destruction. And the person who experienced it had heard the words of Jesus. They just did not do them. They believed enough to build a house. They just built it on the wrong foundation. And their version of belief could not survive the storm.

Now here is what makes teaching the kind of easy believism you are promoting so genuinely dangerous. It gives people false assurance. It tells them that a one time mental agreement or a prayer said at an altar somewhere in their past is sufficient for eternal life regardless of how they live afterward. It produces exactly the kind of person Jesus described in Matthew 7. Someone who calls Him Lord, does religious activities in His name and has absolutely no idea until it is too late that their belief was never the living, obedient, fruit bearing, commandment keeping faith that Jesus was talking about when He promised eternal life.

And the word Jesus used for that kind of false assurance is not gentle. He called it iniquity. Lawlessness. The Greek word anomia meaning a life lived without regard for God's law. And He said to those who lived that way while calling Him Lord the most devastating words any human being will ever hear:

Depart from me. (Matthew 7:23 KJV)

Teaching people that belief requires nothing, costs nothing and changes nothing is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a distortion of it that leads sincere people to build their eternal destiny on sand. And Jesus warned about exactly that with complete seriousness and complete clarity.

Genuine belief in Jesus means trusting Him completely as Lord and Saviour. Loving Him with your whole heart. Keeping His commandments not to earn salvation but because a heart genuinely transformed by the Holy Spirit naturally desires to walk in the ways of the One it loves. Abiding in Him daily. Bearing fruit. Hearing His words and doing them. Building on the rock.

That is the belief Jesus promised eternal life to. Not a theological checkbox. A living, transforming, obedient, fruit bearing relationship with the Son of God that changes everything from the inside out.

He said it Himself with perfect simplicity:

Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24 KJV)

Hear and do. That is genuine belief. Anything less is sand. And Jesus told us exactly what happens to sand when the storm comes.

Thank you for this post.
I attend a fast growing evangelical church.
They preach Jesus, Grace, Faith.
I have wonderful friends there that love Jesus. Wonderful life groups with other people who love Jesus. We have a wonderful outreach program I'm involved in and we collect food and do what we can for the large homeless population in our community.
Worship is beautiful before the sermon.
However, the sermons are starting to focus more on tithes and offerings and blessings to be had by giving. Not good biblical doctrine that brought me to this church years ago before it got so big that I now feel it's more like a business.

My heart is grieved.

What you posted is what needs to be preached weekly.

Our church has doubled in size in one year. We just built a new sanctuary that now fits 800 and we have two services.

So many in our community are searching. However, I feel we are not preaching the whole gospel. Yes, saved by Grace through believing in Jesus but we lost that believing means also obeying. Not by works. But that when we are truly saved and the Holy Spirit lives in us than our life will show it. We are to be the light of the world and people should look at us and know we follow and love Jesus by our lives.
Thx again for your post.

 

[Gideon300]

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ETERNAL LIFE ACCORDING TO JESUS
(All verses are from the ASV.)​

Jesus never left people unsure about eternal life. When someone asked Him how to enter the Kingdom, His answer always pointed to the same truths: trust in Him, keeping God’s commandments, doing the Father’s will, following His voice, and staying united with Him.

One of the clearest moments is when the rich young ruler came with a sincere question. The Scripture says, “And behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him… if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:16–19). Jesus then listed the commandments to show exactly what He meant. Eternal life is connected to obeying God.

Jesus also said that calling Him Lord is not enough. Eternal life belongs to those who do the Father’s will. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). This makes obedience to God’s will part of the path to life.

Jesus also linked eternal life with keeping His word. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death” (John 8:51). Keeping His word means trusting Him, obeying Him, and letting His teaching guide our daily steps.

He also taught that we must abide in Him. “Abide in me, and I in you… for apart from me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4–5). To abide in Him is to stay close to Him, listen to His voice, and walk in His teaching. Jesus explained how this abiding works: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love” (John 15:10). Obedience is not a burden. It is the way we remain in His love.

Jesus also spoke of following Him, because He is the only way that leads to the Father. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life” (John 10:27–28). Eternal life is promised to those who hear His voice and follow His steps.

He also spoke of the final judgment, showing that our choices matter. “They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28–29). Here Jesus shows that eternal life is tied to a life shaped by obedience, faith, and goodness.

Together, these teachings show that eternal life is given to those who believe in Jesus, follow Him, keep the commandments, abide in His love, walk in the Father’s will, and live a life of doing good. His words form one simple, clear path.

Isaiah 60:1-12
Arise, shine;For your light has come!And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,And deep darkness the people;But the Lord will arise over you,And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant,And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land,The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.

8 “Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?
9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them,To the name of the Lord your God,
And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has glorified you.

10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls,And their kings shall minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

​

Let me help you here.

"Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." John 17:3

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6

"Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Eternal life is found only in Jesus. There is not one word about keeping the commandments.

'Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”' John 3:3

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” John 6:29

The religious continually emphasise what man must do. They seem to overlook the vital part. And that is what God has done in Christ.

So Lord Jesus made it clear, but you have muddied the waters by shifting the emphasis from Christ to man.

 

[vassal]

What exactly do you believe if you are not SDA? I always see you "liking" or "loving" their posts.


🕊

What I believe is exactly from what is written in the bible and nothing else, I have not found one church that follow the words of Jesus, not one! i like some of Sda's posts if it agrees with scripture. more often then not its their posts ( and many of yours also when i see them and read them) The spirit of God is with you and you belong to him.

 

[TMS]

Let me help you here.

"Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." John 17:3

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6

"Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Eternal life is found only in Jesus. There is not one word about keeping the commandments.

'Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”' John 3:3

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” John 6:29

The religious continually emphasise what man must do. They seem to overlook the vital part. And that is what God has done in Christ.

So Lord Jesus made it clear, but you have muddied the waters by shifting the emphasis from Christ to man.

I agree with these bible verses.
You have made it really easy. This is really pleasing to my ears.. Are you being selective?
I believe in Jesus with all my heart.

I'm sure He won't blot my name out of the book of life because I long to be like Jesus. Because I have a hatred for the thing (sin) that put Jesus on the cross and caused a Him so much pain. Because I desire to walk in the Spirit and obey the law. .... because I don't want to sin, i want to be like Jesus.

Hopefully because I love Jesus and don't want sin to cause any pain for Him, He will not remove my name from the book of life.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

 

[vassal]

Let me help you here.

"Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." John 17:3

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6

"Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Eternal life is found only in Jesus. There is not one word about keeping the commandments.

'Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”' John 3:3

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” John 6:29

The religious continually emphasise what man must do. They seem to overlook the vital part. And that is what God has done in Christ.

So Lord Jesus made it clear, but you have muddied the waters by shifting the emphasis from Christ to man.

Now, it's my turn to help you here, you still don't get that the covenant is all of the Ten Commandments, all of them as spoken by God, BECAUSE He said so and because Jesus said the same thing. Wake UP! What is in the Ark of the Covenant, where GOD appeared above it in the desert? The ten commandments!! (Exodus 25:21-22; Deuteronomy 10:4-5) Guess what — the book of Revelation says this same ARK was seen in Heaven, in the future!! (Revelation 11:19) Do you get it now?

The difference between the old and new covenants is the HOLY SPIRIT, as indicated in (Jeremiah 31:31-34) — it's as simple as that. It is by this Holy Spirit that we remember scripture and have the strength to do God's will. (John 14:26)

People who truly believe Christ and who belong to Him know this and do as He asks. Jesus clearly said; IF you love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) No one can deny that Jesus kept them all and magnified them. (Matthew 5:17-19) He sent his twelve to the gentiles to teach all they knew about him and why. (Matthew 28:19-20) No one can deny this, if they do, they either do not understand, or know but do not follow Jesus. As simple as that.

 

[TMS]

What I believe is exactly from what is written in the bible and nothing else, I have not found one church that follow the words of Jesus, not one! i like some of Sda's posts if it agrees with scripture. more often then not its their posts ( and many of yours also when i see them and read them) The spirit of God is with you and you belong to him.

The bible should be our only source of truth.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Every church has its issues.

The Adventists were extremely strong on making sure everything could be proved by scripture..

The bible is their standard. Not tradition or past teachings that have no Biblical bases.

But they too have winds of doctrine that people try to introduce. All churches do.

The thing that causes most persecution is the belief in Ellen White as a prophet of God.

I personally believe she was. The things that she wrote are so spiritual and helpful to your relationship with Jesus it must be from God.
She points to Jesus as the source of all power. The wisdom she was given far exceeded her time and today it is very beneficial.
Long story short, once you read some of her books it is easy to conclude that God was guiding her.
But she even says that the bible is the standard of truth to test all by. I don't find her writting contradict the bible.

 

[TMS]

What I believe is exactly from what is written in the bible and nothing else, I have not found one church that follow the words of Jesus, not one! i like some of Sda's posts if it agrees with scripture. more often then not its their posts ( and many of yours also when i see them and read them) The spirit of God is with you and you belong to him.

The bible should be our only source of truth.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Every church has its issues.

The Adventists were extremely strong on making sure everything could be proved by scripture..

The bible is their standard. Not tradition or past teachings that have no Biblical bases.

But they too have winds of doctrine that people try to introduce. All churches do.

The thing that causes most persecution is the belief in Ellen White as a prophet of God.

I personally believe she was. The things that she wrote are so spiritual and helpful to your relationship with Jesus it must be from God.
She points to Jesus as the source of all power. The wisdom she was given far exceeded her time and today it is very beneficial.
Long story short, once you read some of her books it is easy to conclude that God was guiding her.
But she even says that the bible is the standard of truth to test all by. I don't find her writting contradict the bible.

 

[Gideon300]

I agree with these bible verses.
You have made it really easy. This is really pleasing to my ears.. Are you being selective?
I believe in Jesus with all my heart.

I'm sure He won't blot my name out of the book of life because I long to be like Jesus. Because I have a hatred for the thing (sin) that put Jesus on the cross and caused a Him so much pain. Because I desire to walk in the Spirit and obey the law. .... because I don't want to sin, i want to be like Jesus.

Hopefully because I love Jesus and don't want sin to cause any pain for Him, He will not remove my name from the book of life.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Do you still not see? If you have Jesus dwelling in you, you have eternal life right now. It is true that nothing that is unrighteous will enter the Kingdom of God. I'm happy about that. Any weights, hindrances, wrong attitudes or sin that still binds me will not go with me when I die. God has done an amazing work in my life since I was born again. Yet I'm still a work in progress.

I've done the "Jacob" thing, wrestling with God over issues that were incredibly important - to me. God had other ideas. He prevailed and I'm glad. I've been in the darkest places in my thoughts and struggled with depression for years. The one day, the penny dropped. There was nothing that I had to do except believe God and what he has done for me in Christ. Then accept that for myself. I knew nothing of this the moment I received Christ. All I knew was my guilt was gone and I had changed. That was instantaneous. It's the new birth.

In my early days as a believer, I had many doubts. God's word was a great comfort. Psalm 139 was a pretty good reflection of where I was at. Now Galatians 2:20 is my go to verse.

In order for to lose my salvation, someone would have to go back 2,000 years and stop Lord Jesus dying and rising again.

 

[Gideon300]

The bible should be our only source of truth.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Every church has its issues.

The Adventists were extremely strong on making sure everything could be proved by scripture..

The bible is their standard. Not tradition or past teachings that have no Biblical bases.

But they too have winds of doctrine that people try to introduce. All churches do.

The thing that causes most persecution is the belief in Ellen White as a prophet of God.

I personally believe she was. The things that she wrote are so spiritual and helpful to your relationship with Jesus it must be from God.
She points to Jesus as the source of all power. The wisdom she was given far exceeded her time and today it is very beneficial.
Long story short, once you read some of her books it is easy to conclude that God was guiding her.
But she even says that the bible is the standard of truth to test all by. I don't find her writting contradict the bible.

Perhaps you can explain why SDA believe that Lord Jesus did not enter the holiest place until 1844. Hebrews 9:24 contradicts that statement. I find more than enough contradictions between SDA doctrine and the Bible.

Sure, every church has its issues. Not every church blatantly promotes such obvious false doctrine. And for sure Saturday worship is not the mark of the beast. Salvation is not based on what we do, it is based on the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

 

[2ndTimeIsTheCharm]

What I believe is exactly from what is written in the bible and nothing else, I have not found one church that follow the words of Jesus, not one! i like some of Sda's posts if it agrees with scripture. more often then not its their posts ( and many of yours also when i see them and read them) The spirit of God is with you and you belong to him.

You have to be careful not to fall for the SDA. They are not rooted in Christ but are trying to pass themselves off as Christians. Read up on how the organization was formed and the false teachers that built it up.

What is your salvation story? Did you get water baptized by immersion by conscious decision, not sprinkled with water as a baby?

If you don't go to church, how do you obey God on not forsaking the assemblying of the saints?

Who is helping you to be accountable? Otherwise, you can end up straying from the Lord into all sorts of wierd ungodly stuff.


🕊

 

[vassal]

The bible should be our only source of truth.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Every church has its issues.

The Adventists were extremely strong on making sure everything could be proved by scripture..

The bible is their standard. Not tradition or past teachings that have no Biblical bases.

But they too have winds of doctrine that people try to introduce. All churches do.

The thing that causes most persecution is the belief in Ellen White as a prophet of God.

I personally believe she was. The things that she wrote are so spiritual and helpful to your relationship with Jesus it must be from God.
She points to Jesus as the source of all power. The wisdom she was given far exceeded her time and today it is very beneficial.
Long story short, once you read some of her books it is easy to conclude that God was guiding her.
But she even says that the bible is the standard of truth to test all by. I don't find her writting contradict the bible.

i Know the SDA followers do follow the bible, closely its evident. no need to defend. Personally I measure all against Jesus words I follow Him exclusively and closely, I am not perfect but with time and the Holy Spirit, i am making progress. the thing to do is immersing yourself in bible scripture, if people did this it would change their lives.

 

[vassal]

You have to be careful not to fall for the SDA. They are not rooted in Christ but are trying to pass themselves off as Christians. Read up on how the organization was formed and the false teachers that built it up.

What is your salvation story? Did you get water baptized by immersion by conscious decision, not sprinkled with water as a baby?

If you don't go to church, how do you obey God on not forsaking the assemblying of the saints?

Who is helping you to be accountable? Otherwise, you can end up straying from the Lord into all sorts of wierd ungodly stuff.


🕊

You have to be careful not to fall for the SDA. They are not rooted in Christ but are trying to pass themselves off as Christians. Read up on how the organization was formed and the false teachers that built it up. i did read in the past but Jesus tells us to look at the fruit of a tree, the SDA i know here do focus on. the sabbath but what they say about it is true as far as I saw here anyways. They are well grounded in scrioture and thar is rere today.

What is your salvation story? Did you get water baptized by immersion by conscious decision, not sprinkled with water as a baby? as a baby, i am a weird person but I remember it, the face of the priest amd the water on my face and No i did not imagine it, I remember many other things that normally I should Not, My Mother conformed it all. but when I read John 17 as a young man My spirit lifted from my body and then I Knew Jesus was God and everything he said was true, that moment was a revelation and I felt a wave of Love engulf me and I could see myself from above.

If you don't go to church, how do you obey God on not forsaking the assemblying of the saints? My assembly is here, daily but lately with so much oppositions to the words of Christ I am revising this. Fear not, for true believers, Jesus is close by and watches over you, I have witnessed this myself but will not speak of it here.

Who is helping you to be accountable? Otherwise, you can end up straying from the Lord into all sorts of wierd ungodly stuff. The Holy Spirit guides you and tells you of sin its that easy. also I read more and More the bible, its am amazing book. what Jesus told us is all true and Hid words are eternal life, there are absolutely no other substitute for salvation.

for me right now the weird and ungodly stuff is this evil world and TV! lol

 

[SabbathBlessing]

for me right now the weird and ungodly stuff is this evil world and TV! lol

Amen! Its spirit like frogs trying to re-program us. Its devasting to the Christian mind.

 

[posthuman]

Your type of christianity NEVER existed in the church.

i don't think you have any idea what i believe, or how i live.

 

[Toknow]

i don't think you have any idea what i believe, or how i live.

I really don't care how you live...you'll take that up with God.

As to how you believe....
you're offering push-back on what I've written.
All I've written is that we are to obey God.

That says a lot about what you believe.

And I don't see any scripture.
So everything you've stated, so far, is your opinion.

Your opinion is of no interest to anyone.

 

[Qt]

none , i follow none except Jesus.

I think we all should avoid allegiance to a church organization,
although we may prefer to attend a particular church for various reasons
including loving fellowship, uplifting music and edifying teaching.

The whole allegiance thing is an issue but one should go and worship somewhere.

 

[vassal]

Thank you for this post.
I attend a fast growing evangelical church.
They preach Jesus, Grace, Faith.
I have wonderful friends there that love Jesus. Wonderful life groups with other people who love Jesus. We have a wonderful outreach program I'm involved in and we collect food and do what we can for the large homeless population in our community.
Worship is beautiful before the sermon.
However, the sermons are starting to focus more on tithes and offerings and blessings to be had by giving. Not good biblical doctrine that brought me to this church years ago before it got so big that I now feel it's more like a business.

My heart is grieved.

What you posted is what needs to be preached weekly.

Our church has doubled in size in one year. We just built a new sanctuary that now fits 800 and we have two services.

So many in our community are searching. However, I feel we are not preaching the whole gospel. Yes, saved by Grace through believing in Jesus but we lost that believing means also obeying. Not by works. But that when we are truly saved and the Holy Spirit lives in us than our life will show it. We are to be the light of the world and people should look at us and know we follow and love Jesus by our lives.
Thx again for your post.

thank you for the kind words, feel free to reuse my posts anytime, personally, I am non denominational and an still searching for a proper church. For now I am content to read the gospels and the O.T. I love to write so if you need me to research a bible topic i would be glad to help and provide a post or document and it's Free!!.... lol

welcome to C.C Ruthie.

 

[vassal]

Amen to that

Thank you Lisha and welcome to Christian Chat Forums.

 

[Ruthie]

thank you for the kind words, feel free to reuse my posts anytime, personally, I am non denominational and an still searching for a proper church. For now I am content to read the gospels and the O.T. I love to write so if you need me to research a bible topic i would be glad to help and provide a post or document and it's Free!!.... lol

welcome to C.C Ruthie.

Thx vassal, I am very much enjoying this thread and particularly your posts.
Our church is also non denominational and when people ask what religion I am I tell them I am a follower of Jesus Christ

 

[posthuman]

Your type of christianity NEVER existed in the church.

you have imagined an enemy, and superimposed it on me.

Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. Therefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to the principles of Christianity. For whosoever is called by any other name besides this, is not of God. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the sour leaven, and be changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ. Be salted in Him, lest any one among you should be corrupted, since by your savour you shall be convicted. It is absurd to profess Christ Jesus, and to Judaize. For Christianity did not embrace Judaism, but Judaism Christianity, that so every tongue which believes might be gathered together to God.​

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-Ignatius​