Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

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The problem with such sayings is that they miss the most important point. God saves sinners. If the person is not convicted that they are a sinner (not just that they sin sometimes), they will not see their need of forgiveness for who they are. "Asking Jesus into your heart" is a recipe for false conversions. Lord Jesus will not enter an unclean heart. Potential believers need to realise that they are lost and separated from God by sin. They need to realise that nothing they do can change that. "God be merciful to me, a sinner" is still the cry that God recognises. And when that person cries out, we can show them God's way of forgiveness through Christ.

Yes, knowing you are a sinner headed for hell and can do nothing to save yourself. Then believe on Jesus Christ..that He is God, that He lived, died and rose again, and asking for forgiveness.
 
chicken-and-egg" dilemma: If faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit, how can someone have faith before they receive the Holy Spirit?
The short answer is that the Holy Spirit is active in a person's life before He comes to permanently live inside them.

Yes, the HS was active during the OT dispensation and even from the beginning (Gen. 1:2, John 4:24).
 
there is only ONE WAY, the way Jesus Christ taught and lived- and the only "details" found in the Word showing that WAY is Torah.
When Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus did NOT answer him by saying: the teachings of the Torah are the way. I reveal the way TO YOU by teaching you the Torah. If you think this then you still do not understand Jesus or His message. Jesus did not say He would show us the way using the Torah. Here is what He really said,

6 Jesus answered, “I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 6:5-6)
I hope you see the difference between your idea and the answer Jesus actually gave? Your idea relegates Jesus to the role of a righteous rabbi. However, can you recall any other Rabbis who claimed to have the authority to (1) forgive sin and (2) grant eternal life
(Matthew 9:5-7; John 17:1-3 )

Since you cited the whole Torah as your reference, perhaps you can point out the verses where Moses wrote that complete and lasting forgiveness would one day come through the blood of the Lamb of God. While you are searching for that, also tell us where Moses predicted the coming of a future Messiah who would have the authority to grant eternal life to men.

there was no need to mention the Sabbath or murder or the other 8, they are clearly shown through out the Word.
So you are basing your view on an assumption that it did not NEED to be said since they already knew it. What about Gentile converts to the faith who had not grown up as Jews? What about general need to be informed about what the New Covenant requires? Some practices like circumcision were discontinued and I have yet to hear you insist that it must continue. Do you not think NC believers (especially Gentiles) might need to be taught that NOT keeping Shabbat - would endanger their eternal salvation?
Jesus did not come to condemn and punish, that time is coming it is knows as The time of the end
Question, for what reason will Jesus Christ put to death 90% of the earth by the time He sets foot on the Mount of Olives?
They did not accept Him in to their hearts????
A. First, I never said God will not judge mankind (for how they have lived). When Christ returns He will, on behalf of the Father, judge all humanity in order to determine what their just punishment or reward will be in the Olam Ha Ba. Although we owe our alliegiance to Jesus already and are obliged to do whatever He says. God, in His boundless generosity will reward us even for those things we did with His help.

B. Galatians 5:19-21 lists as "acts of the flesh": "sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like."
Is this list exact enough to give you an idea of what we will be judged for? There are many other short lists which the Apostles gave to warn us not to deviate from Christs gospel.

C. 2 Thessalonians 7-9 tells us what the final judgment will be like: 7...This [the judgment] will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who DO NOT KNOW GOD and DO NOT OBEY the GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 9 They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,…
 
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When Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus did NOT answer him by saying: the teachings of the Torah are the way. I reveal the way TO YOU by teaching you the Torah. If you think this then you still do not understand Jesus or His message. Jesus did not say He would show us the way using the Torah. Here is what He really said,

6 Jesus answered, “I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 6:5-6)
I hope you see the difference between your idea and the answer Jesus actually gave? Your idea relegates Jesus to the role of a righteous rabbi. However, can you recall any other Rabbis who claimed to have the authority to (1) forgive sin and (2) grant eternal life
(Matthew 9:5-7; John 17:1-3 )

Since you cited the whole Torah as your reference, perhaps you can point out the verses where Moses wrote that complete and lasting forgiveness would one day come through the blood of the Lamb of God. While you are searching for that, also tell us where Moses predicted the coming of a future Messiah who would have the authority to grant eternal life to men.


So you are basing your view on an assumption that it did not NEED to be said since they already knew it. What about Gentile converts to the faith who had not grown up as Jews? What about general need to be informed about what the New Covenant requires? Some practices like circumcision were discontinued and I have yet to hear you insist that it must continue. Do you not think NC believers (especially Gentiles) might need to be taught that NOT keeping Shabbat - would endanger their eternal salvation?

A. First, I never said God will not judge mankind (for how they have lived). When Christ returns He will, on behalf of the Father, judge all humanity in order to determine what their just punishment or reward will be in the Olam Ha Ba. Although we owe our alliegiance to Jesus already and are obliged to do whatever He says. God, in His boundless generosity will reward us even for those things we did with His help.

B. Galatians 5:19-21 lists as "acts of the flesh": "sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like."
Is this list exact enough to give you an idea of what we will be judged for? There are many other short lists which the Apostles gave to warn us not to deviate from Christs gospel.

C. 2 Thessalonians 7-9 tells us what the final judgment will be like: 7...This [the judgment] will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who DO NOT KNOW GOD and DO NOT OBEY the GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 9 They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,…
B. Galatians 5:19-21 lists as "acts of the flesh": are these not transgressions of the Commandments?

I am certain now, all those that follow Paul, will continue until the time of the end.
 
B. Galatians 5:19-21 lists as "acts of the flesh": are these not transgressions of the Commandments?
I am certain now, all those that follow Paul, will continue until the time of the end.
Paul as well as other Apostles like Peter included many commands in their writings which were meant to keep their flocks from participating in the immoral behaviors and false worship systems of the pagan cultures in which they lived. Altogether they even more than the original Ten probably to target the specific sinful practices that were common among the people they were preaching to.
 
I always look to the way Jesus son of man spoke to the Samaritan lady .Jesus knew her and her sins.Jesus actually went against a common law of not associated Jew & Samaritan. Jesus askes for water and she couldn't understand why etc Them Jesus gave her the offer water Anointing to never thirst again. She was wise but a shamed woman to Her people that's why she was at the well Alone.Jedus spoke of her shame and She spoke truth and look Jesus forgave her instantly. I can go on on,there is so much in the event .start of the two sticks a nation called after the jew first half breed Samaritans.
When one is cleanse in the holy spirit moves in when he talks to another in truth .
the Spirit has same for you living power Jesus showed with the Lady( forgive)
just pointing but we can forgive but it not us forgiving it's The Holy Spirit with witness to the sacrifice Lamb. Prior to that it was an offering once a year I believe that's a whole lot of shame for our nation in one year
.the rest is know him and grow close.Dont let sin be in the tongue and then it straighten the vessel path
 
The problem with such sayings is that they miss the most important point. God saves sinners. If the person is not convicted that they are a sinner (not just that they sin sometimes), they will not see their need of forgiveness for who they are. "Asking Jesus into your heart" is a recipe for false conversions. Lord Jesus will not enter an unclean heart. Potential believers need to realise that they are lost and separated from God by sin. They need to realise that nothing they do can change that. "God be merciful to me, a sinner" is still the cry that God recognises. And when that person cries out, we can show them God's way of forgiveness through Christ.
I fully concur with your estimate. Your reasoning is right on target, per usual.
 
This is one of the reasons the Holy Spirit was sent into the world - to convict men of their sins. Conviction is a very unpleasant work, in that it is not something we like hearing about ourselves. Usually we human's live in the delusion that that we are not AS BAD as we COULD be or not as bad as some others we know. This attempt to "grade ourselves on a curve" is a distortion of the carnal mind which is in league with the"god of this world" to keep us in bondage.

Unlike Martin Luther who believed the fall rendered the human will UNABLE to submit to God. Because of this the will itself had to receive "grace" to make it able to repent and believe. However, I believe the scriptures teach that it is our DESIRES (emotions and instinctive drives) that have been corrupted. Following these desires caused us to be alienated from the Spirit and to fall under the bondage of Satan:
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their THINKING. 18 They are darkened in their UNDERSTANDING and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.…(Ephesians 4:17-19)

The fact is that no one WILL turn from sin until they understand that they cannot get out of their prison any other way. Only when a soul is convinced of this will they look up to the bronze snake hanging on the pole to save them. The fruit of repentence is change of mind that causes me to look AWAY from myself and TO Christ
I use the KJV Bible from the Traditional Texts. It is translated in the context of the Holy Spirit's ministry to unbelievers the term "reprove" in John 16.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
 
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They are transgressions of the moral commandments, which are intended to lead sinners to repentance and cooperation with the HS of Christ, who commissioned and inspired Paul.


yes and the words of Paul are easily twisted and lead to destruction.
Christ says obey and Paul seems to say no, you are under grace i.e. the get out of prison for free card.

Why do you suppose Christ allowed the Words of Paul to cause so much confusion?? Was that a mistake Christ made??

It separates the called from the uncalled.
The Many from the FEW
 
chicken-and-egg" dilemma: If faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit, how can someone have faith before they receive the Holy Spirit?
The short answer is that the Holy Spirit is active in a person's life before He comes to permanently live inside them.
The Spirit has to on people before they come to faith.
…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict THE WORLD in regard to SIN and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;…(John 16:7-9)
The Spirit convicts the WORLD concerning their sinful lives as well as their unwillingness to believe in Jesus who can save them. This shows just how the Spirit works on unbelievers to bring them to faith in Christ.

As you pointed out - if God were UNABLE to deal with people who were not saved how could He bring anyone to Christ? The reason Luther and the Reformers had a hard time with this is because of their false belief in mankind's total HELPLESSNESS and INABILITY to "call upon the name of the Lord." Luther thought man's problem was a fallen will that did not have the ABILITY to choose Christ. Becaust they are UNABLE therefore God must unilaterally act upon them to change their will INVOLUNTARILY

Although Jesus said: 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me DRAWS him,
The Greek word "draw" (helko) can have several senses according to the degree of force that is implied. For instance, when
Acts 21:30 spoke of Paul being DRAGGED out of the temple it means they physically overpowered him and forced him out.
In that instance, Paul had no agency since the mob was much stronger than Paul as an individual
However, there is a less forceful use of the word helko where it takes focuses on the attraction-power involved with the drawing. The meaning then is comparable to the verb induce (draw in).
 
yes and the words of Paul are easily twisted and lead to destruction.
Christ says obey and Paul seems to say no, you are under grace i.e. the get out of prison for free card.

Why do you suppose Christ allowed the Words of Paul to cause so much confusion?? Was that a mistake Christ made??

It separates the called from the uncalled.
The Many from the FEW
When you do not understand the meaning of a passage of scripture do you automatically assume God is the One "allowing" your confusion or non-comprehension, or that God HIMSELF made a mistake when He inspired a prophet or teacher to speak or write?

Solomon told us:
1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding
;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures
,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6For the
Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding
;

(Proverbs 2:1-6)
If you do not have a heart that is hungry to know the knowledge of God you will not find it.

How many people heard the prophets words but rejected them outright because it did not make sense?
God wants to be understood but we have to be ready to hear Him and obey what He says. to act on what He tells us





 
I use the KJV Bible from the Traditional Texts. It is translated in the context of the Holy Spirit's ministry to unbelievers the term "reprove" in John 16.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
The word REPROVE or CONVICT comes from the Greek verb elegchó (ἐλέγχω) which means: to convict, to reprove, to expose, to refute, properly, to convince with solid, compelling evidence, especially to expose (prove wrong, connect) generally with a suggestion of the shame of the person convicted (https://biblehub.com/greek/1651.htm)

Conviction is the bad news that we are sinners. However, until we know that we will not see our need for the Savior and discover the good news.
 
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They are transgressions of the moral commandments, which are intended to lead sinners to repentance and cooperation with the HS of Christ, who commissioned and inspired Paul.
I have known many believers Christians who being deceived by Satan were led from the path of truth into sexual immorality. Repentance is not just something that happens in the beginning of our walk. It is one of the foundational stones on which the Temple of God [the Church] has been established.
 
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yes and the words of Paul are easily twisted and lead to destruction.
Christ says obey and Paul seems to say no, you are under grace i.e. the get out of prison for free card.

Why do you suppose Christ allowed the Words of Paul to cause so much confusion?? Was that a mistake Christ made??

It separates the called from the uncalled.
The Many from the FEW

The words of Paul are inspired by the words of Christ, and both are easily twisted, as tulipists demonstrate daily.
Christ Jesus himself also said to believe (John 6:29), and nowhere does He indicate sinners can earn salvation by works.
No, He commanded sinners to believe in Him (John 3:16), and His remarks regarding obedience are meant to prompt repentance
and cooperation with His loving HS (Matt. 22:37-40).
 
When you do not understand the meaning of a passage of scripture do you automatically assume God is the One "allowing" your confusion or non-comprehension, or that God HIMSELF made a mistake when He inspired a prophet or teacher to speak or write?

Solomon told us:
1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding
;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures
,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6For the
Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding
;

(Proverbs 2:1-6)
If you do not have a heart that is hungry to know the knowledge of God you will not find it.

How many people heard the prophets words but rejected them outright because it did not make sense?
God wants to be understood but we have to be ready to hear Him and obey what He says. to act on what He tells us

The words of Paul are inspired by the words of Christ, and both are easily twisted, as tulipists demonstrate daily.
Christ Jesus himself also said to believe (John 6:29), and nowhere does He indicate sinners can earn salvation by works.
No, He commanded sinners to believe in Him (John 3:16), and His remarks regarding obedience are meant to prompt repentance
and cooperation with His loving HS (Matt. 22:37-40).

I keep hearing the ""Words" -- "believe in Him", folks use these little saying as if they were easy to understand
can you explain in detail exactly how that is Accomplished?
How would I know I believe in Him? is there something I must do to show I believe in Him?
will I feel it in my heart? must I utter words - what?
What do those three words mean, exactly?

I can under stand "Believe Him". I do believe what He taught and I do my best to obey.
but 'believe in Him" is vague. can be construed into 100 different ideas and I am sure if I asked this of 100 people I would get 150 different opinions.
Do I believe He is the First Born Son of God, absolutely!!
Do I believe He died for me to pay my personal debt for all my sins -- absolutely!
Do I believe He is returning to earth to rule for 1000 year again Yes!
Do I believe He made everything that exist on earth and heaven,, yes!

Sorry, I need words and phrases with mental pictures, words that can not be defined 50 diverse ways

When Christ says something like this: "If you love me keep My Commandments", I have zero difficulty in understanding. or this one 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

and with a word like "fulfil" I can go to Strong's and get the full definition,
pléroó: To fill, to make full, to complete, to fulfill
so I can easily see what Christ meant, since He said twice He did not come to destroy the Law, therefore; HE came to make it full and complete.

I have no interest in abstract ideas or vague thoughts
 
I use the KJV Bible from the Traditional Texts. It is translated in the context of the Holy Spirit's ministry to unbelievers the term "reprove" in John 16.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
"Reprove" is a pretty tame word. It's fine for believers, but unbelievers need to know that sin is a big deal. I prefer "convict" because that relates to the conscience. The word translated reprove or convict is the same in the modern versions.
 
"Reprove" is a pretty tame word. It's fine for believers, but unbelievers need to know that sin is a big deal. I prefer "convict" because that relates to the conscience. The word translated reprove or convict is the same in the modern versions.
Context led the translators of the Traditional Text to choose Reprove in that verse.
Convict does not make grammerical or soteriological sense,
 
I keep hearing the ""Words" -- "believe in Him", folks use these little saying as if they were easy to understand
can you explain in detail exactly how that is Accomplished?
How would I know I believe in Him? is there something I must do to show I believe in Him?
will I feel it in my heart? must I utter words - what?
What do those three words mean, exactly?

I can under stand "Believe Him". I do believe what He taught and I do my best to obey.
but 'believe in Him" is vague. can be construed into 100 different ideas and I am sure if I asked this of 100 people I would get 150 different opinions.
Do I believe He is the First Born Son of God, absolutely!!
Do I believe He died for me to pay my personal debt for all my sins -- absolutely!
Do I believe He is returning to earth to rule for 1000 year again Yes!
Do I believe He made everything that exist on earth and heaven,, yes!

Sorry, I need words and phrases with mental pictures, words that can not be defined 50 diverse ways

When Christ says something like this: "If you love me keep My Commandments", I have zero difficulty in understanding. or this one 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

and with a word like "fulfil" I can go to Strong's and get the full definition,
pléroó: To fill, to make full, to complete, to fulfill
so I can easily see what Christ meant, since He said twice He did not come to destroy the Law, therefore; HE came to make it full and complete.

I have no interest in abstract ideas or vague thoughts

I am surprised that you have not seen my creed, but I will remind you as long as I post on CC so that you may be firmly established in the Gospel:

The normative way of stating the meaning of saving faith in the NT is “Accept Christ Jesus as Lord” (as in Acts 16:31, 2Cor. 4:5 & Col. 2:6) or “Love Jesus as Messiah and Lord” (John 8:42). The main points of Christian orthodoxy implicit in these statements can be explained or elaborated as follows:

  1. There is a/one all-loving and just Lord or God (Deut. 6:4, John 3:16, 2Thes. 1:6), who is both able (2Tim. 1:12) and willing (1Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11) to provide all morally accountable human beings salvation or heaven—a wonderful life full of love, joy and peace forever.
  2. Human beings are selfish or sinful (Rom. 3:23, 2Tim. 3:2-4, Col. 3:5), miserable (Gal. 5:19-21), and hopeless (Eph. 2:12) or hell-bound at the judgment (Matt. 23:33 & 25:46) when they reject God’s salvation (John 3:18, Rom. 2:5-11).
  3. Jesus is God’s Messiah/Christ and incarnate Son, the way that God has chosen (John 3:16, Acts 16:30-31, Phil. 2:9-11) of providing salvation by means of his atoning death on the cross for the payment of the penalty for the sins of humanity (Rom. 3:22-25 & 5:9-11), followed by his resurrection to reign in heaven (1Cor. 15:14-28).
  4. Thus, every person who hears the NT Gospel needs to repent and accept God’s justification in Jesus as Christ/Messiah the Lord or Supreme Commander (Luke 2:11, John 14:6, Acts 16:31), which means trying to obey His commandment to love one another (Matt. 22:37-40, John 13:35, Rom. 13:9)—forever (Matt. 10:22, Psa. 113:2).
  5. Then God’s Holy Spirit will establish a saving relationship with those who freely accept Him (Rev. 3:20) that will eventually achieve heaven when by means of persevering in learning Truth/God’s Word/sanctification everyone cooperates fully with His will (John 14:6, 17& 26, Rom. 8:6-17, Gal. 6:7-9, Eph. 1:13-14, Heb. 10:36, 12:1, Jam. 1:2-4).