Then there are those who don't begin with man's theology and just read, believe, and live out the Word of God.
Is it by Grace or is it by Works?
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On what basis does God give anyone faith, then? What is it, if anything, the person says, does, feels...or whatever it is you're saying, prompts God to give them faith?
MM
Work OUT...directional. Our salvation brings forth good works and fruits that should flow outwardly. We don't WORK our salvation into reality with it being a gift. Am I understanding your meaning correctly in my counter?
MM
In the schemes of today.........The prevalent thoughts/teachings are CALVIE( saved by Sovereignty.) And Armin/Catholic /workers (saved by works.)
Grace through faith(the TRUTH) is hardly preached in todays churches.
Makes sense, considering He told us the truth will be suppressed and many will not follow the truth.
Saved by Grace through faith is the truth. And is contented by just about all churches if one is paying attention.
Excellent point!
Sovereignty...
When I've seen people try to apply that descriptor to God, they demonstrate repeatedly to all who listen or read their stuff just how little they know what that term means nor the implications to which it points when misapplying it to God.
Thank you for bringing this up.
MM
Yes we don't hear much in churches about sovereignty. And also it is the opposite of what you teach, which is salvation by grace without the need to obey the lord's voice (the highest sovereign).
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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23
As you know, "sovereignty" Is not one of Gods eternal attributes. It is a time attribute.......If The reformed/calvie would let that really sink in........They would drop their RELIGION.
What is Grace....with a need?
Acts 16:31, John 3:16.
If Grace "needs" something, it is no longer GRACE.
And this explains the "Workers for."
In that day(JUDGEMENT DAY) the workers will plead their case with all their righteous works because they never relied on His GRACE and His WORKS.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:46-49
Yep. The Lord Jesus Christ is the rock/foundation.....Not our works.
Amen! In regard to Matthew 7:22, Jesus never knew these many people (vs. 23) which means they were never saved. These many people in Matthew 7:22 had the wrong foundation. They were trusting in their works to save them and not in Jesus Christ alone. (Ephesians 2:8,9) Their hearts were not right with God, so their "attempted external obedience" (apart from the righteousness of God which is by faith and the blood of Jesus Christ - Romans 3:24-28; Philippians 3:9) was still stained with sin. Hence, workers of iniquity/practice lawlessness.
In context, Jesus is warning about false prophets. Matthew 7:15 - Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Jesus exposed the rotten fruit of self-righteousness false prophets in Matthew 7:22-23.
*Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
*John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Not divorced. Faith is the root of salvation and good works are the fruit. No good works at all would demonstrate there is no root. We are saved FOR good works, but not by good works.
You nailed that. "Our theology is what we believe GW (GODS WORD) teaches. You can't even take the time to type GODS WORD it has to be GW........The workers are cutting corners......Not good.
John 5:24
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Illegitimate pilots have very skillfully hijacked grace through faith and flown them into the twin towers of (self-) indulgence and religion, where indulgence is synonymous to "losing oneself" and religion wherein faith is broadly defined as "strong believe in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof."
Immediately after Jesus said the Father would send the Holy Spirit Who would "teach you all things and will remind of you everything I have told you." The very first thing He said after this is, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid." (John 4:26-27).
And, frankly, both of those doctrines are inherently designed to deposit one fear or another, like hidden bombs in the shoes of the gospel.
The accursed will continue to hoist the colors of their works-based gospel, which is indeed another gospel akin to what that the Judaizers attempted to corrupt the body of Christ, driving Paul to ask them who had bewitched them.
Galatians 3:1-4
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
The largest denomination in Christianity, the ignorant, think that works of the Law are only legalistic works, such as ceremonial works, but that's not at all true. The Law if filled with many elements of conduct, one toward another, much of which is encapsulated in that they would point out as benevolent acts toward others without any reference to the Mosaic Law. They have the warped idea that the Law was some sort of dictator of ceremonial things only when, in fact, it outlines in considerable detail the benevolence of provision for the poor, grace for those who killed another by accident and without malice of intent, the list is extensive.
I say this only to point out one other key thing Paul stated in the verses above, which is to point out, "...now made perfect by the flesh."
That's not limited to the Mosaic Law, as many today seem to assume into what it means to do good works. All works are of the flesh, for one cannot do a good work without some physical act within the flesh. Otherwise it's just good words or a good thought, neither of which qualifies as a work.
So, feeble attempts by some out there who to try and relegate grace as needing anything at all on our part other than faith, which is not a work, they're injecting into scripture what isn't there and they are accursed. Faith does have outward flowing expressions of good words and acts from believers toward others, but that's an outward flow, not inward directed, and grace being unmerited FAVOR, which is something they all seem to miss, dare we speak on the topic of need, we ALL need it in order to be saved through faith.
MM
Apparently you missed the memo in which I shared that I am glad my initials are GW in honor of God's Word that I love so much--
so sue me!