Not By Works

I would say Jesus was referencing the Pharisees here and not belivers.

Yes God wants our sincerity/honesty.
We only have to look at David to see how he approached God.
It wasn't all lovey/dovey as we say over here.

God wants our love, he wants relationship.
A relationship can only be based on a mutual loving relationship.
We know God loves us 100%.
Complete AGAPE love.
We love because we are loved.
As we grow in Agape love towards God we do so with those God has given us.
I say God wants us to be honest before him and we should be.
Afterall he knows everything in our hearts, nothing is hidden.

We love not to be saved, we do so because we are saved.

I could do great things, help so many people.
But if it's not out of love it means nothing.

thank you Billy Graham

I get your point but to love Him sincerely would be a much better choice than to hate Him sincerely I'm sure.
You reap what you sow.

A very sincere post thanks

adjective, sin·cer·er, sin·cer·est.

1. free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness; earnest: a sincere apology.
2. genuine; real: a sincere effort to improve; a sincere friend.
3. pure; unmixed; unadulterated.

for "freedom from hypocrisy"

wouldn't change be hypocritical?

wouldn't love by a hypocrisy against hate?

What I find interesting is the concourse between Jesus and Peter.
Jesus asks him 3 times "Do you love me?

The first 2 times Jesus asks "Do you Agape me?
Peter responds with "I Phileo you"
Phileo basically is a brotherly love
Like David and Jonothan had.

Phileo love involves feelings of warmth and affection toward another person, we do not have Phileo love toward our enemies.

So Peter had this love.

The 3rd time Jesus asks "Do you Phileo love me?
Peter gets upset. "You know I Phileo you"

Yet we find Jesus say "Feed my sheep"

It's amazing that God uses the imperfect to bring about his will.

Brother Bill, I phileo you
and if I still misunderstand, help clarify?

9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;12rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:12 - rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

rejoice in good times
be patient in not so good times
continue in prayer during neutral times

Always bro.

We are here to build each other up.
Focus on that.

Night night all.

Always remember that God loves us as much as he loves Jesus.
Jesus said it.

His mercies are new every morning and his faithfulness is great.

He is the same as he was yesterday, as he is today as he will be tomorrow

We are here to build each other up.
Focus on that.
By @BillG


I don't always change my signature, but when I do ...

... I forgot how to change or add to my signature

We are an open book to our Lord and Savior with whom we have to do.
Sincerity is the opposition to hypocrisy,
No change is not hypocritical.

Sincerely, our eternal salvation is the gift of God. You cannot "merit" God's gift of eternal life otherwise it would no longer be a gift. No change is not hypocritical, it is essential to our Christian growth and maturity.

Romans6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but "the gift of God is eternal life", in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews4:13
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Definition of hypocrisy
: a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not
: behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel
: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion

Our conventional morality often serves as a cover for hypocrisy and selfishness

Romans 10 vs 3-4

" For they being ignorant of God's righteousness , and seeking to establish their own righteousness ( works ) , have not submitted to the righteousness of God "

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who Believes

Isnt that a wonderful scripture !!!!

good for those who accept it as it is, however, given the nature of arguments, that will be a different story

wait a minute, what if people renounce their faith just because they want to "avoid hypocrisy" as in, they can't maintain that "high and holy" standard

may misunderstanding be renounced instead of renouncing proper faith, amen

Believe me if I don't I will be OK because I have done exactly what you have done to be saved. You OTOH, may be at risk for not following through on following Jesus and living according to how he lived, in obedience to the Father.

I believe that you as a person do follow Jesus, but your belief system may cause others who are not as strong as you to hope on something that is not real and therefore be caught short at the judgement.

If you tell someone that good works is not part of salvation, or you tell someone that love is not part of salvation, I believe you are digging your own grave.

would you like to enlighten me as to what OTOH means

thank you in advanced for taking the time to explain what it is to me.

Then they were never saved to begin with, I guess now the great pretender must fade away.

Holiness is a life long pursuit not something that you tag on to your Christianity for good looks.

Are you a new believer, I had many questions like you when I was a new born babe in Christ.

God bless

saved like one year ago, you can check my profile, thanks for asking