Not By Works

“Make every effort”
Through prayer, meditation, reading scripture, fellowship, singing and rejoicing...all of which are not works.

Not really.

1 Cor 13:2...and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

James 2:24As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone

Been there.
Seen it, done it and bought the t-shirt (as we say over here)
Waiting for the 3 strikes and you are out.
Still struggle with it at times if I'm honest.

But to live in this constant fear and guilt just wears you down.
Makes you emotionally knackered and spiritually knackered.

But I say that this fewer and distrust must come from somewhere.

For me it comes from one four letter word. LOVE

Our understanding of love and experience of love and acceptance can and does shape our lives.

As a person who concept of love was shattered by life and teaching I was totally torn apart and broken when one day I was laid up with a back problem.

God asked me to spend some time with him.
I refused a few times (old frame of mind) as I was waiting for the third strike.
I could not come before God because my fear and guilt and condemnation overcame me.

Anyway I did open my Bible at Romans 5 as I felt led to.
Now that was a Biggie for me because it talks about peace.
I read it before and I did not have that peace.
I thought peace was no anxiety.

As I researched that I came to realise that the peace means no more war.
We have peace with God, no emnity as a result of sin.

So fast forward.
One verse led to the next and the next.
Starting with adultress women.

I ended up with

John 17:23
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Wow God loves me as much as he loves Jesus.
That's the same love from John 3:16.

It was like a silver bullet was shot into my heart with that verse on it.

It breaks my heart that many belivers that I say that to who are struggling totally reject it.

I have even had some say "Not true for me yet for others yes"
I then ask why.
Response is "Im not good enough"

It does not surprise me because I was that person and have to fight against that person.

It breaks my heart that people do not truly know the love God has for them and try to earn it.

We can't earn acceptance but if we know it we can walk in it.

But if you call me satan, will i listen?!

One day is a good bet.

The difference between me and you is that i have been there once. I believed in all that and i'm not going back.

You obviously do not know what you are talking about....and are oblivious to the dual aspect of salvation....ONE being the IMMEDIATE salvation of man by being born again of incorruptible seed and the LATTER being the resurrected or changed glorified body.....

You guys devalue Christ and salvation so much it makes me want to puke!!

Who knows with this one......some of the things these people say contradicts the bible so bad that I have no idea where they come up with these delusional views....

There is no such thing as dual aspect of salvation, all these time you've been arguing but never telling us which aspect of salvation you are talking about.

Paul communicating to Romans by the way of a letter did not expound on the dual aspect of salvation so that they clearly know from which aspect he was talking. They received the letter and read it the way Paul meant it. No such thing as dual aspect.
Paul not once but several times said the same thing.

Of course we are being saved from something, that something is eternal death. There's no other salvation- we are not being saved from this earthly body to have a glorified body.

Agree... this is the club shirt ...
View attachment 202751

You’re not going back to God’s eternal grace which is freely, unequivocally and irrevocably given to those of us who have faith in Jesus Christ? I pity you.

You must study the back of cereal boxes to get your beliefs......might as well if you are going to ignore CONTEXT

FALSE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not really, what about those that don't have ability to speak?

Love comes on top and love is a work.
You don't give food to a needy person because you believe Jesus died for your sins.

No need but thanks for the concern.

It still means the same thing with context. Faith alone does not qualify anyone, faith without love is nothing.

It still means the same thing with context. Faith alone does not qualify anyone, faith without love is nothing.

Like I said....you don't know what you are talking about....

In the grace you are, HAVING BEEN SAVED <---past tense....oh bright one......

I rejoice for you beloved. Always share your testimony with others. It’s powerful.

I just want to tell you, you are wrong.
Not sure who has taught this or if you have made it up yourself but it completely outside of biblical truth.
How many voices need to tell you before you will re-evaluate what you believe?

You don't get it. Christ came to save the world

1 John 2: 2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

Rom 5:
6For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7For rarely will anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

Christ's atoning sacrifice at the cross is not for specific people, it is for the whole world. The whole world was saved at the cross already, before you were even born and while you were still a sinner. The world did not do anything to be justified but we were justified by that sacrifice- this is what it means sufficient grace.

But to those that the law of Christ (Gospel) reached (You and me), we are either condemned if we reject it or will be save at the end if we accept it and hold firm. Those that the law has not reached (children/disabled/ sickly), they remain saved.

Now:

Rom 8:22We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.


You can not hope for what you already have and there are not two salvations, just one against eternal death.