And... what happens to those that quit believing IN HIM???
"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,"
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Nothing clearer than those scriptures. Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
Did you think that the faith that you have came from you?
"For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
Is that clear enough? We clearly didn't save ourselves.
Why act as though it is up to us to carry out our salvation?
The New Testament warns about this and it's ain't good for backsliders.
If one listens to you... it sounds like they could be a drunk or a drug addict and still be saved as long as they "believe"
Well praise God for that!
"Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you."
Jesus' work is awesome.
Can't stand that Jesus takes all the credit huh?
Can't stand that sinners get salvation first than those deemed "good workers".
That's what your false grace idols tell you. What Jesus did at the Cross does not do away with seedtime and harvest for anybody whether they are saved or not.
The Word is clear, those that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption and this was written to Christians.
Is that the gospel? those that sow to the flesh shall reap corruption?
But I thought the gospel was about Jesus and the cross?
Didn't Jesus sow in the spirit? How then did He became sin and died on the cross?
Or are you trying to point away from that important part of the gospel.
Pointing away from the cross.
Pointing away from the salvation that came from the cross.
That's what the devil is doing to false teachers.
They point away from the cross.
They point away from Jesus.
They point away from the love of God.
They point away from the forgiveness of sins.
Instead they point to the law.
They point to condemnation.
They point to works.
And to make it even catchy, they add a little forgiveness of sins.
Forgiveness of just past sins just to make God look good just enough to hook those innocent ones.
And when your false grace idols take up an offering they claim those that give will reap a double portion!... are they lying since we are not under the law but under grace???
No, you just don't get it. You can't even understand the meaning of grace and the significance of the cross
how can you understand the blessings of the Christians under grace.
Well, according to the Lord - if we do good we reap that which is good, and if we do bad we will reap that which is bad.
You mean Lord Jesus right? Again, the cross.
We agree that Jesus is the prime example of living in faith right?
So following on that thought, Jesus did not reap the good things He sow right?
In that same matter, the bad things that we sow we reap good things all because of Jesus!
Clear?
But if you continue to believe in the doing good reap good have it your way. It just goes to show that you don't believe in the cross and the salvation of Jesus Christ our Lord.
And that would be on you.
Of course it's not God's will that we do bad, but the point is... is God the One controlling the thoughts and actions of people???
No, He is not... like it or not, it's entirely possible for someone to turn away from the Lord. Some do, I did actually when I was a young guy just a few weeks after getting saved which proved Jesus was right in Mark 4:13-20.
So you claim to have turned away from the Lord (Jesus) and then came back?
So who do you thank for coming back to the Lord (Jesus)?
Yourself?
or
Jesus?
"For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
So, if a person is a drug addict and they get gloriously saved and live for the Lord for a few years... and something happens and they get depressed and get back on drugs and that becomes their lifestyle once again, yet they still "believe"... are you saying in Romans 8 where the Lord's Word teaches us that "if you live after the flesh you shall die"... you would deny the Word of the Lord???
You're sounding like one of those that refuses to accept the whole Word of God and that God did not create man in His Own image which is how we got free will and is how we reap whatsoever we sow.
Do you believe the warnings the Lord gave concerning what would be happenings in the end times... or do you deny that too?
Again, what do we really have that God did not provide?
Even right now, if you believe that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, do you still think that the works you do,
good or bad counts for and or against you?
I find it hard to imagine who you give your thanks to when good things happen in life for you.
Would you then because of the "free will" that you "have" give an honest thanks to God for them?
Shouldn't it be that you thank yourself that because you did the "right things" that good things happen to your life?
Having free will is not power or glory.
Having free will does not give you the power to do anything.
What free will does is knowing what is good and evil and that's it.
It would be helpful to take a look at Genesis where the devil tricked man to eat of the fruit of Good and Evil.
The point there was to make man think they are equal with God, which is a lie.
Unbelievers with their free will choose to deny Christ Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the love of God.
Believers with their free will receive the goodness and love of God through Jesus sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Still, focus on Christ Jesus always and be guided by the Holy Spirit in you.
God loves.
God is a good God.
And Jesus, did an awesome thing giving us the blessings we did not deserve
and freed us from the curses and punishment that we do deserve.
"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors."
Praise Jesus!