How do I ACTUALLY be saved?

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

justbyfaith said:
Yes, when sin is fully GROWN (or, kjv, when it is finished), it brings forth death. For that is what it says in James 1:15.

Jesus Christ Came Into the World to Save Sinners
by Pastor Adam Sinnett
(Part One)

SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul is deeply concerned about the health of the church(es) in Ephesus as it were in danger of wandering from the gospel of Jesus Christ and, instead, turning to self-made ideas about God. Self-made ideas of God are not only useless, they are destructive. We might think, “Oh, well, we’re beyond that today.” The truth, however, is that we are not. Paul’s main goal in this short section is to illustrate the true nature of Jesus’ gospel by sharing his own story of conversion.

INTRODUCTION
We are currently on the very front end of our study of one of the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy, his close friend, associate, and traveling companion. Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus to handle some issues that had arisen in the church(es) there. He charged Timothy (1:3) to stop those who “teach any different doctrine” and are promoting “myths and endless speculations” and have “wandered into vain discussions.” Paul is deeply concerned about the health of the church as they were in danger of wandering from the gospel of Jesus Christ and, instead, turning to self-made ideas about God. Self-made ideas of God are not only useless, they are destructive. We might think, “Oh, well, we’re beyond that today.” The truth, however, is that we are not. We are just as full of our own ideas about God and life and ourselves as any other generation that has stepped foot on this planet. Today, perhaps more than ever, we are much more inclined to go with our own personal hunches (i.e. speculation) than with what God has already revealed to us (i.e. revelation) in the Scripture.

“People have got into the way of following private religious hunches rather than learning about God from his word” JI Packer, Knowing God

When we do that, however, we’re operating in the category of myths and legends. That not only happens among those that do not follow Jesus, but also among those who do. This is nothing new. In fact it goes all the way back to the Garden. Instead of relying on who/what God revealed self to be like, when tempted by Satan, we’re told that when Eve “saw the tree was good for food…delight to the eyes…desired to make one wise…she took of it” In other words, she disregarded God’s personal revelation and went with what seemed best to her. Human beings have done the same ever since. Throughout Bible, God corrects his people for making myths about him: “You thought that I was one like yourself.” Ps 50:21

Human perspectives of God and His requirements will always fall far. We need God’s Word.

“The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of his perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped” A. W. Pink, Attributes of God

God is the most precious reality in the universe, therefore crucial that we get Him right and not merely rely on personal hunches or preferences. “Well, I don’t see God as precious.” Not seeing God as precious has nothing to do with who he is and everything to do with condition of our heart, as we’ll see today. Followers of Jesus are called to be stewards of what we’ve received, not speculators. That’s the issue in Ephesus. That’s the issue in Seattle. That’s the issue within our church.

Paul’s main goal in this section:
Paul’s main goal in this short section is to illustrate the true nature of Jesus’ gospel by sharing his own story of conversion. The false teachers were, in effect, saying that you can be accepted by God by being a good person, following God’s law + more. In other words, they were following their own self-made ideas on how to rightly approach God. Paul, on the other hand, was preaching that acceptance by God comes by grace alone, apart from anything that we do.

It’s important to highlight, as we dig in, that this is not merely a personal illustration for Paul to liven up his letter. He is not saying, “Timothy, let’s talk about me for a little bit.” Rather, he is using his personal story to contrast the transforming effect of the gospel vs useless self-made ideas about God. He’s saying, “I’m exhibit A for what gospel does in life of a sinner.” Therefore, this is not Paul talking about abstract theological concepts. This was written by someone who is caught up glory and gravity of the very thing he is speaking about. You can sense Paul’s wonder of the gospel and the fact that it would ever be entrusted to him. By the end, he’s singing.

BASIS OF PAUL’S POSITION (12-13a)
12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. (see also Acts 26:9-11; 22:4)

The wonder of all this grips Paul’s soul. He begins with, “I thank Christ Jesus my Lord”.

“Strength” This is in reference, not to physical strength, but the inner strength, confidence, fortitude, assurance that the gospel brings into the life of who has been redeemed.

“Judged…faithful” What is going on here? He is saying, “I was faithful so Jesus made me an apostle.” No. That’s clearly not what he is saying. He was unfaithful, as we’ll see. So, what is it? Jesus willing to consider him worthy of trust and one who would be faithful.

“Service” What service does Paul have in mind here? Given the context we know that he is specifically talking about his Apostolic office. Note how he refers to it – as service (diakonia) the same word from which we get the word deacon. Fundamentally, he saw his role as a servant: servant of Jesus, servant of the gospel, servant of the church. This is not only true for Paul, but should be true for every Christian. It is easy to like idea of being “servant” in theory, until we’re treated like servants and then we don’t like it – when we try to love others and get rejected, when we attempt to graciously share the gospel but get ignored, when we serve with the church on Sundays and go unnoticed. We’re not serving others, we’re serving Jesus, His church and his good news. Often that puts us in positions where we are unnoticed, unappreciated, unvalued and unknown. The next time treated like servant, remember that you are getting just a small taste of what Paul (and Jesus!) experienced in gospel ministry. We are called to service

v13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.

“blasphemer” Paul is referring to the fact that he denied Jesus could be God, he rejected the idea that Jesus was the Messiah, he spoke evil about him and those who followed him, and, ultimately, was bent on putting a stop to the entire movement. Read: Acts 26:9-11.

“persecutor” To persecute someone is to punish and/or harass them for their beliefs or position on particular issue. Read: Acts 22:4 “I persecuting the followers of this way…”

“insolent” This is a strong word that refers to a mixture of arrogance and violence. Someone who is insolent finds satisfaction in insulting and humiliating other people.

When you put these together, its clear that we’re not talking about some Sunday school kid who wanted to grow up to be Apostle. What was the basis for his being an apostle? There was no basis! This is really all of us. None of us are likely prospects to be received by God. None of us are likely candidates to be forgiven and adopted into the household of the living God. There is no basis for any of us.

IMPACT OF PAUL’S CONVERSION (13b-14)
But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (see also Acts 26:9; Jn 16:2-3; Rom 10:1-2)

Paul is saying “That’s who I was.” But guess what? “I was mercied” (literal Greek rendering) As blasphemer, persecutor, violent man, God did not give me what I deserved.

Clarifying question: Is he saying, “I didn’t know what I was doing so God let me off the hook?” Not exactly. He is not saying that he deserved God’s mercy. That’s clear from the context. The primary purpose of the entire section is to show that salvation is not deserved but if fully, and only, an act of grace.

So, what does Paul have in view here? The Bible distinguishes between intentional and unintentional sins, even though we’re guilty and blameworthy, either way.

Jesus on cross “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Heb 9:7 “high priest…offers [sacrifices] for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.”

Paul is saying, “I didn’t know…thought I was right, doing what God wanted…either way, I’m still guilty.”

“I was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus…” Acts 26:9

“They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things b/c they have not known the Father, nor me.” – Jesus, Jn16:2-3

That is exactly what he was doing, prior to encountering the living Christ on the road to Damascus. He sincerely thought that he was on God’s side, but in reality he did not know God. Think about that. It’s possible to think that you are on God’s side, doing God’s work and not even know him.

“My hearts desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” – Paul, Rom 10:1-2

It is possible, in this, that Paul is alluding to the false teachers within Ephesus, who though sincere and think they are serving God, were sincerely wrong. In our context, we often associate sincerity with truth. “Well, as long as you believe it strongly…” or “As long as you’re sincere about it…” But, that’s not true. Truth is not a cultural construct or something that we shape through our own personal hunches and preferences. What about you? Do you have a zeal for God, is it according to the gospel? Do you have a real relationship with God, through Jesus? Or are you just checking off boxes?

“overflow” Paul uses a unique word here that doesn’t occur anywhere else in the Greek Bible and rarely in secular Greek literature of the time. The word really means “super” overflow or “super” abundant grace. This passage is the source of the title of John Bunyan’s (author of Pilgrim’s Progress) autobiography “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners”

Whereas “mercy” is, not getting what we do deserve, as sinners, “grace” is getting what we don’t deserve, as sinners. They are two sides of the same coin. Paul’s whole point here is that saving faith is not a meritorious work by which we earn diving approval. Rather, saving faith is the result of the superabundant grace of God, making it a gift to be received and cherished, not something to be worked for.

Paul is saying, “God’s grace overflowed like river at flood level that bursts the banks and carries everything with it...not brining devastation but blessing…even faith and love.” Formerly, Paul was blasphemer+persecutor + insolent. Now, given grace+faith+love. Other than resurrection of Jesus, conversion of Paul one of best evidences for truthfulness of Christianity.

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

justbyfaith said:
Yes, when sin is fully GROWN (or, kjv, when it is finished), it brings forth death. For that is what it says in James 1:15.

Jesus Christ Came Into the World to Save Sinners
by Pastor Adam Sinnett
(Part Two)

SUBSTANCE OF PAUL’S INSTRUCTION (15)

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

v15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance… This is the first of five of these types of statements throughout the Pastoral epistles. Most commentators agree that at this point early church these served as creed-like statements developed as a means of articulating true, right belief.

“Christ Jesus” As we discussed during the first week, “Christ” designates God’s long awaited, promised one, came into world as earthly Jesus.

“Came into” It is easy to read right past these words without thinking about what they imply. First, they imply the incarnation of God in human form. Second, they imply Jesus’ pre-existence. It does not say “came into existence” or “created”, rather “he came into the world.”

“world” This designates where humans live and sin and, therefore, where humans need to be met and saved.

“save sinners” Let’s slow down here. Everything falls apart if we miss the nature of what this term is saying. Most think of sin, particularly own, as not much more than parking ticket. “Yes, I’ve violated the law, but on the hole, it’s only parking ticket…there are much worse things.” But, according to the Bible, sin is more than in impersonal, minor infraction. Rather, sin is a breaking of relationship and rejection of God himself. Sin, in action, says “His claims on my life are not invalid. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, when I feel like doing it.” In other words it is saying, “I reject the care, rule, authority of the one who gave me life” That’s the essence of sin: we want to be god and not let God be God.

Now here someone might say, “But, I never think about God..how could you say I’m actively rebelling?” or “I’m indifferent towards God…how could you say that I’m rejecting him?” Not thinking about God or feeling cold or indifferent towards him is the rebellion and rejection. We were created to be in close, intimate relationship with Him, therefore our indifference, coldness, and even defiance are symptoms of our sin. Jesus’ gospel brings up a number of obstacles and this has to be the biggest one.

We often have a watered down view of sin because we confuse sins (plural) with sin(singular). The difference is important – and huge. I have never met anyone that has a problem admitting they’ve committed sins (plural) – as long as they can think about those sins as isolated little mistakes in an otherwise good life. In other words, a parking ticket here or there on an otherwise clean record is not a big deal. Don’t miss this. It is NOT the gospel to say “Jesus saves us from sins” if we mean he saves us from isolated mistakes or individual parking tickets. No wonder those who claim to follow Christ are often no different than anyone else, but for the difference that we’ve had some “parking tickets” removed from our record.

Bible paints a much bleaker picture: our very nature is sinful. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. Sin runs in the depths of our hearts, like a river of corruption, and we cannot manage that on our own terms with our own tools. Its in us and of us. No amount of positive thinking or self-help will deliver us from us. This is why we: grow cold towards God, think so highly of ourselves, our lives are riddled with negative emotions, turn to everything but God for comfort, have such hard time giving lives to Jesus, insist oncontrolling others and more. These are all evidences of a deep river of corruption and rebellion that flows within us.

Now, often our hearts pick up on this and twist it to blame it all on God, when the problem is really in our hearts. To human hearts that think of ‘selves basically good and self-sufficient, idea we’re sinful is revolting. This is why we often question God and his waysbefore questioning ourselves and our ways. “Why is all of this important to understand?” If we misunderstand the nature and extent of our sin we will misunderstand the nature and extent of the gospel.

Jesus does not merely save us from meaningless or emptiness or lack of satisfaction.Jesus does not merely patch up a relational conflict with God for us. Jesus does not merely take care of our paperwork, like a cheap lawyer or insurance salesmen, to ensure things are in order for the afterlie.

Sin is rebellion of a beloved subject against his good and gracious King. You will never understand why the death of God’s Son was required until you see that. We are in predicament of our own making. We have disobeyed. We have ignored. We have rebelled. We have been indifferent. We have been apathetic. We have been cold. We have sinned.

Further more, Jesus himself says that the just judgment and wrath of God will fall on all unredeemed sinners. In the end… “every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (Rom 3:19) In other words, in the end, no one will have anything to say, no plea, no bargaining, no excuses, no case, no appeals. In the end, every wagging tongue, every arrogant swagger, the whole world will be held accountable to God. And if we are among those alive when that happens we will say…

“Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Rev 6:16-17

We will see…

“[Jesus] will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev 19:15

Final destination for unrepentant, unbelieving sinners is a place of eternal, conscious, torment: “hell” Contrary to popular belief, Jesus spoke more about this place than anyone else. He called it a place of unquenchable fire, “where the worm does not die”. We believe him, through tears, when he says people we love are in danger of being consigned their forever and ever.

But, Downtown Cornerstone, this is a trustworthy saying deserving of full acceptance:Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Not as a moral example, teacher, help us help ourselves…to save sinners.

What about you? Do you view sin as isolated mistakes in an otherwise good life or a corrupt condition of separation in your heart that requires a radical rescue?

“of whom I am the foremost” Paul says, “I’m the worst!” Now, this really bothers people for a number of reasons. Some say Paul is just being pious. Some think he’s just being morbid. There are two ways this is traditionally interpreted.

First, many will say, “Paul cannot be saying that he now sins more than anyone in the world but that he is talking about past sin.” Clearly that does fit the context. Elsewhere he says that he has lived before God w/ a clear conscience. He calls others to follow his example. Therefore, he must mean that his previous persecution of the church makes him the foremost sinner. But, here’s the big problem with that. He doesn’t say “I was” but he says “I am”. Could have written it in the past tense, if he wanted to, but he didn’t. There must be something more going on.

Others, with whom I agree, will say that when Paul says “I am the worst” he is saying that his heart is no different than the worst of sinners. Clearly, he had not researched the sinful and criminal records of all the inhabitants of the world. So, there must be something else going on. There is. When convicted by Holy Spirit, an immediate result is that we give up all of our comparisons to others. Paul was more vividly aware of his own sin than those around him than anyone else – “I am the worst!” It is the language of every sinner whose conscience has been stirred, convicted and awakened by the Holy Spirit. He knew his heart was capable of the same as the worst sinner and he felt worse b/c knew corruption of his own heart the best.

Remember that story tells of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18? We all begin like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable “God, I thank you that I am not like other men.“ But, when Spirit does work, we end up like tax collector on the ground who is beating his breast, crying out“God have mercy on me, ”uc”>the sinner.” The Pharisee deals with external realities and arrogant comparisons. For tax collector there were no comparisons to be made, he was busy dealing with the internal realities of his own heart before God. Those who have been gripped by the Gospel think of themselves this way. This is not morbid introspection or low self-esteem. You will only say that if haven’t experienced God’s super-abundant grace. It’s realistic awareness of sin that keeps ushumble, dependent on grace, filled w/ gratitude.

Every other religion or worldview – every one – will tell you to try harder and do better…more education…pull yourself up by the boot straps…7 years in Tibet…5 pillars of Islam…4 pillars of Hinduism or 8-fold path to Buddhist enlightenment or secular morality…I don’t question the zeal, but it is without knowledge. If you’ve been coming here and getting the message is “try harder, do better and you’ll be fine”…We have really done a horrible job of articulating the gospel and what the Bible is all about. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all in the same predicament. We are all in need of a radical resuce.

PURPOSE OF PAUL’S TRANSFORMATION(16-17)
16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

When Paul talks about serving as an “example” the word there means “type”, actually hyper-type. He is saying, in essence, “Jesus has saved me so that I can be the ultimate type of what a Christian is”. What is that? A sinner saved by grace. God took the most spiritually blind, violent, blaspheming persecutor and transformed him into a Christian. If God can do that, there is no heart so hard, no anger so bitter, than is out of God’s reach. Why did he do it? Did you see it? It was a “display” or exhibition of Jesus’ infinite patience.

Christian: Do you live like that? Do you view your life as a living display of the perfect patience and grace of Jesus? Live a life of super-abundant grace as you’ve been a recipient of God’s super-abundant grace. Extend patience as God has been patient with you. Offer undeserved love b/c when you were undeserving God loved you, in Christ. Come along side others in their struggles, b/c Jesus came alongside you in your struggle.

“eternal life” There is a common misunderstanding about what eternal life is. We often consign it to something that happens after death. It means that, but not only that. “Eternal” means that something goes on forever, but doesn’t mean it starts after you die. When does it start? It starts when you place your faith in Jesus Christ. That’s when it starts – then never ends. Those who go on into eternal relationship with Jesus are those who begin that relationship prior to death.

With all these great theological truths swimming around in Paul’s heart, mind and soul – no wonder Paul broke out into spontaneous doxology!

v17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

This grasp of the gospel and glory of God was what drove Paul. This is what drives me. This is what drives us. I hope this is what drives you. Self-made ideas about about God do not change people and are ultimately harmful – forever. Our sins are not isolated mistakes on an otherwise clean record. The problem is much deeper + profound

“The gospel is that you are more wicked than you dared to believe and more loved than you dared to hope – at the same time” – Luther

It is not enough to believe the gospel objectively…but you also must own it subjectively. You must make it yours – every day.

All of this is why we exist, Downtown Cornerstone. We exist to build a great city, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God. A great city is one in which sinners are forgiven, lives are changed forever, marriages are restored, races are reconciled, needs (temporal and eternal) are met and God gets the glory he deserves.

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

justbyfaith said:
I would say that the decision to believe in Christ (and what he did for us on the Cross) and to change direction (from sin to righteousness) is the cause or ground of our salvation. Evangelical obedience is the result of these things.

So repentance is part of the cause and ground of your Salvation?

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

justbyfaith said:
We certainly are not without sin. We have sin dwelling within us. But that element (of sin) can be rendered dead (Romans 6:6-7, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has authority over our behaviour (Romans 8:12).

Can you expound on this a bit more?

And I am saying that we can eventually come to a place in our hearts and minds wherein all is surrendered, and we sin not (1 John 3:6, 1 John 5:18) and that we can be in this state consistently for ever (1 John 2:17, 1 John 3:9) because we are abiding in Him (1 John 2:17).

So you are suggesting that believers CAN obtain a sinless life now through obedience?

And I am not saying that every believer has come to this place in their walk, but that it is a second benefit (2 Corinthians 1:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Can you explain this further?

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

yeshuaslavejeff said:
Yahweh's Word says TORAH over 100 times in the New Testament, more than in the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets and Psalms).....

He says why it is good , when it is used properly , as He Designed, and it leads people to Christ.

If the Gospel says DONE - who does it help ? Only those already saved - already DONE ? , which are few.

Torah and Gospel all together help few, as written in the GOSPEL !
(maybe in Torah also) i.e. there are multitudes not helped.

Jesus says whoever HEARS the Father's Word, and DO the Father's Word, THEY are HIS FAMILY. Whoever does not DO His Word, they are not.

You are over analyzing. The Law demands perfect righteousness from us. That is, that we fulfill the Law requirements without a single blemish of sin. But since the Fall; the broken Covenant of Works that was breached by the first Adam through One Act of Disobedience bought condemnation & death upon all mankind! So now sinners are under the curse of the Law, because the Law brings knowledge of sin, and sin brings the sting of death!

The Gospel (God's Promise), the Covenant of Grace, the Second or Last Adam came down from heaven into History and Time; born in the flesh, born under the Law. He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill the Law. Why did Christ have to fulfill the Law in the flesh? To fulfill his Father's will and restore His people to the positive side of the Law through His Perfect flawless righteousness, which is given to His people as a gift and is received through faith Alone! Its by this positive righteousness of the Law that we can stand firm before a Holy Judge and declared righteous!

Christ was born in the flesh in order to kill sin in the flesh and die in our stead before a Holy Righteous Judge, and pay the penalty for our sins upon His head! Why? To lift the curse of the Law, that demands justice for any sins committed. So Christ propitiated the wrath of God by His substitutionary atonement that was paid once and for!

So when I say the Gospel says done. Its mission accomplished, 'It is Finished'. Christ fulfilled His father's will through His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection for His people.

So yes its DONE! On Calvary's Cross outside of us, over 2000 years ago one afternoon in history!

Hope this helps???

yeshuaslavejeff · Jul 16, 2018

Read your own posts, see how long (unnecessarily) they are ?
I did not analyze at all.
I simply posted a few Scriptures/ Scripture ideas....

ladodgers6 said:
You are over analyzing.

====================================
If you trust the TORAH to provide your righteousness or save you,
then you have failed already because you cannot meet its standard.
The TORAH demands nothing from us, as it is simply God's Instructions on HOW TO LIVE RIGHT. It cannot provide salvation.

ladodgers6 said:
The Law demands perfect righteousness from us.

====================================
TORAH does not care if you fulfill the requirements of TORAH at all,
with or without a single blemish --- that sounds like idiosyncrasy of man's doctrine(s) ?

ladodgers6 said:
That is, that we fulfill the Law requirements without a single blemish of sin.

====================================
Yahweh Gave Torah on purpose, and it is useful as Yahweh intended.
It leads to Christ, as Yahweh's Word says.....
(and lets us know how and when and how much we are sinners needing salvation)

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Can you expound on this a bit more?

Sure. Sin is like a monster inside of us that controls our actions by exerting control over our minds and hearts. It is the flesh. When the flesh is crucified, it is killed, and the monster is slain. It still resides within you, but it no longer has the power to control your behaviour because it is dead.

So you are suggesting that believers CAN obtain a sinless life now through obedience?

Not through obedience. Obedience is the result. It would have to be through a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

Can you explain this further? (second benefit)

Yes. Entire sanctification can be related to circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:25-29). And when you go further into Romans, to Romans 4:11, you will see that righteousness is not only imputed to the circumcised in heart, it is imputed also to the uncircumcised in heart (those who have not been entirely sanctified).

Also, in Romans 4:20-22, it teaches that if we don't stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but wax strong in faith, giving glory to God; and are fully persuaded that what He has promised, He is able also to perform, that this faith will be imputed to us as righteousness. Now some things that He has promised, are the promises in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Hebrews 10:14, and 1 John 3:9 w/ 2 Corinthians 3:12. So then, if we are persuaded that He is able to perform these promises, it counts as our justification; even though we may not yet have the realization of these promises. Even as, when we look to the return of Jesus Christ, in 1 John 3:2-3, and consider that when we shall see Him, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is, that if we have this hope in Him we purify ourselves even as He is pure. Therefore in that scripture, the thing hoped for is immediately given simply because we hope for it to happen in the future.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
So repentance is part of the cause and ground of your Salvation?

Yes, that is what I am saying.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Jesus Christ Came Into the World to Save Sinners
by Pastor Adam Sinnett
(Part One)

SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul is deeply concerned about the health of the church(es) in Ephesus as it were in danger of wandering from the gospel of Jesus Christ and, instead, turning to self-made ideas about God. Self-made ideas of God are not only useless, they are destructive. We might think, “Oh, well, we’re beyond that today.” The truth, however, is that we are not. Paul’s main goal in this short section is to illustrate the true nature of Jesus’ gospel by sharing his own story of conversion.

INTRODUCTION
We are currently on the very front end of our study of one of the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy, his close friend, associate, and traveling companion. Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus to handle some issues that had arisen in the church(es) there. He charged Timothy (1:3) to stop those who “teach any different doctrine” and are promoting “myths and endless speculations” and have “wandered into vain discussions.” Paul is deeply concerned about the health of the church as they were in danger of wandering from the gospel of Jesus Christ and, instead, turning to self-made ideas about God. Self-made ideas of God are not only useless, they are destructive. We might think, “Oh, well, we’re beyond that today.” The truth, however, is that we are not. We are just as full of our own ideas about God and life and ourselves as any other generation that has stepped foot on this planet. Today, perhaps more than ever, we are much more inclined to go with our own personal hunches (i.e. speculation) than with what God has already revealed to us (i.e. revelation) in the Scripture.

“People have got into the way of following private religious hunches rather than learning about God from his word” JI Packer, Knowing God

When we do that, however, we’re operating in the category of myths and legends. That not only happens among those that do not follow Jesus, but also among those who do. This is nothing new. In fact it goes all the way back to the Garden. Instead of relying on who/what God revealed self to be like, when tempted by Satan, we’re told that when Eve “saw the tree was good for food…delight to the eyes…desired to make one wise…she took of it” In other words, she disregarded God’s personal revelation and went with what seemed best to her. Human beings have done the same ever since. Throughout Bible, God corrects his people for making myths about him: “You thought that I was one like yourself.” Ps 50:21

Human perspectives of God and His requirements will always fall far. We need God’s Word.

“The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of his perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped” A. W. Pink, Attributes of God

God is the most precious reality in the universe, therefore crucial that we get Him right and not merely rely on personal hunches or preferences. “Well, I don’t see God as precious.” Not seeing God as precious has nothing to do with who he is and everything to do with condition of our heart, as we’ll see today. Followers of Jesus are called to be stewards of what we’ve received, not speculators. That’s the issue in Ephesus. That’s the issue in Seattle. That’s the issue within our church.

Paul’s main goal in this section:
Paul’s main goal in this short section is to illustrate the true nature of Jesus’ gospel by sharing his own story of conversion. The false teachers were, in effect, saying that you can be accepted by God by being a good person, following God’s law + more. In other words, they were following their own self-made ideas on how to rightly approach God. Paul, on the other hand, was preaching that acceptance by God comes by grace alone, apart from anything that we do.

It’s important to highlight, as we dig in, that this is not merely a personal illustration for Paul to liven up his letter. He is not saying, “Timothy, let’s talk about me for a little bit.” Rather, he is using his personal story to contrast the transforming effect of the gospel vs useless self-made ideas about God. He’s saying, “I’m exhibit A for what gospel does in life of a sinner.” Therefore, this is not Paul talking about abstract theological concepts. This was written by someone who is caught up glory and gravity of the very thing he is speaking about. You can sense Paul’s wonder of the gospel and the fact that it would ever be entrusted to him. By the end, he’s singing.

BASIS OF PAUL’S POSITION (12-13a)
12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. (see also Acts 26:9-11; 22:4)

The wonder of all this grips Paul’s soul. He begins with, “I thank Christ Jesus my Lord”.

“Strength” This is in reference, not to physical strength, but the inner strength, confidence, fortitude, assurance that the gospel brings into the life of who has been redeemed.

“Judged…faithful” What is going on here? He is saying, “I was faithful so Jesus made me an apostle.” No. That’s clearly not what he is saying. He was unfaithful, as we’ll see. So, what is it? Jesus willing to consider him worthy of trust and one who would be faithful.

“Service” What service does Paul have in mind here? Given the context we know that he is specifically talking about his Apostolic office. Note how he refers to it – as service (diakonia) the same word from which we get the word deacon. Fundamentally, he saw his role as a servant: servant of Jesus, servant of the gospel, servant of the church. This is not only true for Paul, but should be true for every Christian. It is easy to like idea of being “servant” in theory, until we’re treated like servants and then we don’t like it – when we try to love others and get rejected, when we attempt to graciously share the gospel but get ignored, when we serve with the church on Sundays and go unnoticed. We’re not serving others, we’re serving Jesus, His church and his good news. Often that puts us in positions where we are unnoticed, unappreciated, unvalued and unknown. The next time treated like servant, remember that you are getting just a small taste of what Paul (and Jesus!) experienced in gospel ministry. We are called to service

v13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.

“blasphemer” Paul is referring to the fact that he denied Jesus could be God, he rejected the idea that Jesus was the Messiah, he spoke evil about him and those who followed him, and, ultimately, was bent on putting a stop to the entire movement. Read: Acts 26:9-11.

“persecutor” To persecute someone is to punish and/or harass them for their beliefs or position on particular issue. Read: Acts 22:4 “I persecuting the followers of this way…”

“insolent” This is a strong word that refers to a mixture of arrogance and violence. Someone who is insolent finds satisfaction in insulting and humiliating other people.

When you put these together, its clear that we’re not talking about some Sunday school kid who wanted to grow up to be Apostle. What was the basis for his being an apostle? There was no basis! This is really all of us. None of us are likely prospects to be received by God. None of us are likely candidates to be forgiven and adopted into the household of the living God. There is no basis for any of us.

IMPACT OF PAUL’S CONVERSION (13b-14)
But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (see also Acts 26:9; Jn 16:2-3; Rom 10:1-2)

Paul is saying “That’s who I was.” But guess what? “I was mercied” (literal Greek rendering) As blasphemer, persecutor, violent man, God did not give me what I deserved.

Clarifying question: Is he saying, “I didn’t know what I was doing so God let me off the hook?” Not exactly. He is not saying that he deserved God’s mercy. That’s clear from the context. The primary purpose of the entire section is to show that salvation is not deserved but if fully, and only, an act of grace.

So, what does Paul have in view here? The Bible distinguishes between intentional and unintentional sins, even though we’re guilty and blameworthy, either way.

Jesus on cross “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Heb 9:7 “high priest…offers [sacrifices] for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.”

Paul is saying, “I didn’t know…thought I was right, doing what God wanted…either way, I’m still guilty.”

“I was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus…” Acts 26:9

“They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things b/c they have not known the Father, nor me.” – Jesus, Jn16:2-3

That is exactly what he was doing, prior to encountering the living Christ on the road to Damascus. He sincerely thought that he was on God’s side, but in reality he did not know God. Think about that. It’s possible to think that you are on God’s side, doing God’s work and not even know him.

“My hearts desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” – Paul, Rom 10:1-2

It is possible, in this, that Paul is alluding to the false teachers within Ephesus, who though sincere and think they are serving God, were sincerely wrong. In our context, we often associate sincerity with truth. “Well, as long as you believe it strongly…” or “As long as you’re sincere about it…” But, that’s not true. Truth is not a cultural construct or something that we shape through our own personal hunches and preferences. What about you? Do you have a zeal for God, is it according to the gospel? Do you have a real relationship with God, through Jesus? Or are you just checking off boxes?

“overflow” Paul uses a unique word here that doesn’t occur anywhere else in the Greek Bible and rarely in secular Greek literature of the time. The word really means “super” overflow or “super” abundant grace. This passage is the source of the title of John Bunyan’s (author of Pilgrim’s Progress) autobiography “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners”

Whereas “mercy” is, not getting what we do deserve, as sinners, “grace” is getting what we don’t deserve, as sinners. They are two sides of the same coin. Paul’s whole point here is that saving faith is not a meritorious work by which we earn diving approval. Rather, saving faith is the result of the superabundant grace of God, making it a gift to be received and cherished, not something to be worked for.

Paul is saying, “God’s grace overflowed like river at flood level that bursts the banks and carries everything with it...not brining devastation but blessing…even faith and love.” Formerly, Paul was blasphemer+persecutor + insolent. Now, given grace+faith+love. Other than resurrection of Jesus, conversion of Paul one of best evidences for truthfulness of Christianity.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Jesus Christ Came Into the World to Save Sinners
by Pastor Adam Sinnett
(Part Two)

SUBSTANCE OF PAUL’S INSTRUCTION (15)

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

v15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance… This is the first of five of these types of statements throughout the Pastoral epistles. Most commentators agree that at this point early church these served as creed-like statements developed as a means of articulating true, right belief.

“Christ Jesus” As we discussed during the first week, “Christ” designates God’s long awaited, promised one, came into world as earthly Jesus.

“Came into” It is easy to read right past these words without thinking about what they imply. First, they imply the incarnation of God in human form. Second, they imply Jesus’ pre-existence. It does not say “came into existence” or “created”, rather “he came into the world.”

“world” This designates where humans live and sin and, therefore, where humans need to be met and saved.

“save sinners” Let’s slow down here. Everything falls apart if we miss the nature of what this term is saying. Most think of sin, particularly own, as not much more than parking ticket. “Yes, I’ve violated the law, but on the hole, it’s only parking ticket…there are much worse things.” But, according to the Bible, sin is more than in impersonal, minor infraction. Rather, sin is a breaking of relationship and rejection of God himself. Sin, in action, says “His claims on my life are not invalid. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, when I feel like doing it.” In other words it is saying, “I reject the care, rule, authority of the one who gave me life” That’s the essence of sin: we want to be god and not let God be God.

Now here someone might say, “But, I never think about God..how could you say I’m actively rebelling?” or “I’m indifferent towards God…how could you say that I’m rejecting him?” Not thinking about God or feeling cold or indifferent towards him is the rebellion and rejection. We were created to be in close, intimate relationship with Him, therefore our indifference, coldness, and even defiance are symptoms of our sin. Jesus’ gospel brings up a number of obstacles and this has to be the biggest one.

We often have a watered down view of sin because we confuse sins (plural) with sin(singular). The difference is important – and huge. I have never met anyone that has a problem admitting they’ve committed sins (plural) – as long as they can think about those sins as isolated little mistakes in an otherwise good life. In other words, a parking ticket here or there on an otherwise clean record is not a big deal. Don’t miss this. It is NOT the gospel to say “Jesus saves us from sins” if we mean he saves us from isolated mistakes or individual parking tickets. No wonder those who claim to follow Christ are often no different than anyone else, but for the difference that we’ve had some “parking tickets” removed from our record.

Bible paints a much bleaker picture: our very nature is sinful. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. Sin runs in the depths of our hearts, like a river of corruption, and we cannot manage that on our own terms with our own tools. Its in us and of us. No amount of positive thinking or self-help will deliver us from us. This is why we: grow cold towards God, think so highly of ourselves, our lives are riddled with negative emotions, turn to everything but God for comfort, have such hard time giving lives to Jesus, insist oncontrolling others and more. These are all evidences of a deep river of corruption and rebellion that flows within us.

Now, often our hearts pick up on this and twist it to blame it all on God, when the problem is really in our hearts. To human hearts that think of ‘selves basically good and self-sufficient, idea we’re sinful is revolting. This is why we often question God and his waysbefore questioning ourselves and our ways. “Why is all of this important to understand?” If we misunderstand the nature and extent of our sin we will misunderstand the nature and extent of the gospel.

Jesus does not merely save us from meaningless or emptiness or lack of satisfaction.Jesus does not merely patch up a relational conflict with God for us. Jesus does not merely take care of our paperwork, like a cheap lawyer or insurance salesmen, to ensure things are in order for the afterlie.

Sin is rebellion of a beloved subject against his good and gracious King. You will never understand why the death of God’s Son was required until you see that. We are in predicament of our own making. We have disobeyed. We have ignored. We have rebelled. We have been indifferent. We have been apathetic. We have been cold. We have sinned.

Further more, Jesus himself says that the just judgment and wrath of God will fall on all unredeemed sinners. In the end… “every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (Rom 3:19) In other words, in the end, no one will have anything to say, no plea, no bargaining, no excuses, no case, no appeals. In the end, every wagging tongue, every arrogant swagger, the whole world will be held accountable to God. And if we are among those alive when that happens we will say…

“Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Rev 6:16-17

We will see…

“[Jesus] will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev 19:15

Final destination for unrepentant, unbelieving sinners is a place of eternal, conscious, torment: “hell” Contrary to popular belief, Jesus spoke more about this place than anyone else. He called it a place of unquenchable fire, “where the worm does not die”. We believe him, through tears, when he says people we love are in danger of being consigned their forever and ever.

But, Downtown Cornerstone, this is a trustworthy saying deserving of full acceptance:Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Not as a moral example, teacher, help us help ourselves…to save sinners.

What about you? Do you view sin as isolated mistakes in an otherwise good life or a corrupt condition of separation in your heart that requires a radical rescue?

“of whom I am the foremost” Paul says, “I’m the worst!” Now, this really bothers people for a number of reasons. Some say Paul is just being pious. Some think he’s just being morbid. There are two ways this is traditionally interpreted.

First, many will say, “Paul cannot be saying that he now sins more than anyone in the world but that he is talking about past sin.” Clearly that does fit the context. Elsewhere he says that he has lived before God w/ a clear conscience. He calls others to follow his example. Therefore, he must mean that his previous persecution of the church makes him the foremost sinner. But, here’s the big problem with that. He doesn’t say “I was” but he says “I am”. Could have written it in the past tense, if he wanted to, but he didn’t. There must be something more going on.

Others, with whom I agree, will say that when Paul says “I am the worst” he is saying that his heart is no different than the worst of sinners. Clearly, he had not researched the sinful and criminal records of all the inhabitants of the world. So, there must be something else going on. There is. When convicted by Holy Spirit, an immediate result is that we give up all of our comparisons to others. Paul was more vividly aware of his own sin than those around him than anyone else – “I am the worst!” It is the language of every sinner whose conscience has been stirred, convicted and awakened by the Holy Spirit. He knew his heart was capable of the same as the worst sinner and he felt worse b/c knew corruption of his own heart the best.

Remember that story tells of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18? We all begin like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable “God, I thank you that I am not like other men.“ But, when Spirit does work, we end up like tax collector on the ground who is beating his breast, crying out“God have mercy on me, ”uc”>the sinner.” The Pharisee deals with external realities and arrogant comparisons. For tax collector there were no comparisons to be made, he was busy dealing with the internal realities of his own heart before God. Those who have been gripped by the Gospel think of themselves this way. This is not morbid introspection or low self-esteem. You will only say that if haven’t experienced God’s super-abundant grace. It’s realistic awareness of sin that keeps ushumble, dependent on grace, filled w/ gratitude.

Every other religion or worldview – every one – will tell you to try harder and do better…more education…pull yourself up by the boot straps…7 years in Tibet…5 pillars of Islam…4 pillars of Hinduism or 8-fold path to Buddhist enlightenment or secular morality…I don’t question the zeal, but it is without knowledge. If you’ve been coming here and getting the message is “try harder, do better and you’ll be fine”…We have really done a horrible job of articulating the gospel and what the Bible is all about. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all in the same predicament. We are all in need of a radical resuce.

PURPOSE OF PAUL’S TRANSFORMATION(16-17)
16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

When Paul talks about serving as an “example” the word there means “type”, actually hyper-type. He is saying, in essence, “Jesus has saved me so that I can be the ultimate type of what a Christian is”. What is that? A sinner saved by grace. God took the most spiritually blind, violent, blaspheming persecutor and transformed him into a Christian. If God can do that, there is no heart so hard, no anger so bitter, than is out of God’s reach. Why did he do it? Did you see it? It was a “display” or exhibition of Jesus’ infinite patience.

Christian: Do you live like that? Do you view your life as a living display of the perfect patience and grace of Jesus? Live a life of super-abundant grace as you’ve been a recipient of God’s super-abundant grace. Extend patience as God has been patient with you. Offer undeserved love b/c when you were undeserving God loved you, in Christ. Come along side others in their struggles, b/c Jesus came alongside you in your struggle.

“eternal life” There is a common misunderstanding about what eternal life is. We often consign it to something that happens after death. It means that, but not only that. “Eternal” means that something goes on forever, but doesn’t mean it starts after you die. When does it start? It starts when you place your faith in Jesus Christ. That’s when it starts – then never ends. Those who go on into eternal relationship with Jesus are those who begin that relationship prior to death.

With all these great theological truths swimming around in Paul’s heart, mind and soul – no wonder Paul broke out into spontaneous doxology!

v17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

This grasp of the gospel and glory of God was what drove Paul. This is what drives me. This is what drives us. I hope this is what drives you. Self-made ideas about about God do not change people and are ultimately harmful – forever. Our sins are not isolated mistakes on an otherwise clean record. The problem is much deeper + profound

“The gospel is that you are more wicked than you dared to believe and more loved than you dared to hope – at the same time” – Luther

It is not enough to believe the gospel objectively…but you also must own it subjectively. You must make it yours – every day.

All of this is why we exist, Downtown Cornerstone. We exist to build a great city, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God. A great city is one in which sinners are forgiven, lives are changed forever, marriages are restored, races are reconciled, needs (temporal and eternal) are met and God gets the glory he deserves.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

I'm not sure what these messages have to do with James 1:15.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

Also, my response to those messages:

In one of Chuck and Nancy Missler's books, he talks about how Jeremiah 17:9 becomes Luke 8:15 through Ezekiel 36:25-27.

God takes out of us (Ezekiel 36:25-27) a wicked and deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9) and replaces it with an honest and good heart (Luke 8:15).

The fruit of the Spirit is, among other things, goodness (Galatians 5:22-23).

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts of the Apostles 11:22-24).

When Jesus said, "No one is good but God," it was before His blood was shed (which cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:7, and sanctifies, Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29) and before the Holy Spirit was given (who imparts the fruit of goodness, Galatians 5:22-23).

That being said, in my own life I do not trust in my own heart, I consider that it might still be deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). See also Proverbs 28:26.

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

@ladodgers So repentance is part of the cause and ground of your Salvation?

justbyfaith said:
Yes, that is what I am saying.

Thanks for sharing. You already know, that I beg to differ. Christ Alone, is the SOLE cause and ground of OUR Salvation.

God Bless!

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

justbyfaith said:
Sure. Sin is like a monster inside of us that controls our actions by exerting control over our minds and hearts. It is the flesh. When the flesh is crucified, it is killed, and the monster is slain. It still resides within you, but it no longer has the power to control your behaviour because it is dead.

Not through obedience. Obedience is the result. It would have to be through a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

Yes. Entire sanctification can be related to circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:25-29). And when you go further into Romans, to Romans 4:11, you will see that righteousness is not only imputed to the circumcised in heart, it is imputed also to the uncircumcised in heart (those who have not been entirely sanctified).

Also, in Romans 4:20-22, it teaches that if we don't stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but wax strong in faith, giving glory to God; and are fully persuaded that what He has promised, He is able also to perform, that this faith will be imputed to us as righteousness. Now some things that He has promised, are the promises in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Hebrews 10:14, and 1 John 3:9 w/ 2 Corinthians 3:12. So then, if we are persuaded that He is able to perform these promises, it counts as our justification; even though we may not yet have the realization of these promises. Even as, when we look to the return of Jesus Christ, in 1 John 3:2-3, and consider that when we shall see Him, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is, that if we have this hope in Him we purify ourselves even as He is pure. Therefore in that scripture, the thing hoped for is immediately given simply because we hope for it to happen in the future.

I will respond tomorrow.

ladodgers6 · Jul 16, 2018

yeshuaslavejeff said:
Read your own posts, see how long (unnecessarily) they are ?
I did not analyze at all.
I simply posted a few Scriptures/ Scripture ideas....

====================================
If you trust the TORAH to provide your righteousness or save you,
then you have failed already because you cannot meet its standard.
The TORAH demands nothing from us, as it is simply God's Instructions on HOW TO LIVE RIGHT. It cannot provide salvation.

====================================
TORAH does not care if you fulfill the requirements of TORAH at all,
with or without a single blemish --- that sounds like idiosyncrasy of man's doctrine(s) ?

====================================
Yahweh Gave Torah on purpose, and it is useful as Yahweh intended.
It leads to Christ, as Yahweh's Word says.....
(and lets us know how and when and how much we are sinners needing salvation)

Never mind, obviously I upset you for some reason. So I apologize, and I will end make an exit if you do not mind, thanks.

yeshuaslavejeff · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Never mind, obviously I upset you for some reason. So I apologize, and I will end make an exit if you do not mind, thanks.

You could not upset me so no apology sought not needed.

Well, IF , yes IF you cause little ones to stumble, I am grieved sorely, deeply as is Jesus.... is that the same as upset ?

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Thanks for sharing. You already know, that I beg to differ. Christ Alone, is the SOLE cause and ground of OUR Salvation.

God Bless!

Matthew 3:8-11, Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (i.e. we have Jesus as our Saviour, see Galatians 3:29): for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Luke 13:1-5, There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering saidn unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

2 Corinthians 7:10, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

In the first two scriptures, repentance saves one from perishing (i.e. being cut down and cast into the fire), in the last, it is unto salvation (even from hell unto heaven, as this is the biblical view of salvation).

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
Thanks for sharing. You already know, that I beg to differ. Christ Alone, is the SOLE cause and ground of OUR Salvation.

God Bless!

Matthew 7:23, And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 13:41-42, The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity: and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:49-50, So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Turning away from iniquity is a must; even a requirement for salvation from the fires of hell.

While it is said, Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:15.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
I will respond tomorrow.

Okay, see your post then, Lord willing. I'm going to call it a night too now. Blessings unto you 'til tomorrow.

justbyfaith · Jul 16, 2018

ladodgers6 said:
I have an excellent article on Ephesians that is a must read. If I post it, will you read it?

Yes, of course I will. I am always open to look at what someone thinks about the Bible.

How do I ACTUALLY be saved?

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

simple truth, martyr, disciple of Yahshua

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

Know what you believe and why you believe it

simple truth, martyr, disciple of Yahshua

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

justified sinner

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