What's the heart of Christianity?

Bible Highlighter · Jan 22, 2021

aiki said:
This isn't what I wrote. I referred to Moralism, not morals,

First, our readers need to know where you are coming from in regards to this topic vs. where I am coming from on this topic.

You have stated in another thread,

“I think holiness is essential to crucial living. It is the fundamental ground of our fellowship with God. It is not, though, the ground of our relationship to Him. We can be saved without being holy but we cannot enjoy God without being holy.” ~ Quote by: Aiki.

“Overcoming sin is integral to the Christian life. But no one will ever overcome all sin in their life. This is why we need the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us.” ~ Quote by Aiki.

Source:
Is it possible to be sinless for 5 seconds straight?

You appear to be believe that you can be saved without living holy based on your above quote. However, I believe the Bible teaches that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). I believe that God has chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and a belief of the truth (Which is a call of the gospel) (See: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

Second, as for the word Moralism:

Well, people define Moralism in several different ways.

Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel—And Why So Many Christians Think It Is

What is moralism? | GotQuestions.org

moralism

So it all depends on who you ask. So there doesn't appear to be an agreed upon set in stone meaning for Moralism. It can have a wide variety of meanings depending on who you ask.

When I hear the word “Moralism,” I take that as meaning that you need to uphold God's standard of Morality in order to be a part of God's good kingdom. George Sodini didn't have any morals. He thought that he could kill a bunch of people and take his own life and Jesus would forgive these future sins all because He trusted in Jesus alone for His salvation. So George Sodini was obviously for Anti-Moralism. In fact, anyone who thinks they do not have to hold to a standard of morality on some level based in God's Word is against Moralism. You said a believer does not have to live holy and yet they can be saved. This appears to be against God's morals or good ways. God would have to agree with sin in order to let allow them into His kingdom. But such a thing is impossible because God is holy, just, and good.

Side Note: To learn more about George Sodini, check out this link here:

O.S.A.S. – THE WATCHMAN'S CRY

You said:
in the quotation from my post that you cited. I also took pains to define a particular type of fear:

"What is strong enough motivation to move me willingly - even joyfully - into the crucified life of Self-denial? Not fear. Though, many Christians often resort to this motive in living for God. I certainly used to live from this motive as a Christian. But, it isn't strong enough to produce consistent and joyful obedience to God. Instead, fearing God made me resent Him and mistrust Him. And it didn't produce for me a consistently holy life, either.

Because this is so, Scripture never encourages me to a motivation of fear in my walk with God. Now, by "fear" I mean a cowering terror of a dangerous, threatening power, not the reverential awe the Bible urges in me toward God. This cowering sort of fear is too weak to move me along properly as a child of God. No, God intends instead that LOVE should motivate my life with Him."

This is the popular candy coated version of fear within Christianity. But it is not what we read in the Bible.

Jesus says,

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).

So are we not to have reverential awe in people who desire to kill us?

“Paul says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12).

Why all the trembling if it is not talking about fear?

A great fear came upon the church when they heard of Ananias and Sapphira's death for lying to the Holy Spirit (See: Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11).

See if you think like a detective about what happened in the narrative of Ananias and Sapphira, the emotion of fear does not make any sense in the world of OSAS or Belief Alone-ism, or a Sin and Still Be Saved Type Belief of some kind. Fear only makes sense in this story if the body of believers knew that they could face the judgment or condemnation of God for committing a similar sin. But if OSAS or Belief Alone-ism is true, then the church should have either felt sorrow that they would miss their friends, and or they would have felt a sense of justice being done in that these might have been false believers. But that's not what we read in the Bible.

You said:
And then I offered 1 John 4:16-19,

No doubt you are referring primarily to 1 John 4:18. For it is popular for those in the Belief Alone camp to quote this verse out of context. Here is what 1 John 4:18 says,

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18).

So okay. How do you perfect love so as to cast out fear?

According to the Bible we read the answer here:

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:5-6).

You said:
Matthew 22:36-38

As for your quote of Matthew 22:36-38:

Most in the Belief Alone camp have no idea what this passage is really saying.

The full version of God's 1st greatest commandment is given to us in Mark 12:29-30.

Here is the passage for the FULL version of the 1st greatest commandment.

“Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:29-30).

This is a five part instruction for the 1st greatest commandment. It is one command, but it has a five part way we can obey it.

Part #1. Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord,
Part #2. Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
Part #3. Love the Lord your God with all your soul,
Part #4. Love the Lord your God with all your mind,
Part #5. Love the Lord your God with all your strength.

What is interesting is that Deuteronomy 6, and Deuteronomy 10 does not mention Part #4 that says to love the Lord your God with all your mind. So this was an added improvement by our Lord in Mark 12:29-30.

But if you believe in OSAS or Eternal Security, then the heart of the Christian life can potentially lead a person to not focus on the 1st greatest commandment. For if you are Once Saved Always Saved, then nothing you can ever do will ever change your salvation status. So it appears that loving God is merely optional if OSAS is in fact true. For you even said that one does not have to live holy and yet they can still be saved.

You said:
and 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 as scriptural support for my comments, which you ignored.

Right, I believe this passage. I believe it does not profit me anything if I betow all my goods to feed the poor if I have not love in doing so. But you said you don't have to live holy and yet you can still be saved. So then... by this statement, a believer can bestow all their goods to the poor and not have love and they will still be profited in that they will be saved into God's Kingdom.

You said:
As I already explained to you in an earlier post, in saying that righteousness isn't the primary end of the Christian life I am NOT saying it has no part in the Christian life at all. As I explained in my 3 opening posts, one cannot achieve the ultimate aim of Christian living - which is to know, love, enjoy and glorify God - without a holy, righteous life. I have no idea how you've missed this, except that your "axe-grinding" is crippling your ability to actually take in what others are saying.

Absolutely - which I point out several times in my first 3 posts! See post #55 in this thread.

You stated, I quote:

“Is holiness an end in itself? NO! It is just the means by which the Christian believer may "see God." Quote by: Aiki.

Yet, this contradicts the Bible. The reason Christ died for us was to sanctify us with the washing of the water of the Word so that Christ might present to Himself a church that is holy, and without blemish.

“...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Jesus gave Himself so that He might redeem us from us from all iniquity and so that we might be zealous of good works.

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).

Yet, you said believers will always have sin in their life (Note: If you desire to discuss this statement with me further, I can only discuss it with you on overcoming mortal sin or grievous sin in this life because “Sinless Perfection” is not allowed to be discussed in this section of the forums; For I believe that Christians must overcome mortal sin at some point in their life in order to be saved (After they are saved by God's grace)).

Anyways, is holiness the end?

The Bible appears to also answer this question with a “yes” in this verse here:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

aiki · Jan 22, 2021

Bible Highlighter said:
First, our readers need to know where you are coming from in regards to this topic vs. where I am coming from on this topic.

I think you should find some other thread in which to argue for your own ideas about how to walk well with God. This thread is not the place in which to sort out all of your personal problems with my views on Christian living. You can do this sort of thing in the General Theology subforum or the Controversial Theology subforum, but not here on the New Christian subforum, please.

A number of people on this thread have pointed out to you that you have not understood what I wrote and this continues to be the case. But, rather than inquiring after what I actually mean, you ASSUME my views and then argue against those assumptions in the light of your own perspectives on the Christian faith. This isn't the proper forum for doing this sort of thing. In other threads in other subforums, you and I have gone back-and-forth several times already on soteriological issues. It should be very clear to you by now - as it is to me - that you and I will not see eye-to-eye on a number of fundamental aspects of the faith. Your comments in this thread simply confirm this. And they make your comments a sort of poster-stalking, in my opinion, where you follow around through the subforums after me, rehashing the same old arguments we've had in other threads even, as in this case, when doing so is inappropriate.

So, again, please cease posting to my thread. Thanks.

aiki · Jan 22, 2021

Since you have posted what you have, I feel obliged to those new believers who may come to this thread and read it to address, for their sake, some of the things you've asserted about my views.

Bible Highlighter said:
First, our readers need to know where you are coming from in regards to this topic vs. where I am coming from on this topic.

You have stated in another thread,

“I think holiness is essential to crucial living. It is the fundamental ground of our fellowship with God. It is not, though, the ground of our relationship to Him. We can be saved without being holy but we cannot enjoy God without being holy.” ~ Quote by: Aiki.

“Overcoming sin is integral to the Christian life. But no one will ever overcome all sin in their life. This is why we need the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us.” ~ Quote by Aiki.
Source:
Is it possible to be sinless for 5 seconds straight?

You appear to be believe that you can be saved without living holy based on your above quote. However, I believe the Bible teaches that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Have you thought through what you're saying here? If being saved hinges on our holiness, on our right living, then no one can be saved! We are all of us, before being saved, just as Paul described in Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 1:21; Titus 3:3 and Romans 3:23. What possibility does anyone have of being saved on their own merits, by their own good works, if what Paul described of all the lost is true? None! None whatsoever!

On what basis is a person saved and accepted by God?

Acts 13:38-39
38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Romans 3:28
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:5
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Why is it important to understand the doctrine of justification?

Understanding the doctrine of justification is crucial to walking confidently with God. The doctrine of justification teaches us that our good works do not save us and are not the basis upon which we gain acceptance with God. Our righteous standing before God is obtained in and through Christ who has, concerning our sin, perfectly satisfied the demands of God's justice. We are free, then, from the condemnation of God's law and from the eternal punishment contravening it incurs. This means, too, that our acceptance by God is not contingent upon our conduct. He does not accept us on the basis of our good works and He does not, therefore, reject us upon the basis of our evil works. This fact means we do not need to fear the loss of our relationship to God when we fall prey to temptation and sin. Our sin cannot dissolve our acceptance with God because that acceptance has nothing to do with our success in living rightly; our acceptance rests solely upon our justification by faith in Christ as our Saviour.

It is Christ's righteousness imputed to us that makes us acceptable to God but this doesn't mean, therefore, that we are actually, in our daily living, righteous. No, while we obtain a right-standing with God through faith in Christ, our living, especially early on as a believer, is rife with all sorts of sin! So, then, it is possible to be saved and yet be living in sin! And this is borne out in Scripture most clearly in Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church. Read chapters 3, 5, 6 and 11 in particular to see what I'm talking about.

Does this mean we ought to rest comfortably in a life of sin? Absolutely not! If one is serious about obeying the First and Great Commandment, sin has to go! And as a believer lives in humble, loving submission to God, He cleans up their life. True, joyful, loving fellowship with God cannot be experienced while sin crowds a believer's life. This fact - as I explained in my 3 opening posts - should be what motivates them toward holiness, not the craven fear of one threatened by a dangerous superior power.

Bible Highlighter said:
Well, people define Moralism in several different ways.

Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel—And Why So Many Christians Think It Is

What is moralism? | GotQuestions.org

moralism
So it all depends on who you ask.

Not for the purposes of MY posts, it doesn't. I defined what I meant by Moralism and by that definition I proceeded in my remarks. I am not thinking or writing from any other definitions and so they are irrelevant to my comments.

Bible Highlighter said:
When I hear the word “Moralism,” I take that as meaning that you need to uphold God's standard of Morality in order to be a part of God's good kingdom.

I'm not writing my thoughts based on your definition. Why on earth would I?

What you've written here is, essentially, works-salvation. If you must sustain your membership in God's kingdom, your salvation, by your works, then you are your own Saviour, ultimately. But Scripture absolutely rules out this basis for salvation: 1 Corinthians 1:3-31; Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5.

Bible Highlighter said:
You said a believer does not have to live holy and yet they can be saved. This appears to be against God's morals or good ways.

See above.

Bible Highlighter said:
God would have to agree with sin in order to let allow them into His kingdom. But such a thing is impossible because God is holy, just, and good.

Which is precisely why we all must gain acceptance with God through the only perfectly holy and righteous one who is Christ! All of our righteous living, however consistent after salvation, exists in a life that began in sin. And so, no matter how righteously we may live, we can never attain the perfection of righteousness God requires. Only Christ can fulfill that standard. Which is why he - and he alone - is the means of our acceptance with God. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6)

Bible Highlighter said:
George Sodini didn't have any morals. He thought that he could kill a bunch of people and take his own life and Jesus would forgive these future sins all because He trusted in Jesus alone for His salvation. So George Sodini was obviously for Anti-Moralism.

You know, many atheist's use this very same line of argument in their contentions with Christians. They find the very worst example of Christianity they can and on that basis set about to assess the religion. But the observation has been made that this is a very faulty approach to take to properly assessing almost anything. Imagine doing this with, say, Mozart's music. Imagine finding an elementary-school band, a bunch of fourth-graders, who attempt to play Mozart's music and you listen to their discordant, mistimed honking, tooting and banging and think, "Boy, Mozart really sucked!" Then imagine going to others and saying, "This fourth-grade band played Mozart and boy was the music terrible! Mozart was a terrible musician!" You'd be thought an utter fool to come to such a conclusion on such a basis! But this is exactly what you're doing with your George Sodini argument. You're taking the very worst representation of a viewpoint and making it the chief representation of the view.

Bible Highlighter said:
This is the popular candy coated version of fear within Christianity. But it is not what we read in the Bible.

Jesus says,

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).

When and to whom did Jesus speak these words? To born-again believers? NO. He hadn't yet died on the cross when he spoke these words. His audience was entirely unsaved. And this is reflected in what he said. Matthew 10:28 in no way applies to the saved. See above.

Bible Highlighter said:
So are we not to have reverential awe in people who desire to kill us?

“Paul says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12).
Why all the trembling if it is not talking about fear?

Have you never trembled in awe? I have. And so I understand Paul's words very well.

Bible Highlighter said:
A great fear came upon the church when they heard of Ananias and Sapphira's death for lying to the Holy Spirit (See: Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11).
See if you think like a detective about what happened in the narrative of Ananias and Sapphira, the emotion of fear does not make any sense in the world of OSAS or Belief Alone-ism, or a Sin and Still Be Saved Type Belief of some kind.

We all of us have an instinctive fear of death. It's why we don't poke angry bears with sharp sticks, or drive on the wrong side of the freeway at rush hour, or swig poison for fun. And it is this fear the death of Ananias and Sapphira engendered. But a fear of physical death is not a fear of the loss of one's salvation. That is a glaring non sequitur.

Bible Highlighter said:
No doubt you are referring primarily to 1 John 4:18.

No, if you'd actually ask me what I mean and think, you wouldn't keep making wrong assumptions about these things. I cited all of the three verses because they explain one another, they are a chain of reasoning, that John is employing and as such don't require John's comments from another chapter entirely. Verse 16 explains and confines John's meaning in verse 19.

I've run out of time to address your other comments but will do so later. Please refrain from any more posting in this thread. If you want to rehash your works-salvation stuff somewhere else, fine. Set up your own thread and go for it. Thanks.

Bible Highlighter · Jan 22, 2021

aiki said:
I think you should find some other thread in which to argue for your own ideas about how to walk well with God. This thread is not the place in which to sort out all of your personal problems with my views on Christian living. You can do this sort of thing in the General Theology subforum or the Controversial Theology subforum, but not here on the New Christian subforum, please.

A number of people on this thread have pointed out to you that you have not understood what I wrote and this continues to be the case. But, rather than inquiring after what I actually mean, you ASSUME my views and then argue against those assumptions in the light of your own perspectives on the Christian faith. This isn't the proper forum for doing this sort of thing. In other threads in other subforums, you and I have gone back-and-forth several times already on soteriological issues. It should be very clear to you by now - as it is to me - that you and I will not see eye-to-eye on a number of fundamental aspects of the faith. Your comments in this thread simply confirm this. And they make your comments a sort of poster-stalking, in my opinion, where you follow around through the subforums after me, rehashing the same old arguments we've had in other threads even, as in this case, when doing so is inappropriate.

Give it a rest. You aren't persuading anyone of your views but merely making a nuisance of yourself.

Jesus is the heart of Christianity. I believe the heart of Christianity is the the point of discussion I bring up (Which is true biblical Sanctification followed after one is saved by God’s grace by Jesus Christ). For Jesus makes it possible for us to have grace and Sanctification.

I disagree with your views on how you understand sin and salvation (Which I believe is at the heart of Christianity).

As for statement that says that I am stalking you:

In my opinion, this is a bit extreme by saying that. Stalking implies searching out your personal life. I have no interest in digging up details about your personal life. Nor am I interested in digging up dirt on anyone. God will judge all things in the end. I prefer to attack the wrong belief, and not the person. This is why I am not a big fan of Facebook or Twitter for these reasons. I only bring up your beliefs that are easily available for anyone to find and read publicly on the forums. Yes, I would not even try to look on the internet elsewhere about you. In my opinion, that would be crossing the line. But to look up what you believe here on the forums is not stalking in my view. I am only relaying what you said openly here on the forums. If you wanted to hide these facts, or make them available to only a select few people, then you would not post here on the forums publicly for all to see and or read.

Bible Highlighter · Jan 22, 2021

aiki said:
Since you have posted what you have, I feel obliged to those new believers who may come to this thread and read it to address, for their sake, some of the things you've asserted about my views.

And I will likewise do the same so as to tell new believers here the simple truth of God's Word.
But many today do not like what their Bible says these days. So they seek to change the obvious meaning of certain Scripture verses to defend a sin and still be saved type belief.

You said:
Have you thought through what you're saying here? If being saved hinges on our holiness, on our right living, then no one can be saved! We are all of us, before being saved, just as Paul described in Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 1:21; Titus 3:3 and Romans 3:23. What possibility does anyone have of being saved on their own merits, by their own good works, if what Paul described of all the lost is true? None! None whatsoever!

Paul was fighting against "Circumcision Salvationism" (Which is Law Alone Salvationism without God's grace); A certain sect of Jews were trying to deceive some Christians into thinking they had to first be circumcised in order to be saved. This was a heresy that was clearly addressed at the Jerusalem council (See Acts of the Apostles 15:1, Acts of the Apostles 15:5, Acts of the Apostles 15:24). Paul also addressed this problem; Paul said to the Galatians that if you seek to be circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing (Galatians 5:2), and then Paul mentions how if you seek to be justified by the Law, you have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4). This "law" is the Torah because circumcision is not a part of the commands given to us by Jesus and His followers.

So this is why Paul spoke in the way he did in Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Romans 4:3-5, etc.; Paul was referring to the Justification aspect of salvation in these kinds of verses and not Sanctifiation.

Justification (Initial Salvation, and or Foundational Salvation).
(The 1st synergistic work of GOD done in a believer).

Justification is the entrance gate to salvation, and it is the foundation of our salvation (by faith) upon which we stand. Justification is believing the gospel (Which is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it - Romans 1:16). According to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: The gospel is you believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins, He was buried, and He had risen again three days later for your salvation (Note: Do not let anyone sell you on another gospel besides this one). Depending on a person’s access or exposure to the Word: Justification will also generally include receiving Jesus as your Savior (John 1:12), and calling upon the name of the Lord (i.e. confessing with your mouth the words: “Lord Jesus” or similar equivalent - Romans 10:9) as a part of seeking forgiveness of your sins with Him by way of prayer (Romans 10:13) (Luke 15:18-21) (Luke 18:9-14). This process of salvation is without the deeds of the Law or works because it is based upon God’s mercy and grace and His redemptive work. As a result: One is born again spiritually (Note: Born again by the Spirit, and born again by water (i.e. the Scriptures - Romans 10:17, 1 Peter 1:23)). A person is foundationally or ultimately saved by God’s grace because if they happen to sin on rare occasion in their Christian walk, they do not do a good work to absolve that sin, but they confess of their sins to Jesus in order to be forgiven of that sin (1 John 1:9) (1 John 2:1) (Hebrews 4:16) (For Justification verses, see: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:1-6, Titus 3:4-7, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 5:1-2).

But make no mistake, Sanctification (Which is holy living by God's power that follows Justifcation) is also a part of God's plan of salvation.

Sanctification (The Next Step or Phase in the Salvation Process).
(The 2nd synergistic work of God done in a believer).

Sanctification is the next step or phase in Salvation for a believer who lives out their faith; This is the work of God moving in a believer's life so as to help them to live holy, and to do good works and to put away the lusts of the flesh. These good works are the works of God done through the believer, and so all boasting or praise is given to the Lord. Therefore, there is no boasting in one's own work because they are ultimately the works of God done through the believer. A believer today who obeys the Lord looks to the commands of Jesus and His followers within the New Testament primarily. For believers today are not under the 613 Laws of Moses as a whole package deal (even though certain laws have carried over into the New Testament). Basically all ceremonial laws and judicial laws in the Old Testament no longer apply. For example: Believers do not have to keep the Saturday Sabbath, circumcision, dietary laws, animal sacrifices, holy days, etc.; However, believers must keep God's Moral Laws like: Do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, do not lie, do commit adultery, etc.; Two of the greatest commands that we should focus on daily is to love God and love our neighbor which is more fully described in Mark 12:29-31. We need to worship or adore the Lord our God, preach the gospel, help the poor, love the brethren, love our enemies, and live holy lives, etc. (For Sanctification verses, see: James 2:24, James 2:17-18, Titus 1:16, Hebrews 5:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 12:14, Romans 8:1 (KJV), 1 Corinthians 16:22, Romans 8:13, etc.).

Ephesians 2:8-9:

So Ephesians 2:8-9 is referring to the Justification aspect of salvation in how we are saved by God's grace (Which is our Initial and Foundational Salvation). Ephesians 2:1 shows that we are quickened by Christ. How many times have we been quickened? Just one time. Ephesians 2:8 says we are saved by God's grace and it is like a gift. How many times do we receive this gift? Just one time. So Ephesians 2:8-9 is referring to Initial Salvation, and not Continued Salvation via the Sanctification Process (Which follows being saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ).

The works that one would boast in doing in Ephesians 2:9 is Man Directed Works Alone Salvationism without God's grace (by the 613 Laws of Moses) because Paul was arguing against how if a person thought they had to first be circumcised in order to be initially saved instead of being saved first by Jesus Christ, and His grace, they would be making the Law or works the basis for their salvation. However, Paul switches gears and talks about an entirely different kind of works in Ephesians 2:10. This would be the work of faith that Paul mentions elsewhere in Scripture (1 Thessalonians 1:3) (2 Thessalonians 1:11). How so? Well, Paul says we are, “...created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10). These are God directed works done through the believer. For if God does the good work in me as Philippians 2:13 says, then there is no boasting in myself in what I do. All good works we do would be a result of God working in us. So all praise and glory goes to God for the good work He does in us.

But to assume that Sanctification is not a part of God's plan of salvation is not looking at the whole counsel of God's Word.

For after we are saved by God's grace, God directed works done through the believer is also required as a part of God's plan of salvation, too. Just check out the following verses here:

We are justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24).
Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).
A person can deny God by a lack of works (Titus 1:16).
Jesus agreed with the lawyer that to love God, and to love your neighbor is a part of inheriting eternal life (Luke 10:25-28).
Those who have done good, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, shall come forth unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:29).
We have to continue in His goodness, otherwise we can be cut off [just like the Jews were cut off] (Romans 11:21-22).
Helping the poor, and the unfortunate relates to inheriting the Kingdom (Matthew 25:34-40), and not helping the poor, and the unfortunate relates to going away into everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41-46).
Whoever does not righteousness or does not love his brother is not of God (1 John 3:10).
Whoever does what Jesus says is likened unto a wise man who built his house upon the rock, and when a storm came, it did not fall, (Matthew 7:24-25), but the person who does not do what Jesus says is likened unto a fool who built his house upon the sand, and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house (Matthew 7:26-27).
Abiding in Jesus will bear much fruit, but if a person does not abide in Jesus [thereby being unfruitful], they are cast out [or cut off] like a branch to be burned in the fire (John 15:5-6).
If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing (1 Peter 4:18-19).
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14) (NKJV).

Side Note:

I will have to address your verses in another post.

May God bless you (even if we disagree strongly on what Scripture teaches).

HARK! · Jan 22, 2021

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What's the heart of Christianity?

Bible Highlighter

Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

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aiki

Regular Member

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aiki

Regular Member

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Bible Highlighter

Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

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Bible Highlighter

Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

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HARK!

שמע

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