Are you afraid of going to Hell?

[Jesus4Ever]

This is something that came to mind when I read your post, and I am not being judgemental here, just giving you some things to think about and search your own heart about.

Many times when we pray or read God's Word we will hear the Holy Spirit or feel God's guidance, but God pursposely is quieter. Meaning that if we let the things in this life drown out the Holy Spirit in our lives, they can and will do that.

In prayer and when reading God's Word we need to come to a place of understanding in that God will not hit us over the head with a frying pan to get our attention. God says that we should want to seek the Kingdom of God, so think about if you are being a listener also. And if you are praying for understanding and wisdom for yourself.

Don't feel odd praying for yourself for the wonderful things of God. This is not selfish at all but that you are seeking to understand. So pray for yourself and ask God to show you the wonders of His wisdom. God's timing is not our timing, but He will show you.

God bless you.

I do. I pray nearly everyday for His wisdom and understanding.

 

[DivineD]

No but people say that if you are transformed then your whole life and view on life changes. Nothing in my life has really changed except my belief in God of course, and that I'm trying to be less selfish and help others more. But even then I still feel selfish in nature and I still have my own interests.

We are going to feel that selfishness, because we are still living in this flesh which wars against the spirit. Gal 5:17-18 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
And what do you mean by own interests? Unless you're not committing sin against God, there's no harm in having your own interests.

Not every Christian has a "radical" transformation in their lives, that's why I told you before not to worry too much or to compare your faith life to theirs. We all have our experiences. You may experience more while praying, serving, and just continuing to draw near to God. So don't trip over these things. Faith life with the Father is individual.
God bless!

 

[Jesus4Ever]

We are going to feel that selfishness, because we are still living in this flesh which wars against the spirit. Gal 5:17-18 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
And what do you mean by own interests? Unless you're not committing sin against God, there's no harm in having your own interests.

Not every Christian has a "radical" transformation in their lives, that's why I told you before not to worry too much or to compare your faith life to theirs. We all have our experiences. You may experience more while praying, serving, and just continuing to draw near to God. So don't trip over these things. Faith life with the Father is individual.
God bless!

I thought the Spirit was the law? Aren't we supposed to follow the Ten Commandments?

Well for instance, I like fantasy, video games, anime, youtube, daydreaming...stuff that some Christians feel are against God because they are secular. Now before God, I would make my schedule around my hobbies. I would get work done only so I would have more time for that stuff. Now I know that I need to focus on God and get my work done and then maybe do a bit of that other stuff if I have time, but God and other people comes first.

However, at times I find myself missing those hobbies because I've hardly been able to to do them with my busy schedule. (At the same time, it is only temporary. I'm only so busy because of my externship that I'm doing now for my career.) So I feel like missing them while I should be thinking about God is sinful or wrong.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I thought the Spirit was the law? Aren't we supposed to follow the Ten Commandments?

Well for instance, I like fantasy, video games, anime, youtube, daydreaming...stuff that some Christians feel are against God because they are secular. Now before God, I would make my schedule around my hobbies. I would get work done only so I would have more time for that stuff. Now I know that I need to focus on God and get my work done and then maybe do a bit of that other stuff if I have time, but God and other people comes first.

However, at times I find myself missing those hobbies because I've hardly been able to to do them with my busy schedule. (At the same time, it is only temporary. I'm only so busy because of my externship that I'm doing now for my career.) So I feel like missing them while I should be thinking about God is sinful or wrong.

Before Jesus Christ died for our sins, the Hebrews/Israelite's were under the Old Covenant which is the Law of Moses (ie. 10 Commandments), but now with Christ's life and death, we have been given a new and better Covenant, the New Covenant of grace.

The Old Covenant forgiveness was based on the blood of animals, but the New Covenant is based on God's Son's blood.

Question: "What was the Old Covenant?"

Answer: The Old Covenant was a conditional or bilateral agreement that God made with the Israelites. The Old Covenant was in effect during the dispensation of the Law. It is “old” in comparison to the New Covenant, promised by Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 31:31, 33) and made effective by the death of the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:20). In the Old Covenant, the Israelites were required to obey God and keep the Law, and in return He protected and blessed them (Deuteronomy 30:15–18; 1 Samuel 12:14–15). In the New Covenant, things change and God becomes the proactive and unconditional source of salvation and blessing. In the New Covenant, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The author of Hebrews details some of the differences between the Old Covenant and the New. The Old Covenant required repeated, daily sacrifices of animals as a reminder of the people’s sin. But “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Under the New Covenant, “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (verse 10), ending the need for animal sacrifices. “Where [sins and lawless acts] have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” (verse 18).

Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place where God’s presence dwelt—and that only once a year. But under the New Covenant, Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 10:21), “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (verse 19), and we can “draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings” (verse 22).

The Old Covenant was a set of “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10). Upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, the external regulations gave way to an internal change of heart (see Galatians 6:15). The Old Covenant was fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17). “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). “The reality . . . is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). The New Covenant involves a superior ministry (of Christ), is “established on better promises,” and is, in fact, “superior to the old [covenant]” (Hebrews 8:6).

Even while the Old Covenant stood, God had planned the New Covenant. The two work together to show people their need for God and then to fulfill that need. The Old Covenant required people to please God, but no one can measure up to perfection, and the Old Covenant resulted in a string of failures. “Through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20). The Old Covenant established our guilt before God and our need for a Savior. The Old Covenant was never intended to save us; in fact, “the old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6, NLT).

In the Old Covenant, God also established that the way to atone for sin is through the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). That is why during the Last Supper on the night of His arrest, Jesus passed the cup to the disciples and told them, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). When Jesus was crucified, His blood provided for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole world—the basis of the New Covenant. “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13). Salvation is now a free gift for any who will believe in Christ and trust that His blood takes away their guilt before God (John 3:16–17).

One purpose of the Old Covenant was to make it absolutely clear that no man is righteous before God and that no one can save himself (Romans 3:10–11, 20). Before the New Covenant came, we were “held in custody under the law” (Galatians 3:23). God’s people were stuck in the Old Covenant, relying on a sacrificial system that looked forward to the coming of Christ and justification by faith (verse 24). “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son . . . born under the law to redeem those under the law” (Galatians 4:4–5). When the Son of God died on the cross, God “canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

The ultimate purpose of the Old Covenant was to point people to Christ: “The law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:24–25). One truth that must not be missed is that we are no longer under the Old Covenant. Many false teachers today call on people to keep the Law, or at least part of it, as a means to please God. Christians must stand firm in the grace that God has given us and reject such legalism. “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (verse 26).

What was the Old Covenant?


Question: "What is the New Covenant?"

Answer: The New Covenant (or New Testament) is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect—the prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant that God had established with His people required strict obedience to the Mosaic Law. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the Law required that Israel perform daily sacrifices in order to atone for sin. But Moses, through whom God established the Old Covenant, also anticipated the New Covenant. In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel, Moses looks forward to a time when Israel would be given “a heart to understand” (Deuteronomy 29:4, ESV). Moses predicts that Israel would fail in keeping the Old Covenant (verses 22–28), but he then sees a time of restoration (30:1–5). At that time, Moses says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (verse 6). The New Covenant involves a total change of heart so that God’s people are naturally pleasing to Him.

The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant. “‘The day will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. . . . But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Luke 22:20 relates how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (ESV).

The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20).

The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, Gentiles were brought into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth, during the Millennial Kingdom; and in heaven, for all eternity.

We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15).

What is the New Covenant?

 

[DivineD]

I thought the Spirit was the law? Aren't we supposed to follow the Ten Commandments?

Well for instance, I like fantasy, video games, anime, youtube, daydreaming...stuff that some Christians feel are against God because they are secular. Now before God, I would make my schedule around my hobbies. I would get work done only so I would have more time for that stuff. Now I know that I need to focus on God and get my work done and then maybe do a bit of that other stuff if I have time, but God and other people comes first.

However, at times I find myself missing those hobbies because I've hardly been able to to do them with my busy schedule. (At the same time, it is only temporary. I'm only so busy because of my externship that I'm doing now for my career.) So I feel like missing them while I should be thinking about God is sinful or wrong.

In John 6:63 Jesus says:"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Yes, the law in respect to Jesus's words/teachings are Spirit, because Jesus fulfilled or is the completion of the Law.

Right. God is first, because Christ tells us to Seek His kingdom and His righteousness first Mat 6:33. I personally you're guilt-tripping yourself too much. We're not perfect. We still live in this world, it's not like we can get out of it, we're going to be tempted here and there. Especially the sin of the mind and heart, His standards are too perfect, just by looking at a woman with lust we commit adultery/fornication or just by hating someone we committed murder in our hearts. But that's why He teaches us in the Lord's prayer to Forgive us of our debts/sins. We are going to stumble and sin either way, because we are not perfect, but as long as you're obeying God to the best you can and not replacing Him for anything or anyone in this world, it's alright. Don't begin to condemn yourself. God also wants us to be happy, not to feel guilty and ashamed all the time.

Look at this parable. One of the sons didn't FEEL like doing the Father's Will, but He ended up doing it anyways and God acknowledges Him, despite the lack of a willing heart.
Mat 21:32 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first.”

I have the same hobbies as you too lol and I struggle with the same things you do. I just try to follow Christ to the best I can everyday and if I have time to spare I enjoy my hobbies. Yes, like you I am tempted here and there to ignore the Father's Will for my own, but who doesn't? If I mess up, I repent and stand up again. Making mistakes here and there, not being perfect, is not the same thing as living or practicing sin. I don't stress out over it though, because Jesus told us to "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world".

 

[Libertas]

Actually Paul is more referring to boasting in those verses. Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Oh yeah? Can I get a chapter and verse on that?

 

[DivineD]

Oh yeah? Can I get a chapter and verse on that?

....It's literally right there the verse I posted Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

 

[Libertas]

....It's literally right there the verse I posted Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

You said this was more about boasting. Where does it say those words?

It's actually about the fact salvation is by faith alone, so you shouldn't boast about it. And verse 10 says you were saved to do good works, so you better do them. It nowhere says if you fail to do good works you go to hell. You're totally ignoring the fact it says salvation is by faith to claim the whole passage is actually about boasting. If this is less about salvation being by faith then what is he warning people NOT to boast about?

Romans 4:5 - But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

John 6:47 King James Version (KJV)
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Even a toddler can understand these verses. It clearly teaches you must believe, then you will HAVE (present tense) everlasting life. So, if everlasting life can be lost...it wasn't everlasting. It was temporary.

Belief/faith means TRUST. You must trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, or you're trusting in works - and you'll be working yourself straight to hell:

Ephesians 1:12-13 King James Version (KJV)
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

You are commanded to BELIEVE the gospel, to trust Jesus Christ for salvation - NOT your own works.

Matthew 7:21-23 King James Version (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

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

Jesus says those who rely on their works are hell bound. Are you relying on your works? Sounds like it. Verse 21 refers to the will of the father. What is that?

John 6:40 King James Version (KJV)
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

[Jesus4Ever]

Before Jesus Christ died for our sins, the Hebrews/Israelite's were under the Old Covenant which is the Law of Moses (ie. 10 Commandments), but now with Christ's life and death, we have been given a new and better Covenant, the New Covenant of grace.

The Old Covenant forgiveness was based on the blood of animals, but the New Covenant is based on God's Son's blood.

Question: "What was the Old Covenant?"

Answer: The Old Covenant was a conditional or bilateral agreement that God made with the Israelites. The Old Covenant was in effect during the dispensation of the Law. It is “old” in comparison to the New Covenant, promised by Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 31:31, 33) and made effective by the death of the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:20). In the Old Covenant, the Israelites were required to obey God and keep the Law, and in return He protected and blessed them (Deuteronomy 30:15–18; 1 Samuel 12:14–15). In the New Covenant, things change and God becomes the proactive and unconditional source of salvation and blessing. In the New Covenant, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The author of Hebrews details some of the differences between the Old Covenant and the New. The Old Covenant required repeated, daily sacrifices of animals as a reminder of the people’s sin. But “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Under the New Covenant, “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (verse 10), ending the need for animal sacrifices. “Where [sins and lawless acts] have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” (verse 18).

Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place where God’s presence dwelt—and that only once a year. But under the New Covenant, Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 10:21), “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (verse 19), and we can “draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings” (verse 22).

The Old Covenant was a set of “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10). Upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, the external regulations gave way to an internal change of heart (see Galatians 6:15). The Old Covenant was fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17). “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). “The reality . . . is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). The New Covenant involves a superior ministry (of Christ), is “established on better promises,” and is, in fact, “superior to the old [covenant]” (Hebrews 8:6).

Even while the Old Covenant stood, God had planned the New Covenant. The two work together to show people their need for God and then to fulfill that need. The Old Covenant required people to please God, but no one can measure up to perfection, and the Old Covenant resulted in a string of failures. “Through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20). The Old Covenant established our guilt before God and our need for a Savior. The Old Covenant was never intended to save us; in fact, “the old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6, NLT).

In the Old Covenant, God also established that the way to atone for sin is through the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). That is why during the Last Supper on the night of His arrest, Jesus passed the cup to the disciples and told them, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). When Jesus was crucified, His blood provided for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole world—the basis of the New Covenant. “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13). Salvation is now a free gift for any who will believe in Christ and trust that His blood takes away their guilt before God (John 3:16–17).

One purpose of the Old Covenant was to make it absolutely clear that no man is righteous before God and that no one can save himself (Romans 3:10–11, 20). Before the New Covenant came, we were “held in custody under the law” (Galatians 3:23). God’s people were stuck in the Old Covenant, relying on a sacrificial system that looked forward to the coming of Christ and justification by faith (verse 24). “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son . . . born under the law to redeem those under the law” (Galatians 4:4–5). When the Son of God died on the cross, God “canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

The ultimate purpose of the Old Covenant was to point people to Christ: “The law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:24–25). One truth that must not be missed is that we are no longer under the Old Covenant. Many false teachers today call on people to keep the Law, or at least part of it, as a means to please God. Christians must stand firm in the grace that God has given us and reject such legalism. “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (verse 26).

What was the Old Covenant?


Question: "What is the New Covenant?"

Answer: The New Covenant (or New Testament) is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect—the prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant that God had established with His people required strict obedience to the Mosaic Law. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the Law required that Israel perform daily sacrifices in order to atone for sin. But Moses, through whom God established the Old Covenant, also anticipated the New Covenant. In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel, Moses looks forward to a time when Israel would be given “a heart to understand” (Deuteronomy 29:4, ESV). Moses predicts that Israel would fail in keeping the Old Covenant (verses 22–28), but he then sees a time of restoration (30:1–5). At that time, Moses says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (verse 6). The New Covenant involves a total change of heart so that God’s people are naturally pleasing to Him.

The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant. “‘The day will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. . . . But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Luke 22:20 relates how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (ESV).

The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20).

The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, Gentiles were brought into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth, during the Millennial Kingdom; and in heaven, for all eternity.

We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15).

What is the New Covenant?

But I thought Jesus only said that He came to fulfill the law? Not make it obsolete?

And if Jesus isn't talking about the Ten Commandments, what laws is He talking about?

 

[DivineD]

You said this was more about boasting. Where does it say those words?

It's actually about the fact salvation is by faith alone, so you shouldn't boast about it. And verse 10 says you were saved to do good works, so you better do them. It nowhere says if you fail to do good works you go to hell. You're totally ignoring the fact it says salvation is by faith to claim the whole passage is actually about boasting. If this is less about salvation being by faith then what is he warning people NOT to boast about?

Romans 4:5 - But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

John 6:47 King James Version (KJV)
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Even a toddler can understand these verses. It clearly teaches you must believe, then you will HAVE (present tense) everlasting life. So, if everlasting life can be lost...it wasn't everlasting. It was temporary.

Belief/faith means TRUST. You must trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, or you're trusting in works - and you'll be working yourself straight to hell:

Ephesians 1:12-13 King James Version (KJV)
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

You are commanded to BELIEVE the gospel, to trust Jesus Christ for salvation - NOT your own works.

Matthew 7:21-23 King James Version (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

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

Jesus says those who rely on their works are hell bound. Are you relying on your works? Sounds like it. Verse 21 refers to the will of the father. What is that?

John 6:40 King James Version (KJV)
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

You have a bizarre understanding of "works" to begin with, which affects your interpretation of scripture. You say we are saved just by faith and not works, yet James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." That verse alone destroys your entire theology. It goes against everything you are saying.

"Works" is synonymous with "action", that's why James illustrates with an example "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:15-17

Does this contradict Paul's statement in Romans 3:27 "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."
No, Paul predicted people like you would interpret that as meaning we don't have to follow the law, because it's all through faith, which is why he says in Romans 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."

The reason why Paul is saying not by works, but by faith in Christ is so that we don't become like the Pharisees in their self-righteousness. That's why in Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

The good works we do is not from ourselves, but rather from Christ Jesus who created us to do good works. So that we do not credit ourselves, but stay constantly humble in God, always giving credit and glory to Jesus Christ.

If you seriously believe that we can just "believe" in Jesus Christ and not have to follow Jesus' commands and get saved than you are deceived, because in John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
That's commandments with a plural, which means we have to follow more than one commandment of Jesus to love Him, because vice-versa Jesus says in John 14:24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me."
Again, Jesus says to KEEP MY WORDS, which is plural, again, more than one commandment. And if you noticed, it's conditional. If we do not keep His commands, it means to Jesus that we do not love Him, but if we do obey His commands, it means we love Him. And obviously if we do not love Jesus, we cannot be saved.

Jesus' only commandment is not just to "believe", Jesus taught us to repent, to walk in love, to abstain from sin so strongly He makes an expression to the point of plucking out our eyes or cutting off our hands, seek His kingdom and righteousness first, and many others that you can read in the Gospels.

 

[martymonster]

But it's in the bible. Plus then what happens to sinners when they die then?

No it's not. There are just a bunch of verses that are wrongly interpreted and taken literally by people who do no understand scripture.

When sinners die, they are dead until the second resurrection, then they go into the lake of fire.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I am afraid of meeting some of you guys on CF in Heaven. I bet you will be surprised to see me there too." Wannabe comedians don't belong here mate!"

 

[martymonster]

They say good works is the result of eternal life

Then obviously eternal life is something that we can receive in this life.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Which is consequently the opposite of death.


Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

[martymonster]

I am afraid of meeting some of you guys on CF in Heaven. I bet you will be surprised to see me there too." Wannabe comedians don't belong here mate!"

Huh? Are you talking to me?

 

[Libertas]

You have a bizarre understanding of "works" to begin with, which affects your interpretation of scripture. You say we are saved just by faith and not works, yet James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." That verse alone destroys your entire theology. It goes against everything you are saying.

No it doesn't. Pay attention to what you are saying. If faith is ALWAYS accompanied by works, then the Bible wouldn't need to even specify that faith without works is dead - because everyone with faith would automatically do good works.

Also, faith without works is dead does not mean what you think it means. Read the sentence. It's saying that those who have faith without works, have a dead faith. A dead faith doesn't profit anyone. If faith was always accompanied by works then the verse would read "faith without works doesn't exist." It doesn't say that. You're twisting the scripture to fit your works salvation false doctrine.

You didn't even bother to respond to the rest of my post, so I'm not going to respond to the rest of yours. Once again, the Bible is CLEAR that the second you BELIEVE on Jesus you receive eternal life. You totally ignored this because you have nothing to counter it. According to you, eternal life is not eternal and God is a liar.

John 6:47 King James Version (KJV)

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

 

[EmSw]

You didn't even bother to respond to the rest of my post, so I'm not going to respond to the rest of yours. Once again, the Bible is CLEAR that the second you BELIEVE on Jesus you receive eternal life. You totally ignored this because you have nothing to counter it. According to you, eternal life is not eternal and God is a liar.

Eternal life is eternal whether you are part of it or not, Libertas. God does not lie. Eternal life is eternal whether you are speaking of believers or unbelievers. Man's belief does not dictate whether eternal life is eternal or not. Do you think you are the one who makes life eternal?

John 6:47

King James Version (KJV)

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

Do you understand what eternal life is? Is it according to your belief? If so, do you believe Jesus when He says, 'if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments'? If you don't believe what He says, how is it you say you believe on Him?

Do you believe Jesus when He said if you want to enter life, keep the commandments?

What is eternal life, Libertas? Don't worry, Jesus told us.

John 17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

There it is. Eternal life is knowing the only true God, and Jesus. Do you know Him, Libertas? Well, we can tell by what John told us.

1 John 2:4
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Do you keep His commandments, Libertas? If not, you do not know Him, according to John. John says you are a liar if you say you know Him and do not keep His commandments, and the truth is not in you.

And, if you do not know Him, you do not have eternal life. Do you understand these things?

 

[DivineD]

No it doesn't. Pay attention to what you are saying. If faith is ALWAYS accompanied by works, then the Bible wouldn't need to even specify that faith without works is dead - because everyone with faith would automatically do good works.

Also, faith without works is dead does not mean what you think it means. Read the sentence. It's saying that those who have faith without works, have a dead faith. A dead faith doesn't profit anyone. If faith was always accompanied by works then the verse would read "faith without works doesn't exist." It doesn't say that. You're twisting the scripture to fit your works salvation false doctrine.

You didn't even bother to respond to the rest of my post, so I'm not going to respond to the rest of yours. Once again, the Bible is CLEAR that the second you BELIEVE on Jesus you receive eternal life. You totally ignored this because you have nothing to counter it. According to you, eternal life is not eternal and God is a liar.

John 6:47 King James Version (KJV)

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have (PRESENT TENSE) everlasting life.

You said "If faith is ALWAYS accompanied by works, then the Bible wouldn't need to even specify that faith without works is dead - because everyone with faith would automatically do good works."

Except that isn't true, because there are lots of people out there who "believe" in God yet do not live according to His Word. That's why James says faith without works is dead.

You said "It's saying that those who have faith without works, have a dead faith. A dead faith doesn't profit anyone. If faith was always accompanied by works then the verse would read "faith without works doesn't exist." It doesn't say that. You're twisting the scripture to fit your works salvation false doctrine."

Just like I said before, you have a bizarre reading of the Word. Now you're saying people can be saved with "dead faith". The Word doesn't need to change itself to fit your doctrine, it's very plain. That's why James gives an example "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17 Again, "Can such faith save them?" Obviously no, because it's dead.

"You didn't even bother to respond to the rest of my post, so I'm not going to respond to the rest of yours. Once again, the Bible is CLEAR that the second you BELIEVE on Jesus you receive eternal life. You totally ignored this because you have nothing to counter it. According to you, eternal life is not eternal and God is a liar."

That's fine, because I read your post as well as the verses you put up which is all talking about faith and believing in Christ. Your point is that we don't have to do good works to be saved, we just need to have faith. My point is from the Word, that we need to have both faith and good works to be saved. It's up to you to accept it or not. God bless.

 

[Jesus4Ever]

No it's not. There are just a bunch of verses that are wrongly interpreted and taken literally by people who do no understand scripture.

When sinners die, they are dead until the second resurrection, then they go into the lake of fire.

So either way they burn for eternity.

 

[martymonster]

So either way they burn for eternity.

No, not for eternity, just until they have their carnal mind burned out of them.
P.S. The lake of fire is not physical.

 

[St_Worm2]

No it's not. There are just a bunch of verses that are wrongly interpreted and taken literally by people who do no understand scripture.

Hi MM, what you refer to as a "wrong" interpretation must be charged against the historic church as a whole then, since there is not a church or denomination within the pale of orthodoxy, be they Catholic or Protestant, that believes/teaches what you do about the eternity of Hell/the Lake of Fire.

When sinners die, they are dead until the second resurrection, then they go into the lake of fire.

If you mean that the dead exist in an unconscious state until the Judgment, again, the church does not teach this, and neither does the Bible .. e.g. Luke 16:19-31.