Faith without works explained

fhansen said:

And it's not either/or; read the Parable of the Talents or Bags of Gold, Matt 25. God is expecting, demanding, some return and increase in the grace and righteousness He gives us, rather than our lazily burying the gift as if "investing" it is all a futile endeavor. He demands holiness and gives us the means to acheive it. We mock Him and the sacrifice of His Son (Gal 6:7,

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What makes you think every word of that parable does not apply to you and everyone else?

Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3

Man shall live by "every word of God." Not just the words we prefer to heap upon ourselves and cast upon other people the words we don't care to apply or hear.

BelieveItOarKnot said:

What makes you think every word of that parable does not apply to you and everyone else?

Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3

Man shall live by "every word of God." Not just the words we prefer to heap upon ourselves and cast upon other people the words we don't care to apply or hear.

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Oh. But has it occurred to you that Christ's followers may be challenged by His words, open to all of them while knowing that they may not live up to them, rather than heaping any particular ones upon themselves.

OTOH, you've managed to disregard and ignore a whole bunch of His words here so far, being pretty selective on which ones you heed as far as I can tell.

fhansen said:

Oh. But has it occurred to you that Christ's followers may be challenged by His words, open to all of them while knowing that they may not live up to them

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The evil in no man will ever be justified, or ignored, by God.

Were people the only entities in sight here you'd have a point. But that's never been the case.

Most are engaged in trying to make the spirit(s) of disobedience "behave" and "be moral" and "lawful" etc etc.

That will never happen

fhansen said:

OTOH, you've managed to disregard and ignore a whole bunch of His words here so far, being pretty selective on which ones you heed as far as I can tell.

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I have no need to try to look at only one aspect of the equations when the whole of it is true.

There is both blessing and cursing. I've learned the cursing is also in my behalf, as well as in behalf for all.

When your position reads, it throws away half the book and says "this doesn't apply to ME."

It all applies

BelieveItOarKnot said:

I have no need to try to look at only one aspect of the equations when the whole of it is true.

There is both blessing and cursing. I've learned the cursing is also in my behalf, as well as in behalf for all.

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Yes, the whole is right, and consistent. But if one looks at it they won't arrive at your conclusions. And the cursing is in my behalf because its purpose is to steer me away from sin that leads to death. Otherwise, in fact, if all are saved regardless, there's really no need for the bible to begin with, no need for us to know anything.

BelieveItOarKnot said:

When your position reads, it throws away half the book and says "this doesn't apply to ME."

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"this doesn't apply to ME" is the province of those who believe that no sins could ever be counted against them, not just past sins but present and future as well. The passages that tell us that sin results in death, that we can compromise and lose our saved status/eternal life by returning to the flesh, by failing to live as a child of God should, must be ignored.