Is belief enough to be saved?

[Lindas Place]

And if you look at how he separated the sheep from the goats he said that “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

read Matthew 25:31-46

It's like saying "Oh I believe in democracy" and leaving it at that. If you don't actually do anything about it then the belief isn't real, but hollow!

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Romans 4:6-8
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

 

[Montalban]

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Romans 4:6-8
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

How does that address what I posted? Thanks for the random bible verses.

Jesus says that what we do to others we do unto him.

 

[katherine2001]

Christ said the words in verse 34 to those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave drink to the thirsty, took in the stranger and visited those who were sick and in prison. Those who didn't do these acts He did not allow into the Kingdom.

 

[boldlion]

Acts 2:38

Peter didn't tell the Jews to just believe !!

 

[Lion King]

While it is true that the Spirit of God spoke only truth through Balaam, I fail to see where it says the Spirit of God was received by Balaam through his faith.
Really, it was more of a curse to him than a gift.

Anyway fair enough.
It was a good exchange. I will keep your point of view in mind in my readings.

Why would you call the gift of prophecy a curse?

 

[Whisper of Hope]

Saved from is such a greek idea. What are you saved such that God can accomplish?

We are saved from God's wrath through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus' blood (Romans 5:9), shed for the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2).

 

[Albion]

We are saved from God's wrath through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus' blood (Romans 5:9), shed for the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2).

Thank you. Still in all, no amount of referring people to Bible passages will persuade them. They persist in thinking that we save ourselves regardless. It's as though they cannot bring themselves to believe that such a gift as saving Faith can possibly be as it was represented by Jesus, since it doesn't work that way in the everyday world.

"There's always a catch."

"If it's too good to be true, it probably is, etc."

That's the mindset, and it's hard to get them past it. It's a shame, really but you can see the resistance here to even reading Bible verses that should bring joy, relief, and gratitude to any one of us.

 

[simonthezealot]

Why would you call the gift of prophecy a curse?

You of course have read the accounts of Balaam twisting the word's the Lord gave to him.

Deuteronomy 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."

 

[Lindas Place]

Christ said the words in verse 34 to those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave drink to the thirsty, took in the stranger and visited those who were sick and in prison. Those who didn't do these acts He did not allow into the Kingdom.

And then... He laid down His life so we could be saved by grace... good thing it's no longer by works, otherwise no one would be saved....

Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

 

[B-74]

James says it all in one sentence.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 

[Lion King]

You of course have read the accounts of Balaam twisting the word's the Lord gave to him.

Deuteronomy 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."

I still do not understand, how does this make the spiritual gift of prophecy a "curse"?

I mean you do not have to have the gift of prophecy to fall under the curse you have just quoted. Anyone can pretend to be a prophet of the LORD, after all.

 

[Albion]

James says it all in one sentence.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

But that is concerned with the ideals of our religion, not the meaning of or effects of Faith.

 

[B-74]

But that is concerned with the ideals of our religion, not the meaning of or effects of Faith.

Please expound brother. Im not sure i understand. Thanks

 

[Albion]

Please expound brother. Im not sure i understand. Thanks

The passage you quoted speaks of what religion should do. That's a somewhat different proposition than what the individual's belief or Faith accomplishes, if anything. IOW, doing good...is good to do. But it doesn't directly answer the question of the thread.

 

[B-74]

The passage you quoted speaks of what religion should do. That's a somewhat different proposition than what the individual's belief or Faith accomplishes, if anything. IOW, doing good...is good to do. But it doesn't directly answer the question of the thread.

But if we believe we will seek this "pure religion" That James speaks of. We will want to serve others because that's serving the Lord, we will keep ourselves unspotted by the world.

That's what belief in Christ does. Anything else is just a lie.

 

[Lindas Place]

But if we believe we will seek this "pure religion" That James speaks of. We will want to serve others because that's serving the Lord, we will keep ourselves unspotted by the world.

That's what belief in Christ does. Anything else is just a lie.

So God punishes everyone he excepts as a son... punishment for being obedient, pure and unspotted... ? doesn't the bible say we are rewared for being obedient? not punished? what's the punishment for?

because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:6

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Hebrews 12:7-8

 

[B-74]

So God punishes everyone he excepts as a son... punishment for being obedient, pure and unspotted... ? doesn't the bible say we are rewared for being obedient? not punished? what's the punishment for?

because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:6

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Hebrews 12:7-8

I don't follow your meaning sister. Please expound. Thanks

 

[Albion]

But if we believe we will seek this "pure religion" That James speaks of. We will want to serve others because that's serving the Lord, we will keep ourselves unspotted by the world.

That's what belief in Christ does. Anything else is just a lie.

Yes, we will do that. Recognizing that fact doesn't do a thing for answering the question of the thread, however. The religion has ideals that even non-believers can be inspired by, and also, those who are doing works of mercy are not necessarily going to be saved.

 

[Lindas Place]

So God punishes everyone he excepts as a son... punishment for being obedient, pure and unspotted... ? doesn't the bible say we are rewared for being obedient? not punished? what's the punishment for?

because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."Hebrews 12:6

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Hebrews 12:7-8

B 74... it's just a question... what's the punishment for?

 

[B-74]

B 74... it's just a question... what's the punishment for?

All men's sins. No one is good, no not one. God wants us to love Him and each other, the law was just a few rules God put on paper back in the day. Jesus and the apostles came with something much better.