What has Jesus done for you?

[Peacemaker1]

It's why the world loves "Jesus" (the parts they are willing to accept about Him anyway) but absolutely hate the Christian faith - it's because they run around worshipping a Jesus they created in their own minds instead of Jesus as He revealed Himself to us. A revelation that makes specific absolute claims.

we cant be a worshiper at all of who we despise.



Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

 

[Peacemaker1]

It's why the world loves "Jesus" (the parts they are willing to accept about Him anyway)

the world accepts no part of christ, the same as any christian who does not love the lord with al his heart, soul, mind and strength, does not love him at all.


Matthew 22.37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[Hazelelponi]

the world accepts no part of christ, the same as any christian who does not love the lord with al his heart, soul, mind and strength, does not love him at all.

My point was that people are happy to call Jesus a prophet, even erect "Christmas trees" and give gifts in "celebration" of Christ's birth, they also love to quote from select portions of the Sermon on the Mount or the Gospels generally when they think it might help them win some pointless argument etc....

What they aren't happy with is Jesus as He revealed Himself to us in Truth.

And you are correct - they are enemies of God when reject Him in Truth, as the Bible tells us we all once were before Christ saved us. A rejection the world will continue on in also.

But if there's hope for you and I, there is hope in Christ for anyone yes? A beautiful thing to consider this Christmas day as we give thanks.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

If I say, Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life - I am saying there is no other way under heaven to be saved.

No other way under heaven is either a lie, or it's true. It's not a "particular take on Truth" nor can it be because it allows nothing else beside it... It in and of itself makes a claim that can only ever be true or false because it makes an absolute claim.

Islam is similarly a claim to an absolute. If Christianity is true, then Islam is based in a falsehood and vice versa.

Religions that teach multiple roads to God likewise make absolute claims that stand in complete opposition to Christianity which teaches there is only one way given to all of mankind and man will either be found in that way or be eternally lost.

When religions make claims, it is to us to determine to learn what is actually true, and what is falsehood.

If I say there is only one way under heaven to be saved and His Name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of the living God, Immanuel, God with us... And you say there are multiple partial truths and God has left it to us to pick the best parts of them all, we are each making specific claims that are directly contradictory to one another in such a way only one of these statements can be true.

It's why the world loves "Jesus" (the parts they are willing to accept about Him anyway) but absolutely hate the Christian faith - it's because they run around worshipping a Jesus they created in their own minds instead of Jesus as He revealed Himself to us. A revelation that makes specific absolute claims.

Or maybe we have the ability to discern love from hate. It's not making up a God, it's the inconvenient inner sense of what is truly good, versus hateful preachers and their made up scriptures.

 

[Peacemaker1]

My point was that people are happy to call Jesus a prophet, even erect "Christmas trees" and give gifts in "celebration" of Christ's birth, they also love to quote from select portions of the Sermon on the Mount or the Gospels generally when they think it might help them win some pointless argument etc....

What they aren't happy with is Jesus as He revealed Himself to us in Truth.

And you are correct - they are enemies of God when reject Him in Truth, as the Bible tells us we all once were before Christ saved us. A rejection the world will continue on in also.

But if there's hope for you and I, there is hope in Christ for anyone yes? A beautiful thing to consider this Christmas day as we give thanks.

fine, but accepting a part of Jesus is not the correct thing to say, because nothing can be done through partiality, and people believe if they go to church and hear a pastor, they are saved, which is not true at all, because saved always was understood through how God saved anyone previously to Christ, such as with the repenting at the preaching of Jonah, then Nineveh had an and anyway, and the hebrews saved out of egypt, then destroyed those who didn't believe. ( all those who were the first generation, and the children who had not done their deeds and war were let out of the wilderness.) and the people of Israel are very powerful examples of killing all the prophets sent by God to warn them, how they wont be saved any more, and until the Son of God, they murdered also, to show how people relying on being saved, means they have no clue about how they are the last to be saved. ( hence the first shall be last and the last first, for many are called, but few are chosen.)



Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

 

[Peacemaker1]

Or maybe we have the ability to discern love from hate. It's not making up a God, it's the inconvenient inner sense of what is truly good, versus hateful preachers and their made up scriptures.

scriptures are not made up, but a mans mind is made up, hence here..



Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?




That is why the heart requires a change, or a person believes their own heart that is lying to them.




Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 

[Dave G.]

Testimony is not what saves someone, hearing testimony won't convince anyone, though it might cause a lean towards wanting to believe. No we are saved through faith by the grace of God, and when we believe on the name Jesus, that He is who said He was and confess boldly His name, admitting we are sinners. We will be saved. Seek Him you will find Him, when He knocks at the door of your heart,open it and He will come in and supper with you.

You only need bare bones scripture and a mustard seed size faith to get saved. You need to hear and believe the Gospel message and with the small seed of faith reach out to Jesus, call on His name admitting you're a sinner. Now some say they want no scripture. But you need to know the Gospel. Also in the first chapter of John we read confirmation of Jesus' authority, to know who is, that He always was, since before time and earth began, that He then was with God and was God and that all authority was given to Him by His Father. That Jesus Himself is the Word.

Testimony : Mine is a bit different from some. I was raised Catholic, given the Gospel, even went through the sacraments. But that's not what saved me at all, it confirmed me Catholic but it wasn't salvation yet.. See, I doubted the authority of Christ but not God. I always knew there was God, why did I need Jesus. Well time went on, I was non practicing by age 15. At 29 years old, 1979, my life was a mess, I was a mess internally and that year in August in my bedroom after work I hit bottom, no place to turn, I turned to Jesus really in desperation. I had my conversation with Him and gave my life over to Him. Everything in my life started changing and it hasn't stopped. But here is the hitch, I learned of the Gospel at around 6 yo and it stuck with me. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Some years later, after my salvation I joined a small non denominational bible study. It was there and through the bible I learned what had really happened to me that day in Aug 1979. It's all written in scripture..

He Himself seeks for all to come. It's a free gift but any gift is not yours till you receive and accept it. If you leave it behind on the table it never became yours, it was given but never received. And that is one gift you don't want to depart this world without. While yes, there are changes in us here on earth in salvation, the eternal treasures are in heaven after this life. This life is temporal, all things here are as vapor and passing away in due time.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

Testimony is not what saves someone, hearing testimony won't convince anyone, though it might cause a lean towards wanting to believe. No we are saved through faith by the grace of God, and when we believe on the name Jesus, that He is who said He was and confess boldly His name, admitting we are sinners. We will be saved. Seek Him you will find Him, when He knocks at the door of your heart,open it and He will come in and supper with you.

You only need bare bones scripture and a mustard seed size faith to get saved. You need to hear and believe the Gospel message and with the small seed of faith reach out to Jesus, call on His name admitting you're a sinner. Now some say they want no scripture. But you need to know the Gospel. Also in the first chapter of John we read confirmation of Jesus' authority, to know who is, that He always was, since before time and earth began, that He then was with God and was God and that all authority was given to Him by His Father. That Jesus Himself is the Word.

Testimony : Mine is a bit different from some. I was raised Catholic, given the Gospel, even went through the sacraments. But that's not what saved me at all, it confirmed me Catholic but it wasn't salvation yet.. See, I doubted the authority of Christ but not God. I always knew there was God, why did I need Jesus. Well time went on, I was non practicing by age 15. At 29 years old, 1979, my life was a mess, I was a mess internally and that year in August in my bedroom after work I hit bottom, no place to turn, I turned to Jesus really in desperation. I had my conversation with Him and gave my life over to Him. Everything in my life started changing and it hasn't stopped. But here is the hitch, I learned of the Gospel at around 6 yo and it stuck with me. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Some years later, after my salvation I joined a small non denominational bible study. It was there and through the bible I learned what had really happened to me that day in Aug 1979. It's all written in scripture..

He Himself seeks for all to come. It's a free gift but any gift is not yours till you receive and accept it. If you leave it behind on the table it never became yours, it was given but never received. And that is one gift you don't want to depart this world without. While yes, there are changes in us here on earth in salvation, the eternal treasures are in heaven after this life. This life is temporal, all things here are as vapor and passing away in due time.

In order to be saved by faith you must have faith... So how do you get faith.. by scriptural analysis? Bah!
That sometimes happens, but many of Jesus' followers believed from seeing or hearing accounts of miracles or by seeing the faith of others. Paul changed his heart in a flash of blinding light.
I don't know about other people, but for myself, positive experiences of transformation are what incline me towards Christianity.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways!

 

[Dave G.]

In order to be saved by faith you must have faith... So how do you get faith.. by scriptural analysis? Bah!
That sometimes happens, but many of Jesus' followers believed from seeing or hearing accounts of miracles or by seeing the faith of others. Paul changed his heart in a flash of blinding light.
I don't know about other people, but for myself, positive experiences of transformation are what incline me towards Christianity.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways!

That He does do indeed. Now I said all you need is a mustard seeds worth of faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But that doesn't mean that He ( The Word/Jesus) can't come along and knock you over the head with it either ! He can do that but I wouldn't wait around for that. And you have to consider that the apostles were hit blind sided. Lets face it, Paul was headed off to gather Christians for persecution, the last thing he expected was the encounter with Jesus to be called to a special duty. He wasn't sitting on a horse waiting for Jesus to show up but show up He did.

I've had my encounters too by the way , I've seen some pretty wild stuff but was already saved. We agree to give ourselves over to Christ, whether knocked off your horse on a dusty road or in church at an altar call, or up in your room as I was at that time. We know the Gospel and agree with God. And He can give you a Dixy cup full of faith and grace or pour the Atlantic ocean over you. I wouldn't be waiting around for the Atlantic ocean thing. Listen, you're too far into this thing to miss the concept that He is already calling you !

 

[Divide]

In order to be saved by faith you must have faith... So how do you get faith.. by scriptural analysis? Bah!
That sometimes happens, but many of Jesus' followers believed from seeing or hearing accounts of miracles or by seeing the faith of others. Paul changed his heart in a flash of blinding light.
I don't know about other people, but for myself, positive experiences of transformation are what incline me towards Christianity.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways!

I'm tinking that you do not have a Faith problem, you have an unbelief problem and there's a distinction between the two even if they do work together. They say that Faith is spelled R-I-S-K so there is a definitive action of some sort which must happen if Faith is going to work and provide a miracle or whatever. Remember the Apostle that walked on water, Peter? He could not walk on water until he took the risk and stepped out of the boat and committed his weight to the water. It was only after he did that that he was able to walk on water.

So you are not lacking in Faith. Rather, you have too much unbellief.
John Paul Jacksons explains it very well...

 

[Divide]

That He does do indeed. Now I said all you need is a mustard seeds worth of faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But that doesn't mean that He ( The Word/Jesus) can't come along and knock you over the head with it either ! He can do that

One time before I understood it better, I said a prayer for God to increase my faith. Bright and early the next day I began to get dumped on. Tribulations and difficulties and problems with everything all got like magnified my direction. It was actuall a not nice experience. Oh I did come through it with more faith, but I paid for it.

So I don't pray Lord increase my Faith anymore. I pray, Lord help my unbelief!

Be very sure that you want what you pray for because you just might get it!

 

[Dave G.]

One time before I understood it better, I said a prayer for God to increase my faith. Bright and early the next day I began to get dumped on. Tribulations and difficulties and problems with everything all got like magnified my direction. It was actuall a not nice experience. Oh I did come through it with more faith, but I paid for it.

So I don't pray Lord increase my Faith anymore. I pray, Lord help my unbelief!

Be very sure that you want what you pray for because you just might get it!

That's supported in scripture as well, the known verse of " I believe but Lord help my unbelief". And that was with Jesus right in front of the guy standing there. So how much more for those who can't see Him. I think there is a degree or element in each of us with some piece of unbelief, even though He has done wondrous things for us.

Same for faith, Christ Himself saying the greatest faith will be those who have never seen Him but believe anyway. It seems there is a choice to made here.

I love your post, that's a good one that if honest we all can relate to !

 

[Divide]

That's supported in scripture as well, the known verse of " I believe but Lord help my unbelief". And that was with Jesus right in front of the guy standing there. So how much more for those who can't see Him. I think there is a degree or element in each of us with some piece of unbelief, even though He has done wondrous things for us.

Same for faith, Christ Himself saying the greatest faith will be those who have never seen Him but believe anyway. It seems there is a choice to made here.

I love your post, that's a good one that if honest we all can relate to !

It's true all right.

The good thing about belief is that it is a choice that we make. Peter chose to believe in the Lord so he climbed out of the boat and took that risk. Suddenly he was walking on water! And even when he was walking on water his carnal mind was screaming at him, you're about to die! look at how high the waves are! And as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he did start sinking.

So, Lord help our unbelief.

I've seen that the Lord has done so many supernatural things in my life that, I would think that my carnal self witnessed all the same so in a way, he should be convinced also, right?
My carnal mind keeps arguing with me and trying to tell me that, that wasn't God. And I tell him to shut up then choose to believe it anyway. I saw these things happen but I still choose to believe it.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

Unbelief sounds about right. I don't believe the Christian scriptures except as metaphors, or symbolic statements, that point beyond the literal.
Personally, the Buddhist essentials make immediate sense to me and the practices work.
However, the things that Buddhists 'do' pretty much exist in other religions under another name... also Buddhists talk about 'beginningless time' so there is no first cause creation or anything like that.
God's exist in Buddhism, but not as all powerful wise beings that create existence, but somewhat deluded beings that believe in immortality.. they tend to believe of themselves as being like the kind of God that Christians believe in..
The lack of a 'beginning' in Buddhism can seem strange.. just countless universes and countless big bangs or whatever cycles existence goes through.
The creation story in Christianity, however it actually happened, does have a more satisfying feel about it.
A God outside of time can begin something... it feels neater than the open ended loose ends of Buddhism... But that is the only thing that really bugs me. It's a kind of Achilles heel...
As for the rest of Christian scripture, well I've been reading it a long time and it hasn't really convinced me.
The other thing that puts me off Christianity is aggressive preaching and conservatism. It's way more pushy than Buddhism and I really don't like that... Having said that, I have met some Christians with truly gentle and peaceful characters and they are much better ambassadors for the religion.
When I see right wing politicians getting all Christian it repels me totally.
It's possible to be firm in ones faith without getting loud and judgmental. For me, a truly spiritual person says not very much, except what is kind and/or necessary.

 

[Dave G.]

It's true all right.

The good thing about belief is that it is a choice that we make. Peter chose to believe in the Lord so he climbed out of the boat and took that risk. Suddenly he was walking on water! And even when he was walking on water his carnal mind was screaming at him, you're about to die! look at how high the waves are! And as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he did start sinking.

So, Lord help our unbelief.

I've seen that the Lord has done so many supernatural things in my life that, I would think that my carnal self witnessed all the same so in a way, he should be convinced also, right?
My carnal mind keeps arguing with me and trying to tell me that, that wasn't God. And I tell him to shut up then choose to believe it anyway. I saw these things happen but I still choose to believe it.

In one of my replies I came very close to saying that believing is a choice. And I couldn't agree more about the carnal or fleshly self trying to rule over the spirit. We have to stuff that down since ultimately it was crucified with Christ. Even though dead in spiritual terms it tries to rise up.

I long for the heavenly day when that is no longer an issue ! But we have lives to live yet.

 

[Peacemaker1]

In one of my replies I came very close to saying that believing is a choice. And I couldn't agree more about the carnal or fleshly self trying to rule over the spirit. We have to stuff that down since ultimately it was crucified with Christ. Even though dead in spiritual terms it tries to rise up.

I long for the heavenly day when that is no longer an issue ! But we have lives to live yet.

and I could not disagree more, that this is a lot of misunderstanding going on here.

obviously Peter doubting, was brought on by the fact he had no Spirit of Christ yet, the Spirit was not given until Jesus was glorified. ( John 7:39.)

Also as for faith as a grain of mustard seed, it is the faith of Jesus Christ, not the faith of man, which is the least of all seeds, made lower then the angels for the suffering of death, to be crowned with glory, the least seed that grows to where the birds/angels THEN lodge in HIs branches.



Matthew 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.




The carnal mind is replaced by the mind of Christ... ( no longer in the flesh, not walking as men.)



Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1 Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;


2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds

 

[ldonjohn]

In order to be saved by faith you must have faith... So how do you get faith.. by scriptural analysis? Bah!
That sometimes happens, but many of Jesus' followers believed from seeing or hearing accounts of miracles or by seeing the faith of others. Paul changed his heart in a flash of blinding light.
I don't know about other people, but for myself, positive experiences of transformation are what incline me towards Christianity.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways!

How to get faith?

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (KJV)

God will give you the ability to believe Him; not just to believe in Him, that is to say not just acknowledging his existence, but to believe that he will do what he says he will do & to believe that he is who he says he is. You can't make yourself "believe." I tried to do that many times, and it never worked for me.

Before I tell of my positive transformation experience, I want to say that I grew up in church where I had heard the gospel every Sunday. I heard it so much that I was tired of hearing it, and I dreaded Sundays. By the time I was in my late teen years I had serious doubts that the bible was true or that God was real. When I left home and was on my own, I cared nothing about church or about God. I had serious doubts that God was real or that the bible was true. It meant nothing to me & I just really didn't believe any of it was true.

Later, in my mid 20's I began to think about what would happen to me if I died, like in a car wreck or by some disease. Some of the things I had heard in church began to trouble me, and I began to think about dying & going to hell. I thought that if I was wrong in my unbelief about the bible & God, then I could be facing a tragic ending. That thought led me into several miserable years of worry & fear, of doubting God, while trying to convince myself that I believed in God. As time went on, I became more fearful & more miserable, and I stated asking people who I knew were Christians about "believing in God & in Jesus." None of them could say anything to me that convinced me what was meant by "believing in Jesus." I would tell myself that "I believe in Jesus," or "I believe in God'" while at the same time I doubted that God even existed. I wanted to believe, I tried to make myself believe, I would work up within myself a sense of "believing," but that was not Faith in Jesus; it was faith in me; in my ability to make myself have faith. Misery!

Now, back to Ephesians 2:8-9. I was trying to find faith, but something was missing, and the "believe" thing wasn't working for me. The problem was that I was in spiritual darkness & couldn't find my way out of it because I was focused on "me." I was looking at whatever "I" could do to make myself "believe" or to have "faith."

Let me explain about that which was missing as I tried to work my way out of the darkness of unbelief; a place where I thought there was no hope because I could not see any way that I would ever know for sure that God was real, or that the bible was true, or what was meant by "believe in Jesus."

Believing vs unbelieving is the difference between darkness & light. As I explained above, before I became a "believer" I was living in spiritual darkness and doubted that God existed. But, I thought about the consequences that lay ahead for me if I was wrong in my unbelief, therefore I began an earnest search for the truth about God. After talking to Christians about God & the bible, and after reading bible tracts, reading books, etc. no one nor no reading material could convince me that any of it was the truth. Desperate to find the truth & willing to accept whatever I found if it convinced me that it is the truth, I began to read the Gospel of John.

I did not see visions of Jesus or of God, I did not hear voices from God, but what I did find was spiritual light that gave me the ability to see the truth found in the Book of John. The spiritual light that was giving me the ability to understand spiritual truth was the Holy Spirit working in me, and by the time I had read through the 6th chapter I was convinced that the bible is the absolute truth, that God is real, and that Jesus is who he says he is. The Holy Spirit was that missing link that I needed to find the truth that I was so desperately seeking. I found my answer, I found a peace that is impossible to explain to someone who has not found that peace, I found the right kind of faith; faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross; not faith in "myself."

Yes, I was looking for God and God Himself showed me that He is real. And, yes, I know that atheists call that "circular reasoning," and I agree that it is. The atheists cannot accept that a god who they say does not exist can show someone that he does exist, therefore they invented the term "circular reasoning" in their attempt to discredit the positive experience of a nonbeliever suddenly becoming a "believer." But the Holy Spirit is the influence that changes the circular reasoning experience by transforming the unbeliever out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light producing a born-again believer.

Without the work of the Holy Spirit there is no transformation.

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3-7 that we must be born again if we are to see the kingdom of heaven, and he explained that being born again is to be born of the Spirit. IOW, the Holy Spirit must be the convincing influence that brings a person like me out of spiritual darkness into the light of the truth of the Word of God, the Bible. The Holy Spirit will show you how to believe the Gospel if you will seek after God & after His truth as though finding Him & that truth means more to you that anything else in life. That is what God says in Jeremiah 29:13, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." That he did for me, and at that time I knew nothing about that verse in Jeremiah.
Also, Jesus explained in John 6:37-45 that before anyone can come to him for forgiveness & to be born-again, he/she must be drawn to him by God or by God's Spirit. He says that the person must be taught of God by hearing the truth about Him, Jesus, therefore learning from the Father, the Holy Spirit, and then if that person will come to Jesus, then He, Jesus, will not turn that person away.

What does that mean? Well, it means that if you are genuinely concerned about your relationship with God, and about your eternity, and you are so desperate to know the truth that nothing will stop you from seeking that truth, and you search for God with all your heart, that you will find Him. IOW knowing God means more to you than anything else in life, then God says you will find Him. Is that you? Do you really want to know the truth about God, or are you afraid that if you do find the truth that you will then have to admit your sin & your need of a savior?

If you are ready to earnestly seek after God, you will find Him in His Word. Read the Gospel of John & the Book of Romans, and while you are reading ask God to show you the truth & expect Him to do that for you. Read each book as many times as are needed until the Holy Spirit has brought you out of spiritual darkness into the spiritual light of the truth found only in His Word. But, if you read those scriptures not expecting to find God or not expecting to find the truth about Him, then you probably won't find Him. It's up to you & how you approach the matter of your belief or unbelief.

God says that if you will search for with all your heart you will find him. God cannot lie, so He will do His part if you will do your part; It is up to you.

He changed me over 40 years ago, and I still have the peace of knowing that my eternity is secure in the finished work of Jesus on the cross where he died & shed his blood to pay the penalty for my sin. A penalty I could not pay, and he paid it "in full." Praise God!

John

 

[Peacemaker1]

When people come to us with excellency of speech, and do not declare unto you the testimony of God, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that they do not come to us in weakness ( weak in Christ) and with no trembling ( they show they are without fear) and their speech with enticing words of mans wisdom, with no demonstrating of the Spirit and power of God, our faith would stand in the wisdom of men, not in the power of God.


1 Corinthians 2:And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 

[Dave G.]

and I could not disagree more, that this is a lot of misunderstanding going on here.

obviously Peter doubting, was brought on by the fact he had no Spirit of Christ yet, the Spirit was not given until Jesus was glorified. ( John 7:39.)

Also as for faith as a grain of mustard seed, it is the faith of Jesus Christ, not the faith of man, which is the least of all seeds, made lower then the angels for the suffering of death, to be crowned with glory, the least seed that grows to where the birds/angels THEN lodge in HIs branches.



Matthew 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.




The carnal mind is replaced by the mind of Christ... ( no longer in the flesh, not walking as men.)



Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1 Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;


2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds

There is a remnant of the old sin nature in the flesh of all of us or Paul spoke a lot of words about even himself battling the flesh for nothing. And he certainly was a changed man. "My Grace is sufficient for you" in 2 Corinthians 12:9 is just one portion of many that comes to mind. And confessing in 1 John 1:9. In that 1 John portion of scripture overall surrounding 1:9 it speaks of us not being sinners, then the slam dunk: "if any man sin".

We are not in our glorified bodies yet. There are thorns. The spirit it strong and pure but the flesh must physically die and go to the ground to be literally resurrected one day. Why ? Because sinful bodies can not go to heaven, must be transformed into glorified bodies and that time is not yet. If anyone thinks they are pure in the flesh they have some pride to shed, which is sin itself. Not to mention self righteousness. Even saved, even though in spirit we are joint heirs with Christ, we still need to submit our appeals to God. His mercy is new every day, His grace sufficient. But we need to bring our ills to Him and walk upright. Unconfessed Sin will block your fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Yet our spirits are fine. It's all written in scripture. And well worth while as a study topic.

 

[Peacemaker1]

And confessing in 1 John 1:9. In that 1 John portion of scripture overall surrounding 1:9 it speaks of us not being sinners, then the slam dunk: "if any man sin".

look at the words to all on this thread, ( you are reproved) that we write this so our joy may be full..

the message is delivered, to stop walking in darkness ( sin) and walk in the light as Christ is in the light ( without sin)

now look earlier to Chris saying the same thing, John 15, continue in the love of God, abiding in the love of Christ as He abided, keeping the Fathers commandments, we are spoken this that the joy of Christ) abiding in love) may be in us, so our joy may be full) abiding in love, not in sin)

laying your life down as He did,( instead of sin in this body you excuse) to have the love of God PERFECTED in us.


1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.



John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.


1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.