You're Probably Not Saved, Yet.

Beyond Today ^ | 2013 | Various

[DouglasKC]

How do you know you're saved?

Imagine you arrive at a most important banquet that's hosted by Christ Himself. After all--you're a Christian. Picture coming to His home and walking right up to the door. Perhaps you're a little surprised that the door is closed and you're shut outside. But not to be deterred, you knock and knock. No response, no reaction. So you call out, "Jesus open the door, Lord it's me." Still, no response, no reaction. At long last, you hear Jesus' voice and He says, "I never knew you!" What a devastating and shocking situation in which to find yourself.

[af_vet_1981]

Re your Post #12, the passage does not refer to good works as they are commonly known. It refers to evidentiary works of power performed in Jesus' name. It is as if he were saying his faith was demonstrated by the works of faith.

[American Constitutionalist]

I want to be judged, by God, that is ? I want God to rule in my favor...
Like how a judge would rule in someones favor if there was a injury done to them or law suit.
A car accident that was not my fault ?
I would want that judge to rule in my favor and give me what settlement that was coming to me from my suffering.
So yeah, I want to be judged.
How about a judge at a pie eating contest ?
I want God to judge me, to rule in my favor.
And that's what he has done at the cross, he ruled in our favor, he got back what the devil stole from us.

[redleghunter]

Prison ministry? I think a poster thinks you did time in the can.

[cuban leaf]

Have had to many bad experiences with people in the church and outside the church.

---

Me too. But They are just proving why he had to die for us all. People are just “no dam*ed good”. Which makes it even more amazing that He did what He did. I suspect He knows something you and I don’t.

[American Constitutionalist]

That's a huge misconception that Christians are taught, that they are taught that Christians are suppose to be door mats and " NICE " .
From the travels of Paul it sounds like he ticked off a lot of people and got beaten many times for it because those people didn't want to hear the truth.

[CynicalBear]

Verse 1 of Luke 17 begins with the word “moreover” which indicates that His next comment is tied to His last which was in the last verse of Chapter 16. That verse had to do with believing what scripture says. My take on that is that the “stumbling block” would be something that causes a person to not believe what scripture is saying.

[American Constitutionalist]

" Me too. But They are just proving why he had to die for us all. People are just “no dam*ed good”. Which makes it even more amazing that He did what He did. I suspect He knows something you and I don’t. "

And back to Ephesians chapter 2.

BUT GOD !

Who is rich in mercy has made us alive in Christ.

[CynicalBear]

I need to add to my last post.

The “stumbling block” is also a “cause to sin” meaning if someone causes a believer to sin it would be better for a millstone to be hung around his neck”

[American Constitutionalist]

" My take on that is that the “stumbling block” would be something that causes a person to not believe what scripture is saying. "

Like false teaching, or self anointed promoted prophets who have their own secret sauce in how they perceive in how the bible should be interpreted... I have seen them all.
Or man made religion's take on how the bible should be interpreted.
The holy spirit is our teacher.

[cuban leaf]

;)

Honestly, I see us all as disobedient children on the playground.

[redleghunter]

Well there was Paul. He was pretty intelligent.

[American Constitutionalist]

Even the law preachers and teachers have to admit that they have been disobedient, if they say they weren't ? they are lying to you.
The law preacher pounding away at the pulpit in how the law must be kept, OR YOU'ALL ARE GOING TO HELL I TELL YA TO HELL, but yet ? when no one is looking go to the other side of the railroad tracks and pay a few bucks to the prostitude for a rump in the hey.
OPPS !!! that's to close to the truth.

[redleghunter]

[Scripture speaks again and again about the indwelling and how it’s not automatic, but comes after repentance and baptism.]

Acts 10:43-48 NASB

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

[cuban leaf]

I don’t like to create strife, but when I say things like, “Gee, the bible says eternal life vs death/destruction/perish/etc. Why do you think it is eternal suffering?”, some guys really blow a gasket. It’s because they have never really studied it. They just were preached to about it, got scared, and tried not to think about it while they try really hard to be good so they don’t suffer for all eternity in a conscious state.

That is not really “good news”, especially considering it is, according to the bible, the default human condition. But like me before I actually bothered to study the subject, they feel pretty strong in their opinion because they are part of the consensus. ;-)

Kinda like global warming. :-P

[CynicalBear]

>> The holy spirit is our teacher. <<

Amen and Amen!

[American Constitutionalist]

Got to do good works to get rid of that guilt conscience or the fear of perishing.
Hardly good news.

[American Constitutionalist]

Perhaps ? that's the whole point God was making in the Old Testament that no matter how good you were, or how many good works you did, or how much you tried to keep the law ( after all he made a provision for that also for he knew that they would not and could not keep the law perfectly, the yearly atonement. ) is to cover up their sin like Adam and Eve did.
Paul made a point in Romans that had he not known the law he would not have known what sin was.
The law shows us how much we are in this sinful, wretched, depraved state and no matter how much we try we can not make the grade.

[cuban leaf]

Exactly.

Here is good news: Thanks to Adam’s sin you are destined to live the life of an animal, eating and drinking and enjoying the fruits of you labor. Enjoy it while you can because after you die there is gonna be this resurection and you will enjoy the second death. And we all know what death is. And the bible says you ain’t coming back.

OR...you can accept the blood of Christ as an atonement for your sins and spend an eternity in the presence of your creator.

I’ll pick option two, please. Sounds like good news. Heck, I should spread the word and tell my friends! This is AWESOME! Seriously!

[CodeToad]

Do you really think it is appropriate to try to label who is and who isn’t a Christian by your personal opinion? If that were the case then there are no Christians as no one fits the personal molds of everyone else.

[DouglasKC]

I used Ephesians 2:3 to show that God expects a response, a change in our behavior, in response to his spirit. No doubt. I think the argument would be is Who is enacting this change in behavior? God of course

Agreed but we have to bend and change to what Christ is initiating.