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Was Judas saved and now sitting with the Lord in heaven?

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It's so easy to accept Christ as the savior and so challenging to accept Him as the LORD, because with that comes the obedience part. We are all sinners, and yet we have been commanded to pick up The Cross deny the flesh daily and FOLLOW Him. We will stumble and fall often in our walk of obedience BUT if we have a repentant heart He will surely forgive us-- we are covered in His blood shed on the Cross. But I am scared for those who are not even willing to try. This easy believism will take plenty of UNREPENTANT murderers and deep, deep unrepentant sinners into heaven who will then spend an eternity with those who accepted the Jesus both as Savior and Lord and suffered for His sake--- including His apostles. Indeed people like Manson, Osama, Hitler and their likes will all laugh their heads off when they land into HEAVEN just by proclaiming Christ as their lord in their last breath without repenting one bit for their mammoth sins. This is WHAT easy believism teaches . and that's what is taught rampantly in most Churches nowadays. Matthew 27:3–10 says that Judas Iscariot returned the money to the priests and committed suicide by hanging himself.
This tells me he was regretful for what he had done. WHAT IF HE BELIEVED JUST BEFORE TAKING HIS LIFE? He will be sitting RIGHT now with Christ and the apostles in heaven according to the easy believism teaching. It's an appalling thought that Judas is sitting with Jesus and the apostles in heaven. But fortunately friends, EASY BELIEVISM is nothing but heresy. That's what it is, since it takes obedience (and baptism) out of the equation and NEGATES the teachings of the Lord.
Christ Himself explains under WHAT circumstances will He be with us eternally... SAVED
Matthew 28: 18-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to OBEY everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
1) make disciples = accepting Christ as savior ( absolutely needed for salvation ) and so are the following other things
2) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit---- Baptism IS needed for salvation
3) OBEY everything I have commanded------- Obedience is as important as above two points

Jesus is making it implicitly clear all three things are needed------- FAITH, BAPTISM, AND OBEDIENCE for salvation. If they weren't needed/ important Why would he ask His disciples to do it in the great commission -----it was an order and not a request-- hence it's not optional.
Jesus Himself in Matthew 7: 21 clearly communicates to us - that many believers ( most unfortunately) will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven
"Not everyone who says to Me,Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven"
Lets also examine similar words of Christ , this time in Matthew 12:48-50
"Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
In simple words, it means if we choose to NOT do the will of father God ( but only our will) we have NO RELATION with Jesus. We were just fake believers.

So by what is being taught in several Christian churches across the country-- "You believe and you're saved" doctrine. By that standard, is Judas sitting with the Lord in heaven, if he chose to believe, moments before taking his life?
 
if we have a repentant heart He will surely forgive us-- we are covered in His blood shed on the Cross.
This is WHAT easy believism teaches . and that's what is taught rampantly in most Churches nowadays
Baptism IS needed for salvation
Morning dear Brother Rajesh Sahu. You know, I've even seen so-called brethren break the speed limit, supposedly confess the sin, and repeat it another time: how many times?
Judas was proclaimed as a son of perdition, just as the man of sin to be revealed. You mention baptism, and Mar 16:16 does say He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
But are you familiar with the fact that the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit? Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive . .
Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Are these who received the Holy Spirit saved yet that the world cannot receive?)
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, (Can we believe that these saved brethren who have received the Holy Spirit even before they were baptized?)
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? (And Romans Chapter Ten is Israel today in context.)

There’s many brethren that became saved just calling out to God for help while in a foxhole during war.

Blessings in Christ Jesus. :wave2
 
It's so easy to accept Christ as the savior and so challenging to accept Him as the LORD, because with that comes the obedience part. We are all sinners, and yet we have been commanded to pick up The Cross deny the flesh daily and FOLLOW Him. We will stumble and fall often in our walk of obedience BUT if we have a repentant heart He will surely forgive us-- we are covered in His blood shed on the Cross. But I am scared for those who are not even willing to try. This easy believism will take plenty of UNREPENTANT murderers and deep, deep unrepentant sinners into heaven who will then spend an eternity with those who accepted the Jesus both as Savior and Lord and suffered for His sake--- including His apostles. Indeed people like Manson, Osama, Hitler and their likes will all laugh their heads off when they land into HEAVEN just by proclaiming Christ as their lord in their last breath without repenting one bit for their mammoth sins. This is WHAT easy believism teaches . and that's what is taught rampantly in most Churches nowadays. Matthew 27:3–10 says that Judas Iscariot returned the money to the priests and committed suicide by hanging himself.
This tells me he was regretful for what he had done. WHAT IF HE BELIEVED JUST BEFORE TAKING HIS LIFE? He will be sitting RIGHT now with Christ and the apostles in heaven according to the easy believism teaching. It's an appalling thought that Judas is sitting with Jesus and the apostles in heaven. But fortunately friends, EASY BELIEVISM is nothing but heresy. That's what it is, since it takes obedience (and baptism) out of the equation and NEGATES the teachings of the Lord.
Christ Himself explains under WHAT circumstances will He be with us eternally... SAVED
Matthew 28: 18-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to OBEY everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
1) make disciples = accepting Christ as savior ( absolutely needed for salvation ) and so are the following other things
2) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit---- Baptism IS needed for salvation
3) OBEY everything I have commanded------- Obedience is as important as above two points

Jesus is making it implicitly clear all three things are needed------- FAITH, BAPTISM, AND OBEDIENCE for salvation. If they weren't needed/ important Why would he ask His disciples to do it in the great commission -----it was an order and not a request-- hence it's not optional.
Jesus Himself in Matthew 7: 21 clearly communicates to us - that many believers ( most unfortunately) will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven
"Not everyone who says to Me,Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven"
Lets also examine similar words of Christ , this time in Matthew 12:48-50
"Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

In simple words, it means if we choose to NOT do the will of father God ( but only our will) we have NO RELATION with Jesus. We were just fake believers.

So by what is being taught in several Christian churches across the country-- "You believe and you're saved" doctrine. By that standard, is Judas sitting with the Lord in heaven, if he chose to believe, moments before taking his life?
Didn't Jesus allow Judas to leave that upper room after having partaken in what would later be called communion? And didn't Jesus tell Judas to go and do what he must do?

Judas was part of God's plan. Jesus would have otherwise not been able to die on the cross and take the sins of the world on himself there had it not been that he ultimately was sentenced to die for the crime the leadership in the temple accused him of. The Roman Pilate couldn't find cause to kill him for any offense against Rome. So instead, being it was near Passover, which is why the temple's elders didn't call for Jesus to be stoned to death for what they accused as his crime of blasphemy, the tradition of the Roman governors in that region at the time was to allow the Jewish people to choose who in the Roman prison would be given a pardon.
This let Jesus come forward as well as Barabas. This way, the Roman governor who could find no cause to harm Jesus under Roman law, would allow the Jews to decide who would be punished as a Jew by the Jews.
And it was Jesus.
All part of God's plan. Including the actions of Pilate.

From the cross Jesus before he died asked his father to forgive the people there that were responsible for all of it. Because they didn't know what they were actually doing. In truth they were helping Jesus accomplish to the end the whole reason for which he was born.
I would say that would include Judas. Because Judas set the predestined plan into motion. And Jesus knew this.
Otherwise, if Judas wasn't meant to go and betray Jesus, do we think Judas would have escaped that upper room when Jesus knew his mission?
Peter had a sword on his person in the garden where Jesus was later arrested. Was he the only disciple to be armed? All it would take is one in that upper chamber had Judas been exposed as one who would betray Jesus to death by the Roman cross.

That didn't happen. Jesus knew Judas' mission and let him go to fulfill it.
Judas later hanged himself because he had betrayed innocent blood. He didn't know Jesus was going to be crucified. But he did know as an observant Jew that the scriptures said anyone who dies on a tree is cursed. Jesus died on a tree so as to take the sins of the world upon himself there. And as that last sacrifice for all sin to give eternal life, salvation, to those who believed.
Judas died hanging from a tree, Jesus died nailed to one, because he could not bear the sin of having betrayed his Lord to such a death.
But had he not we would not be eternally alive as eternally redeemed Christians today.

So yes, I think when Jesus implored the father to forgive the people responsible that that included Judas. The narrative concerning Judas was an accounting of Judas and his death from the perspective of those reporting. It isn't telling us what God said about Judas or what God had in store for him. I think we're to understand Judas future by reading Jesus ask for, and being he was God, give, forgiveness to "them" that knew not what they were doing when they called for his crucifixion. And being Judas was one of them that initiated that end I cannot think Judas was not forgiven. Because had he not done his part Jesus could not have done his for which he was born to do for all of us for all time.
 
He helped to fulfill Jesus's mission. So did many others. Doesn't mean they were saved. Satan was instrumental in Job's trials. It doesn't mean Satan is a good guy.
 
So by what is being taught in several Christian churches across the country-- "You believe and you're saved" doctrine. By that standard, is Judas sitting with the Lord in heaven, if he chose to believe, moments before taking his life?
"That standard", that is, 'you believe and you're saved' is THE Biblical standard.
Salvation:
Mark 16:16 " He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Luke 8:12 "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

Acts 11:14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

Acts 16:31 - They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Rom 10:9, 10 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

1 Cor 1:21 - For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

2 Tim 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 1:5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

2 Thess 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

Eternal Life:

John 3:15-16 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 6:40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:47 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

1 Tim 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

1 John 5:13 - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

I believe these verses are more than enough to prove that belief in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior results in salvation for the believer.

However, to answer your question, there must be clear evidence that Judas EVER believed. Is there? No. In fact, just the opposite.

John 6:64 - Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

Here, Jesus plainly tells some of His disciples that they DO NOT BELIEVE. And then John adds the fact that Jesus always knew which ones DID NOT BELIEVE AND WHO WOULD BETRAY HIM.

The end of the verse inlcludes both unbelief and betray in the same breath.

Then we read the last 2 verses in ch 6:
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
 
No, he is not saved because Scripture makes it very clear that he was not

1 John 2:18-19

18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

God need to make an example of the son of peridition in order for his word to be fulfilled.

John 17:12

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe byc that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Of course that is a reference to Judas Iscariot.
 
No, he is not saved because Scripture makes it very clear that he was not

1 John 2:18-19

18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

God need to make an example of the son of peridition in order for his word to be fulfilled.

John 17:12

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe byc that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Of course that is a reference to Judas Iscariot.
Is it truly that clear? I'm not so sure. Is there someplace in Scripture where it tells us that Judas was not a believer in Jesus Christ at one point? For example, when Jesus asked who they thought He was and Peter declared that He was the Christ I don't recall Scripture telling us that Judas denied this fact.
 
Absolutely! Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked.

Judas himself tells exactly what he believed about Jesus being the Christ. Peter didn’t know Judas’ heart and in fact gets corrected by Jesus concerning Judas’s intentions on several occasions. But the OP asks us to make the assumption Judas did ‘believe’ Jesus to be the Christ (the King of the Jews) when he returned the money, in complete contradiction to Judas’ own claim.

And Pilate, again having responded, was saying to them “Then what do you want me to do as to the One whom you call the King of the Jews?” And the ones cried-out again, “Crucify Him!”
Mark 15:12-13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Mark 15:12-13&version=DLNT

What charges was Jesus crucified for??? Claiming to be Christ, the King of the Jews! That’s why the Romans placed this charge on the cross for all to see.

and saying “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself ”. And there was also an inscription over Him— “This is the King of the Jews”. And one of the criminals having been hung was blaspheming Him, saying “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us”.
Luke 23:37-39 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke 23:37-39&version=DLNT


Jesus was guilty of claiming to be Christ, the King of the Jews. And He was making that claim. Because He is the Christ, the King of the Jews. And the King of the Gentiles. In fact, the King of kings. So did Judas believe the charges or not???

Christians believe Jesus is the Christ, the King of the Jews (and He proved it via His death at their hands and by His resurrection in accordance with OT prophecy). So did Judas believe He was guilty or innocent of the claim of being the Christ, the King of the Jews???

Innocent!

Then Judas (the one handing Him over)— having seen that He was condemned, having regretted it — returned the thirty silver-coins to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I sinned, having handed-over innocent blood!” But the ones said, “What is it to us? You shall see to it ”.
Matthew 27:3-4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew 27:3-4&version=DLNT
 
Is it truly that clear?
There are some verses that are crystal clear, yet some just gloss over them because they don't support their own narrative.

For example, Jesus was clear about those He gives eternal life; they shall never perish. John 10:28

This obviously means that salvation cannot be lost. If so, then some recipients of eternal life will perish. In total contradiction to the very words of Jesus.

I'm not so sure. Is there someplace in Scripture where it tells us that Judas was not a believer in Jesus Christ at one point?
Of course we cannot demand any specific wording just to support our own ideas, but I believe John 6 makes it clear that Judas was in the camp of disciples who never believed in Jesus.

v.64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

Then John wrote this:
v.69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
v.70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
v.71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

There was no way to know Judas' heart when he was recorded as saying v.69. Which explains why Jesus responded with v.70-71.

v.64 is connected to v.71. In v.64 Jesus notes disciples who do not believe and who would betray Him, and v.71 specifically mentions Judas who was the disciple who did betray Him.

For example, when Jesus asked who they thought He was and Peter declared that He was the Christ I don't recall Scripture telling us that Judas denied this fact.
See John 6:64, 69-71.
 
There are some verses that are crystal clear, yet some just gloss over them because they don't support their own narrative.

For example, Jesus was clear about those He gives eternal life; they shall never perish. John 10:28

This obviously means that salvation cannot be lost. If so, then some recipients of eternal life will perish. In total contradiction to the very words of Jesus.


Of course we cannot demand any specific wording just to support our own ideas, but I believe John 6 makes it clear that Judas was in the camp of disciples who never believed in Jesus.

v.64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

Then John wrote this:
v.69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
v.70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
v.71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

There was no way to know Judas' heart when he was recorded as saying v.69. Which explains why Jesus responded with v.70-71.

v.64 is connected to v.71. In v.64 Jesus notes disciples who do not believe and who would betray Him, and v.71 specifically mentions Judas who was the disciple who did betray Him.


See John 6:64, 69-71.
You know, not everyone that posts is trying to argue OSAS vs OSNAS. Sometimes we are just trying to understand the truth no matter which it ends up being.
 
You know, not everyone that posts is trying to argue OSAS vs OSNAS. Sometimes we are just trying to understand the truth no matter which it ends up being.
That's why I keep posting the verse that settles (or should) the matter of one's security. If salvation can be lost, then what Jesus said in John 10:28 cannot be true. Simply cannot. I do not understand how anyone who claims to be objective would think otherwise.

Scripture does not contradict itself. Scripture HAS taken a stand on the issue. And clearly.

No one can explain how any recipient of eternal life can perish, yet believe that a recipient can, based on behavior. But how would that be possible, when Jesus said directly that recipients shall never perish.

Them's strong words. imo
 
Judas himself tells exactly what he believed about Jesus being the Christ. Peter didn’t know Judas’ heart and in fact gets corrected by Jesus concerning Judas’s intentions on several occasions. But the OP asks us to make the assumption Judas did ‘believe’ Jesus to be the Christ (the King of the Jews) when he returned the money, in complete contradiction to Judas’ own claim.

And Pilate, again having responded, was saying to them “Then what do you want me to do as to the One whom you call the King of the Jews?” And the ones cried-out again, “Crucify Him!”
Mark 15:12-13 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Mark 15:12-13&version=DLNT

What charges was Jesus crucified for??? Claiming to be Christ, the King of the Jews! That’s why the Romans placed this charge on the cross for all to see.

and saying “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself ”. And there was also an inscription over Him— “This is the King of the Jews”. And one of the criminals having been hung was blaspheming Him, saying “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us”.
Luke 23:37-39 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke 23:37-39&version=DLNT


Jesus was guilty of claiming to be Christ, the King of the Jews. And He was making that claim. Because He is the Christ, the King of the Jews. And the King of the Gentiles. In fact, the King of kings. So did Judas believe the charges or not???

Christians believe Jesus is the Christ, the King of the Jews (and He proved it via His death at their hands and by His resurrection in accordance with OT prophecy). So did Judas believe He was guilty or innocent of the claim of being the Christ, the King of the Jews???

Innocent!

Then Judas (the one handing Him over)— having seen that He was condemned, having regretted it — returned the thirty silver-coins to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I sinned, having handed-over innocent blood!” But the ones said, “What is it to us? You shall see to it ”.
Matthew 27:3-4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew 27:3-4&version=DLNT
I'm not following where the above verses speak of what Judas' believed about Jesus. In your first paragraph can you show where to find the claims Judas had made?
 
I'm not following where the above verses speak of what Judas' believed about Jesus. In your first paragraph can you show where to find the claims Judas had made?
Judas believed Jesus was innocent of being the King of the Jews:
Judas: “I sinned, having handed-over innocent blood!”
 
It's so easy to accept Christ as the savior and so challenging to accept Him as the LORD, because with that comes the obedience part. We are all sinners, and yet we have been commanded to pick up The Cross deny the flesh daily and FOLLOW Him. We will stumble and fall often in our walk of obedience BUT if we have a repentant heart He will surely forgive us-- we are covered in His blood shed on the Cross. But I am scared for those who are not even willing to try.

Jesus is making it implicitly clear all three things are needed------- FAITH, BAPTISM, AND OBEDIENCE for salvation. If they weren't needed/ important Why would he ask His disciples to do it in the great commission -----it was an order and not a request-- hence it's not optional.
Jesus Himself in Matthew 7: 21 clearly communicates to us - that many believers ( most unfortunately) will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Hi Rajesh, The above notions are a strawey argument. Nor are they true to a born again believer. They are fair warnings for nominal Christians (In name only), for you must be born again.(John 3:3) Without repentance which is our part, and regeneration, which is what God does (rebirth) Christian is just a name tag! (John 16:12-15) (Acts Chapters 1&2). I can give you over 100 references on receiving the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:5-17). And even more, I, Douglas Summers testify to the indwelling and receiving The Holy Spirit as a permanent possession. (as I have said before: I have grieved and hindered the Spirit in me at times...but it never abandoned me). The Spirit condemns or approves the heart of my walk in Christ and uses me as a vessel and gift of pastor/teacher...not me, but Christ in me. Am I perfect, no, but I'm sanctified (made Holy) by the righteousness of Christ. (1 Cor. 1:29-31) My flesh is condemned already..but Christ's Spirit has sanctified me to a new Hope (Rom. 8:24-26) (There are many "Tares" in the Church), and many of the warnings are to the self righteous and deceived tares.. There is no merit, or righteousness by the works of the "flesh"....none! (Rom. 3:21-30) (Eph. 2:89). And about a saint that has through the weakness of the flesh sinned, God will chastise him as a son. (Heb. 12:3-15), But a born again believer does not practice sin. (Epistle of 1 John). Oh that man would seek God, and not lean on His own understanding.
In His Eternal Mercy and Grace,
Douglas Summers
 
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