Jim Parker
Member
- Apr 17, 2015
- 11,259
- 2,694
Jhn 9:41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.' Therefore your sin remains."Bye, bye,
Oz
There was a song in the 60s or 70s which contained the line, "There are none so blind as those who will not see." Those who so adamantly defend the sand castle of "free" salvation are among those.
The OT foreshadowed the NT. Those who kept the covenant would be blesses and those who did not would be cursed (Deut 28) even though none of them did anything that merited God's response in making them His chosen people; in fact, it was quite the opposite case. (Deut 9:4-6) They were blesses IF they kept His word.
In the NT, Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments." (Jhn 14:15) and, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me". (Jhn 14:23-24) And: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?" (Luk 6:46)
Scripture says: "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2Pe 1:10-11) [ "These things" are: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (1:5-67)]
The entrance into the Kingdom of God will be supplied IF one does "these things".
Grace is free because God IS gracious; it's His mode of operation. None of us can earn eternal life because we have all sinned and earned death (R0 3:23) but all are justified freely through His grace. (24) However, the fact that God gives everyone the opportunity to believe and receive eternal life is not a license to continue in our habitual sinful manner of living.
Jesus preached saying repent AND believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15) those are two separate actions: (1) repenting and (2) believing. Contrary to the preaching of pop-Christianity, repent does not only mean to change one's mind; it includes changing ones way of life, the way we act and talk. It is changing one's mode of life from acting in response to the lusts of the flesh to producing the fruit of the spirit. That requires effort. IF we do not exert the effort to produce the fruit, the Father will remove us from the body of Christ; we will wither and die and be cast into the fire. (John 15)
Grace is free. Passing from this life into eternal life will require that you persevere in doing God's will.
Ro 2:6-7 “(God) will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;"
Iakov the fool
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