KEEPING THE FAITH

[Christ_empowered]

I’m not saying that God did or does it all for me lol . But…

I came to God at age 28 with fairly obvious brain damage mostly from so called psychiatric treatment. That’s somewhat important because psych induced brain damage equals lowered IQ memory problems cognitive impairment and overall dullness. Drugs shock lobotomies…the damage and the overall effects overlap. So…

10 years into my walk with Jesus I find that I’ve been mightily blessed Matthew 6:33 style. And a lot of it has happened in the past 5 years or so…

I dunno I’m not a true believer in Calvinism…not an anti reformed ex Calvinist just kind over Big ideas from Very important men…

But the idea that my conversion is His work…irresistible grace if you will…

And then sanctification is our combined work…more Him than me of course and me only because of Him and in my better moments empowered by Him…

Makes a lot of sense to me. And I think it lines up with Dorothy Mae and her well written post…

Which kind of shows that we can approach some issues differently but still share a bond in Christ which…

Oh man very reassuring. Thanks

 

[Highway54]

Everybody who believes in and receives the gospel of God's forgiveness in Christ, and continues to believe in it, is saved, now, and will remain saved.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2
1 John 2:24-25

Just because somebody stops believing does not mean they weren't saved while they believed. As the verses posted above show us, you must continue to believe in order to continue to be saved.

Everybody who believes in and receives the gospel of God's forgiveness in Christ, and continues to believe in it, is saved, now, and will remain saved.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2
1 John 2:24-25

Just because somebody stops believing does not mean they weren't saved while they believed. As the verses posted above show us, you must continue to believe in order to continue to be saved.

Just because somebody stops believing does not mean they weren't saved while they believed. As the verses posted above show us, you must continue to believe in order to continue to be saved.

So I gather you agree with Jesus' words at Mat 24:13 concerning salvation. It is true we Christians sin every day, but those who commit serious sins, especially repeatedly, they are no longer Christians sir.

 

[Christ_empowered]

We’re they ever?

 

[Highway54]

Two comments H

Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. That what all the Kingdom parables were about and the sermon on the mount. And the Beatitudes.

In Matthew 3 Jesus said to repent for the kingdom is near.

Do you think He meant that the world was going to end imminently?

Christians are part of the Kingdom right now.
It's a spiritual Kingdom that has natural ramifications.

Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

Jesus came for 3 reasons maam. First and foremost he said: (Luke 4:43) . . .“I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent.”
He came to ransom us from inherited sin: (1 Corinthians 15:22) . . .For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.
And one that most people do not think of to prove that perfect man does not have to sin:
(1 Peter 2:21, 22) 21 In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. 22 He committed no sin. . .

In Matthew 3 Jesus said to repent for the kingdom is near.

This could be extensive maam, but you no doubt are aware that Jesus would return to heaven and sit at the right hand of God for a period of time. He was to be the next King over God's people. The prophecy in Daniel 4 gave the time. We believe that time started when the last King (Zedekiah) was removed from Israel's throne. Jesus stated that time was still going on while he was on earth Luke 21:24. It would end then when he was appointed as King Mat 24:3. The Kingdom is coming to earth Mat 6:10, and clearly is not here yet, remember the last days from Jesus' enthronement until his return for the battle would be up to a generations life span Mat 24:34, we are very close.

Christians are part of the Kingdom right now.

If you agree we are in the last days, then yes the citizens are being gathered Isa 2:2-4

 

[Highway54]

No sir, the Kingdom of God is here and now. The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord. The Jewish/mosaic age has ended.

Wow! If this is the Kingdom, we were sure lied to. Bummer.

 

[Highway54]

That minister missed the requirement to repent. There is no forgiveness without repentance.

I fully agree Dorothy. That is exactly correct.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

So I gather you agree with Jesus' words at Mat 24:13 concerning salvation. It is true we Christians sin every day, but those who commit serious sins, especially repeatedly, they are no longer Christians sir.

The only sin that can seperate a saved believer from the grace of forgiveness that they have received is the sin of willful unbelief. Not doubt, but outright, deliberate unbelief.

By virtue of the blood of Christ that the believing person is trusting in, all the believing person's sins are forgiven. Repeated, willful sin is the sign that a person has stopped believing in the blood of Christ and so they no longer have the blood of Christ remaining to forgive their sin. They are lost. They will be condemned by their sins at the coming judgement. The believing person will not be condemned by their sins at the judgement because they are continually forgiven in this life by the ongoing intercessory ministry of Christ and his sacrifice that they continue to believe and trust in.

 

[hawkman]

Until he moved his foot shifting in his seat to get up and suddenly he said he was filled with wherewithal to go forward. That movement was very small, totally insufficient but absolutely necessary for God to do His part.

The first step is the biggest one .

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I don’t think I could choose to trust Christ without His work in my heart and life. I guess I admire other believers resolve and iron will but I’m not sure that’s rooted in scripture…?

Resolve and iron apart from the Spirit is doomed to fail.

Those are people who have made decisions for Christ, perhaps in baptism, but who have not come to the end of themselves and been born of the Spirit. They are natural births, not spiritual births, born of the waters of repentance, not born of the Spirit. Natural people born of the effort of the flesh, not spiritual people born of the Spirit. That doesn't mean they they never will be. It just means they aren't that now. In their present state they have no inheritance as sons of God - Galatians 4:29.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The first step is the biggest one .

The Bible speaks of believing and receiving the gospel of Christ. It isn't enough to just affirm the gospel is true. One must believe and receive it. 1 Corinthians 15:1

 

[Jethro Bodine]

This sounds humble and nice until we state the obvious counterpart which is others don’t believe because GOD chose not to do a work in their hearts. It’s God’s fault they don’t believe.

Salvation is a gracious gift because it is God who determines when and where a person can be saved (Acts 14:27, Acts 16:14).

Until God does that a person can not be saved. That is what makes salvation an entirely gracious and merciful act of God in which no man can boast and in which he gets all the glory.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Wow! If this is the Kingdom, we were sure lied to. Bummer.

No, not at all. The kingdom of God comes in gentleness and mercy, not a hostile bloody violent takeover that is too often preached. For that reason mercy has its gentle work. Patience, grasshopper.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Wow! If this is the Kingdom, we were sure lied to. Bummer.

It's inside you.

Luke 17:20-21

 

[Jethro Bodine]

But the idea that my conversion is His work…irresistible grace if you will…

You don't think you had a choice as to whether you would receive the gospel or reject it when God was convicting you?

I know irresistable grace is not true because I struggled with God's calling for about four years before I finally gave in. And I did because after all that time God was telling me in my heart that if I didn't respond then he would not bother me any more until late in my life (I sensed in my sixties). I shudder to think of the things I would have gone through if God had stopped calling me and left me to myself for the last 37 years. But as it is, I did respond and have lived my adult life as a saved, devout, born again, Spirit-filled believer. It has not been easy, but I have no regrets and God has been entirely gracious to me in this struggle with this world and the flesh.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The kingdom of God comes in gentleness and mercy, not a hostile bloody violent takeover that is too often preached.

The kingdom within us by the Holy Spirit didn't come that way, but the kingdom of God will indeed come with bloodshed when Christ returns and stomps the grapes of his wrath.

 

[Highway54]

No sir, the Kingdom of God is here and now. The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord. The Jewish/mosaic age has ended.

I guess God can't do any better than man and satan did. Oh well I still have hope that the Kingdom will come, and that it will remove the earthly Kingdoms when it does as was prophesied at Dan 2:44. I still kinda believe what goes forth from the mouth of God, will come about Dorothy.

 

[Highway54]

That minister missed the requirement to repent. There is no forgiveness without repentance.

That may have been my mistake maam, I quite imagine he did include it, and I simply forgot to include it in my comment. The point I was making is that it is not the truth, but I do so hope both he and you as well are correct about salvation.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

That may have been my mistake maam, I quite imagine he did include it, and I simply forgot to include it in my comment. The point I was making is that it is not the truth, but I do so hope both he and you as well are correct about salvation.

No one is saved by repentance. But a turning toward God in repentance is a necessary prerequisite to receive the grace of God in salvation.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I guess God can't do any better than man and satan did. Oh well I still have hope that the Kingdom will come, and that it will remove the earthly Kingdoms when it does as was prophesied at Dan 2:44. I still kinda believe what goes forth from the mouth of God, will come about Dorothy.

The 'land' that Christ presently rules over is the soil of the hearts of his people. That is the kingdom of God in the earth at the present time. It is within you - Luke 17:20-21.

 

[hawkman]

You don't think you had a choice as to whether you would receive the gospel or reject it when God was convicting you?

I know irresistable grace is not true because I struggled with God's calling for about four years before I finally gave in. And I did because after all that time God was telling me in my heart that if I didn't respond then he would not bother me any more until late in my life (I sensed in my sixties). I shudder to think of the things I would have gone through if God had stopped calling me and left me to myself for the last 37 years. But as it is, I did respond and have lived my adult life as a saved, devout, born again, Spirit-filled believer. It has not been easy, but I have no regrets and God has been entirely gracious to me in this struggle with this world and the flesh.

It was a few years for me too . At times it was a special kind of misery to be under conviction . Praise God Jethro Bodine , we are born again !