The teachings (doctrine) of Christ; The Truth

[GodsGrace]

Oops! I'm sorry for my senior moment. I meant d. I forgot that I recently added apostate as e.
Regarding cheap grace, that is tantamount to antinomianism and antinomianism is a part of agnosticism,
unless my memory is failing again (which is always possible).
If we are not glad to cooperate with God, then we need to get right/in fellowship with Him.
If your wish is a sin, then it should be confessed per 1John 1:9.

LOL
Doesn't matter the letter Groovy....the argument remains the same, but is lost or unimportant to most.

Agnostics do not state that they are Christian...
Antinomians do.

I DO agree that cheap grace is equivalent to antinomianism

I'll post the following for those following along that may not now about it:

In some Christian belief systems, an antinomian is one who takes the principle of salvation by faith and divine grace to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments. Christian antinomians believe that faith alone guarantees humans' eternal security in Heaven regardless of one's actions.

The distinction between antinomian and other Christian takes on moral law is that antinomians believe that obedience to the law is motivated by an internal principle flowing from belief rather than from any external compulsion, devotion, or need. Antinomianism has been considered to teach that believers have a "license to sin"and that future sins do not require repentance. Johannes Agricola, to whom antinomianism was first attributed, stated "If you sin, be happy, it should have no consequence
.......
Thus, classic Methodist commentator Adam Clarke held, "The Gospel proclaims liberty from the ceremonial law, but binds you still faster under the moral law. To be freed from the ceremonial law is the Gospel liberty; to pretend freedom from the moral law is Antinomianism.
.......
Early Gnostic sects were accused of failing to follow the Mosaic Law in a manner that suggests the modern term "antinomian". Most Gnostic sects did not accept the Old Testament moral law. For example, the Manichaeans held that their spiritual being was unaffected by the action of matter and regarded carnal sins as being, at worst, forms of bodily disease.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antinomianism

 

[Groovy]

LOL
Doesn't matter the letter Groovy....the argument remains the same, but is lost or unimportant to most.

Agnostics do not state that they are Christian...
Antinomians do.

I DO agree that cheap grace is equivalent to antinomianism

I'll post the following for those following along that may not now about it:

In some Christian belief systems, an antinomian is one who takes the principle of salvation by faith and divine grace to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments. Christian antinomians believe that faith alone guarantees humans' eternal security in Heaven regardless of one's actions.

The distinction between antinomian and other Christian takes on moral law is that antinomians believe that obedience to the law is motivated by an internal principle flowing from belief rather than from any external compulsion, devotion, or need. Antinomianism has been considered to teach that believers have a "license to sin"and that future sins do not require repentance. Johannes Agricola, to whom antinomianism was first attributed, stated "If you sin, be happy, it should have no consequence
.......
Thus, classic Methodist commentator Adam Clarke held, "The Gospel proclaims liberty from the ceremonial law, but binds you still faster under the moral law. To be freed from the ceremonial law is the Gospel liberty; to pretend freedom from the moral law is Antinomianism.
.......
Early Gnostic sects were accused of failing to follow the Mosaic Law in a manner that suggests the modern term "antinomian". Most Gnostic sects did not accept the Old Testament moral law. For example, the Manichaeans held that their spiritual being was unaffected by the action of matter and regarded carnal sins as being, at worst, forms of bodily disease.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antinomianism

Well, d/pseudo-believers is a different category than e/apostate former believers.

Anyway, I'm glad what you found corroborates my memory regarding antinomianism and Gnosticism.

Later gator.

 

[Groovy]

Have a blessed day.

Okay, it is added.
Since you have nothing else to add at the moment, and because the topic is Christology,
perhaps it is appropriate for me to add what I omitted previously:

Lesson 1 of our website explains why Christian theism is the most logical answer to truthseekers’ questions concerning ultimate reality, because the New Testament (NT) God provides the only credible hope for attaining heaven and justice, the “duo of desirables” (DOD). Lesson 2 discusses GRFS or how to satisfy God’s condition for forgiveness of sins that is indicated in Scripture by the word “IF” (e.g., Rom. 10:9), which is the fulcrum of faith, implying the ability either to cooperate with God or not (e.g., Deut. 30:19, Matt. 23:37) or MFW. Note that the choice is binary: God’s Way to heaven or the highway to hell.

The OT indicates that God chose the Jewish culture for the purpose of providing Messiah, through whom the world would be blessed or saved (Gen. 22:18, Isa. 42:6, 49:6, Joel 2:28& 32, Mic. 4:2-3, Zeph. 3:8-9, Zech. 2:11, 14:9&16), and the NT proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah or Christ (Acts 2:36, Rom. 1:1-4, Heb. 1:1-4, 3:3-6). It is tragic that the person God has ordained to be the head of one worldwide body of believers (JN 17:20-23, Eph. 1:9-10 & 3:6, Col. 1:18-20, Phil. 2:9-11) is rejected by so many who claim to be theists. And it is ironic that this gemstone, which is the foundation and cornerstone of ultimate reality (Eph. 2:20), is the stumbling-stone (1Pet. 2:6-8) to faith in GRFS for many souls (1Cor. 1:22-25). Messiah/Christ is the key stone.

Sinful humanity retains the image of God (MFW), so every normal adult soul is able by grace through faith to choose to seek salvation–or not (cf. Deut. 30:19). That is why Paul went “every Sabbath to the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4)! “He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.” (Acts 28:23b) “Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.” (Acts 28:24) “They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul made this final statement: The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet, ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving, for this people’s heart has become calloused.'” (Acts 28:25-27a, cf. 2Tim. 3:7)

An obvious question to ask at this point is, “What is GRFS for those who have never heard of Jesus?” (which includes everyone living B.C. and millions of people who have lived A.D.)

 

[GodsGrace]

Okay, it is added.
Since you have nothing else to add at the moment, and because the topic is Christology,
perhaps it is appropriate for me to add what I omitted previously:

Lesson 1 of our website explains why Christian theism is the most logical answer to truthseekers’ questions concerning ultimate reality, because the New Testament (NT) God provides the only credible hope for attaining heaven and justice, the “duo of desirables” (DOD). Lesson 2 discusses GRFS or how to satisfy God’s condition for forgiveness of sins that is indicated in Scripture by the word “IF” (e.g., Rom. 10:9), which is the fulcrum of faith, implying the ability either to cooperate with God or not (e.g., Deut. 30:19, Matt. 23:37) or MFW. Note that the choice is binary: God’s Way to heaven or the highway to hell.

The OT indicates that God chose the Jewish culture for the purpose of providing Messiah, through whom the world would be blessed or saved (Gen. 22:18, Isa. 42:6, 49:6, Joel 2:28& 32, Mic. 4:2-3, Zeph. 3:8-9, Zech. 2:11, 14:9&16), and the NT proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah or Christ (Acts 2:36, Rom. 1:1-4, Heb. 1:1-4, 3:3-6). It is tragic that the person God has ordained to be the head of one worldwide body of believers (JN 17:20-23, Eph. 1:9-10 & 3:6, Col. 1:18-20, Phil. 2:9-11) is rejected by so many who claim to be theists. And it is ironic that this gemstone, which is the foundation and cornerstone of ultimate reality (Eph. 2:20), is the stumbling-stone (1Pet. 2:6-8) to faith in GRFS for many souls (1Cor. 1:22-25). Messiah/Christ is the key stone.

Sinful humanity retains the image of God (MFW), so every normal adult soul is able by grace through faith to choose to seek salvation–or not (cf. Deut. 30:19). That is why Paul went “every Sabbath to the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4)! “He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.” (Acts 28:23b) “Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.” (Acts 28:24) “They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul made this final statement: The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet, ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving, for this people’s heart has become calloused.'” (Acts 28:25-27a, cf. 2Tim. 3:7)

An obvious question to ask at this point is, “What is GRFS for those who have never heard of Jesus?” (which includes everyone living B.C. and millions of people who have lived A.D.)

I agree with all and am responding to the question in your last paragraph.
Many do not like my reply,,probably not even JLB and we agree about practically everything.

So here is your question:
“What is GRFS for those who have never heard of Jesus?”
For those reading along that don't have a copy of your Christian dictionary:
GRFS = God's Requirements for Salvation

I believe God is a just God an will judge each person on the light they've received.
If a person has never heard of Jesus...that person cannot be judged on whether or not he denied Jesus...that would be unjust.

God has always made himself be known to mankind but gave a special revelation to the nation of Israel, from the time of Adam.

The reason no person will have an excuse before God is precisely because God has revealed Himself to all and thus no one will have an excuse.

This is found in

Romans 1:19-20
19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

 

[Groovy]

I agree with all and am responding to the question in your last paragraph.
Many do not like my reply,,probably not even JLB and we agree about practically everything.

So here is your question:
“What is GRFS for those who have never heard of Jesus?”
For those reading along that don't have a copy of your Christian dictionary:
GRFS = God's Requirements for Salvation

I believe God is a just God an will judge each person on the light they've received.
If a person has never heard of Jesus...that person cannot be judged on whether or not he denied Jesus...that would be unjust.

God has always made himself be known to mankind but gave a special revelation to the nation of Israel, from the time of Adam.

The reason no person will have an excuse before God is precisely because God has revealed Himself to all and thus no one will have an excuse.

This is found in

Romans 1:19-20
19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

I couldn't have said it better, GG, but I will say the following anyway:

If God loves the world (John 3:16) and wants everyone to be saved (2Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11), then He must provide an opportunity. God’s just judgment is illustrated by Jesus in the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-29), which indicates that God will judge souls on the basis of the truth (Word = Christ per John 1:1f.) they have received.

There are two main ways God/Christ is encountered:

1. General revelation, which includes meditating on the natural world or God’s supernatural work and moral conscience. Paul said men are without excuse, both because God’s eternal power and divine nature (love) are manifested by creation (Rom. 1:20), and because a proto-gospel has been proclaimed to everyone under heaven implicitly or in pre-NT foreshadowings (Col. 1:23, Rom. 10:13-18, Gal. 3:8). He also taught that all normal humans have an inner conscience or “common” sense (Rom. 2:14-16), which manifests morality or a moral Authority in every culture.

2. Special revelation (1Pet. 1:8-12), which refers mainly to divinely inspired NT teaching regarding God’s history of salvation. Again, the Parable of the Talents indicates that souls are saved via faith in God/ Christ as revealed (cf. 1Cor. 10:1-5). Truthseekers around the world in all times are pilgrims at various places along the road of life, and all true roads eventually lead to the Way to eternal life in heaven (John 14:6, Acts 24:14, Phil. 2:10-11). All truth leads to One Way.

 

[GodsGrace]

I couldn't have said it better, GG, but I will say the following anyway:

If God loves the world (John 3:16) and wants everyone to be saved (2Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11), then He must provide an opportunity. God’s just judgment is illustrated by Jesus in the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-29), which indicates that God will judge souls on the basis of the truth (Word = Christ per John 1:1f.) they have received.

There are two main ways God/Christ is encountered:

1. General revelation, which includes meditating on the natural world or God’s supernatural work and moral conscience. Paul said men are without excuse, both because God’s eternal power and divine nature (love) are manifested by creation (Rom. 1:20), and because a proto-gospel has been proclaimed to everyone under heaven implicitly or in pre-NT foreshadowings (Col. 1:23, Rom. 10:13-18, Gal. 3:8). He also taught that all normal humans have an inner conscience or “common” sense (Rom. 2:14-16), which manifests morality or a moral Authority in every culture.

2. Special revelation (1Pet. 1:8-12), which refers mainly to divinely inspired NT teaching regarding God’s history of salvation. Again, the Parable of the Talents indicates that souls are saved via faith in God/ Christ as revealed (cf. 1Cor. 10:1-5). Truthseekers around the world in all times are pilgrims at various places along the road of life, and all true roads eventually lead to the Way to eternal life in heaven (John 14:6, Acts 24:14, Phil. 2:10-11). All truth leads to One Way.

Well said !
I would add

Hebrews 11:6
6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Salvation requires:

1. Belief in God
2. Obedience to God

 

[Groovy]

Well said !
I would add

Hebrews 11:6
6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Salvation requires:

1. Belief in God
2. Obedience to God

Yes, I will do that, probably at the end of the paragraph on general revelation: "Thus, sinners have no excuse for not seeking God's salvation or being truthseekers (Matthew 7:7, Hebrews 11:6)." (Which will serve as a segue into the mention of truthseekers in the paragraph on special revelation :^)

Thanks for the suggestion! Our website is a lifelong work in progress.
<truthseekersfellowship.com>