PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!!

[Rainbow Dash]

Please, pay attention to Zacharia 14. The whole chapter is talking about the day of the Lord and after (not now).

Zac. 14: 16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

Also, when you study Matthiew 25th, the Messiah is talking about 2 different groups.

1- The Servants (brethren)
Mat. 25.14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 25.15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 25.16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 25.17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 25.18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 25.19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 25.20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 25.21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Rev. 5 : 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

2- The others (nations)
Mat. 25.35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 25.36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 25.37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 25.38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 25.39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 25.40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Mat. 10 : 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Christians are the brethren/disciples and they know what they are doing and they live by faith and for Christ, choosing life.
Others don't, they don't know they are doing good for Christ. But they can do good, because this is what was the deal in Eden and we all have conscience (some choose to shut it down) :
free will to choose between good and evil for mankind.

Blessing!

Salvation, remission of sins, redemption, justification is through Christ alone, not good works. Good works can be done by anyone, I agree on that. But remission of sins is through the blood of Jesus. Good works will not take away sin. Only through Christ.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

The Pharisees did good works and still missed Christ.

Faith without works is dead. So because I am a believer in Christ and His word. I will do works that show that I am believer.

Just because someone does good works does not mean they are a believer in Christ. The Pharisees did good works but they missed Christ. So good works will not give you salvation.


He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)

 

[Guitarhero]

@Guitarhero
I read your post. Salvation comes through Christ. It does not come through the church. The church member is used by Christ to tell that salvation is in Christ.

You can receive Christ on your job, in your home, or anywhere. The body of Christ is the Church. Someone can witness you to about Christ anywhere and once you receive Him you are saved even if it is on a street corner.

I've met people who gave their life to Christ outside of a church building by someone who was a member of the Body of Christ. Salvation still comes through Christ. The member of the body is used to tell the good news but it still comes through Christ.

You can be taught the word of God anywhere, you do not have to be in a church building to learn about Christ. Simply reading your bible allows you to learn about Christ allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you.

1 John 2:27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Christ is the head of the Church. The church is the body of Christ (believers in Christ), Not a building.

Communion can be done in your home alone, with a group of believers, or in a church building. He did not say it had to be in a Church building.

Yes Faith without works is dead. So because I am a believer in Christ and His word. I will do works that show that I am believer.

Just because someone does good works does not mean they are a believer in Christ. The Pharisees did good works but they missed Christ. So good works will not give you salvation.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10



Yes you are right He did tell us who would have life in heaven. Read the below scriptures.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)

"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24)

All of us have sinned.
No matter how we try, all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
We cannot save ourselves.
Christ died and shed his blood to make an atonement for our sins.
If by faith we receive the atonement, God will forgive all our sin and take us to Heaven when we die.

To be righteous is to be right with God. To be right with God comes by accepting both Christ's grace and by obeying his commandments, following his teachings and doing the will of the Father.

There is no other way around it.

I have one question for you. What/who is Christ's church? You are confusing what I'm saying with an edifice. He is the Temple, rebuilt in 3 days. But we can never play down what He has taught through apostolic handing down because He first handed it to them.


Matthew 16:18
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.


The Church as place is very important to G-d and goes back to His prescripts with Moses and Aaron and beyond. Jesus taught at the Temple and could be found there on a regular basis. That, we cannot overlook to justify avoiding. And as you say, it could be in small group. However, it is this "institution" of assembly that is highly important because He gave it to us. And through it flow His graces and gifts.

 

[Crown]

You did not answer my question :

Zac. 16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

Do you think that the Saints (holy), who will be like Him and in His presence, will still have plague/punishment?

Anyway, no need to answer it to me.
As I said, don't take my words. Let's continue to study the Scriptures.

Salvation, remission of sins, redemption, justification is through Christ alone, not good works. Good works can be done by anyone, I agree on that. But remission of sins is through the blood of Jesus. Good works will not take away sin. Only through Christ.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

The Pharisees did good works and still missed Christ.

Faith without works is dead. So because I am a believer in Christ and His word. I will do works that show that I am believer.

Just because someone does good works does not mean they are a believer in Christ. The Pharisees did good works but they missed Christ. So good works will not give you salvation.


He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)

^^ Did you read the verses and take the time to prove all things ?
You keep saying the same thing but you still have not answered my question!

You can’t take a part and ignore the others.
They did it before and set up a lot of human doctrines.
However, with the actual technology, it’s so easy now to have a better understanding of the Scriptures…

Anyway, if it’s not for you, it’s for someone else.

Let’s continue to study the Scriptures, and to learn from the Holy Spirit, and may the Father bless us!

[FONT=&quot]Is. 28.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little…[/FONT]

 

[Rainbow Dash]

^^ Did you read the verses and take the time to prove all things ?
You keep saying the same thing but you still have not answered my question!

You can’t take a part and ignore the others.
They did it before and set up a lot of human doctrines.
However, with the actual technology, it’s so easy now to have a better understanding of the Scriptures…

Anyway, if it’s not for you, it’s for someone else.

Let’s continue to study the Scriptures, and to learn from the Holy Spirit, and may the Father bless us!

[FONT=&quot]Is. 28.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little…[/FONT]

Yes, I will continue to study and learn. I read those scriptures and I just not getting how it relates to what we are discussing. Im not ignoring what you are saying. The scriptures you used had the words servant. Servant of who? If you are a servant of Christ you will know it. If you are a disciple of Christ you will know it. It is not by accident. I will continue to learn and grow in Christ. Thanks for your time. God bless you as well.

 

[Honi]

Please take the time to actually read my post before responding because you are missing the topic. Is not Jesus the head of His Church? How are you even taught about Him? It has come through His Church. Is not the eucharist or communion what He commanded? That has come through His Church.

In previous threads, I've mentioned time and time again that good works are a part of salvation - that without them, you cannot demonstrate your good fruits. Please explain this to me:


James 2:14-26 (New King James Version)

Faith Without Works Is Dead


14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.


Incidentally, people are going to be surprised at who made it to heaven and who didn't. He already warned us.

Guitarhero, not you but some people that don’t understand GRACE like to use this verse to promote the LAW. Abraham and Rahab are both poor examples to promote the Law. One is going to kill his son and the other lied. Yet, both were justified by GOD but by the Law they would be condemned. They were simply nothing but acts of BELIEVING and acts of faith.

James cannot contradict Paul.

Abraham was already made righteous in Genesis 15. Isaac wasn’t even born yet. Abraham’s belief is what made him righteous…not his works. As a believer, God gives you righteousness apart from your works. Apart from Law.

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

It was many years after that (~40?) before the offering of Isaac on the altar.

In James it's righteousness before MAN. It is justification before MAN.

Without the work of the spirit in our life, our faith is dead. It is the works of those who trust in Jesus alone for salvation, not in their own works of righteousness in the flesh. Those who are truly saved will demonstrate the fruit of the spirit and they will demonstrate their faith with the work of not trusting in fleshly works in order to please God.

 

[Guitarhero]

Guitarhero, not you but some people that don’t understand GRACE like to use this verse to promote the LAW. Abraham and Rahab are both poor examples to promote the Law. One is going to kill his son and the other lied. Yet, both were justified by GOD but by the Law they would be condemned. They were simply nothing but acts of BELIEVING and acts of faith.

James cannot contradict Paul.

Abraham was already made righteous in Genesis 15. Isaac wasn’t even born yet. Abraham’s belief is what made him righteous…not his works. As a believer, God gives you righteousness apart from your works. Apart from Law.

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

It was many years after that (~40?) before the offering of Isaac on the altar.

In James it's righteousness before MAN. It is justification before MAN.

Without the work of the spirit in our life, our faith is dead. It is the works of those who trust in Jesus alone for salvation, not in their own works of righteousness in the flesh. Those who are truly saved will demonstrate the fruit of the spirit and they will demonstrate their faith with the work of not trusting in fleshly works in order to please God.

Not in our Church, unless you prove it, you ain't never had it. In order to keep it, you gotta use it. In other words, you show it by going through the sacraments of baptism of your children, confirmation and communion, reconciliation etc. You can be received in His Temple, but it's how you demonstrate what you receive in your daily walk. I'm not talking about falling down nor not being perfect. It's a process. And everyone will give an account of his earthly life. That's nothing other than what you did in your faith, not just belief. Folks can believe all day long but what do they do?

Now, this is not a contradiction because the gift is freely given but there is a price - that of following it. How can one separate out this free gift from works of doing good in life that demonstrate the very faith that one has developed? Yet, belief and faith are that very first step. Faith is an act in itself. It's something you do. The balance is right there. When we have faith, we are pleasing G-d. But doing good is proving we not only wish to please Him, we are showing Him we love Him.

 

[Guitarhero]

Guitarhero, not you but some people that don’t understand GRACE like to use this verse to promote the LAW. Abraham and Rahab are both poor examples to promote the Law. One is going to kill his son and the other lied. Yet, both were justified by GOD but by the Law they would be condemned. They were simply nothing but acts of BELIEVING and acts of faith.
.

I worship the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was the first Hebrew...to cross over. He was righteous and G-d blessed Him. G-d told him to sacrifice everything for Him...even his son. G-d killed Jesus as well, if you look at it that way. Abraham's faith was such that he complied fully with the will of G-d. There is commentary concerning whether or not he killed Isaac. He might have...or G-d might have stopped his hand in mid air (like the movies like to promote). Whatever the case, Abram had faith that G-d was going to make all things right in His will.

 

[Honi]

I understand why you say that you should do something. It is a natural human action to want to have to do something. There is nothing wrong with doing good. We should all be kind, give to charity, etc but that ALONE will not save you. Most of all, it will not add anything to your position or your salvation that you already have. That's like trying/working to get into a room that you are already in.

Cain and Abel: Abel brought a blood like offering (which you can probably view as a picture of Christ). Cain brought salad with Wishbone dressing His own fleshly works that he thought was good enough.

Genesis 4:
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Hebrews 11:4
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.

Some people walking in the flesh end up pissed off, not healed, discouraged and not having the full benefit of Christ because all this work they DO profits nothing. More importantly, it leads to bad decisions.

John 6:63 (NIV)
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Abel made his sacrifice by faith, as believers we accept Jesus’ death by faith and are made righteous.

When Christ laid down his life, he became our substitute. The work that was accomplished through His death is COMPLETE.

So help me understand. If the work of Christ was finished on the cross, what is it that you "working" for?