Post by James Blankenship on Apr 11, 2012 16:13:32 GMT -5
This is probably the most misunderstood question of all, & NOT understanding what it means, determines a persons eternal destiny!
If you are an someone who is NOT interested in personally KNOWING Christ Jesus & the forgiveness that he offers, I respectfully ask you you to refrain from replying to this thread. I would simply be wasting my time on you.
Scripture supports me here:
Matthew 7:6 (New International Version)
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls, to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Why the language here is symbolic, the meaning here is crystal clear.
We who DO have that personal, 1-to-1 relationship with Christ, who have CHOSEN to surrender or lives to Him, who have CHOSEN to accept the forgiveness offered by Him, are not to waste our time talking to those who blatantly reject the Gospel of Christ. WE would be wasting our time on them, when there are those who ARE seeking to know Christ.
This is where the leading of the Holy Spirit comes into play, just as He had lead me to create this board.
I talk about knowing God's will here:
solascripturaalone.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=obedience&action=display&thread=27.
No.
This thread is for those who the Holy Spirit is & has convicted, in bringing to the realization that they DO need Christ's forgiveness, that then DO need that personal relationship with Him.
Now, many people believe that all you have to do is "believe in Christ", & you will know him. & be forgiven of their sins?
They will use this verse to support their position:
John 3:16-17 (New International Version)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
And certainly this verse is truth, & is at the very heart of what the Gospel of Christ is all about.
But let me say this:
To simply believe in God will not "save" you, if you don't do anything with it.
Let me ask you something.
If you can believe that it will be a good day at work, but if you don't GO to work, what good is your belief?
If the Apostles just "BELIEVED" in Christ, but didn't ACT on that belief, how would the gospel have been spread?
Knowing Christ is a two step process:
Believe:
John 3:16 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
and receive:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
If you don't act ON your belief, your belief doesn't count worth anything.
That is what is required to actually, personally KNOW Christ-action.
To ACT, to take action on what His word, the Bible says.
Now, I am sure that many people are probably familiar with what is called "The sinners prayer".
Basically, it goes something like this:
This is all very lovely & all, but if you think that simply saying this prayer is going to restore your relationship with God, you are going to be very disappointed.
These are just WORDS!
I have news for you-God isn't interested in words-it is the attitude of your heart, (your desire to personally know Him, if you will), that He is interested in.
This is supported from Scripture here:
1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Let's look at the story leading up to these verses.
Briefly: King Saul has disobeyed God, & God was going to choose a new King for Israel. God told Samuel to go to the House of Jesse, for Samuel would find the one God had chosen there.
Samuel did as instructed, & met all the sons of Jesse.
They were all strong, looking sons, & Samuel was thinking that it was one of them, that he would anoint king.
But what happened here?
Look at this verse again:
1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
What does God look at?
The Heart.
NOT physical appearance.
Than we see this:
1 Samuel 16:10-13 (New International Version)
10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
Out of all Jesse' sons, DAVID was the one that God chose.
And this same principle applies here.
God chose David because of what was in his heart-not physical appearance.
And that is how God will choose us as well-in this case, not by our words, but by what is in our hearts, our desire of wanting to belong to Him.
Ok, going back here:
As I have pointed out here-simply believing in Christ is NOT enough-action must be taken here.
Look at John 1:12 here:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Belief is the catalyst, action is the action which produces forgiveness-in this case, asking, & just as important, desiring for God to come into your life, forgive you of your sins, & restore you to a relation with Him, through the Blood of Christ AND CHOOSING to ask Him into your heart, (action).
Take a look at these verses:
Hebrews 9:13-15 (New International Version)
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
NOTHING short of the Blood of Christ, can forgive a man from His sins, & restore fellowship with God.
But it is you choosing, (action), TO receive that forgiveness!
I know that this may seem long, but iI cannot stress enough how important it is that you realize this decision is, so please bear with me.
I will explain in a new section, which I will post in the next day or two, but for now, suffice it to say that there is NO OTHER way to be forgiven without the Blood of Christ.
Finally, we have this truth from Scripture:
John 14:6-7 (New International Version)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Do you realize what Jesus is saying here?
That NOTHING YOU CAN DO, is good enough to restore your relationship with God.
Not JUST going to church
Not being baptized
Not being "confirmed"
Not by going to RICA classes
Not by doing the stations of the cross
Not by saying the rosary
Not by receiving your first communion
Not by doing good works
in Short:
NOT BY DOING ANYTHING, IN ANY SHAPE, FORM OR OTHERWISE!
Nothing YOU can do will have your sins forgiven.
Nothing that YOU can do will restore your relationship with God.
Only Christ Jesus and Him ALONE!
Period!
The catholic church is the worst offender of this truth.
This is catholicism:
You MUST obey Holy Days of Obligation
You MUST be baptized.
You MUST be confirmed.
You MUST obey Lent.
You MUST not eat meat on Fridays.
You MUST Go to church every Sunday.
You MUST confess your sins to a priest.
You MUST believe everything that the catholic church teaches.
You MUST believe in the pope.
You MUST do this-you MUST do that.
You MUST do these things, or you are not a "good catholic".
You MUST do all these thing or you are NOT going to Heaven.
Here is what it means to actually KNOW Christ personally:
John 14:6 (New International Version)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
NOT by confession of sins to priests.
NOT by being baptized.
NOT by being confirmed.
NOT by observing Lent.
NOT by not eating meat on Friday.
NOT by "holy days of obligation"
BY Christ alone plus NOTHING ELSE!
And when you think about it:
By catholics saying that you HAVE to do all these things, in effect, that are saying that Christ's death and resurrection AREN'T enough!
That you have to do all these other things, if you WANT to be forgiven of your sins, & go to Heaven.
In short-they are calling Jesus a liar, because He said:
John 19:30 (New International Version)
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I would ask catholics this, based of what catholics HAVE to do:
"If we could "work" our way into heaven, than what was the purpose of Christ dying & rising from the dead FOR our sins?"
The is the key here.
Look at what Jesus says here in Scripture, & I challenge all of you to compare the verse that I use, to what the catholic Bibles say, & try telling me that they don't mean EXACTLY the same thing here!
John 6:51:("I am) the living bread .......
John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ("I AM) the light of the world. ...........
John 10:9: ("I AM) the door...........
John 10:11: ("I AM) the good shepherd. ............
John 11:25: Jesus said to her,( "I AM) the resurrection and the life.
John 14:6: Jesus said to him, ("I AM) the way, the truth, and the life.
John 15:1:( "I AM) the true vine..........
John 8:57-58 (New International Version, ©2010)
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
John 4:24-26 (New International Version, ©2010)
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
Jesus plus NOTHING ELSE is all that is needed for the forgiveness of sin, the restoration of fellowship with God, & the assurance of Heaven.
Do you have any idea of the magnitude of the truth of what catholics are saying here?
There are, in effect calling Jesus a LIAR!
They are saying that THEY know better than Jesus, the Son of God, the 2nd person of the Trinity, what is needed for forgiveness!
So who are you going to believe, what a church has to say, or what Jesus says?
Jesus Himself says:
Luke 11:23 (New International Version)
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Jesus ask for NOTHING less that 100% commitment to Him
Nothing less is acceptable.
Look at what Scripture says here:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)
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.
What are we saved by?
Works? No-by GRACE!
And what is being saved?
A gift.
Do you know what a gift is?
It is something that is given without any need to give anything in return!
Catholics, in effect, say that you have to WORK for the gift of salvation, by doing all these OTHER things.
The BIBLE , God's inspired Word, says, there is nothing you CAN do-that it is a gift!
You don't WORK for a gift!
If you do, it isn't a gift!
THIS is what it is like to live by what the Bible teaches, to live by what the Holy Spirit teaches, to live for Christ & have that personal relationship WITH Him:
It's NOT about me,
It's all for God.
It's NOT about how I look,
It's how God looks AT me.
It's NOT about my pride,
It's about God's humbleness.
It's NOT about MY failures,
It's about God's successes.
It's NOT about my past,
It's about God's future FOR us.
It's NOT about what I want to hear,
It's what God WANTS me to hear.
It's NOT about how I hurt,
It's about how God heals.
It's NOT about how far away I feel from God,
It's about how CLOSE God is to me.
It's NOT about my sins,
It's about God's forgiveness.
It's NOT about what I want,
It's about what God wants.
It's NOT about my understanding,
It's about what God's leading.
It's NOT about my desires,
It's about what God desires FOR me.
It's NOT about my needs,
It's about what God KNOWS I need.
It's NOT about my hate,
It's about God's love.
It's NOT about my fear,
It's about God's courage.
It's NOT about my ignorance,
It's about God's knowledge.
It's NOT about my selfishness,
It's about God's selflessness.
It's NOT about my weaknesses,
It's about God's strength.
It's NOT about my works,
It's about God working THROUGH me.
It's NOT about my now,
It's about God's eternity!
Either you are 100% FOR God, or you are not!
Either you obey the teachings of Man or the teaching of God's Word.
What will you choose?
James
If you are an someone who is NOT interested in personally KNOWING Christ Jesus & the forgiveness that he offers, I respectfully ask you you to refrain from replying to this thread. I would simply be wasting my time on you.
Scripture supports me here:
Matthew 7:6 (New International Version)
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls, to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Why the language here is symbolic, the meaning here is crystal clear.
We who DO have that personal, 1-to-1 relationship with Christ, who have CHOSEN to surrender or lives to Him, who have CHOSEN to accept the forgiveness offered by Him, are not to waste our time talking to those who blatantly reject the Gospel of Christ. WE would be wasting our time on them, when there are those who ARE seeking to know Christ.
This is where the leading of the Holy Spirit comes into play, just as He had lead me to create this board.
I talk about knowing God's will here:
solascripturaalone.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=obedience&action=display&thread=27.
No.
This thread is for those who the Holy Spirit is & has convicted, in bringing to the realization that they DO need Christ's forgiveness, that then DO need that personal relationship with Him.
Now, many people believe that all you have to do is "believe in Christ", & you will know him. & be forgiven of their sins?
They will use this verse to support their position:
John 3:16-17 (New International Version)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
And certainly this verse is truth, & is at the very heart of what the Gospel of Christ is all about.
But let me say this:
To simply believe in God will not "save" you, if you don't do anything with it.
Let me ask you something.
If you can believe that it will be a good day at work, but if you don't GO to work, what good is your belief?
If the Apostles just "BELIEVED" in Christ, but didn't ACT on that belief, how would the gospel have been spread?
Knowing Christ is a two step process:
Believe:
John 3:16 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
and receive:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
If you don't act ON your belief, your belief doesn't count worth anything.
That is what is required to actually, personally KNOW Christ-action.
To ACT, to take action on what His word, the Bible says.
Now, I am sure that many people are probably familiar with what is called "The sinners prayer".
Basically, it goes something like this:
"Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.
I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.
I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."
Amen.
I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.
I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."
Amen.
This is all very lovely & all, but if you think that simply saying this prayer is going to restore your relationship with God, you are going to be very disappointed.
These are just WORDS!
I have news for you-God isn't interested in words-it is the attitude of your heart, (your desire to personally know Him, if you will), that He is interested in.
This is supported from Scripture here:
1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Let's look at the story leading up to these verses.
Briefly: King Saul has disobeyed God, & God was going to choose a new King for Israel. God told Samuel to go to the House of Jesse, for Samuel would find the one God had chosen there.
Samuel did as instructed, & met all the sons of Jesse.
They were all strong, looking sons, & Samuel was thinking that it was one of them, that he would anoint king.
But what happened here?
Look at this verse again:
1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
What does God look at?
The Heart.
NOT physical appearance.
Than we see this:
1 Samuel 16:10-13 (New International Version)
10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
Out of all Jesse' sons, DAVID was the one that God chose.
And this same principle applies here.
God chose David because of what was in his heart-not physical appearance.
And that is how God will choose us as well-in this case, not by our words, but by what is in our hearts, our desire of wanting to belong to Him.
Ok, going back here:
As I have pointed out here-simply believing in Christ is NOT enough-action must be taken here.
Look at John 1:12 here:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Belief is the catalyst, action is the action which produces forgiveness-in this case, asking, & just as important, desiring for God to come into your life, forgive you of your sins, & restore you to a relation with Him, through the Blood of Christ AND CHOOSING to ask Him into your heart, (action).
Take a look at these verses:
Hebrews 9:13-15 (New International Version)
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
NOTHING short of the Blood of Christ, can forgive a man from His sins, & restore fellowship with God.
But it is you choosing, (action), TO receive that forgiveness!
I know that this may seem long, but iI cannot stress enough how important it is that you realize this decision is, so please bear with me.
I will explain in a new section, which I will post in the next day or two, but for now, suffice it to say that there is NO OTHER way to be forgiven without the Blood of Christ.
Finally, we have this truth from Scripture:
John 14:6-7 (New International Version)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Do you realize what Jesus is saying here?
That NOTHING YOU CAN DO, is good enough to restore your relationship with God.
Not JUST going to church
Not being baptized
Not being "confirmed"
Not by going to RICA classes
Not by doing the stations of the cross
Not by saying the rosary
Not by receiving your first communion
Not by doing good works
in Short:
NOT BY DOING ANYTHING, IN ANY SHAPE, FORM OR OTHERWISE!
Nothing YOU can do will have your sins forgiven.
Nothing that YOU can do will restore your relationship with God.
Only Christ Jesus and Him ALONE!
Period!
The catholic church is the worst offender of this truth.
This is catholicism:
You MUST obey Holy Days of Obligation
You MUST be baptized.
You MUST be confirmed.
You MUST obey Lent.
You MUST not eat meat on Fridays.
You MUST Go to church every Sunday.
You MUST confess your sins to a priest.
You MUST believe everything that the catholic church teaches.
You MUST believe in the pope.
You MUST do this-you MUST do that.
You MUST do these things, or you are not a "good catholic".
You MUST do all these thing or you are NOT going to Heaven.
Here is what it means to actually KNOW Christ personally:
John 14:6 (New International Version)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
NOT by confession of sins to priests.
NOT by being baptized.
NOT by being confirmed.
NOT by observing Lent.
NOT by not eating meat on Friday.
NOT by "holy days of obligation"
BY Christ alone plus NOTHING ELSE!
And when you think about it:
By catholics saying that you HAVE to do all these things, in effect, that are saying that Christ's death and resurrection AREN'T enough!
That you have to do all these other things, if you WANT to be forgiven of your sins, & go to Heaven.
In short-they are calling Jesus a liar, because He said:
John 19:30 (New International Version)
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I would ask catholics this, based of what catholics HAVE to do:
"If we could "work" our way into heaven, than what was the purpose of Christ dying & rising from the dead FOR our sins?"
The is the key here.
Look at what Jesus says here in Scripture, & I challenge all of you to compare the verse that I use, to what the catholic Bibles say, & try telling me that they don't mean EXACTLY the same thing here!
John 6:51:("I am) the living bread .......
John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ("I AM) the light of the world. ...........
John 10:9: ("I AM) the door...........
John 10:11: ("I AM) the good shepherd. ............
John 11:25: Jesus said to her,( "I AM) the resurrection and the life.
John 14:6: Jesus said to him, ("I AM) the way, the truth, and the life.
John 15:1:( "I AM) the true vine..........
John 8:57-58 (New International Version, ©2010)
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
John 4:24-26 (New International Version, ©2010)
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
Jesus plus NOTHING ELSE is all that is needed for the forgiveness of sin, the restoration of fellowship with God, & the assurance of Heaven.
Do you have any idea of the magnitude of the truth of what catholics are saying here?
There are, in effect calling Jesus a LIAR!
They are saying that THEY know better than Jesus, the Son of God, the 2nd person of the Trinity, what is needed for forgiveness!
So who are you going to believe, what a church has to say, or what Jesus says?
Jesus Himself says:
Luke 11:23 (New International Version)
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Jesus ask for NOTHING less that 100% commitment to Him
Nothing less is acceptable.
Look at what Scripture says here:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)
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.
What are we saved by?
Works? No-by GRACE!
And what is being saved?
A gift.
Do you know what a gift is?
It is something that is given without any need to give anything in return!
Catholics, in effect, say that you have to WORK for the gift of salvation, by doing all these OTHER things.
The BIBLE , God's inspired Word, says, there is nothing you CAN do-that it is a gift!
You don't WORK for a gift!
If you do, it isn't a gift!
THIS is what it is like to live by what the Bible teaches, to live by what the Holy Spirit teaches, to live for Christ & have that personal relationship WITH Him:
It's NOT about me,
It's all for God.
It's NOT about how I look,
It's how God looks AT me.
It's NOT about my pride,
It's about God's humbleness.
It's NOT about MY failures,
It's about God's successes.
It's NOT about my past,
It's about God's future FOR us.
It's NOT about what I want to hear,
It's what God WANTS me to hear.
It's NOT about how I hurt,
It's about how God heals.
It's NOT about how far away I feel from God,
It's about how CLOSE God is to me.
It's NOT about my sins,
It's about God's forgiveness.
It's NOT about what I want,
It's about what God wants.
It's NOT about my understanding,
It's about what God's leading.
It's NOT about my desires,
It's about what God desires FOR me.
It's NOT about my needs,
It's about what God KNOWS I need.
It's NOT about my hate,
It's about God's love.
It's NOT about my fear,
It's about God's courage.
It's NOT about my ignorance,
It's about God's knowledge.
It's NOT about my selfishness,
It's about God's selflessness.
It's NOT about my weaknesses,
It's about God's strength.
It's NOT about my works,
It's about God working THROUGH me.
It's NOT about my now,
It's about God's eternity!
Either you are 100% FOR God, or you are not!
Either you obey the teachings of Man or the teaching of God's Word.
What will you choose?
James
