Post by ResLight on Feb 13, 2014 12:44:22 GMT -5
Many seem to go to extremes regarding what Gospel is: some go to extremes with saying that all one has to do is believe and that they are guaranteed to be saved, meaning that they are guaranteed to live forever. Others claim that belief is all that necessary, that one does not need to repent of sin. Others go to extremes in claiming that everyone will be judged by his works in this present life. One cannot hope to appreciate the truths presented without a thorough and prayerful study of what is being said. If one cannot understand, it is only because it is not God's due time for that one to understand. Rhe world of unbelievers, and even for most who are in this age children of God (although now revealed in the holy scriptures and available to them), will not fully understand until the age to come. Jesus spoke of several classes of his servants who would be existing when he returns, some who were faithful and wise, others who were bad, others who understood and did not do, and those who do not understand. (Luke 12:42-48) I believe most of God's people are in the class of not knowing. Thus, Jesus asked the question: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find the faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8) Thus, Jesus implies that the true faith will be very hard to find when he returns.
First of all, I believe that no person in this life can be justified (declared incorrupt, declared as though made straight) without faith in the blood of Jesus. (Romans 3:28; 5:1; Galatians 2:6; 3:11,24) Only in this method is one reckoned, accounted, imputed, as "saved", or delivered, from from the effects of sin and death in Adam, by which the world has been corrupted, made crooked, and subjected to vanity, fulitily, a bondage of corruption. (Ecclesiastes 1:2,14,15; Romans 1:24,26; 8:20,21) In other words, justification, the making straight of that which God has made crooked, cannot come by man's works, but only by means of the work of God in providing his Son as the redeemer of mankind. A person, through faith in the redemption through Jesus, is then reckoned [accounted, imputed] as alive toward God, and dead toward sin. -- Romans 6:11.
Nevertheless, James also writes:
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
James 2:21 Wasn't Abraham, our father, justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
James 2:22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.
James 2:24 You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
What "works" was James talking about? In the case of Abraham, his faith was demonstrated by his obedience in offering up his son, Isaac. Nevertheless, James had been writing concerning several aspects of works: faith (James 1:2; yes faith is referred to in reference to "work" -- 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; and a work is involved in perfecting that faith -- 1 Thessalonians 3:10); patience (James 1:3,4); glorying in the high position ofhumble circumstances (James 1:9); humility (James 1:10); enduring temptation (James 1:12); being brought for by the word of truth as a kind of first fruits toward God (James 1:18; See Luke 8:1; Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:8,20); swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19,20); putting away all filthiness and wickedness. (James 1:21); receiving the implanted word with humility (James 1:21); being doers of the word, not only hearers (James 1:22); the work of bridling the tongue (James 1:26); the work of visitng of orphans and widows (love of neighbor -- James 1:27); keeping oneself without spot from the world. (James 1:27) Impartiality - fulfilling the royal law of love (James 2:1-8).
Then James outlines some of the commandments of the law concerning adultery and murder, as examples of sin. The law of freedom does not give one freedom to commit sin. Paul says something similar in Romans 6:1-7. The law through Moses still gives one a guideline concerning sin, even though the new creature is not under that law. The new creature is being judged by the law of freedom. Thus James says: "So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom." (James 2:12) James then speaks of the work of showing mercy. James then gives another example of works of love toward a brother or sister, saying:
James 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
James 2:16 and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
In short, the works being spoken of are the same that Paul speaks of as the fruit of the spirit. -- Galatians 5:22,23.
Peter also speaks of same kind of works as one becomes a partaker of the divine nature. -- 2 Peter 1:4-10.
In other words, all that is needed to begin with is faith in the blood of Christ, and one is reckoned, or counted as justified, incorrupt, alive, as was Adam before Adam sinned. No works can provide this release one from Adamic condemnation. But as all of the New Testament attests, one is to grow from the initial babe condition (1 Peter 2:2) to perfection of that faith, to "put on incorruption" (2 Corinthians 15:54), "overcome" so that even the second death will not be able harm him. (Revelation 2:11) This is all in the scriptures; it is not something I am making up, nor am I endeavoring to bring anyone into bondage to ordinances of men beyond what is written in the scriptures.
My endeavor is to present the true gospel, as Jesus proclaimed, and as the apostles proclaimed it, not to present a false gospel of salvation from sin and death by works, although this was indeed princple upon with those under the Law could have gained salvation, had anyone been able to perfectly obey the Law. Nevertheless, in the days of the apostles, many had begun to spread various forms of "false gospels" that fall short of what was being revealed by the writers of the New Testament.
God has revealed his truths by means of his holy spirit through the apostles. God, by means of his holy spirit, especially led the apostles into all the truths concerning Christ and what he said. (John 14:26; 16:4-13; Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 2:2) The truths revealed to the apostles and made available to us are recorded in the Bible itself. (Ephesians 3:3-12; Colossians 1:25,26; 1 John 4:6) Of course, without the holy spirit, these things that are recorded will still be a mystery to us. -- Mark 4:11; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10.
Part of the truth revealed by means of the holy spirit was that there was to be an apostasy, a "falling away" from the truth of God's Word, with strong delusions. (Matthew 13:24-30; Acts 20:29,30; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3,4) This falling away had already begun in the first century, with some receiving a different spirit and preaching "another Jesus" "another gospel"; the apostasy was restrained for only a short while. (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 John 2:18,19; 2 Corinthians 11:4) The apostasy spread rapidly after the death the apostles and developed into the great "Man of Sin", or more correctly "Lawless Man", or "Illegal Man", a great religious system, which claimed to have the authority to add to God's Word since their revelation was allegedly of God's Spirit. The central doctrine became the false teaching that Jesus had to be God Almighty in order to provide atonement for sins. With this spirit of error in mind, the writings of the apostles were totally reinterpreted to accommodate the error, and many of the Hellenic Jewish philosophies were adapted and added to and blended in with the New Testament, even as the Jews had done with the Old Testament.
Isaiah, in prophesying concerning the stone of stumbling (Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:23) to both the houses of Israel (Romans 9:6,31; 11:7; 1 Corinthians 10:18; Galatians 6:16), warns us: "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20, New King James Version) The "law", of course, is what we call the Old Testament; the "testimony" of this prophecy is the testimony of the apostles, as given in the New Testament. This the way to test the spirits. (1 John 4:1) It is to these and through these scriptures that the holy spirit today gives true direction, and anything not in agreement with these scriptures is not of the light of the day. (John 11:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) The distortion of who Jesus truly was and is -- who while on earth before his death was only human, a little lower than the angels, who gave his flesh for the life of the world -- is one of the greatest stumblingblocks to understanding the true Gospel revealed in scripture. Thus Jesus becomes a stumbling stone, not only to the house according the flesh which was corrupted from true doctrine (Israel after the flesh -- Luke 13:25-28; Romans 9:30-33), but also the house which claims Jesus, which has also become corrupted from true doctrine through spiritual fornication. -- Matthew 27:21-23; Revelation 2:13-15,20-24.
One of the gospels (good news?) that developed, partially adopted from Grecian mythologies and the Jewish adaptation of those mythologies, was that of eternal conscious suffering for billions of men, and women and children who have died without accepting a trinune God, and submission to the doctrines of the men who promulgated this "gospel" was used to enforce this new gospel.
Regarding "repentance":
The Greek word used is transliterated as:
Metanoia
Which means:
Perhaps "repentance of sin" is not the best way to express it, but that one repents of his life of sin and changes his mind toward God is revealed in the scriptures. Yes, the words "repent" and "repentance" do not necessarily apply to sin, but can be applied to any change in a course of action. But as regards "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20;21), "repentance from dead works, of faith toward God" (Hebrews 6:1), turning away from a life of sin is involved. No one who continues in a life of sin will live for eternity. Certainly, no one will be exalted to joint-heirship with Christ who has not proven himself incorruptible. Those who inherit the kingdom cannot be of any such as who willfully practice adultery, fornication, loose conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hatred, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentiousness, promoting divisions, sectarianism, envies, drunkednesses, revelries, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21) Such do have a work with God to produce the fruits of the spirit, putting to death the sinful flesh with its passions and desires, in order to live and walk orderly according to the spirit. -- 1 Corinthians 3:9; Galatians 5:22-25.
Jesus said: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Matthew 9:13) Paul says: "We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2) Thus part of repentance toward God and acceptance of Jesus' death as covering our sins involves turning away from a life of sin, to a "newness of life." (Romans 6:4) This does not mean, however, that one will be totally without sin in this flesh, for the sinful flesh is NOT the new creature.
As far as Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29; and Revelation 2:11 (also John 15:1-8), I cannot consider these to be idle words without any application. If one, after having been saved, delivered, and accounted the benefits of the ransom in this life, does not remain in Christ, he will be pruned. (John 15:6) Such has, having been accounted life as Adam had it before Adam sinned, once for all time been released from the condemnation in Adam, and can never return to that condemnation. There is no more sacrifice for sins left.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn't love his brother remains in death. -- 1 John 3:14.
Yes, a Christian has passed out of death into life. The "death" being referred to here is evdiently the death in Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21,22), not the second death under which the faithful Christian has never been condemned. The condemnation of death that was upon the person -- in his flesh as a descendant of Adam -- before becoming a believer is not applicable to the new creature, so that the new creature is now counted as justified, alive toward God, dead toward sin. -- Romans 8:1; 5:1-19.
Nevertheless, some may claim that John was referring also to the second death. While the language used by Jesus implies that the death referred to is a condemnation already upon one, from which one needs to be "passed out of", if the death Jesus referred to is the second death, then, to harmonize this with the rest of the scriptures, John would have to be referring to those who have perfected themselves in love and thus fully overcome, and therefore could no longer be harmed by the second death. -- 1 John 4:14-21; Revelation 2:11.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the [stauros] is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Yes, to the world the preaching of the death of Jesus as a means of salvation is foolishness, but to the believer who is saved it is the power of God. I am not sure what one could see in this that would negate the scriptures pertaining those who would wilfully practice sin after having been saved.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
As members of the fallen human race that is dying in Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21,22), none of us are capable of doing any work that our Heavenly Father could accept. We stand as dead, corrupt and under condemnation, by nature children of wrath, as all the rest of the world dying in Adam, until we are saved from such through faith. Nothing here negates the scriptures concerning those who willfully practice sin after having been saved.
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the peculiar purpose and favour-which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age-during times, -- Rotherham
The believer is saved from Adamic death, and is called to a holy calling, not according to works, but according God's own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ Jesus before the age to come begins, when those being chosen in this age -- the faith seed of Abraham -- will, in that age to come -- bless all the families of the earth. The call to repentance is not based upon any works we could bring before God, but is based upon God's grace. There are two aspects to the calling of a Christian. First is the calling to repentance, and then the completion of that purpose for which one has been called to perfection, the reaching of goal of the calling, the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:10; 1 Corinthians 7:20; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 6:1; 2 Peter 1:4) Not that our sinful flesh will literally be perfected (if this were so, then we would have eternal life in the present body, and would not need to be raised in the last day).
Still nothing in this that negates the scriptures pertaining to those who, once saved, willfully return to the practice of sin.
Not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. -- Titus 3:5.
Still nothing here that negates the scriptures pertaining the Christian's trial of faith, and those who return to willfully practicing sin after having received the above salvation from sin and death. It is to such as who had received that regeneration and renewing by the holy spirit that the writer of Hebrew 10:29 speaks of, saying of such: "How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified [consecrated] an unholy [unconsecrated, common] thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Yes, such having been saved once for all time from the original punishment in Adam, and then insults the spirit of grace that he received by willfully practicing sin, cannot return to the original punishment from which he had been saved. Rather, a worse punishment is upon him, one from which no salvation is provided, for there is no more sacrifice for sins. Thus this is a worser punishment. -- Hebrews 10:18.
John 3:36 - He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Yes, he who believes on the Son has eternal life reckoned, imputed to him, as Adam had it before he sinned. He who continues as a child of disobedience does not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (Ephesians 1:1-3) Only those who come out of the condition of being a child of wrath are not counted as made alive to God. -- Romans 6:11; Ephesians 1:4.
There is nothing in John 3:36 that negates the other scriptures pertaining to those who practice sin willfully after having recived the above benefits of Jesus' sacrifice. Such ones, having used up, so to speak, the merit of the ransom sacrifice on their behalf, if they willfully turn away after having received the benefits of the ransom, cannot come under the condemnation in Adam again, and since there is no more sacrifice for sins, they receive a worse punishment than the original punishment from which they had been saved.
Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment (Strong's #2920), but has passed out of death into life. -- John 5:24.
The "judgment" being referred to in context is the "judgment" in the "last day" (the resurrection day) of those who in this life practice bad things, who do not believe so as to obey Jesus. Jesus tells us that believers, by faith, now pass from death unto life and will not come into the judgment with world in the future millennial day; their trial day is now. Other scriptures reveal that the believer is being tried for the purpose of becoming judges and blessers of the world in the age to come.
John 12:47
If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world
John 12:48
He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.
John 5:28 Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice,
John 5:29 and will come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment (Strong's 2920).
Once one believes in Christ, he cannot come into that judgment day as members of the the world that is presently condemned in Adam, since he has passed over from death to life. The believer's trial of faith is for the purpose receiving various rewards in the Kingdom, in recompense "for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) The world's judgment will be "from the books" that are opened to them in the last day, "according to their deeds". -- Revelation 20:12,13.
Those who pass over from death to life do so by faith; they are no longer under the condemnation in Adam. It is these that Jesus refer to as a class in John 5:29, who come forth to the resurrection of life. In that age to come, their trial period for determination as joint-heirs with Christ will have been past. Of those who particpate in the "resurrection of life" the scriptures present two general classes: (1) Those who attain the resurrection in this age through perfection of faith (Philippians 3:11) -- those who become joint-heirs with Christ, and (2) those who do not so attain (Philippians 3:12,13), but still have not rejected the ransom sacrifice by which they were saved, who thus retain their heirship of God, but do not attain joint-heirship with Christ. (Romans 8:17) The latter class (2) will still need to attain the perfection of faith after being raised, but they do not enter into the judgment of the world.
Thus, according the scriptures, absolutely everyone condemned in Adam will be saved from that condemnation. And yet, in this age, it is only through faith that the believer can attain salvation from that condemnation -- reckoned as alive (Romans 6:11; 8:10) -- as a first fruits to God, before the general salvation is applied to the world in the last day. (James 1:18) There is no salvation, however, provided at all from the second death.
See my study:
Did Jesus Die for Those Condemned to the Second Death?
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Yes, those who believe have everlasting life. I don't see anything in this that means that one cannot lose that life as spoken of by Jesus and other NT writers. Perhaps one may be stumbling over the word "everlasting", with the thought that it means that the one is guaranteed to live for all eternity. The truth is that life is not actually given until the "last day". "Eternal life" is reckoned to one in this age, and can be taken away from one who has not put on incorruption. No one can ever say, "I have lived eternally," as though such an event were past, but one can say, I am living eternally, or, I have life without end, without any condemnation of death upon it. Adam was in the condition of living eternally until he sinned. There was no condemnation of death upon Adam until he sinned. When he sinned, that hope of continually living for eternity was removed. (Genesis 3:22) Thus Adam lost that eternal life for himself and his offspring. The ransom sacrifice of Jesus gives one that same position as Adam had before Adam sinned. That ransom purchased and restores one only to that which was lost in Adam, nothing more, nothing less (except that in fulfilling the Law, it also removes the added curse of the Law from those who are under the Law). (Romans 5:15-19: 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Adam was not created crooked, corrupt, under a bondage of corruption, but was incorrupt before he sinned; nevertheless, Adam never put on incorruption, so there was possiblity that he could be corrupted and become a subject to death, even though before he sinned he was in a condition of eternal life. Only when one has put on incorruption has total victory over any kind of death been gained, so that one can no longer become subject to being harmed even by the second death.
I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. -- John 10:28.
And, I, give unto them life age-abiding, and in nowise shall they perish, unto times age-abiding; and no one shall carry them off out of my hand. -- Rotherham.
Many read a lot into this scripture that is not there.
Here Jesus speaks of his sheep who follow him in this age. (John 10:27) He also acknowledges that there will "other sheep" who will follow him in the age to come*. (John 10:16; Matthew 25:32-46) The sheep of this age, however, are counted as having life eternal; no one can carry them off out of his hand. Elsewhere, however, Jesus speaks of his sheep as branches of himself, and tells how a branch that is not producing fruit will be removed. Thus one has eternal life in following the Pastor (Shepherd) -- Jesus, but if one, after receiving the salvation through Jesus, refuses to continue abiding in Jesus, such a person is removed.
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For more concerning the parable of the sheep and goats, see:
Mankind's Course to the Day of Judgment
No one can carry any off the sheep who follow Christ; however, if one chooses no longer to remain in Jesus, such a person is no longer a sheep following the Pastor, and has removed himself from the pastorage of Jesus.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
What Paul is speaking about here is the sin and death in Adam, which sin was demonstrated in the Law of Moses, as can be seen by the context. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh.(Romans 8:3) Jesus did not have sinful flesh, but he suffered for sin as though he were a sinner in order to release mankind from the bondage of corruption that has come upon mankind due to Adam's sin.
See:
How God's Son Condemned Sin in the Flesh
Paul wrote: "For the creation (world of mankind) was subjected (by God) to futility" after Adam's willful sin.(Romans 8:20) Thus the creation (world of mankind) will, in the age to come, be delivered from that bondage of corruption. (Romans 8:21) However, Paul does speak of the possibility that, after having been reckonedly released from that condemnation, a Christian could, by being carnally minded, die. (Romans 8:13) Such a death could not be the death in Adam, since once released from that condemnation, it is forever. One cannot return again to that condemnation. Thus the death Paul speaks of would a new death, a death for which no sacrifice is provided.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Here Paul speaks of the present body of the Christian as "our earthly house of this tabernacle", which is to be dissolved. He speaks of another house made in the heavens. Does this mean that each Christian literally has to two bodies? I don't think so. Paul is evidently speaking, as he often does, in the reckoned sense, for "God ... calls the things that are not, as though they were." (Romans 4:17) One in this age is reckoned/imputed/counted as justified and as having life. One does not actually receive the new body and the new life until the last day, the day of resurrection:
This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. -- John 6:40.
The Christian abiding in Christ has that eternal body (now reckoned in heaven) waiting for him in the resurrection day.
Hebrews 9:15 - For this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
This shows that Jesus' sacrifice also covers the those condemned under the covenant through Moses. I don't see anything in this that means that one cannot lose the promise of that inheritance, if that is the purpose of the citing the scripture.
This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. -- 1 John 2:25.
In the context, John speaks of keeping Christ's commandments, and remaining in Christ. This agrees with what John reported concerning Jesus' words at John 15:4,6. If the Christian, having received the grace of God through Jesus, does not remain in Christ, he will not receive that promise. Jesus (not I) does indeed qualify that one must remain in him in order to continue to have that life.
What I have presented is backed up by the scriptures, but no where have I advocated coming under bondage to the Law Covenant, or into bondage to men, not unless one might consider the words of Jesus, Paul, John, and Peter the words of men, and not of God.
If by upholding the words of Jesus and the NT writers, I am advocating a gospel of works, then the same accusation has to heralded toward Jesus and the NT writers, for it is in those writings that I base the Good News I present.
For more regarding salvation in Christ:
atonement.rlbible.com
God willing, this post will eventually be moved to:
atonement.rlbible.com/?p=430
First of all, I believe that no person in this life can be justified (declared incorrupt, declared as though made straight) without faith in the blood of Jesus. (Romans 3:28; 5:1; Galatians 2:6; 3:11,24) Only in this method is one reckoned, accounted, imputed, as "saved", or delivered, from from the effects of sin and death in Adam, by which the world has been corrupted, made crooked, and subjected to vanity, fulitily, a bondage of corruption. (Ecclesiastes 1:2,14,15; Romans 1:24,26; 8:20,21) In other words, justification, the making straight of that which God has made crooked, cannot come by man's works, but only by means of the work of God in providing his Son as the redeemer of mankind. A person, through faith in the redemption through Jesus, is then reckoned [accounted, imputed] as alive toward God, and dead toward sin. -- Romans 6:11.
Nevertheless, James also writes:
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
James 2:21 Wasn't Abraham, our father, justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
James 2:22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.
James 2:24 You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
What "works" was James talking about? In the case of Abraham, his faith was demonstrated by his obedience in offering up his son, Isaac. Nevertheless, James had been writing concerning several aspects of works: faith (James 1:2; yes faith is referred to in reference to "work" -- 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; and a work is involved in perfecting that faith -- 1 Thessalonians 3:10); patience (James 1:3,4); glorying in the high position ofhumble circumstances (James 1:9); humility (James 1:10); enduring temptation (James 1:12); being brought for by the word of truth as a kind of first fruits toward God (James 1:18; See Luke 8:1; Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:8,20); swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19,20); putting away all filthiness and wickedness. (James 1:21); receiving the implanted word with humility (James 1:21); being doers of the word, not only hearers (James 1:22); the work of bridling the tongue (James 1:26); the work of visitng of orphans and widows (love of neighbor -- James 1:27); keeping oneself without spot from the world. (James 1:27) Impartiality - fulfilling the royal law of love (James 2:1-8).
Then James outlines some of the commandments of the law concerning adultery and murder, as examples of sin. The law of freedom does not give one freedom to commit sin. Paul says something similar in Romans 6:1-7. The law through Moses still gives one a guideline concerning sin, even though the new creature is not under that law. The new creature is being judged by the law of freedom. Thus James says: "So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom." (James 2:12) James then speaks of the work of showing mercy. James then gives another example of works of love toward a brother or sister, saying:
James 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
James 2:16 and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
In short, the works being spoken of are the same that Paul speaks of as the fruit of the spirit. -- Galatians 5:22,23.
Peter also speaks of same kind of works as one becomes a partaker of the divine nature. -- 2 Peter 1:4-10.
In other words, all that is needed to begin with is faith in the blood of Christ, and one is reckoned, or counted as justified, incorrupt, alive, as was Adam before Adam sinned. No works can provide this release one from Adamic condemnation. But as all of the New Testament attests, one is to grow from the initial babe condition (1 Peter 2:2) to perfection of that faith, to "put on incorruption" (2 Corinthians 15:54), "overcome" so that even the second death will not be able harm him. (Revelation 2:11) This is all in the scriptures; it is not something I am making up, nor am I endeavoring to bring anyone into bondage to ordinances of men beyond what is written in the scriptures.
My endeavor is to present the true gospel, as Jesus proclaimed, and as the apostles proclaimed it, not to present a false gospel of salvation from sin and death by works, although this was indeed princple upon with those under the Law could have gained salvation, had anyone been able to perfectly obey the Law. Nevertheless, in the days of the apostles, many had begun to spread various forms of "false gospels" that fall short of what was being revealed by the writers of the New Testament.
God has revealed his truths by means of his holy spirit through the apostles. God, by means of his holy spirit, especially led the apostles into all the truths concerning Christ and what he said. (John 14:26; 16:4-13; Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 2:2) The truths revealed to the apostles and made available to us are recorded in the Bible itself. (Ephesians 3:3-12; Colossians 1:25,26; 1 John 4:6) Of course, without the holy spirit, these things that are recorded will still be a mystery to us. -- Mark 4:11; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10.
Part of the truth revealed by means of the holy spirit was that there was to be an apostasy, a "falling away" from the truth of God's Word, with strong delusions. (Matthew 13:24-30; Acts 20:29,30; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3,4) This falling away had already begun in the first century, with some receiving a different spirit and preaching "another Jesus" "another gospel"; the apostasy was restrained for only a short while. (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 John 2:18,19; 2 Corinthians 11:4) The apostasy spread rapidly after the death the apostles and developed into the great "Man of Sin", or more correctly "Lawless Man", or "Illegal Man", a great religious system, which claimed to have the authority to add to God's Word since their revelation was allegedly of God's Spirit. The central doctrine became the false teaching that Jesus had to be God Almighty in order to provide atonement for sins. With this spirit of error in mind, the writings of the apostles were totally reinterpreted to accommodate the error, and many of the Hellenic Jewish philosophies were adapted and added to and blended in with the New Testament, even as the Jews had done with the Old Testament.
Isaiah, in prophesying concerning the stone of stumbling (Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:23) to both the houses of Israel (Romans 9:6,31; 11:7; 1 Corinthians 10:18; Galatians 6:16), warns us: "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20, New King James Version) The "law", of course, is what we call the Old Testament; the "testimony" of this prophecy is the testimony of the apostles, as given in the New Testament. This the way to test the spirits. (1 John 4:1) It is to these and through these scriptures that the holy spirit today gives true direction, and anything not in agreement with these scriptures is not of the light of the day. (John 11:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) The distortion of who Jesus truly was and is -- who while on earth before his death was only human, a little lower than the angels, who gave his flesh for the life of the world -- is one of the greatest stumblingblocks to understanding the true Gospel revealed in scripture. Thus Jesus becomes a stumbling stone, not only to the house according the flesh which was corrupted from true doctrine (Israel after the flesh -- Luke 13:25-28; Romans 9:30-33), but also the house which claims Jesus, which has also become corrupted from true doctrine through spiritual fornication. -- Matthew 27:21-23; Revelation 2:13-15,20-24.
One of the gospels (good news?) that developed, partially adopted from Grecian mythologies and the Jewish adaptation of those mythologies, was that of eternal conscious suffering for billions of men, and women and children who have died without accepting a trinune God, and submission to the doctrines of the men who promulgated this "gospel" was used to enforce this new gospel.
Regarding "repentance":
The Greek word used is transliterated as:
Metanoia
Which means:
a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done
bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?number=3340
and also Metamellomai:
bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?number=3338
bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?number=3340
and also Metamellomai:
bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?number=3338
Perhaps "repentance of sin" is not the best way to express it, but that one repents of his life of sin and changes his mind toward God is revealed in the scriptures. Yes, the words "repent" and "repentance" do not necessarily apply to sin, but can be applied to any change in a course of action. But as regards "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20;21), "repentance from dead works, of faith toward God" (Hebrews 6:1), turning away from a life of sin is involved. No one who continues in a life of sin will live for eternity. Certainly, no one will be exalted to joint-heirship with Christ who has not proven himself incorruptible. Those who inherit the kingdom cannot be of any such as who willfully practice adultery, fornication, loose conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hatred, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentiousness, promoting divisions, sectarianism, envies, drunkednesses, revelries, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21) Such do have a work with God to produce the fruits of the spirit, putting to death the sinful flesh with its passions and desires, in order to live and walk orderly according to the spirit. -- 1 Corinthians 3:9; Galatians 5:22-25.
Jesus said: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Matthew 9:13) Paul says: "We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2) Thus part of repentance toward God and acceptance of Jesus' death as covering our sins involves turning away from a life of sin, to a "newness of life." (Romans 6:4) This does not mean, however, that one will be totally without sin in this flesh, for the sinful flesh is NOT the new creature.
As far as Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29; and Revelation 2:11 (also John 15:1-8), I cannot consider these to be idle words without any application. If one, after having been saved, delivered, and accounted the benefits of the ransom in this life, does not remain in Christ, he will be pruned. (John 15:6) Such has, having been accounted life as Adam had it before Adam sinned, once for all time been released from the condemnation in Adam, and can never return to that condemnation. There is no more sacrifice for sins left.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn't love his brother remains in death. -- 1 John 3:14.
Yes, a Christian has passed out of death into life. The "death" being referred to here is evdiently the death in Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21,22), not the second death under which the faithful Christian has never been condemned. The condemnation of death that was upon the person -- in his flesh as a descendant of Adam -- before becoming a believer is not applicable to the new creature, so that the new creature is now counted as justified, alive toward God, dead toward sin. -- Romans 8:1; 5:1-19.
Nevertheless, some may claim that John was referring also to the second death. While the language used by Jesus implies that the death referred to is a condemnation already upon one, from which one needs to be "passed out of", if the death Jesus referred to is the second death, then, to harmonize this with the rest of the scriptures, John would have to be referring to those who have perfected themselves in love and thus fully overcome, and therefore could no longer be harmed by the second death. -- 1 John 4:14-21; Revelation 2:11.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the [stauros] is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Yes, to the world the preaching of the death of Jesus as a means of salvation is foolishness, but to the believer who is saved it is the power of God. I am not sure what one could see in this that would negate the scriptures pertaining those who would wilfully practice sin after having been saved.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
As members of the fallen human race that is dying in Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21,22), none of us are capable of doing any work that our Heavenly Father could accept. We stand as dead, corrupt and under condemnation, by nature children of wrath, as all the rest of the world dying in Adam, until we are saved from such through faith. Nothing here negates the scriptures concerning those who willfully practice sin after having been saved.
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the peculiar purpose and favour-which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age-during times, -- Rotherham
The believer is saved from Adamic death, and is called to a holy calling, not according to works, but according God's own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ Jesus before the age to come begins, when those being chosen in this age -- the faith seed of Abraham -- will, in that age to come -- bless all the families of the earth. The call to repentance is not based upon any works we could bring before God, but is based upon God's grace. There are two aspects to the calling of a Christian. First is the calling to repentance, and then the completion of that purpose for which one has been called to perfection, the reaching of goal of the calling, the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:10; 1 Corinthians 7:20; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 6:1; 2 Peter 1:4) Not that our sinful flesh will literally be perfected (if this were so, then we would have eternal life in the present body, and would not need to be raised in the last day).
Still nothing in this that negates the scriptures pertaining to those who, once saved, willfully return to the practice of sin.
Not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. -- Titus 3:5.
Still nothing here that negates the scriptures pertaining the Christian's trial of faith, and those who return to willfully practicing sin after having received the above salvation from sin and death. It is to such as who had received that regeneration and renewing by the holy spirit that the writer of Hebrew 10:29 speaks of, saying of such: "How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified [consecrated] an unholy [unconsecrated, common] thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Yes, such having been saved once for all time from the original punishment in Adam, and then insults the spirit of grace that he received by willfully practicing sin, cannot return to the original punishment from which he had been saved. Rather, a worse punishment is upon him, one from which no salvation is provided, for there is no more sacrifice for sins. Thus this is a worser punishment. -- Hebrews 10:18.
John 3:36 - He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Yes, he who believes on the Son has eternal life reckoned, imputed to him, as Adam had it before he sinned. He who continues as a child of disobedience does not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (Ephesians 1:1-3) Only those who come out of the condition of being a child of wrath are not counted as made alive to God. -- Romans 6:11; Ephesians 1:4.
There is nothing in John 3:36 that negates the other scriptures pertaining to those who practice sin willfully after having recived the above benefits of Jesus' sacrifice. Such ones, having used up, so to speak, the merit of the ransom sacrifice on their behalf, if they willfully turn away after having received the benefits of the ransom, cannot come under the condemnation in Adam again, and since there is no more sacrifice for sins, they receive a worse punishment than the original punishment from which they had been saved.
Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment (Strong's #2920), but has passed out of death into life. -- John 5:24.
The "judgment" being referred to in context is the "judgment" in the "last day" (the resurrection day) of those who in this life practice bad things, who do not believe so as to obey Jesus. Jesus tells us that believers, by faith, now pass from death unto life and will not come into the judgment with world in the future millennial day; their trial day is now. Other scriptures reveal that the believer is being tried for the purpose of becoming judges and blessers of the world in the age to come.
John 12:47
If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world
John 12:48
He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.
John 5:28 Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice,
John 5:29 and will come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment (Strong's 2920).
Once one believes in Christ, he cannot come into that judgment day as members of the the world that is presently condemned in Adam, since he has passed over from death to life. The believer's trial of faith is for the purpose receiving various rewards in the Kingdom, in recompense "for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) The world's judgment will be "from the books" that are opened to them in the last day, "according to their deeds". -- Revelation 20:12,13.
Those who pass over from death to life do so by faith; they are no longer under the condemnation in Adam. It is these that Jesus refer to as a class in John 5:29, who come forth to the resurrection of life. In that age to come, their trial period for determination as joint-heirs with Christ will have been past. Of those who particpate in the "resurrection of life" the scriptures present two general classes: (1) Those who attain the resurrection in this age through perfection of faith (Philippians 3:11) -- those who become joint-heirs with Christ, and (2) those who do not so attain (Philippians 3:12,13), but still have not rejected the ransom sacrifice by which they were saved, who thus retain their heirship of God, but do not attain joint-heirship with Christ. (Romans 8:17) The latter class (2) will still need to attain the perfection of faith after being raised, but they do not enter into the judgment of the world.
Thus, according the scriptures, absolutely everyone condemned in Adam will be saved from that condemnation. And yet, in this age, it is only through faith that the believer can attain salvation from that condemnation -- reckoned as alive (Romans 6:11; 8:10) -- as a first fruits to God, before the general salvation is applied to the world in the last day. (James 1:18) There is no salvation, however, provided at all from the second death.
See my study:
Did Jesus Die for Those Condemned to the Second Death?
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Yes, those who believe have everlasting life. I don't see anything in this that means that one cannot lose that life as spoken of by Jesus and other NT writers. Perhaps one may be stumbling over the word "everlasting", with the thought that it means that the one is guaranteed to live for all eternity. The truth is that life is not actually given until the "last day". "Eternal life" is reckoned to one in this age, and can be taken away from one who has not put on incorruption. No one can ever say, "I have lived eternally," as though such an event were past, but one can say, I am living eternally, or, I have life without end, without any condemnation of death upon it. Adam was in the condition of living eternally until he sinned. There was no condemnation of death upon Adam until he sinned. When he sinned, that hope of continually living for eternity was removed. (Genesis 3:22) Thus Adam lost that eternal life for himself and his offspring. The ransom sacrifice of Jesus gives one that same position as Adam had before Adam sinned. That ransom purchased and restores one only to that which was lost in Adam, nothing more, nothing less (except that in fulfilling the Law, it also removes the added curse of the Law from those who are under the Law). (Romans 5:15-19: 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Adam was not created crooked, corrupt, under a bondage of corruption, but was incorrupt before he sinned; nevertheless, Adam never put on incorruption, so there was possiblity that he could be corrupted and become a subject to death, even though before he sinned he was in a condition of eternal life. Only when one has put on incorruption has total victory over any kind of death been gained, so that one can no longer become subject to being harmed even by the second death.
I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. -- John 10:28.
And, I, give unto them life age-abiding, and in nowise shall they perish, unto times age-abiding; and no one shall carry them off out of my hand. -- Rotherham.
Many read a lot into this scripture that is not there.
Here Jesus speaks of his sheep who follow him in this age. (John 10:27) He also acknowledges that there will "other sheep" who will follow him in the age to come*. (John 10:16; Matthew 25:32-46) The sheep of this age, however, are counted as having life eternal; no one can carry them off out of his hand. Elsewhere, however, Jesus speaks of his sheep as branches of himself, and tells how a branch that is not producing fruit will be removed. Thus one has eternal life in following the Pastor (Shepherd) -- Jesus, but if one, after receiving the salvation through Jesus, refuses to continue abiding in Jesus, such a person is removed.
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For more concerning the parable of the sheep and goats, see:
Mankind's Course to the Day of Judgment
No one can carry any off the sheep who follow Christ; however, if one chooses no longer to remain in Jesus, such a person is no longer a sheep following the Pastor, and has removed himself from the pastorage of Jesus.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
What Paul is speaking about here is the sin and death in Adam, which sin was demonstrated in the Law of Moses, as can be seen by the context. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh.(Romans 8:3) Jesus did not have sinful flesh, but he suffered for sin as though he were a sinner in order to release mankind from the bondage of corruption that has come upon mankind due to Adam's sin.
See:
How God's Son Condemned Sin in the Flesh
Paul wrote: "For the creation (world of mankind) was subjected (by God) to futility" after Adam's willful sin.(Romans 8:20) Thus the creation (world of mankind) will, in the age to come, be delivered from that bondage of corruption. (Romans 8:21) However, Paul does speak of the possibility that, after having been reckonedly released from that condemnation, a Christian could, by being carnally minded, die. (Romans 8:13) Such a death could not be the death in Adam, since once released from that condemnation, it is forever. One cannot return again to that condemnation. Thus the death Paul speaks of would a new death, a death for which no sacrifice is provided.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Here Paul speaks of the present body of the Christian as "our earthly house of this tabernacle", which is to be dissolved. He speaks of another house made in the heavens. Does this mean that each Christian literally has to two bodies? I don't think so. Paul is evidently speaking, as he often does, in the reckoned sense, for "God ... calls the things that are not, as though they were." (Romans 4:17) One in this age is reckoned/imputed/counted as justified and as having life. One does not actually receive the new body and the new life until the last day, the day of resurrection:
This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. -- John 6:40.
The Christian abiding in Christ has that eternal body (now reckoned in heaven) waiting for him in the resurrection day.
Hebrews 9:15 - For this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
This shows that Jesus' sacrifice also covers the those condemned under the covenant through Moses. I don't see anything in this that means that one cannot lose the promise of that inheritance, if that is the purpose of the citing the scripture.
This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. -- 1 John 2:25.
In the context, John speaks of keeping Christ's commandments, and remaining in Christ. This agrees with what John reported concerning Jesus' words at John 15:4,6. If the Christian, having received the grace of God through Jesus, does not remain in Christ, he will not receive that promise. Jesus (not I) does indeed qualify that one must remain in him in order to continue to have that life.
What I have presented is backed up by the scriptures, but no where have I advocated coming under bondage to the Law Covenant, or into bondage to men, not unless one might consider the words of Jesus, Paul, John, and Peter the words of men, and not of God.
If by upholding the words of Jesus and the NT writers, I am advocating a gospel of works, then the same accusation has to heralded toward Jesus and the NT writers, for it is in those writings that I base the Good News I present.
For more regarding salvation in Christ:
atonement.rlbible.com
God willing, this post will eventually be moved to:
atonement.rlbible.com/?p=430
