brotherjim
Member
There is of course on these Christian forums, diverse beliefs as to how someone inherits eternal Life. Most of this likely comes from what someone has learned from others, such as the person who led them to the Lord, Sunday school classes, books and commentaries, Bible schools and seminaries, etc. The problem with all of that is, when we are resurrected and made to stand before the Creator and give account, He will not accept as any excuse that which another has told us is true but was not.
Granted, some things about God are difficult to comprehend. The Old Covenant, especially, requires extra-Biblical information to correctly understand a lot of it. But God made certain that that which was most important in the Kingdom, that which someone needs to know to inherit eternal Life with God, is given to us plainly and clearly and without any need for extra-Biblical literature or understanding. In fact, since God knew many people throughout history, and even today in remote parts of the world, would not have access to the complete written Word, and some not any of it, He made provision for even this.
In 1 John 2:27, John says to his "little children" (v. 2:1, etc.) that they do not need anyone to teach them about God, that they have an anointing inside of them to teach them. Paul, too, says he didnt learn the Gospel from man, neither did he consult man (save for the small exception he mentions), but that he was taught directly by revelation of Christ Jesus. Then, too, in the Book of John, Jesus promises more than once that He will sent the Holy Ghost to directly (by impl.) teach us.
But since man does not immediately learn the Voice of the Spirit upon conversionsuch takes many years of trial and error (especially error), God has given us other "witnesses" to keep us from destruction in the meantime: He has given the Holy Bible to those who can access it; He has given us pastors and teachers to help us; etc. But eventually, God ordained and expects each believer to form an intimate koinania of fellowship with Him, whereby God alone desires to take responsibility along with the recipient, for them to learn and know what is required for eternal Life. God would never make human beings dependent upon other, sinful, mortal men for what they need to know to live eternally.
Recall, as example, how the Apostles emerged from the Jerusalem Council, saying, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us, that you should . . . abstain from sexual fornication, and the eating of meats sacrificed to idols . . ." (para). Why would the Holy Ghost establish such works of the flesh after a church intended to be based entirely upon Grace and the works of Gods Spirit only, was put into effect? Because God knew it takes a Christian years, "through reason of use," to determine the Voice of the Spirit, much less obey what He says. So in the meantime, in order that the Christian does not bring too great a reproach upon the church, and so that they dont destroy themselves by indulging in unprofitable acts, we are instructed to do this, that and the other. Not that these "good works" save us, for only Grace upon Grace can ever do that--only good works of the Holy Ghost are eternally profitable, but they prevent us from committing sins that put us back under bondage to sin.
However, the major problem in all of this is laid out in John 3:19, where God warns that men love darkness more than Light. We as Christians too often assume that God was speaking only of the unbeliever, but that Truth applies to Christians as well. Because we remain in the flesh after conversion, we remain loving the things of the flesh more than the things of God, and hence we love hiding those sinful things in darkness rather than allowing God to drag them out into His Light and expose them.
So when we read, for example, in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins then Jesus is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from them, we must step back a couple verses and also read who qualifies for such, which in verse 7 it tells us it is those who walk in the Light as Jesus is in the Light. Furthermore, that qualifier sets the stage for the remainder of the epistle. So when we get to 2:27 and read that we have no need for anyone to teach us, again we must realize that that promise is made to those who are children of the Light, those who are committed to having their remaining sins exposed to the whole counsel of Gods Light, not just the parts that are easily digested. (A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties, and requires each party to meet its stated requirements.)
So putting it all together, then, since we cannot trust any man to tell us the Truth about what is required to inherit eternal Life--since all men are liars and only God is true; and since we can only qualify to learn from God the Truth needed to save us eternally if we are committed in the Law of our mind (Rom. 7:22, 25) to having God expose all our remaining hidden sins and ripping them out of our heart, whereby we then are walking in the Light instead of self-justification: then and only then do we have any chance whatsoever to learn the true, unadulterated, apostolic, complete, eternally saving Gospel of Christ Jesus.
So while I can claim to all of you that the Gospel of Christ Jesus requires that we, . . . it is of no use unless God can concurrently or subsequently also write such Truth on the tablets of your heart, which is only possible if we provide the blank pages, which pages are only available if we have allowed God to drag us time and time again out into His blinding Light and expose the idols/sins of the heart that we cling to and love more than we do Him and Truth and even the souls of others who we will drag down to destruction along with usus not wanting to perish alone.
It all begins by setting yourself apart in a prayer "closet" for a time each day, seeking revelation from God as to what enemies of His are still hiding within your heart unknown to you, then by Faith expecting Him to grant you godly sorrow and remorse for them, then repentance for them, then deliverance from them, and finally, a holy substitution such as the instantly available fullness of Gods unconditional Love. This same methodologywhich is the same way the New Birth is received, is needing to be repeated over and over in the life of the Christian until all impurities of the heart are removed, and until all the virtues of Christ needed to be perfected in His Love are received.
And it must all occur only by Grace and Gods Spirit. Man has nothing to offer, other than his willingness to receive the Graces that Gods Mercy offers. Just ask God for the remainder, in Jesus Name, and doubt not.
Give up, let Him, brother jim
brotherjim at mail dot com
Granted, some things about God are difficult to comprehend. The Old Covenant, especially, requires extra-Biblical information to correctly understand a lot of it. But God made certain that that which was most important in the Kingdom, that which someone needs to know to inherit eternal Life with God, is given to us plainly and clearly and without any need for extra-Biblical literature or understanding. In fact, since God knew many people throughout history, and even today in remote parts of the world, would not have access to the complete written Word, and some not any of it, He made provision for even this.
In 1 John 2:27, John says to his "little children" (v. 2:1, etc.) that they do not need anyone to teach them about God, that they have an anointing inside of them to teach them. Paul, too, says he didnt learn the Gospel from man, neither did he consult man (save for the small exception he mentions), but that he was taught directly by revelation of Christ Jesus. Then, too, in the Book of John, Jesus promises more than once that He will sent the Holy Ghost to directly (by impl.) teach us.
But since man does not immediately learn the Voice of the Spirit upon conversionsuch takes many years of trial and error (especially error), God has given us other "witnesses" to keep us from destruction in the meantime: He has given the Holy Bible to those who can access it; He has given us pastors and teachers to help us; etc. But eventually, God ordained and expects each believer to form an intimate koinania of fellowship with Him, whereby God alone desires to take responsibility along with the recipient, for them to learn and know what is required for eternal Life. God would never make human beings dependent upon other, sinful, mortal men for what they need to know to live eternally.
Recall, as example, how the Apostles emerged from the Jerusalem Council, saying, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us, that you should . . . abstain from sexual fornication, and the eating of meats sacrificed to idols . . ." (para). Why would the Holy Ghost establish such works of the flesh after a church intended to be based entirely upon Grace and the works of Gods Spirit only, was put into effect? Because God knew it takes a Christian years, "through reason of use," to determine the Voice of the Spirit, much less obey what He says. So in the meantime, in order that the Christian does not bring too great a reproach upon the church, and so that they dont destroy themselves by indulging in unprofitable acts, we are instructed to do this, that and the other. Not that these "good works" save us, for only Grace upon Grace can ever do that--only good works of the Holy Ghost are eternally profitable, but they prevent us from committing sins that put us back under bondage to sin.
However, the major problem in all of this is laid out in John 3:19, where God warns that men love darkness more than Light. We as Christians too often assume that God was speaking only of the unbeliever, but that Truth applies to Christians as well. Because we remain in the flesh after conversion, we remain loving the things of the flesh more than the things of God, and hence we love hiding those sinful things in darkness rather than allowing God to drag them out into His Light and expose them.
So when we read, for example, in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins then Jesus is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from them, we must step back a couple verses and also read who qualifies for such, which in verse 7 it tells us it is those who walk in the Light as Jesus is in the Light. Furthermore, that qualifier sets the stage for the remainder of the epistle. So when we get to 2:27 and read that we have no need for anyone to teach us, again we must realize that that promise is made to those who are children of the Light, those who are committed to having their remaining sins exposed to the whole counsel of Gods Light, not just the parts that are easily digested. (A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties, and requires each party to meet its stated requirements.)
So putting it all together, then, since we cannot trust any man to tell us the Truth about what is required to inherit eternal Life--since all men are liars and only God is true; and since we can only qualify to learn from God the Truth needed to save us eternally if we are committed in the Law of our mind (Rom. 7:22, 25) to having God expose all our remaining hidden sins and ripping them out of our heart, whereby we then are walking in the Light instead of self-justification: then and only then do we have any chance whatsoever to learn the true, unadulterated, apostolic, complete, eternally saving Gospel of Christ Jesus.
So while I can claim to all of you that the Gospel of Christ Jesus requires that we, . . . it is of no use unless God can concurrently or subsequently also write such Truth on the tablets of your heart, which is only possible if we provide the blank pages, which pages are only available if we have allowed God to drag us time and time again out into His blinding Light and expose the idols/sins of the heart that we cling to and love more than we do Him and Truth and even the souls of others who we will drag down to destruction along with usus not wanting to perish alone.
It all begins by setting yourself apart in a prayer "closet" for a time each day, seeking revelation from God as to what enemies of His are still hiding within your heart unknown to you, then by Faith expecting Him to grant you godly sorrow and remorse for them, then repentance for them, then deliverance from them, and finally, a holy substitution such as the instantly available fullness of Gods unconditional Love. This same methodologywhich is the same way the New Birth is received, is needing to be repeated over and over in the life of the Christian until all impurities of the heart are removed, and until all the virtues of Christ needed to be perfected in His Love are received.
And it must all occur only by Grace and Gods Spirit. Man has nothing to offer, other than his willingness to receive the Graces that Gods Mercy offers. Just ask God for the remainder, in Jesus Name, and doubt not.
Give up, let Him, brother jim
brotherjim at mail dot com
