Gospel according to James
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No that is one part. I would offer It means to apply the prescriptions needed to rightly divide and discover the spiritual understanding hid from natural man, revealed to those who have the new born again spirit. From faith the unseen eternal to faith the same.. or face to face in the knowledge of God.
One of the prescription is we are not to look to the things seen the temporal but are to look to the eternal not seen . Remembering as he brings it to our mind without parables Christ the Holy Spirit spoke not..
An example of searching for the understanding hid in parables is found in the opening statement of Revelation 1 verse one. . in so much that not only is it "inspired" but also "signified" . (using the things seen to give us the spiritual understanding Many dismiss that prescription and literalize. It s how I think the false idea of dispensations came about.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he "not" unto them:
Mark 4:11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Revelation 1 King James Version (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
You have taken these verses out of context, applied them incorrectly, and ended with a wrong conclusion (and an incorrect understanding of the Trinity).
Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
In the following verses, Jesus explains the parable in plain language. The meaning is not hidden from those who believe in Christ, and Jesus did not say everything in parables. The verse from Mark echoes this truth: "unto them that are without," i.e.: the unregenerate crowd, Jesus spoke in parables, but as it says in Luke 8:9-10, "His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables...." Your position is simply wrong.
What you have failed to grasp is that the gospel is not hidden in the Bible; it is there in plain text for all to read, and Jesus' death on the cross is not a parable. You imply that those who don't believe as you do lack spiritual understanding. That's arrogance, pride, and self-delusion.
Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
In the following verses, Jesus explains the parable in plain language. The meaning is not hidden from those who believe in Christ, and Jesus did not say everything in parables. The verse from Mark echoes this truth: "unto them that are without," i.e.: the unregenerate crowd, Jesus spoke in parables, but as it says in Luke 8:9-10, "His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables...." Your position is simply wrong.
What you have failed to grasp is that the gospel is not hidden in the Bible; it is there in plain text for all to read, and Jesus' death on the cross is not a parable. You imply that those who don't believe as you do lack spiritual understanding. That's arrogance, pride, and self-delusion.
E
Hello, eternally-gratefull. 🙂 I will try to answer your questions according to my understanding, but I hope my response in no way incites argument or disunity. For Christ's body is to abide in love. (❤️ 1 Corinthians 1:10,11; chapter 13)
May I begin by sharing with you a somewhat personal true story? My Father has his Master's degree in Divinity. He was formerly a pastor. I was about 5 the last time he pastored a church. I am confident that he did have a sincere salvation experience and proceeded to have a relationship with God. (He speaks of times God spoke to him and it chokes him up.) Somewhere thereafter he began to wane in his spiritual fervency. Now he has ongoing bitterness and unforgiveness, uses critical unmerciful speech, and he mocks my Mother and me for reading our Bibles and getting away from the tv. I am not trying to make him out as a monster, because there are times when he is gentle, generous, and the other day he gave me some important wisdom. But his current heart condition is troubling.
He is not acting as a new creation. He is not following several of the New Testament directives for a joint heir with Christ. (Matthew 6:15 says if we don't forgive, He won't forgive us.) I hope he is saved, but at times I question. This has been going on for several years. I am praying for him. God is his Judge, not me.
Why would a new creation act like it's old self which was crucified? Because our life in this world is a test and the tempter can still tempt children of God. We still have the opportunity to sin and keep sinning habitually. The NT gives us, as believers, many instructions that we have to purposefully give thought and effort to in following...daily. (Of course it is by God's grace that we can and do follow them.)
It is by belief in Jesus that we become a new creation and are saved, yes! We can do nothing that gets us to salvation except have faith in what Jesus did for us. But thereafter if we love God we will obey His commands. We must be DILIGENT (🙂) to honor the Lord's instructions in His Holy Word. We do have responsibility in this respect. I do not think we are obedient by default.
-EliBeth
May I begin by sharing with you a somewhat personal true story? My Father has his Master's degree in Divinity. He was formerly a pastor. I was about 5 the last time he pastored a church. I am confident that he did have a sincere salvation experience and proceeded to have a relationship with God. (He speaks of times God spoke to him and it chokes him up.) Somewhere thereafter he began to wane in his spiritual fervency. Now he has ongoing bitterness and unforgiveness, uses critical unmerciful speech, and he mocks my Mother and me for reading our Bibles and getting away from the tv. I am not trying to make him out as a monster, because there are times when he is gentle, generous, and the other day he gave me some important wisdom. But his current heart condition is troubling.
He is not acting as a new creation. He is not following several of the New Testament directives for a joint heir with Christ. (Matthew 6:15 says if we don't forgive, He won't forgive us.) I hope he is saved, but at times I question. This has been going on for several years. I am praying for him. God is his Judge, not me.
Why would a new creation act like it's old self which was crucified? Because our life in this world is a test and the tempter can still tempt children of God. We still have the opportunity to sin and keep sinning habitually. The NT gives us, as believers, many instructions that we have to purposefully give thought and effort to in following...daily. (Of course it is by God's grace that we can and do follow them.)
It is by belief in Jesus that we become a new creation and are saved, yes! We can do nothing that gets us to salvation except have faith in what Jesus did for us. But thereafter if we love God we will obey His commands. We must be DILIGENT (🙂) to honor the Lord's instructions in His Holy Word. We do have responsibility in this respect. I do not think we are obedient by default.
-EliBeth
E
I am concerned for him. I cannot know for certain his salvation status. But in my own life I can strive to love God every day in every way with all my heart. Part of this includes regarding and heeding His Word.
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3
Respectfully, this is all I will say on the matter. 🙂
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3
Respectfully, this is all I will say on the matter. 🙂
E
well I to would be concerned.
But my concern would be if he was ever saved at all.. Not that he lost what he could never earn to begin with.
I also would be concerned that the god of heaven kicks people out of his family because they do not meet his standard. Considering the fact NO ONE can meet his standard.
But my concern would be if he was ever saved at all.. Not that he lost what he could never earn to begin with.
I also would be concerned that the god of heaven kicks people out of his family because they do not meet his standard. Considering the fact NO ONE can meet his standard.
It seems to me, that the main message of James was to promote a life lived out that demonstrated a person was an adopted child of God. That one who lived out their faith was a far better preacher than one who used simply words. To that end I will post a brief excerpt from a sermon by A.W. Tozer that, to me, seems to make the same points as James; see if you agree, remembering that Mr. Tozer has been dead for over 50 years.
”Then there is the removal of faults and abuses. Where are the faults and abuses? Look around at the religious scene and you will see the faults, the abuses and the desperate need for change.
Where are the model saints? We ought to be raising model saints, the kind Christians could take as examples and say, "I want to follow these men and women and be like them- as they are like their Lord." But we are simply not producing saints in this generation. Most Christians are bad examples to other Christians.
We work hard to get people converted, and we think we do God's service. Then after we get them converted and they get to know us, we are bad examples to them. I consider this an abuse in the church of Christ. . . .
Another fault is carnality. The Apostle Paul talked about the carnal Christians of Corinth, and he labored and prayed and wept over the carnality of those Christians. This describes most evangelicals today: carnal, immature, without miracles, without wonders, lacking a wonderful sense of the presence of the Lord, held together by social activities and nothing else.
Another roadblock to reformation is prayerlessness among God's people. For 100 years the Moravians never stopped praying. They staffed a prayer tower as a factory staffs its machines. In eight-hour shifts the Moravians continued their prayer vigil for 100 years.
Carelessness is another fault among evangelicals. Careless Christians do not discipline or examine themselves. Plato once said, "A life that is not examined is a kind of death." People who simply live by their instincts and do the best they can, but do not examine themselves are careless and, according to Plato, may as well be dead.”
A. W. Tozer Sermon: Model Christians
”Then there is the removal of faults and abuses. Where are the faults and abuses? Look around at the religious scene and you will see the faults, the abuses and the desperate need for change.
Where are the model saints? We ought to be raising model saints, the kind Christians could take as examples and say, "I want to follow these men and women and be like them- as they are like their Lord." But we are simply not producing saints in this generation. Most Christians are bad examples to other Christians.
We work hard to get people converted, and we think we do God's service. Then after we get them converted and they get to know us, we are bad examples to them. I consider this an abuse in the church of Christ. . . .
Another fault is carnality. The Apostle Paul talked about the carnal Christians of Corinth, and he labored and prayed and wept over the carnality of those Christians. This describes most evangelicals today: carnal, immature, without miracles, without wonders, lacking a wonderful sense of the presence of the Lord, held together by social activities and nothing else.
Another roadblock to reformation is prayerlessness among God's people. For 100 years the Moravians never stopped praying. They staffed a prayer tower as a factory staffs its machines. In eight-hour shifts the Moravians continued their prayer vigil for 100 years.
Carelessness is another fault among evangelicals. Careless Christians do not discipline or examine themselves. Plato once said, "A life that is not examined is a kind of death." People who simply live by their instincts and do the best they can, but do not examine themselves are careless and, according to Plato, may as well be dead.”
A. W. Tozer Sermon: Model Christians
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