Mat 13:37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
wrong parable stones...tares and wheat is not the parable of the sower...
Mat 13:37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
wrong parable stones...tares and wheat is not the parable of the sower...
call me silly, but maybe your concept is difficult to believe because it is not the truth....
This is very true....worship is a lifestyle, prostrated before God...not sultry "worship" sets performed by girls in skinny jeans and their breasts/cleavage being exposed.......all performed in the dark with a choreographed light show and smoke machines bellowing out fake shekinah glory....
Yes, Jesus used the metaphor of us being plants grown from seed more than onceThat was what Jesus said when the disciples asked Him to explain the parables. He said several in sequence.
I would say it is the work of Holy Spirit but they are One.
Mat 13:37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
They have no discernment, therefore they can't see anything.
Their delusion won't let them use commentaries that's 150 yrs old that's tried & true.
Ironically, sinners never saved can read those commentaries & make some sense out of it.
It's the delusion that turns their understanding totally off.
That was what Jesus said when the disciples asked Him to explain the parables. He said several in sequence.
I would say it is the work of Holy Spirit but they are One.
I have to say I am genuinely perplexed by this debate about duality.
On the one hand, I still stumble and sin, and therefore am I not a sinner who is constantly being washed by the Blood of Christ?
On the other hand, I understand what posters like Megiddo and Stone is saying. I don't want to, nor do I believe I should, regard myself as a sinner. And I believe my greatest Spiritual growth happens when I don't regard myself as a sinner, yet I still sin.
I just praise God with all my heart that BOTH hands realize that it is by the Blood of Christ ALONE I am saved.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)
A legalist reads this backwards: “You will keep my commandments if you love me.”
Here is an excellent article addressing "Just what are the commandments of Jesus?"
( Hint: it has nothing to do with following the Sabbath day or the 10 commandments as in the Old Testament way which was a "shadow" of things to come - but it has everything to do with the true Sabbath rest and life that which is found in Christ Himself )
I like to use this site from time to time as it gives a grace-based view of the finished work of Christ. it also has a place at the bottom where people can ask questions. I have found I have learned much from that area too.
John 14:15 – The Commands of Jesus
If God loves us unconditionally, how do we account for those scriptures that link His love with our obedience, like this one:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)
A legalist reads this backwards: “You will keep my commandments if you love me.”
In other words, we must prove our love for God by doing what He commands.
Commandment-keeping is our duty, a condition we must meet if we are to enjoy His love.
But someone who is walking in grace reads it just as Jesus said it. He understands that keeping His commands is a by-product of love.
Paul explains this in Romans 8:3-4, but let me give you an everyday example inspired by something I read.
"Here in New Zealand we have a big problem with domestic violence. Consequently, there are many laws governing the responsibilities of fathers. Break any of these laws and you might go to jail or have your kids taken away.
It’s a serious business. But to be honest, I couldn’t tell you what these laws are. I’ve never read them. Yet I can confidently declare that I am keeping every one of these laws.
How do I know? Because I love my kids. I don’t keep the laws to show the authorities that I love my kids and I don’t relate to my children on the basis of these laws. I relate to them on the basis of love and keeping the laws of the land flows naturally from that love relationship.
I know the laws serve a good purpose, but they weren’t written for me. They were written for fathers who don’t love their kids."
Similarly, the laws found in the Bible were not written for those who love Jesus (1 Tim 1:9). Contrary to what the legalist may tell you, keeping the laws to earn what He freely offers is a surefire sign that you don’t know the love of God.
A legalist reads the words of Jesus above and sees a threat. Do the commandments or else! But love makes no threats. Jesus is returning for a bride and it won’t be a shotgun wedding.
What are the commands of Jesus?
The next time someone tells you that you must keep the commands of Jesus to prove your love, ask them, “what are the commands of Jesus?”
They will probably respond with the greatest commandment which is, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul” (Mt 22:38). This is fine, I guess.
But if you insert that command into the phrase above it becomes, “If you love me, you will love me with all your heart, mind and soul,” which is kind of redundant.
If you read John 14:15 in context, you will see that on this occasion Jesus is referring to two specific commands. Here’s the first:
“A new command I give you: Love one another….” (Jn 13:34)
And here’s the second:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me… Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves” (Jn 14:1,11)
How can we be certain that these are His commandments? Because John – who was there when Jesus spoke these words – says so in one of his letters:
“And this is His command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” (1 Jn 3:23)
What does it mean to keep His commands?
Lest we dilute His commandments to accommodate our experience, Jesus outlines His expectations of obedience for both. Here’s what He expects from the first:
“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (Jn 13:34)
How did Jesus love us? By laying down His life for us (Jn 15:3). That’s a high standard of love! Indeed, there is no greater love. And what are His expectations regarding the second commandment:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…” (Jn 14:12)
Believe in Jesus and you will do the works of Jesus. Put it altogether and Jesus is saying this:
“If you love me, you will love one another as I have loved you and your faith in me will lead to miracles like I have been doing and greater miracles still.”
If you’ve been in any church for at least five years, you will know that Jesus’ first commandment is pretty much humanly impossible to keep, while the second commandment is definitely impossible.
So the next time someone tries to lay a heavy burden on you by telling you that you must keep Jesus’ commandments to earn God’s love, just ask them how many people they’ve raised from the dead!
When they look puzzled, tell them that Jesus commanded us to believe in Him and He said that those who did would do the same works He did and greater works besides!
Now that we begin to understand what Jesus wasn’t saying – He wasn’t saying that we need to keep His commandments to prove our love – we’re ready to dig deeper into what He was saying.
That’s the subject of the next post. You won’t want to miss it. When you see what Jesus was promising His disciples and you, it’s going to blow you away!
Maybe you’ve been intimidated by John 14:15 and the other new covenant laws. If so, prepare to be set free. When you get a hold of the words of Jesus you’re going to be so pumped that you’ll want to frame them and hang them on your wall. Stay tuned!
Unquote:
Here is the link if anyone wants to look at the questions or to see the next post as he mentioned at the end of the article.
https://escapetoreality.org/2011/06/03/john-14v15/
Benson Commentary
Benson Commentary
John 14:15-17. If ye love me — As ye profess to do, keep my commandments — For that will be a surer test and more acceptable expression of your regard for me than all your trouble and concern at parting with me. Keeping Christ’s commandments is evidently here put for the practice of godliness in general, and for the faithful and diligent discharge of their office as apostles in particular. And I will pray the Father — Here we see, that he required a steady obedience to his commands, as the condition on which their prayers would be heard; (see John 15:7; 1 John 3:22and assured them, on their complying with that condition, he would send them another comforter, advocate, monitor, encourager, or intercessor, as the word παρακλητος may be properly rendered; another — For Christ himself was one: that he may abide with you for ever —
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
If ye love me - Do not show your love by grief at my departure merely; or by profession, but by obedience.Keep my commandments - This is the only proper evidence of love to Jesus, for mere profession is no proof of love; but that love for him which leads us to do all his will, to love each other, to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow him through evil report and through good report, is true attachment. The evidence which we have that a child loves its parents is when that child is willing, without hesitation, gainsaying, or complaining, to do all that the parent requires him to do. So the disciples of Christ are required to show that they are attached to him supremely by yielding to all his requirements, and by patiently doing his will in the face of ridicule and opposition, 1 John 5:2-3.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
15. If ye love me] The connexion with what precedes is again not quite clear. Some would see it in the condition ‘in My name,’ which includes willing obedience to His commands. Perhaps it is rather to be referred to the opening and general drift of the chapter. ‘Let not your heart be troubled at My going away. You will still be Mine, I shall still be yours, and we shall still be caring for one another. I go to prepare a place for you, you remain to continue and surpass My work on earth. And though you can no longer minister to Me in the flesh, you can prove your love for Me even more perfectly by keeping My commandments when I am gone.’ ‘My’ is emphatic; not those of the Law but of the Gospel.
keep] The better reading is ye will keep. Only in these last discourses does Christ speak of His commandments: comp. John 14:21, John 13:34, John 15:10; John 15:12. See on John 14:27.
What are GOOD WORKS?
Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
1) No corrupting talk coming out of mouth. We are to build people up and speak what gives grace to people around us.
30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2) We are SEALED by Holy Spirit until redemption. But, we are not called to grieve the One we are in union with.
31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
3) We are to put away ALL bitterness. This means every form of offense that ends up changing how we see one another. It becomes a root that defile those who eat of it.
4) We are to put away all wrath & anger. This is what happens when we eat of bitterness that we are ensnared by. As we consume the bitterness in our hearts we start attack one another.
5) We are to put away clamor and slander. Clamor is fault-finding in ourselves towards others. Strife is the outward fruit of fault-finding. Slander is when we deliberately start lying about one another.
32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
So then what are good works? Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving one another.
Good works are how we treat one another.
Those who believe we can lose our salvation without them would be wise to remember them to walk in themselves.
My stance is simply loving one another we end up following these principles.
And sometimes love does look like being super real and raw with one another:
As we see in Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
All of these "good works" come from a pure heart before the Lord.
Yet in all these things, it is the work of Holy Spirit that empowers us to love one another. And do good works of love. Because He loved us first.
And it is by our love, that we teach theology to the world.
Hi Grace
Waiting on you're reply to my post no. 398.
In the meantime, I'd like to remind you that I am a born again believer and I Do Not believe that works save us.
Of course, as any Christian would, I do believe that Jesus meant for us to obey Him and follow His commandments. I'm sure you agree although you do tend to post sites that encourage believers to find excuses Not to obey God.
So, do you think Jesus left us with commandments that are impossible to follow?
Is that your problem?
It's funny because you've always said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
So when did you decide this was wrong and it's actually impossible to follow Him like a good disciple should?
What are GOOD WORKS?
Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
1) No corrupting talk coming out of mouth. We are to build people up and speak what gives grace to people around us.
30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2) We are SEALED by Holy Spirit until redemption. But, we are not called to grieve the One we are in union with.
31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
3) We are to put away ALL bitterness. This means every form of offense that ends up changing how we see one another. It becomes a root that defile those who eat of it.
4) We are to put away all wrath & anger. This is what happens when we eat of bitterness that we are ensnared by. As we consume the bitterness in our hearts we start attack one another.
5) We are to put away clamor and slander. Clamor is fault-finding in ourselves towards others. Strife is the outward fruit of fault-finding. Slander is when we deliberately start lying about one another.
32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
So then what are good works? Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving one another.
Good works are how we treat one another.
Those who believe we can lose our salvation without them would be wise to remember them to walk in themselves.
My stance is simply loving one another we end up following these principles.
And sometimes love does look like being super real and raw with one another:
As we see in Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
All of these "good works" come from a pure heart before the Lord.
Yet in all these things, it is the work of Holy Spirit that empowers us to love one another. And do good works of love. Because He loved us first.
And it is by our love, that we teach theology to the world.
They have no discernment, therefore they can't see anything.
Their delusion won't let them use commentaries that's 150 yrs old that's tried & true.
Ironically, sinners never saved can read those commentaries & make some sense out of it.
It's the delusion that turns their understanding totally off.
Note how out of character Cee is. It's as if it's not the same guy.This is one of the most hypocritical statements I've ever read.
If you shall know them by their fruits - you're in big trouble.
You're by far one of the most carnal minded Christians I've met on this forum.
Yet, you puff yourself up, think yourself to be the one correct with your pet dogmas that denounce everyone unlike you.
You've insulated yourself from correction of every form that I've seen.
Your posts have numerous infractions of Scripture. You posts are neither loving, gentle, or kind.
You preach the need for good works, but I rarely see any from you.
You are the one who is deceived.
And I'm done casting my pearls before you.
I suggest you take a GOOD hard look at your life and examine yourself to discover which one of the gospel characters you would be.
Show your posts to people who you are accountable to in your life. And you if don't have anyone, I suggest you get one.
We are not called to walk alone, but to walk together. So I pray that you have someone that can help you with whatever root of bitterness you are deceived by.
Hi Fran.
Yes you are a born again believer and it's been a privilege to get to know you over the last couple of years.
I know you know as you say that works do not save us, yet you have said that we need to do works to keep saved.
To be honest this confuses me. Either works save us or not.
What works after believing in Jesus keep us saved? At what point are they not enough?
I do agree that Jesus left us with commandments to follow. No one can deny that, and let's be honest he has asked to do it then surely it is possible.
But I think it can go deeper.
How can someone love their neighbours/enemies if they don't love themselves. Therefore works required by Jesus can be harder.
Jesus gave many commands which include "Come to me you are weary and I will give you rest, give me your yolk and take mine, don't worry about tomorrow, what you will eat, believe God will meet your needs and so on.
Many a beleiver fall foul of that and to me if we are talking about the commands of Jesus then they must be included as well.
I would say that it is not impossible to follow him but I would say it is impossible to be 100% like him but I would also say that is what we should aspire to be.