The itsy TWISTY spider...
...For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. THEY ARE GODLESS MEN, WHO CHANGE THE GRACE OF OF OUR GOD INTO A LICENSE FOR IMMORALITY and DENY Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Jude 1:4
...They claim to know God, but by THEIR ACTIONS they DENY Him. They are detestable, DISOBEDIENT and UNFIT for doing anything good. Titus 1:16
Look who's talking about HONESTY.
...We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:3-6
Do you not CALL EVIL GOOD and GOOD EVIL? (Isaiah 5:20-24)
Is it RIGHT to OBEY God? Is it GOOD or is it WRONG and EVIL? If it is RIGHT and GOOD, why do you call those who promote OBEDIENCE TO GOD as FALSE or peddlers of a FALSE GOSPEL?
Do you not insult and call the views of those who promote OBEDIENCE to God as IDIOTIC?
It's funny how your group can say that only genuine believers would OBEY God and those who promote OBEDIENCE to God are LOST, UNBELIEVERS, FALSE, DECEIVER, NOT SAVED TO BEGIN WITH and many other discriminating NEGATIVE remarks.
And when you are called out, you will accuse them of SLANDER and start bullying those who disagree with you.
But scriptures fortold of these kind of people and behaviour.
.. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. Jude 1:14-19
...If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-5
...Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. HE WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHT IS RIGHTEOUS, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
IS IT RIGHT TO OBEY GOD or not?
Are you an instrument of God's righteousness or do you just BELIEVE and let God do everything for you?
Who now is the LORD, you?...and who is your servant, GOD?
....“You have said harsh things against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ “You have said, ‘IT IS FUTILE TO SERVE GOD. What did we gain by CARRYING OUT HIS REQUIREMENTS and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” Then THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I WILL SPARE THEM, just as in compassion a man spares HIS SON WHO SERVES HIM. And you will again see the DISTINCTION between the RIGHTEOUS and the WICKED, between those who SERVE GOD and those who do not. Malachi 3:13-18
...God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 2 Corinthians 5:21
How could it have nothing to do with Catholicism when they make the same argument about works of the law and good works? Other works-salvationists make the same argument that we are saved by "these" works and just not "those" works and here is an example below from a statement made by someone who attends the church of Christ:
"It is works of obedience that help to save us and not works of the law or works of merit."
The N.T. speaks against works in general AS THE BASIS OR MEANS BY WHICH WE RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.
Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption alone and NOT based on the merits of our works. Titus 3:5 -
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 1:9 - who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. So works are not merely limited to specific works of the law, but works in general and you cannot dissect good works from the law (Matthew 22:37-40)
This covers everything. Which good works are "completely detached" from loving God and our neighbor as ourself? The bases are all covered.
When it comes to the moral aspect of the law, you cannot dissect good works from the law. In James 2:15-16, the example of a "work" that James gives is: "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?"
To give a brother or sister these things needed for the body would certainly be a "good work" yet to neglect such a brother or sister and not give them the things needed for the body is to break the second great commandment "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39) as found written in the law of Moses (Leviticus 19:18).
In Matthew 22:37-40, we read: Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. So please explain to me, which good works could a Christian do which are "completely detached" from these two great commandments which are found in the law of Moses? (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18).
I'm not speaking against good works as the FRUIT of salvation, but only as the ROOT of salvation. We are saved FOR good works and NOT BY good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). You are still hung up on type 2 works salvation.
"compares himself to Paul chastising the Jews"
To those with eyes and ears.
If you know the truth, and God condemns someone and you know, and you do not warn
them, God will hold you accountable for His judgement.
A fool will say, oh I do not know God or this warning, so it means nothing to me.
But then a fool does not know God or His word and himself is doomed to judgement.
But read Ezekiel as I have quoted, and then know the God who you serve.
When I say to a wicked man,
'You will surely die,'
and
you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life,
that wicked man will die for his sin, and
I will hold you accountable for his blood.
But if you do warn the wicked man and
he does not turn from his wickedness or
from his evil ways,
he will die for his sin;
but you will have saved yourself.
Ezek 3:18-19
I love the verse's message with it's WARNINGS and ACCOUNTABILITY. God's LOVE, MERCY and JUSTICE will prevail.
...Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD'S WRATH, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. Romans 12:9-21
...LET GOD BE TRUE...Romans 3:3-4