Not By Works

Judas - a sad sad man, for whom it would have been better never to have been born.

Of all people in history, so close to the Lord of all, the greatest act in creation, and yet a prime
mover in its guilt and sin. Peter wept, but he had a way back, Judas lost everything.

Judas may have come to realise, he represented the fickle nature of man, standing in the light
while betraying as if they are significant, then seeing they themselves are just a part of Gods plan.

So many stand against Gods word, rail against His people, condemn and parade as if their victories
through devious means have any import, not seeing God uses all to teach His people His love and
ways and how betrayers and false teachers abound and can be handled in love and grace, to bring
His light to shine like a new dawn in a dark lost world. Amen.

We are forgiven if we repent.


If we sin against our brother we need to deal with it.


If our brother sins against us, we are to after him and try to get him to hear, and repent.


David repented and was forgiven.


Those who wander away and become lost are called sinners, and must repent and be restored back to God.


“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7


Those who refuse to repent remain lost as sinners.



“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
Matthew 18:12-17



Hear are the steps we are to take to restore a brother who sins against us.




“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.


But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’


And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.



He insists on being obstinate, and refuses to repent he will remain lost.






JPT

does this count as answering your question?

is it possible to love one's enemy ..

I see you struggle with an ipad. I hate the pad keyboard, it is so slow.

Salvation is totally linked in with the goal of salvation, because that is its aim and objective.
We are a bride bought with a price to be delivered holy, pure and blameless to our groom.

If we fail to be the Lords bride, we are not part of His kingdom.

And Paul repented and saw the reality, because His heart was in God, yet He saw things in
a wrong way, and needed grace and love to direct him into the gospel and salvation.
The point was he did not overthrow his background, but saw Jesus as its fulfilment.

"Aim for something" Jesus is not something, He is our Lord and Saviour, the one we are yoked
to. How is it you find it so hard to testify that Jesus is our teacher, Lord and His ways are our
ways? His sheep listen to Him and follow Him. It is in their blood and heart.

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:28

• you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Judas was predestined to reign with Christ and the other Apostles.


He chose to betray Jesus.


God foresaw this.


It was always Judas choice.





JPT

What happens when one of His sheep go astray and become lost?




JPT

This sounds very harsh. I would say those who in the end come to faith and a heart felt communion with the
Lord by the end are redeemed. For some this appears a very up and down experience, for others a quick wonderful
conversion.

I look to see the heart burning true, when love breaks through.
I see this about honesty, speaking from the depths of our being to the Lord of all through Jesus.

And those who make this connection seem to stay the whole of their lives true to the Lord.

As new creations we are different, and it takes time to truly perceive this, but it is very real,
Praise the Lord. And as strangers in His love we are bound as one people, Amen.

((seizes opportunity to interject a math joke))




there are only two groups;

1. people who fit in one of the two groups
2. people that don't

We can go looking, and if they return, heaven rejoices. But things happen and we bear the responsibility of our actions,
no matter how bad, it is the privilege God has given us in Christ, which the apostles warn us about in scripture.

What a wonderful thought.


Unfortunately it’s not biblical.


Jesus taught His disciples to do this, in which they teach their disciples to do this.


It’s up to us to go after those who wander away and become lost.




If our brother sins against us, we are to after him and try to get him to hear, and repent.


David repented and was forgiven.


Those who wander away and become lost are called sinners, and must repent and be restored back to God.


“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7


Those who refuse to repent remain lost as sinners.



“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
Matthew 18:12-17



Hear are the steps we are to take to restore a brother who sins against us.




“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.


But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’


And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.



He insists on being obstinate, and refuses to repent he will remain lost.






JPT

Yes sir.


A brother who wanders away and becomes lost, must repent and be reconciled back to God.



Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20




JPT

I wish this was true, but I have no way of knowing.
Sadly Paul talked about carrying the responsibility of sharing the gospel with others so that he did not have blood
on their hands. In the prophets, God gives such a warning.

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.
Ezekiel 3:18

As His people we are called to warn those who know Jesus to listen and stay faithful to Him, or their blood may
fall on our hands, as God has declared they will surely die.

Jesus knew Judas was a snake. He chose him as one of the apostles so scriptures would be fulfilled...

Matthew 26
20When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.b21And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”23He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
I think Judas only followed Jesus so he could steal the money from the poor and was a snake and wolf among the sheep.

I also believe Jesus knew this.

I believe Jesus was talking to Judas when He spoke of those who said 'lord Lord did we not cast out demons in your name" and Jesus response is "depart from me you workers of iniquity".

He was never saved no matter how many demons Judas casted out.

Amen. That what Jesus is teaching His disciples they are to do because He is going back to heaven.


Jesus doesn’t preach the Gospel to unbelievers, He is in heaven.


Jesus doesn’t go after lost sheep, He is in heaven.



He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” John 21:16





JPT

He's the Shepherd, the Good One -- not me

i do not remember telling you that you were going to hell.

but, if you do not wish to talk about the narrow way of Christ alone for salvation, I understand.

what the Bible actually says is bothersome to religious people who think that their salvation is a joint effort between them and God.