Not By Works

New age religion types wish to demean our doing things for Christ out of love and respect as...works...and then accuse us of trying to earn our salvation . We can never do enough for Christ.

Their real objective is to discourage us from doing those things ...because those things are righteous...to do.

Hi precious sister.

I get what you are saying. Many of us probably believe we have not done very much for and should do better.

For me I am like that and for me it is a struggle.

If we look at the greats of the Bible we see that they had weaknesses.

When I look at David

1 Samuel 13:14
14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

We all know the tragic things and sinful things that this man David did but God still considered him a man after his own heart.

Acts 13:22
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

David's mistakes and sins were many but David still sought God in order to be like him.

Psalms 63:8
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

Psalms 42:1-2

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalms 25:11
11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Psalms 119:34
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

We tend to beat ourselves up because we feel we haven't done enough or doing enough.

Truth is that the only work God wants from us is to believe in Jesus.
As a result when we do then we are like David, a man/woman after his own heart.

And as in Acts 13:22
A man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

Wanting to be like Jesus is more important to God than doing works to be saved.
Our works do not save us but our faith in Jesus saves us.

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Good morning sister!

Good morning, EG. How are ya? View attachment 222334

I am great, getting ready to head to work, how about you?

I'm doing okay. Having fun spreading my light on Twitter.

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While it is good we want to show thankfulness for the gift of our salvation and to "work" for the Lord, going about His work must be done with the right motive. That is a very important word to me, " motive." I question mine often. Does anyone else?

I hear ya, when I look at my life I just get depressed and question everything, that’s why I have to keep looking forward

What a great question and I have pondered it.

I would be a liar if I said I didn't at times.

I easily fall into the trap of doing doing works in order to earn Gods love, approval and acceptance. Even though I know I'm accepted and loved and secure in and by God.
But it don't sink in.

I can't say I do any works that I feel God has asked me to do to earn recognition from those whom the works God has asked me to do towards them. I do it because God has asked me to and generally it is out of love for them.

I think we need to be careful to assume anyone who calls any works working for salvation is demeaning works

many claim works are required to be saved (a sacramental system including the works of baptism and others)

others claim works maintain salvation (salvation can be lost if there are not enough works)

both of these are a works based Gospel which is false. although I am sure without any doubt these people work because they love the lord, it is not for God, it is for self. T is in order to receive the wage of their works. Or eternal life, This is actually an insult to Jesus as it in fact claims his death is not the means of salvation, but only a doorway into a process of salvation. In reality it states when Jesus said it is finished, he really meant to say I did my part now you do yours.

works of sanctification, of true faith however are different, they are done not to earn anything, but out of love, expecting nothing in return. Sadly even as true believers we can get legalistic, thinking our works should be worth something, puffing our pride, even being upset if no one acknowledges out work, this in itself is dangerous and can lead us down a dark path of self righteousness, which is why we need to be in a discipleship based system where people have the authority to speak in our lives, our closest brothers and sisters should be able to,see warning signs and be able to direct and counsel us. So we can break that mold before it gets out of hand

Those who abide in Christ are already in Him , and those who do not abide are the unbelievers...

Wait, can we examine your statement, maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying (especially in the 2nd half of your statement)? Am I the only one or does this assertion seem linear & incomplete? All believers struggle with abiding in Jesus, imo, and that does NOT make us unbelievers. It defines us as weak and needy and capable of sinning.

I'd like to divide my comments in two. First, I agree with the idea that those who abide in Jesus are "in" Him. John 15 is Jesus CONTINUING (from earlier in his teachings) to describe what it means to be His disciple. He starts with "follow me" (He commands this at least 20 times in each of the Gospels) and then He commands us to abide in Him. However, being a believer requires me to learn to abide, and assumes that I will not always abide, imo.

Finally, we as believers struggle with sin here on earth therefore we are imperfect in our "abiding". This does NOT make us unbelievers/unsaved, imo, if we repent and return to abiding. It makes us human, imperfect and needy of God's conviction, grace and mercy/forgiveness. No believer I have ever met perfectly abides in Jesus and that certainly does NOT make them unsaved, it means they sin (which we all do as believers). It makes us completely in need of Jesus! None of us abides through our own carnal strength! Jesus wants more than just "followers", He desires "abiders".

Abiding is not perfection here on earth, it is what we learn to do by faith through His grace. Abiding "poorly" does NOT, imo, mean I am unsaved, it means I am in a very messy (at times) process of being redeemed!

Where did everyone go?

I'm here brother.

Seems this particular room died after its owner left. Probably the most important thread here

Seems this particular room died after its owner left. Probably the most important thread here

One of my favourite songs as a youngsteR.

Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go! Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.
2
At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!
3
Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
One eternally.
4
Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane;
But the Church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
’Gainst the Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
Which can never fail.
5
Onward, then, ye people!
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Alas I see that many Christians are not marching of to war under the banner of Jesus and are actually using the banner to war against each other.

Yes there may be divisions within an army but at least they stand in battle together and don't kill each other or shoot the wounded.

Satan is having a field day and it makes me sick.

Even Paul said works will be burned up but people are still saved by faith and confession of faith and trust.

Yet we see people rejecting that and accusing people are not saved because they have no works or quantification of what and how many works.

Not wonder people do want nothing to which Jesus when his followers batter each other and look down on non believers.