The answer is whatever it takes to characterize you as a Spirit filled person. How does this characterize you as a born again person helping the church?
That is such a cop-out. If works play any part in our salvation, then by what you've said, God judges people differently by scale. As if God is in heaven saying "Well, just 6 more good works will characterize Ralph as a true believer!"
And as far as "helping the church" - is that the measure? Must our good works help the church
exclusively?
You just keep adding on conditions, don't you?
"God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end"-Hebrews 6:10-11.
Ralph, when it says "God will not forget your work" the author is talking about the
rewards we will receive for doing them. The author is encouraging believers not to be lazy. The very fact in verse 12 (which you failed to post) about not becoming lazy is proof one
CAN become lazy and not do works. And also, nowhere does it say if one becomes lazy, they'll lose their salvation or it's proof they never had it.
"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."-Galatians 5:19-21
Are you ever impure? Envious? Jealous? Have outbursts of anger? Dispute with anyone?
People like you love to throw sins in people's faces, when you are just as guilty of sinning.
And btw, just what sins are attributed to the believer? How many haven't been forgiven? Are future sins under the blood?
Your whole argument breaks down on the fact that believers have no sins to answer for.
NONE. They are
GONE FOREVER.
Any change from before you claimed to be a believer that would characterize you as being changed and changing? Have you stopped looking at porn? What would be a change of behavior in that regard? No change at all? Give us some quantity as you are demanding from me.
Do you love God with
all your heart, soul, and strength?
If you add even
ONE THING to the gospel,
you negate it as a gift. You just can't get that simple fact through your head. When you add a condition, you've thrown the whole thing out the window. It's that mentality that keeps so many people in
bondage - fearful that they haven't done enough to "prove" themselves, or secretly
terrified that they're not truly saved.
It is sickening and an abuse of the gospel.
