Does faith alone save? Yes. Is faith without works/fruits stillborn, i.e. a birth that produces no life? Yes.
According to Mat. 7, almost all professing “Christians” aren’t Christians. Jesus NEVER knew them. The vast masses, headed for destruction, the “Many” who will never see life vss. 13-14, whom Jesus never knew, who are still considered workers of lawlessness vs. 23 who believe Jesus is their Lord God and Savior, even with the exact same signs, wonders and miracles performed by the true Christians of the 1st century, will never see the kingdom of heaven. vs. 21.
As a matter of fact, the word used to describe the “Way” or “Path” that leads to life means ongoing tribulation (As in the Great Tribulation), ongoing anguish, ongoing affliction, … in 98% of the places it is used throughout the Septuagint and the New Testament, making the “few”, out of the vast masses of people who will find the path that leads to life even smaller than most believe.
Since there are 45,000 different belief groups within Christianity, all with differing and conflicting core beliefs, (Or they’d be in each other’s belief group), and the percentage of true Christians, vs. those who are still lost and headed for hell in spite of their beliefs, the question is, who, within those 45,000 different beliefs groups, has the faith that results in salvation.
Oddly, few “Christians” ever seriously consider the issue. But think about it. How do all the belief groups, Christian or not, determine if others love truth and believe the truth? How do the Atheists judge this? Do you believe God doesn’t exist? Do you believe we evolved? Do you believe the universe is billions of years old, or older? If you do, you are in. How about Mormons? Do God was as man now is, and you can become as God is now? If so, you are pretty close. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Roman Catholics, … pick your group. How does your church determine who is accepted as a member or is baptized? By the alignment of the person seeking membership with the “beliefs” or “faith” (Same word in Greek) with those of whichever of the 45,000 different belief groups you are a part of, does it not? Think about it. What questions were asked when you sought to become a member of your local body?
But should we be examining the salvation of ourselves and others at all? Isn’t questioning our salvation contrary to faith? Not at all. As a matter of fact Paul states those unwilling to keep on examining themselves and others to see if they are indeed in the faith, or if they fail the test, is automatic proof that we know we fail the test. 2Co. 13:5-6. And he does exactly that himself in 2Co. 11:13-15. But did I not say examining whether or not wee are true Christians based on our beliefs, and those of the people in the belief group we are in is worthless, because everyone passes their own “belief” test? Yes I did. And God agrees. Those judging salvation, or alignment with truth, by the alignment of their beliefs with any of the 45,000 different “Christian” belief groups, or those of the 10,000 different non-Christian belief groups have absolutely no understanding of how to get to truth/salvation at all. 2Co. 10-12
So, if judging is commanded, and those unwilling to keep on examining themselves and others to see if they / we are truly in the faith or not by our professed “faith” proves we lack any understanding at all of the topic of getting to truth/salvation, what standard does the word of God say all true Christians should be using? As a matter of fact, it doesn’t “say” we should be using this standard, Jesus warns true Christians to be using this standard. Mat. 7:15-20 We are to judge ourselves and others based on the ongoing habitual fruits God says are always true of true Christians, and always true of those who believe they are true Christians, but are still lost and headed for destruction. And no true Christian ever has the “Fruits” of those who believe they are but are still lost, and no “lost” “Christian” ever possesses the fruits of those whose “faith” truly saves them.
Keep in mind, almost all people who profess saving faith fail the “Fruits” tests. Jesus says so. An agonizingly small percentage of those who believe they are true Christians, and believe they have “Saving Faith” really do have it. Since Paul states those unwilling to keep on examining themselves, and others to see if they truly are in the faith “Unless indeed you are failing the test” (Present Tense indicating ongoing never ceasing activity) being unwilling to figure out these “Fruits” and examining ourselves and others based on them would indeed be a “Fruit” of the lost, and being in the ongoing process of figuring out these “Fruits” and checking ourselves, and other “professing” Christians against these “Fruits” would be a “Fruit” of those headed towards salvation.
Mat. 7 has a number of additional “fruits” listed in it as well. We have Jesus’ command to judge ourselves 1st, and correct our responses in vs. 1-5, then we have the standard to judge ourselves 1st by, correct our own responses, and then judge others by, along with the command to stop sharing when we see the incorrect responses in vs. 6. Then we have the opposite responses from those in Mat. 7:6, in vs. 7:7-12. And, guess what? If you look at what this ongoing seeking, knocking, asking, … that never stops till the day you die results in (Present Tense) in the parallel passage in Luke 11:9-13, what are those whose responses when people share their spiritual pearls/what is holy who diligently keep on seeking, knocking, asking, … EVENTUALLY receive … “If” they never stop? The Holy Spirit, right? Who gets the Holy Spirit?
If you are wondering why people who believe themselves to be Christians will fail to obey Mat. 7:1-5 1st and then correct their responses, and would also want to tear those sharing their pearls with them, and what is holy with them, and who would trample what is shared under foot Mat. 7:6 when it is shared, think about the topic of all of Mat. 7. The vast masses of people within the 45,000 different belief groups who are still lost, headed for destruction, who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, who will never see the kingdom of heaven, whom Jesus NEVER knew, who are still considered workers of iniquity, who do not hear “These words of Mine” (In this passage.) and are not habitually obeying them. If I share that you are one of these vast masses of people who believe they are true Christians, but who fall in this category, in spite of your beliefs, in spite of your signs, wonders and miracles, and that you are just as lost and headed for hell as the non-Christians are, what do you think the likelihood of seeing the responses listed in Mat. 7:6 will be for most professing Christians?
But then, these are Jesus’ words, and the likelihood of my own failing of the “Fruits” tests is extremely small. Noone who is still lost and headed for hell, even amongst the 45,000 different belief groups in “Christianity” will ever have a clue that they fail the test. After all, they all pass the tests of having the correct beliefs. All the religious leaders of each of the 45,000 different belief groups agrees with the data they have collected to prove their beliefs true and all opposing beliefs false. After all, all of our highly trained and educated religious leaders and experts can’t be wrong, right? According to Jesus, almost all of them are wrong, in spite of their “beliefs”, because they themselves fail the “Fruits” tests.
The question is? How will you respond?
According to Mat. 7, almost all professing “Christians” aren’t Christians. Jesus NEVER knew them. The vast masses, headed for destruction, the “Many” who will never see life vss. 13-14, whom Jesus never knew, who are still considered workers of lawlessness vs. 23 who believe Jesus is their Lord God and Savior, even with the exact same signs, wonders and miracles performed by the true Christians of the 1st century, will never see the kingdom of heaven. vs. 21.
As a matter of fact, the word used to describe the “Way” or “Path” that leads to life means ongoing tribulation (As in the Great Tribulation), ongoing anguish, ongoing affliction, … in 98% of the places it is used throughout the Septuagint and the New Testament, making the “few”, out of the vast masses of people who will find the path that leads to life even smaller than most believe.
Since there are 45,000 different belief groups within Christianity, all with differing and conflicting core beliefs, (Or they’d be in each other’s belief group), and the percentage of true Christians, vs. those who are still lost and headed for hell in spite of their beliefs, the question is, who, within those 45,000 different beliefs groups, has the faith that results in salvation.
Oddly, few “Christians” ever seriously consider the issue. But think about it. How do all the belief groups, Christian or not, determine if others love truth and believe the truth? How do the Atheists judge this? Do you believe God doesn’t exist? Do you believe we evolved? Do you believe the universe is billions of years old, or older? If you do, you are in. How about Mormons? Do God was as man now is, and you can become as God is now? If so, you are pretty close. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Roman Catholics, … pick your group. How does your church determine who is accepted as a member or is baptized? By the alignment of the person seeking membership with the “beliefs” or “faith” (Same word in Greek) with those of whichever of the 45,000 different belief groups you are a part of, does it not? Think about it. What questions were asked when you sought to become a member of your local body?
But should we be examining the salvation of ourselves and others at all? Isn’t questioning our salvation contrary to faith? Not at all. As a matter of fact Paul states those unwilling to keep on examining themselves and others to see if they are indeed in the faith, or if they fail the test, is automatic proof that we know we fail the test. 2Co. 13:5-6. And he does exactly that himself in 2Co. 11:13-15. But did I not say examining whether or not wee are true Christians based on our beliefs, and those of the people in the belief group we are in is worthless, because everyone passes their own “belief” test? Yes I did. And God agrees. Those judging salvation, or alignment with truth, by the alignment of their beliefs with any of the 45,000 different “Christian” belief groups, or those of the 10,000 different non-Christian belief groups have absolutely no understanding of how to get to truth/salvation at all. 2Co. 10-12
So, if judging is commanded, and those unwilling to keep on examining themselves and others to see if they / we are truly in the faith or not by our professed “faith” proves we lack any understanding at all of the topic of getting to truth/salvation, what standard does the word of God say all true Christians should be using? As a matter of fact, it doesn’t “say” we should be using this standard, Jesus warns true Christians to be using this standard. Mat. 7:15-20 We are to judge ourselves and others based on the ongoing habitual fruits God says are always true of true Christians, and always true of those who believe they are true Christians, but are still lost and headed for destruction. And no true Christian ever has the “Fruits” of those who believe they are but are still lost, and no “lost” “Christian” ever possesses the fruits of those whose “faith” truly saves them.
Keep in mind, almost all people who profess saving faith fail the “Fruits” tests. Jesus says so. An agonizingly small percentage of those who believe they are true Christians, and believe they have “Saving Faith” really do have it. Since Paul states those unwilling to keep on examining themselves, and others to see if they truly are in the faith “Unless indeed you are failing the test” (Present Tense indicating ongoing never ceasing activity) being unwilling to figure out these “Fruits” and examining ourselves and others based on them would indeed be a “Fruit” of the lost, and being in the ongoing process of figuring out these “Fruits” and checking ourselves, and other “professing” Christians against these “Fruits” would be a “Fruit” of those headed towards salvation.
Mat. 7 has a number of additional “fruits” listed in it as well. We have Jesus’ command to judge ourselves 1st, and correct our responses in vs. 1-5, then we have the standard to judge ourselves 1st by, correct our own responses, and then judge others by, along with the command to stop sharing when we see the incorrect responses in vs. 6. Then we have the opposite responses from those in Mat. 7:6, in vs. 7:7-12. And, guess what? If you look at what this ongoing seeking, knocking, asking, … that never stops till the day you die results in (Present Tense) in the parallel passage in Luke 11:9-13, what are those whose responses when people share their spiritual pearls/what is holy who diligently keep on seeking, knocking, asking, … EVENTUALLY receive … “If” they never stop? The Holy Spirit, right? Who gets the Holy Spirit?
If you are wondering why people who believe themselves to be Christians will fail to obey Mat. 7:1-5 1st and then correct their responses, and would also want to tear those sharing their pearls with them, and what is holy with them, and who would trample what is shared under foot Mat. 7:6 when it is shared, think about the topic of all of Mat. 7. The vast masses of people within the 45,000 different belief groups who are still lost, headed for destruction, who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, who will never see the kingdom of heaven, whom Jesus NEVER knew, who are still considered workers of iniquity, who do not hear “These words of Mine” (In this passage.) and are not habitually obeying them. If I share that you are one of these vast masses of people who believe they are true Christians, but who fall in this category, in spite of your beliefs, in spite of your signs, wonders and miracles, and that you are just as lost and headed for hell as the non-Christians are, what do you think the likelihood of seeing the responses listed in Mat. 7:6 will be for most professing Christians?
But then, these are Jesus’ words, and the likelihood of my own failing of the “Fruits” tests is extremely small. Noone who is still lost and headed for hell, even amongst the 45,000 different belief groups in “Christianity” will ever have a clue that they fail the test. After all, they all pass the tests of having the correct beliefs. All the religious leaders of each of the 45,000 different belief groups agrees with the data they have collected to prove their beliefs true and all opposing beliefs false. After all, all of our highly trained and educated religious leaders and experts can’t be wrong, right? According to Jesus, almost all of them are wrong, in spite of their “beliefs”, because they themselves fail the “Fruits” tests.
The question is? How will you respond?
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