Or, You can't Lose It, If You Never Had It.
We're back in the chat room, and thanks to our participant. Even though we ask
chat participants to be muted during the main part of the show, trust me we had
people today. Thanks. We had some interaction in the pre and post show times.
Meeting the hosts, is where we get the details of the happenings in our lives
in the past week. Keith and Chris had pretty much nothing going on. Nathan
clears the air on his absence last week, and what exactly he did in Branson. We
share a couple humorous baptism stories.
The Main Topic boils down to losing your faith. World religions can often have
very good teachings, even close to what the bible has to say, but there's a
subtle difference. Is humanity the highest order to base the teaching on? Or
should it be God?
Keith presents a real world situation of someone's statement on why they claim
to have lost their faith, and why they don't see a need to pursue it again. In
affect, feeling like the quality of their life hasn't suffered, but has even
been enriched in the ways of humanity. Keith points out a couple of passages, 1
Timothy 6, which deals with false prophets, and fighting the good fight of
faith. Also 2Peter 1:5-12, which has a similar theme of the dangers of false
prophets.
It boils down to how is your quality of life holding up? What fruit are you
producing? When times get hard, have you finally come to the place where your
tank of ethical treasury has run dry, and you find yourself compromising, and
betraying those ethics?
Nathan presents a segment, we originally planned it to be a short segment, but
it fit so well with the other talking points that we ran with it. Focusing one
of those often misused, misunderstood, and misinterpreted passages, Nathan
shares:
Matthew 7: 21-23 (KJV).
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.
The problem.
People use this to point out the idea that someone can lose their faith. "Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven..."
That getting to heaven is based on works: "...but he that doeth the will of my
Father..."
Or
"...have we not prophesied... cast out devils... and in thy name done many
wonderful works?"
Context is key. Paying attention to what is said, and what is not said is
important.
Nathan puts it this way:
Matt 7.21-23 is often considered scary to some. They believe it talks about
loss of salvation. However, it does NOT!
Sometimes in order to interpret what a passage says, you first need to know
what it DOESN'T say. This passage is NOT saying one can lose his salvation. We
can see this more clearly by looking at three factors:
The Bible doesn't contradict itself 2 Tim 3.16-17 says God inspires all
scripture, and since God inspired it, he knows what he's talking about, and
will not contradict himself.
We see in more than one passage that once someone trusts Christ, they are
sealed.
Ephesians 1:12-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, That we should be to the praise
of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise
of his glory.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.
Finally, and this is a big one, back at our main passage, Jesus doesn't say, "I
once knew you, but not anymore!" He said, "I NEVER knew you!" Meaning they
never had salvation to begin with! The people mentioned in the passage were
trusting their works ("haven't we done this...done that...") for salvation. To
be saved, God wants us to believe on CHRIST ALONE! Otherwise, we try to get
there on our own merits, and that doesn't work! (Eph 2.8-9)
which is in heaven.
Keith adds some points gleaned from various commentary to underscore Nathan's
points, and that the real issue in context is about false prophets. People
saying one thing, but not doing it, not showing fruits. The theme of false
prophets is seen in especially in the preceding paragraphs. Following God is
never about what we do, then we're in his kingdom. There has to be a
transformed heart, making the choice that God's grace, the faith from the Holy
Spirit, and the justifying power of what Jesus did are all gifts to provide the
way in. All we do is choose to believe it. Then good deeds that matter come.
The people who said, 'Lord, lord,' and claimed amazing deeds were never known.
Deeds before faith... doesn't matter. Faith first, then deeds... it's the only
way.
With time left to spare, we take a look at five more church words. Blow the
dust off the Latin, which we never use, and get to the words we do use, and the
principles they represent.
The 5 solos
Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) Inerrant. the sole source and revelation of
god's word. The ethical measure for all Christians to live by.
Faith alone (Sola Fide) faith that justification is from Christ alone, not from
works.
Christ alone (Solus Christus) salvation, atonement, justification is through
christ substitution for us.
Grace alone (Sola Gratia) grace, faith, and the transforming work of the holy
spirit is the only way we are regenerated.
Glory to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria) since god is behind the work of salvation,
alone, he deserves all our worship. No other. He has final authority over us.
seek his glory in all we do, not focus glory on ourselves, deeds, or desires.
What we do should be honoring to God.
keith <http://podcast.heltsley.net/?author=2> | September 27, 2016 at 8:28 am |
URL: http://wp.me/p5uvFj-6O ;<http://wp.me/p5uvFj-6O>
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