Mellow

We are saved if we believe that Jesus died for our sins, and that He rose on the third day. But the bible says the drunkards, homosexual offenders, thiefs, liars, and the adulterers will not inherit the kingdom. That confuses me. We must believe in Jesus, but if we are any of the things that God hates while we believe in Jesus, we cannot get into heaven? So then we cannot get into heaven for the mere belief in Jesus, thus we also have to have moderate sin. So if that is true, how do we know what is moderate? This is confusing.

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Jesus is God

Boanerges

If one is born again that person is a new creature in Christ and old things are passed away. That does not mean you will not struggle with your flesh- even the great Apostle Paul cried out oh wretched man that I am- we are to grow by maturing according to the Word and we are transformed in our minds and lives as we learn to enter His presence but our salvation is based on His work.
Look at the parable of the seed- some is sown on the road and takes no root- these people were never really saved. Some falls on stony ground and the cares of this world means more to these that Jesus- they may have seen Him but never really knew Him. Then there is the good soil- a heart that is drawn to Christ- this person will not be lost thought they struggle in life for it is God's pleasure to bring them into His kingdom and bear fruit in their lives.
So we may indeed struggle and stumble but we do not deliberately live like the world. Our righteousnessas the scripture declares is imputed to us- we are given the very righteousness of Christ in which to stand.
The following verses demonstrate that our salvation is a gift from God and not of works- it also demonstrates that works do have an appropriate place in our lives:
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

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“Neither skill nor knowledge is needed to go to God, all that is necessary is a heart dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others.”
Brother Lawrence

Boanerges

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Salvation is by faith


Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

True faith in God will always produce works- so we can see that works are simply the mainfest evidence that we are walking in faith.

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“Neither skill nor knowledge is needed to go to God, all that is necessary is a heart dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others.”
Brother Lawrence

Mellow

So what your saying is that liars, thiefs and so forth are disbelievers in Jesus... since those kinds are incapable of believing in Jesus because belief in Jesus will only produce good works?

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Jesus is God

Who am I

We have to make a conscious effort to not get drunk.
We have to make a conscious effort to not commit homosexual acts.
We have to make a conscious effort to not steal, not lie, not commit adultery…

If I’m not making an effort to change and do what’s right, do I “really” believe?

It’s not unlike an offender going up against the judge in court.
If he is making an effort to better himself, the judge may be lenient.
If he is not making an effort to better himself, the judge may be very harsh.

Two different judgments for the same crime. It all depends on what is in the offenders heart.

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Blessings to all

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Boanerges

What I am saying is though we stumble as men will do we are covered by His blood and do not purposefully and willfully live a lifestyle of sin and rebellion.
Your heavenly Father will not reject His child when that one stumbles anymore than an earthly father would reject his child if he fell. We dust them off and put them on their feet.

One should understand the nature of the tripartite man to understand the work of God.
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
He who is born of God (born again) sinneth not
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
And yet we have sin- how is that possible? We are given a new spirit as we are born again- this is the new life God imparts and this inner man is the dwelling place and place of communion with the Holy Spirit. Our outer man (physical body is perishing and our inner man is being made new)
2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

A born again believer receives revelation knowledge from the Holy Spirit and begins to believe God's Word- in that area that man's mind is renewed or changed in that it now agrees with God- this is the process of saving your soul.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

So we receive new life, that life begins to permeate our thinking and our body follows our thoughts- that is sanctification.
If we are born again- if we yield our hearts to God HE performs this work in us and that translates to the expression of works in our lives. Religion works from the outside in and God works from the inside out.

1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We must simply yield our lives and trust our Lord. He will lead us into all truth and He will draw us ever deeper into His love and goodness. You will not loose a single thing you trust into His hand and it is His greatest desire to bring you into His kingdom- He spared no expense to reddeem you and He will move heaven and earth to bring you closer to His heart.
Christianity has never been a list of do's and dont's but has always been about following and trusting Him-
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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“Neither skill nor knowledge is needed to go to God, all that is necessary is a heart dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others.”
Brother Lawrence

Mellow

I see what your saying. A believer in Jesus cannot say he's in love with Jesus, and then also be the head of a Mafia.

Or a believer in Jesus cannot say he believes in Jesus, and get drunk five days out of the week.

A believer in Jesus cannot say he believes in Jesus, and then write songs to confuse his audience to turn from God.

Is that how Jesus feels about it?

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Jesus is God

Mellow

Your saying Christianity is not about do's and don'ts but in following Him. Following Him is the act of doing good deeds. Following Jesus are do's and don'ts.

It seems like the subject is being changed. I am talking about why Jesus said that sinners will not inherit the kingdom. Why does he say this:

I Corithians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

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Jesus is God

Tyler1

What are your thoughts on the subject?

I had the opportunity to sin (drink) this weekend, the 4th and all. BUT turning my back to the Lord and chugging a few beers would have broke my heart. Yet I still sinned in other ways, I'm human. It is the forgivness and strength God has given me to repent with all my heart, turn my life from sin and to Him, that is my rebirth in and through the Lord.

I think there is a definite list of do's and don'ts, but I'm not the judge and never will be. If my Dad commited adultery in action or in his mind and has stopped with a sincere heart, repented, and eliminated this behavior from his life now that he agree's it is against God, he is forgiven.

My brother is a Christian and keeps drinking. Deep down he knows it is against God. Is he saved? I'm not the judge, but he is yelling Lord Lord and not following the Way. He could be a stronger Christian than me, more saved than me, and love God more than me. Yet it doesen't look that way due to his actions. If he died tomorrow my heart would greive in a profound way because he didn't give a 110% to God on earth, but I know he loves the Lord, and his actions are tearing him apart. Man, when he gives his life to God the earth and Heaven is going to shake with joy, I can't wait to see it. He had a dream this weekend that I got baptized, I hadn't told him I was praying for guidance on being baptized again (I was as a baby). I'm going to give it all I got when I give my testimony to get him to raise that hand and walk with the Lord. I think I just hijacked this thread...

Mellow

What are my thoughts on this? Like I said, it's confusing.

Another reason why it's confusing is when He also instructs us that even if the believer is scarcely saved, what will become of the wicked

1 Peter 4:18 If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

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Jesus is God