Works, Because Faith

There are only two options following death - the Kingdom of Heaven, and hell - the place designed for Satan and his demons.  Jesus Christ made the Way so none should have to perish in the place prepared for the devil. It is His Will that all would be saved!  That is why He came and died in our place, paying our penalty for our sin. It is true that God is love. It is also true that God is Holy.  Were you saved? Are you saved? Will you be saved? Here is what the truth is - what is told us in the Holy Bible:

"So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."  Philippians:2:12 There is some work, doing, and obeying, for the Christian in this verse.

The Holy Bible also says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can that faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Wasn't Abraham, our father, justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.  You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. In like manner wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead."
James:2:14-26

Jesus said, 'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
Matthew:7:21  Yes, there is some doing that follows believing.  The truth is, we are all living as we believe. Our faith - our belief - affects our actions.

Even then, we are not saved by our works, but by Jesus Christ, alone.  It is by His grace that we are saved, lest any man should boast - "You were made alive when you were dead through your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have you been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them." Ephesians:2:1-10

All of our righteousness is as filthy rags beside the One Who is Holy.  "For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him. You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways: behold, you were angry, and we sinned: in them [have we been] of long time; and shall we be saved? For we are all become as one who is unclean, and all our righteousness are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is none who calls on your name, who stirs up himself to take hold of you; for you have hid your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities. But now, Yahweh, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand." Isaiah:64:4-8  Our works are simply the fruit of what is in our hearts - our faith and belief. The branch that does not produce fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire.

Christian - get your nose out of the politics of the Kingdom of this earth, and into the Kingdom of Heaven!  There is no salvation in Patriotism! Christian - get your nose out of prosperity gospels and Universalism! For, "I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel; and there isn't another gospel. Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any gospel other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any gospel other than that which you received, let him be cursed. For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn't be a servant of Christ. But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ."
Galatians:1:6-12  There is only one gospel, one truth, one way, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is the Vine.

Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn't remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done to you. In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. "This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn't know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. You didn't choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. I command these things to you, that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his lord.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they don't know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me, hates my Father also. If I hadn't done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn't have had sin. But now have they seen and also hated both me and my Father. But that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.' When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning."  John 15

In Revelations God is speaking to the churches.  Here is some of what He has to say... "To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God's creation, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies."  Revelation:3:14-22

Are you hot for Yahweh?  Are you in love with Him?  For He loves you. You will never enter Heaven if you have one foot in hell.  For the follower of Jesus Christ, your Kingdom is not of this earth, and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you - now.   "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he (Jesus) answered them, "The kingdom of God doesn't come with observation; neither will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'Look, there!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke:17:20-21

Render Unto Caesar

America never was, and never will never be, a "Christian Nation".  For the one who trusts in Yeshua, the Christ, their Kingdom is not of this world.  The Kingdom of Heaven is within the follower of Christ.  This is "Heaven on Earth".  If one is opposed to abortion, then that one should not have an abortion.  The Christian is not called to legislate morality on Earth.  We are only called to live as Christ lived.  Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.  Render unto God what is God's.  This includes politicians, aborted babies, and the ones who abort their baby.  Judgement belongs to God, alone.  Christ Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  Those who reject Christ Jesus, and His gift, are already judged.

Politics is a distraction for the follower of Christ.  We are not called to be political, and attempt to legislate morality.  The best we can do is to live in obedience to God (love God, and others), pray for others, and lead (point) them to Him.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

"I press on toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, this God will also reveal that to you. Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things to himself."
Philippians:3:14-21

Feathered Fence

Disciple Discipline

When my precious son, Andrew, was not quite two years old we were at a function in Boise, Idaho.  I do not recall what it was.  What I do remember is that there were busy streets on either side of the building where the function was being held.  My son and I were there with my ex husband, and his three children.

My little guy was quite the escape artist, and resisted restraint from his comings and goings.  As we were all standing outside, Andrew escaped my grasp and ran right out into one of the the busy streets.  Thankfully there happened to be no cars coming at that particular moment.  I ran out into the street and grabbed him, and spanked his diapered butt all the way back off the street.  He was howling, and I was yelling, and this upset my step children very badly.  They felt disturbed at my actions toward my little son.  It wasn't fun for me!  Yet, all I could think was that my tiny son, whom I love more than life, did not, at that early age, understand the deadly danger of streets and cars.  He was not at an age where I could explain it to him.  I could, however, create a fear in him of what I would do if he ventured out into a street again.  I chose this response as a measure to protect my son from the potentially terrible consequences of playing in the street.  If he didn't understand to fear the cars, he could be made to understand to fear me.  He never went onto a street again.  My method worked, for all of our benefit.  I did what I did because I love him.

I have been seeing memes suggesting that teaching our children of hell is child abuse.  If hell is an actual place, wouldn't you warn those you love not to go there, at any cost?  I think letting a child be exposed to deadly danger, minus any warning or attempt to curb the danger, is child abuse.  There are those of us who have had confrontation with Jesus Christ, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is real, Heaven is real, Lucifer is real, and hell is real.  The blinders have been lifted to see the truth of a thing, and that compels us for the sake of those we love (all of humanity) to speak of the truth so that others may be saved from eternal damnation, and the lies of the devil which are designed to destroy us.  I think teaching children that Santa Claus is real, so later they doubt the reality of Christ Jesus - rather seeing him, too, as a fictional character - is child abuse - neglecting to protect our children spiritually with God's truth.

Love is not all we need.  Jesus is who we need.  He is where salvation is found.  His command, to be obeyed, is love.  I would rather tell the truth of a thing, and be unpopular and thought ridiculous, than to participate in a deadly lie.  I just love and care too much for humanity to keep this gift of salvation to myself.  That would be the height of selfishness.  Sinful, indeed.  And, so does the Heavenly Father love us so.  That is why He humbled Himself to come as a man, and pay the penalty for our sin.  He desires for us to escape the torments of hell in favor of a Heavenly eternity with Him.  And, He disciplines the child he loves, for our understanding only goes so far.  He would not have us, in our ignorance (darkness), playing in dangerous territory that threatens our life, and he will discipline those he loves - for our salvation.

God is not a meany.  God is love.  He is also truth.  He is Light.  And God is Holy.  Sin cannot reside with Him, or within His Heavenly Home.  Light cannot reside with darkness.  We cannot hope to enter Heaven while in sin and darkness.  So, the Heavenly Father has made the provision, in Christ Jesus (the only Way), for a Heavenly eternal life.  It will never be aside from a relationship with Jesus.  Believe in Him.  Repent.  Call on Him, and submit to His Godhood - daily - and you will be saved.

Today if Andrew would play in the street I could assume - because of his age - it would be a choice - deliberate.  He has transcended the age where I could be expected to do anything about it.  He has had his childhood training, and is an adult now, making his own choices.  We all have a choice to make about what we believe about Christ Jesus, and this belief will shape our response to Him.  I pray each choice is for eternal life in Him, rather than to spurn His gift of salvation.  May God keep each of you, and reveal to you the truth of the matter.  Seek, and you will find.  Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

"... you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with sons, "My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by him; For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, And scourges every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with sons, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline? But if you are without discipline, whereof all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not sons. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby."
Hebrews:12:5-11

"My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, Neither be weary of his reproof: For whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; Even as a father the son in whom he delights."
Proverbs:3:11-12

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
Philippians:2:12(b)

"Serve Yahweh with fear, And rejoice with trembling."
Psalm:2:11