21 May 19
@kellyjay saidIf, on the day of judgement, according to your beliefs, you are found not to have loved your fellow man enough, might you face "damnation"?
I would say to, the OP isn't the word of God, your correct, but loving each other Jesus said was right up there with loving God. We either do or we don't, if we (me included) are not attempting to follow Christ, are we Christ's?
21 May 19
@divegeester saidI will gladly say that I have failed in loving my fellow men before, but I will strive to meaningfully do so all the tiem forward.
Do you love all your fellow men Jacob?
What matters to me now is that when I stop and think about it I fully understand the depth of the commitment to this task and I become more interested in fulfilling this difficult task...
I think that as long as we can intellectually affirm this when we take a break from our passion filled and excited minds there is hope.
How about you?
@divegeester saidHe believes that God loves sinners
Why are you telling me about your sinful life, it’s not relevant.
Clearly you don’t love all your fellow men but seem to enjoy claiming that you do and presenting this sinful life excuse. Obviously you lack the “proof” required by the OP that you “love God”
21 May 19
@divegeester saidOur lives have to be in Christ, our sins have to be washed by the blood of Jesus, we have to have God’s Spirit within us. We have to pick up our cross and follow Christ, we need to crucify our old man taking on the new, we must be born again! All of this is Christ’s work not our own, if you are not in Christ will it matter? He is our righteousness we cannot make ourselves worthy of God.
Why are you telling me about your sinful life, it’s not relevant.
Clearly you don’t love all your fellow men but seem to enjoy claiming that you do and presenting this sinful life excuse. Obviously you lack the “proof” required by the OP that you “love God”
If we are not loving God and each other, and refuse to, it is clear we have not submitted ourselves to the Lord.
21 May 19
@philokalia saidThis sounds a lot like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan. If you think spending ones life thinking about good works is what you call hope, then your doctrine is very far from Christ?
I will gladly say that I have failed in loving my fellow men before, but I will strive to meaningfully do so all the tiem forward.
What matters to me now is that when I stop and think about it I fully understand the depth of the commitment to this task and I become more interested in fulfilling this difficult task...
I think that as long as we can intellectually af ...[text shortened]... is when we take a break from our passion filled and excited minds there is hope.
How about you?
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21 May 19
@sonship saidIt's a summary of the TOS.
@FMF
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21 May 19
4 edits
“If we are to accept the teaching of Jesus at all, then the only test of the reality of a man's religion is his attitude to his fellow men. The only possible proof that a man loves God is the demonstrated fact that he loves his fellow men.” -- William Barclay
An addition it could be said that anyone who claims to love God yet hates his brother is a liar.
The "brother" that John speaks of in First John 3:15 I think should be understood as Christian brother. Because this one has the life of God through regeneration and that one has the life of God through regeneration, they TWO are "brothers" begotten of the same Divine Father.
I think the two verses are clearer, 14 and 15, when put together:
Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. (v.13)
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death. (v.14)
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (v.15)
In this we have known love, that that One laid down His life on our behalf, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers. (v.16)
But whoever has the livelihood of the world and beholds his brother having need and shuts up his affections from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (v.17)
John is speaking about the Christian brotherhood of those human beings who have been begotten of God in the new birth.
I don't think he is speaking of a "brotherhood of man" so to speak.
That is NOT to say John is saying "Hate everyone ELSE." or "No need to love those not of the brotherhood of faith."
But the brothers in these verses should be brothers because they share the divine life of the Father. Consider this:
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God, and everyone who loves Him who begets, loves him who has been begotten of Him." (1 John 5:1)
A man or woman is BEGOTTEN of God through believing in Jesus Christ. That man or woman loves the Father who has begotten them. That man or woman ALSO loves THOSE who have been BEGOTTEN of that same Divine Father.
Again: Don't jump to the conclusion that I am saying that Christians can not love everyone else not begotten of God.
21 May 19
@dj2becker saidGod loves sinners therefore he gave them a chance by sending Christ as a sacrifice for them. This is how people are saved from their sins, it is through Christ. Some of these people who Christ died for will enter the Kingdom of God, but this is conditional on their conduct. Good works and righteousness is the requirement.
So if God so loved ‘the world’ you interpret ‘the world’ to be only the saints not the sinners?
Sinners therefore who do not repent of their sins and change, are not loved by God. God will destroy sinners at the appointed time.
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21 May 19
3 edits
@Rajk999
Everyone born of God has an eventual eternal destiny in the kingdom of God.
In this sense "kingdom of God" is like the animal kingdom. You get into the animal kingdom by being born an animal.
There is a sense in which being born of God cannot BUT put you into the kingdom OF GOD.
Being born a vegetable put one in the vegetable kingdom.
Being born a human put me in the human kingdom.
Being born of God put me into the kingdom of God.
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21 May 19
In the past Rajk999 and (I think) one of the two JWs (either Galveston or Robbie) have argued that to be born again does not pertain to the church age. The argument is made that only RESURRECTION of some event of the Second Coming of Christ brings about being born again.
However John speaks DURING the church age and says some have BEEN begotten of God.
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God, and everyone who loves Him who begets, loves him who has been begotten of Him." (1 John 5:1)
Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I want to be born of God. Lord Jesus, I receive the new birth to be born again. Father, I receive the Lord Jesus into my heart. Lord Jesus, as a sinner in need of your death and resurrection FOR me, I believe You. Thank You Lord Jesus, I can have a new birth."
21 May 19
@sonship saidSo. Do you know who is born of God? No you dont. Your doctrine is that all who make a profession of faith is born of God and that doctrine is unadulterated nonsensical garbage of the highest order, and it demonstrates your total lack of understanding and proves that you cherry pick a verse or two according to what doctrine you want to promote.
@Rajk999
Everyone born of God has an eventual destiny in the kingdom of God.
In this sense "kingdom of God" is like the animal kingdom. You get into the animal kingdom by being born an animal.
There is a sense in which being born of God cannot BUT put you into the kingdom OF GOD.
Being born a vegetable put one in the vegetable kingdom.
Being born a human put me in the human kingdom.
Being born of God put me into the kingdom of God.
The whole story is here in the same Epistles of John. Those who are born of God have certain characteristics which you ignore conveniently. Here are a couple of them:
- they do not sin
- they follow the commandments of Christ
- they love their neighbor.
- they do good works
- they live righteously.
This is the proof that someone is born of God. Your infantile doctrine that a simple profession of faith means one is born of God is misleading to the gullible ears and annoying to those who know better.