The Love of God

Originally posted by @rajk999
Jesus will know the answer to these things.
Im just posting what Jesus and the Apostles said.

What I can tell you is that charitable works done for show for personal gain or as you say for appearances, are not good works according to Christ. But Im not surprised, you scarcely know what Jesus preached at all.

Yet in your OP you said:

All people who practice this charitable love, will enter the Kingdom of God.

If you actually know what Jesus and the apostles said you wouldn’t say that. Or you are just ignoring everything else they said. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for being charitable. But charity alone is not enough.

Originally posted by @dj2becker
Yet in your OP you said:

All people who practice this charitable love, will enter the Kingdom of God.

If you actually know what Jesus and the apostles said you wouldn’t say that. Or you are just ignoring everything else they said. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for being charitable. But charity alone is not enough.

You must be the biggest dunce on the planet.

What the man did in your scenario is NOT CHARITABLE WORKS

The man did works of a selfish nature.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Sadly, the salvation you espouse relies far too much on the efforts of man... that "far too much" is meant to mean: anything at all... in order for it to be truly of God.
It's His plan, and His plan is perfect.
It doesn't rely one iota on any effort, any possible strain toward effort on behalf of man.
His plan called for His work.
That work included t ...[text shortened]... her.

Your cart before the horse will transport you nowhere near where you clearly wish to go.

As usual you post opinions, and you habitually refuse to quote the Bible
Tell me what the Bible says and then we can have something to talk about.

All that mumbo jumbo about the efforts of man is nowhere in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Tell me what YOU think of the Christ.

Originally posted by @rajk999
As usual you post opinions, and you habitually refuse to quote the Bible
Tell me what the Bible says and then we can have something to talk about.

All that mumbo jumbo about the efforts of man is nowhere in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Tell me what YOU think of the Christ.

The work of man has no place in the plan of God... just as you generalize the nature of the situation sans a quote, you repeat what I have said.
Does that count as a quote?

The gospel you push, insist, demand and berate others with demands the effort of man for effectiveness.
"Faith alone in Christ alone" is as foreign to your thinking as the original languages are to your speech: neither registers meaning for you.

The Christ I worship, the Christ I love had the foresight to ensure I could have no part whatsoever in my own salvation, save at the most base of levels: thought.
He doesn't need nor does He allow any variation from the recipe, no possibility of improvisation required for success.
In fact, adding to the work He has done represents an utter failure to understand what the offer is, and it signals a potential continued path of blind arrogance.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
The work of man has no place in the plan of God... just as you generalize the nature of the situation sans a quote, you repeat what I have said.
Does that count as a quote?

The gospel you push, insist, demand and berate others with demands the effort of man for effectiveness.
"Faith alone in Christ alone" is as foreign to your thinking as the ...[text shortened]... e to understand what the offer is, and it signals a potential continued path of blind arrogance.

References please. Thanks for your opinion
I started the thread with reference, not an opinion
Let me know if you need more references

In fact like so many other times when I challenge you, you disappear.

I bet not one single sentence of your post can be supported with a bible reference.

Go ahead .. post a reference.

Originally posted by @rajk999
References please. Thanks for your opinion
I started the thread with reference, not an opinion
Let me know if you need more references

In fact like so many other times when I challenge you, you disappear.

I bet not one single sentence of your post can be supported with a bible reference.

Go ahead .. post a reference.

Your mischaracterizations notwithstanding, whether I'm here or not, the truth troubles you so much, you resort to personal attacks and invective instead of love.
How can the love of Christ be in anyone who overflows with anger?

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Your mischaracterizations notwithstanding, whether I'm here or not, the truth troubles you so much, you resort to personal attacks and invective instead of love.
How can the love of Christ be in anyone who overflows with anger?

Christ was angry with false teachers.
So were all of the Apostles
In fact so is God.
The WRATH OF GOD will come on mouth worshipers and false preachers.

Since you have not been able to produce one single solitary reference for all your opinions then clearly your doctrine is not in the bible.

So beware.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Christ was angry with false teachers.
So were all of the Apostles
In fact so is God.
The WRATH OF GOD will come on mouth worshipers and false preachers.

Since you have not been able to produce one single solitary reference for all your opinions then clearly your doctrine is not in the bible.

So beware.

Why the focus on damnation?
How does the question of whether it lasts a split second or for eternity so captivate your thinking as to act in the unseemly manner you do?

You want a Bible verse?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Why the focus on damnation?
How does the question of whether it lasts a split second or for eternity so captivate your thinking as to act in the unseemly manner you do?

You want a Bible verse?

[b]For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

[/b]

He will ask you for a quote from the Bible, when you give it he will say that's not what Jesus said. Watch. When you ask him if he believes all of the Bible or only the parts that he likes he normally responds with insults. Maybe this time will be different.

Originally posted by @eladar
Funny how you think that if you render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's you are carrying out your responsibility to help the poor.

You really are a misguided individual.

Paying taxes, killing unborn humans and sexual immorality...this is your definition of a christian.

Sadly deluded, you are.

No, I don't expect that Christians can just 'throw money' at social problems and call that 'good works'.

I expect them to go out and put their beliefs on the line and actually DO something. 'Money' is not 'works'. For something to be a 'work', you actually have to DO something. So shut up and go DO something for your community today, instead of sitting back in your leather chair pontificating.

But as I said, sadly, expecting them to do it and them actually doing it are two very different things. This is WHY "narrow is the way which leadeth unto life".

Originally posted by @dj2becker
What about someone who runs a prostitution ring or deals drugs, but is also charitable in order to put up appearances and soothe their conscience? Will they enter the Kingdom of God?

Are you purposefully being stupid?

As a Christian, you, more than anyone, should know that God sees into one's heart. You canNOT scam God.

Originally posted by @suzianne
Are you purposefully being stupid?

As a Christian, you, more than anyone, should know that God sees into one's heart. You canNOT scam God.

Absolutely. No it was a serious question because Raj said "All people who practice this charitable love, will enter the Kingdom of God. " It was simply to check whether he believed all people who are charitable will enter the Kingdom of God regardless of what else they do.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Sadly, the salvation you espouse relies far too much on the efforts of man... that "far too much" is meant to mean: anything at all... in order for it to be truly of God.
It's His plan, and His plan is perfect.
It doesn't rely one iota on any effort, any possible strain toward effort on behalf of man.
His plan called for His work.
That work included t ...[text shortened]... her.

Your cart before the horse will transport you nowhere near where you clearly wish to go.

And what is wrong with YOU?

Yes, Christians obtain salvation only by the grace of God. In much the same way, motivation to go out and help people, i.e. 'good works', is obtained through the Holy Spirit.

Works do not bring salvation, they are an outward sign of salvation. Faith -> Repentance -> Grace -> Salvation -> indwelling of the HS -> Charity -> Works.

One END of the chain, not the beginning.

This (your argument) is just another way for otherwise decent Christians to shirk their responsibility to their fellow man.

Originally posted by @suzianne
And what is wrong with YOU?

Yes, Christians obtain salvation only by the grace of God. In much the same way, motivation to go out and help people, i.e. 'good works', is obtained through the Holy Spirit.

Works do not bring salvation, they are an outward sign of salvation. Faith -> Repentance -> Grace -> Salvation -> indwelling of the HS -> Charity - ...[text shortened]... t another way for otherwise decent Christians to shirk their responsibility to their fellow man.

That is exactly why I asked Rajk the question. Lots of people do charitable works but they are simply doing what is at the end of the chain rather than going through the whole process. Charitable works alone do not save us.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
The work of man has no place in the plan of God... just as you generalize the nature of the situation sans a quote, you repeat what I have said.
Does that count as a quote?

The gospel you push, insist, demand and berate others with demands the effort of man for effectiveness.
"Faith alone in Christ alone" is as foreign to your thinking as the ...[text shortened]... e to understand what the offer is, and it signals a potential continued path of blind arrogance.

Can you sit back and regard the suffering of man with some kind of self-satisfied smugness that "at least it's not me"?

If you can do this, is even your love for God real, or are you just kidding yourself?

Hint: God knows.

This is WHY we are told that Love for God is first, but a close second is Love for your neighbor. Christ commands us to have BOTH.