RELIGION

[HoundedbyHeaven]

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If you read the whole chapter, it speaks of the Apostles and certain christians' standing in the church, and about stewardship. It spoke of judging the motives and the rewards each one will get when the appointed time comes. Nowhere does it speaks about salvation. The previous chapter, in verse 13-15 , "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. " He's talking about believers here, coz unbelievers are already condemned (John 3:17). Loss of reward, not salvation lost.

Thanks for conveniently leaving out 1st Cor 3:17, pal:

1Co 3:17 But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.

Wonder how salvation remains the moment God destroys somebody?

Also, don't you find it strange that believers who lose their reward shall be saved but yet so as by fire?

Now again, that whole chapter spoke about the rights of the apostle. The preceding verses spoke about the race to get a reward, a crown that will last forever. Nowhere is salvation mentioned here. Believers have to fight the good fight, never giving up, for there is a reward waiting in heaven. Did Paul had any doubts of his salvation when he said in Romans 10: 9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

St. Paul used the analogy of the race wherein every single one of the contestants indeed run, and you are correct to point out the necessity of believers "to fight the good fight, never giving up, for there is a reward waiting in heaven[sic]".

However, your adherence to the doctrine of Sola Fide blinds you from St. Paul's reference to salvation. In the context of Sola Fide, you believe that all believers represented by the contestants of the race are already certain of salvation; they merely "run to receive the reward waiting in heaven." You actually imply that even if they don't "run", they will eventually be saved anyway, although without "reward". Saved but unrewarded, right (the so-called brownie points in heaven)? But then, you failed to notice the phrase "...but one receiveth the prize..." in 1 Cor 9:24. Why does St. Paul mention this? Is it not to remind us that there is truly a winner and then there are sadly losers in a race?

The "incorruptible crown" is the reward of eternal life. Eternal life is salvation itself. We "run" the "race" that we "may obtain" such an "incorruptible crown"-- that is obtain salvation, obtain the reward of eternal life. But is there only one "incorruptible crown"? Is it only to the "fastest runner"? Are we all doomed to damnation once this "crown" is received by such a "runner"? Heavens, no! That is why St. Paul ended the analogy of the race with "I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air." in 1 Co 9:26. We know that the Lord Jesus will give to each of us an "incorruptible crown"; we all can receive individual "incorruptible crowns". But only if we chastise our bodies and bring these into subjection else we become castaways as in 1 Cor 9:27 for indeed "...every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things..." as in 1 Cor 9:25.

In the end, with all the posts here of the well-informed defender of the Catholic Faith, Mr. Dacs is not sure of his salvation himself. He uses verses to support supposedly claims that the apostles themselves are not sure of their own salvation. Take note of these promises:

John 14: 1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4.You know the way to the place where I am going. 5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

In John 5:24 ""I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. "

In 1 john 5:13 The apostle John says "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
He is writing to the believers who are still alive, assuring them that they already have eternal life. This is not a presumption, this is faith.

Eternity matters! What is religion when such is not even an assurance of salvation? What is knowledge when after all the things you know, you know not where you are going for eternity? Are you good enough to enter heaven?

May your study in the scripture lead you to the saving faith in Jesus Christ. God bless!

Count St. Paul and me and (hopefully all) the Catholics in history in the number of people who are not absolutely certain of their salvation. Absolutely certainty belongs to God alone, for only He can possessed such. To claim such certainty is to claim to be God (sounds like idolatry to me).

Nice selection of proof texts you listed above for the erroneous doctrine of Sola Fide. Too bad these are out of context. We don't let Scripture clash with Scripture when we study the Bible.

Pax. May your study in Scripture lead you to the one, true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ-- outside of which (and not outside of membership of which), there is no salvation.

[s.n.m.p.]

ok..religion cant save us..for me its the personal relationship wid God..If u know the answer the BIBLE is the best sourde coz its the word of God..and as HE said everything will fade but His word will still remain..

sometimes ma luoy sad ko sa mga people na grbe ang faith and devotion por wrong God ilang gi ampo an..like sa mga hindi..buddist and muslim..daghan ga ingon na bahala ug bisan unsa ang religion Ginoo preha ra man ang Ginoo..well i dont think so....

bout sa tradition..naa ubang religion sector na ga base sa old testament...

for some thoughts lng...
Â* Ur father own Microsoft Company so kinda big Â*establishement...so u want to tak 2 ur father..u still need to book for appointment or hapit sa secretary just to tak to ur father?


to words..response or react...asa man ka ana..

hope we cud share some tuts lng gud..wla argumentation...

my point is..if u consider urself as a son of God nganong mo liko pa man ka direct na lng..dba?

Ngano , man diay ug mohapit ko ug lain, GIDILI diay na. Kamo ra man mga protestante himo himo ana doktrina. Sala diay na kung di ko modiretso?

Sala diay na magpatabang ka ug ampo sa mga nahilangit na? Kung sundon nato imo rasun then di na diay ta pwede ask sa ato friends to pray for us kay anyway pwede ra man ka mag ampo para sa imong kaugalingon?

The more the merrier di ba? The more nga naay mag pray dito sa langit for you, the better. Mabaw man gud ang pagsabot sa mga protestante about sa mga santos. They think they are rivals of God. They are just servants of God and asking their intercession is not praying another God but asking God to be closer to us.

Usahay sa pagka literal nila mo interpret sa Bible, mahulog sa illogical ang ilang (borna again) mga teachings.

[Von!-x]

Pax. May your study in Scripture lead you to the one, true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ-- outside of which (and not outside of membership of which), there is no salvation.

Isn't it ironic that you claimed this yet cannot be sure of your own salvation? You even included Paul in your very own uncertainty of eternal life.

Can't you claim John 3:16 as it is? Cant' you claim eternal life as a free gift as stated in the Bible? Murag gilisod lisod ra gyud.

Anyway, with all the dogmas and church doctrines, it cannot change what is written in the scriptures. Sola Scriptura. Sola Fide.

Peace!

[Obese Bo Ricardo]

Dacs, you affirmed what I said it is 100% certain that Christ was speaking in Aramaic, Kepha if that is how it spelled means "rock" and "stone" in the said language unlike in Greek where Petros is stone and Petra is Rock.

But you seem to ignore the Scriptures that State Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2: 20 ) and The Rock (1 Cor. 10: 4, Deut. 32: 4, 15 ) and the obvious context of Matt. 16: 18 with respect to 1 Pet. 2: 4 - 8.

It is never stated that Peter had vicarious authority although he was to be the first elder of the earliest Christian flock. He had the most active minisitry of you read in Acts 2 but in no way affirms that he was a vicar of Christ or had he any primacy over any of the other apostles. In fact he refers to himself as a fellow elder 1 Pet. 5: 1 (NIV, NAB)

Now that I've stated Christ's role as the capstone and foundation of all us branches - we who believe (Jn 15: 5) if you understand

Matt. 16: 18
1 Pet. 2: 4-8
Eph. 2: 18 - 22

put together you will understand the distortions that the RCC expediently creates with Matt. 16: 18


Yes Rev. 22: 18 did close the Canon. God decided the Canon and with His Holy Spirit put the ta Biblia that believers now accept as the Old and New Testament - Matt. 24: 15, Isaiah 34: 16

Early Christian witnesses? The apostles certainly didn't accept the veneration of images Acts 17: 29 one of the teachings of the Divine Mercy. (Jn 4: 24) again, one of the irreconcilable differences in the Gospel being preached by just one of the apparitions of impostors upholding the system of Rome. Gal. 1: 8

You need to nurture one with the Scriptures and Christ's teachings personally so I'm not sure how devastating my incoherence in structuring my posts can be. I apologize. But you, Von-X! among others who are paying attention get what I'm trying to communicate anyway. Apologizing for any headaches that might have been caused.

[jay_007]

Ngano , man diay ug mohapit ko ug lain, GIDILI diay na. Kamo ra man mga protestante himo himo ana doktrina. Sala diay na kung di ko modiretso?

Sala diay na magpatabang ka ug ampo sa mga nahilangit na? Kung sundon nato imo rasun then di na diay ta pwede ask sa ato friends to pray for us kay anyway pwede ra man ka mag ampo para sa imong kaugalingon?

The more the merrier di ba? The more nga naay mag pray dito sa langit for you, the better. Mabaw man gud ang pagsabot sa mga protestante about sa mga santos. They think they are rivals of God. They are just servants of God and asking their intercession is not praying another God but asking God to be closer to us.

Usahay sa pagka literal nila mo interpret sa Bible, mahulog sa illogical ang ilang (borna again) mga teachings.
naunsa ka ,man bro nga ang protestante man imng ig-on ana... kaw bro how do you believe the words in the bible? how do you pray to God? how sincere you pray to God?

[jay_007]

Dacs, you affirmed what I said it is 100% certain that Christ was speaking in Aramaic, Kepha if that is how it spelled means "rock" and "stone" in the said language unlike in Greek where Petros is stone and Petra is Rock.

But you seem to ignore the Scriptures that State Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2: 20 ) and The Rock (1 Cor. 10: 4, Deut. 32: 4, 15 ) and the obvious context of Matt. 16: 18 with respect to 1 Pet. 2: 4 - 8.

It is never stated that Peter had vicarious authority although he was to be the first elder of the earliest Christian flock. He had the most active minisitry of you read in Acts 2 but in no way affirms that he was a vicar of Christ or had he any primacy over any of the other apostles. In fact he refers to himself as a fellow elder 1 Pet. 5: 1 (NIV, NAB)

Now that I've stated Christ's role as the capstone and foundation of all us branches - we who believe (Jn 15: 5) if you understand

Matt. 16: 18
1 Pet. 2: 4-8
Eph. 2: 18 - 22

put together you will understand the distortions that the RCC expediently creates with Matt. 16: 18


Yes Rev. 22: 18 did close the Canon. God decided the Canon and with His Holy Spirit put the ta Biblia that believers now accept as the Old and New Testament - Matt. 24: 15, Isaiah 34: 16

Early Christian witnesses? The apostles certainly didn't accept the veneration of images Acts 17: 29 one of the teachings of the Divine Mercy. (Jn 4: 24) again, one of the irreconcilable differences in the Gospel being preached by just one of the apparitions of impostors upholding the system of Rome. Gal. 1: 8

You need to nurture one with the Scriptures and Christ's teachings personally so I'm not sure how devastating my incoherence in structuring my posts can be. I apologize. But you, Von-X! among others who are paying attention get what I'm trying to communicate anyway. Apologizing for any headaches that might have been caused.

bro... pastor ka? hehehehehe

[Obese Bo Ricardo]

Ngano , man diay ug mohapit ko ug lain, GIDILI diay na. Kamo ra man mga protestante himo himo ana doktrina. Sala diay na kung di ko modiretso?

Sala diay na magpatabang ka ug ampo sa mga nahilangit na? Kung sundon nato imo rasun then di na diay ta pwede ask sa ato friends to pray for us kay anyway pwede ra man ka mag ampo para sa imong kaugalingon?

The more the merrier di ba? The more nga naay mag pray dito sa langit for you, the better. Mabaw man gud ang pagsabot sa mga protestante about sa mga santos. They think they are rivals of God. They are just servants of God and asking their intercession is not praying another God but asking God to be closer to us.

Usahay sa pagka literal nila mo interpret sa Bible, mahulog sa illogical ang ilang (borna again) mga teachings.

Quote
naunsa ka ,man bro nga ang protestante man imng ig-on ana... kaw bro how do you believe the words in the bible? how do you pray to God? how sincere you pray to God?

The dead know nothing. They cannot answer prayer. - Eccl. 9: 5 -6 but they are ressurected in the last day. - 1 Thes. 4: 13-17

As for the miracles and apparitions or ghostly occurences that affirm the rather unorthodox doctrine of sainthood? Check 2 Thes. 2: 9 - 12 emphasis on 2 Thes. 2: 11.

But for Christians gladly 2 Thes. 2: 13

Jay, isigkamagtotoo ko pareha nimo. Adonay diperensya ang akong pagtoo sa mga doctrina diri og doctrina diha. Pero basically, isigkamagtotoo ra ko. Di man kaha ka aetheista, bro? hehehe.

[jay_007]

dli oy... sweto lagi ka sa bible gud... naka skwela ka sa pagka pari bro? bwahahaha

[Meganda]

Ngano , man diay ug mohapit ko ug lain, GIDILI diay na. Â*Kamo ra man mga protestante himo himo ana doktrina. Sala diay na kung di ko modiretso?

Sala diay na magpatabang ka ug ampo sa mga nahilangit na? Â*Kung sundon nato imo rasun then di na diay ta pwede ask sa ato friends to pray for us kay anyway pwede ra man ka mag ampo para sa imong kaugalingon?

The more the merrier di ba? Â*The more nga naay mag pray dito sa langit for you, the better. Â*Mabaw man gud ang pagsabot sa mga protestante about sa mga santos. Â*They think they are rivals of God. Â*They are just servants of God and asking their intercession is not praying another God but asking God to be closer to us.

Usahay sa pagka literal nila mo interpret sa Bible, mahulog sa illogical ang ilang (borna again) Â*mga teachings.


__________#########

yah..it is indeed wrong..coz if u know the essence of God..one of that is God is a jealous God...and makatawa ko kung magpatabang ka ug ampo na mahilangit?sorry... no body can help u wid dat..it wudnt be answered jud..strong jud akong pag tuo o na dili ma answer know why..it wud matter wid the heart man gud..and ur faith..bisan mag dagkut pa ka ug candle everyday..it wudnt change...its ur faith and Â*ur relationship wid God...

and bout sa imong giingon na doctirina sa protestante..sorryy im not a protestant ...actually wla koi religion...kidding..and hope na kung magused mo ug scriptures na ika support pls..check if na correct sad ang Â*significant Â*from old to new testament..

Matt 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, Why
do we and the Pharisees fast much, but Your disciples do not
fast? (15) And Jesus said to them, The sons of the
bridechamber cannot mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with
them, can they?
John the Baptist dropped the old religion and began his
ministry in the wilderness outside of religion. However, after
a short time, his disciples formed a new religion to frustrate
men from enjoying Christ, just as the Pharisees in the old
religion did. John the Baptist's ministry was to introduce men
to Christ that Christ might become their Redeemer, their life,
and their all. However, some of his disciples drifted away
from his goal, Christ, to some of John's practices and turned
those practices into a religion. To be religious means to do
something for God without Christ. To do anything without the
presence of Christ, even though it is scriptural and
fundamental, is religious. Both the disciples of John, the
new-timers of religion, and the Pharisees, the old-timers of
religion, fasted much, yet without Christ. They did not own
Christ as the Bridegroom, but made fasting a matter of
religion. Meanwhile, they condemned the disciples of Christ
who did not fast, but had Christ with them and lived in His
presence.

To have a religion is to worship God, to serve God, and to do
certain things to please God, yet without Christ. A religion
is anything you do for God without the Spirit, without Christ.
The Pharisees did a great many things for God, but Christ was
not in them. They did many things to serve God, but they did
them without the Spirit. Now the disciples of John the Baptist
were fasting without Christ, without the Spirit. Nevertheless,
this fasting was for God. Hence, they formed another religion.

[Meganda]

This devotional is found in 1 John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God�
_________________________

Can Christians lose their salvation? Now that’s an important question. Can I be sure that I’m really saved? Most Christians have probably had moments of doubt about their salvation. After all, we have all entertained thoughts and have committed acts that we knew were displeasing to God. We’ve all experienced that sense of remorse and sometimes questioned the reality of our salvation afterwards. Backsliding can no doubt cause such feelings to arise, and should hopefully move us to repentance (1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness�).

Assurance one is saved by faith in Christ is essential to their personal walk, service, and growth in Christ. This assurance is a matter of personal experience, relates to personal confidence, and depends upon the understanding that:

(1) When it comes to the issue of eternal security, the Bible makes it absolutely clear that those who have been saved will never be lost. Jesus emphatically pointed this out in the Gospel of John when, in reference to believers Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand� - John 10:28-29. In this passage, Christ explicitly declared that no one who has received eternal life would never lose it. Thus, the completeness of our salvation is provided for in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, in such passages as * 2 Corinthians 1:22, and
* Ephesians 1:13, the apostle Paul indicated that the Holy Spirit acts as the very seal of God’s ownership of the believer; He serves as the guarantee of our inheritance to come – namely, eternal life *(John 5:24; 1 John 5:13). In describing our inheritance, the apostle Peter used some very powerful words – words like “imperishable,� “undefiled,� and “unfading� * 1 Peter 1:5). With these words, He underscored the everlasting assurance believers have with respect to God’s gift of salvation.

* 2 Corinthians 1:22, “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts�

* Ephesians 1:13, “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�

* John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I saw unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life�

* 1 Peter 1:5, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time�

(2) The confirming testimony of our personal experience. Our testimony of a new life in Christ is confirmed by a knowledge God is our Heavenly Father. Prayer that leads to assurance. Our ability to understand Scripture. A sense of the sinfulness of sin. A new love is realized for the unsaved. A new love is experienced for the saved. The manifestation of Christ’s “Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance�, which represents a flood tide of reality on the plane of the limitless character of God. These combined experiences of the believer’s life bring a consciousness of salvation through faith in Christ.

(3) Acceptance by faith of the Biblical promises of salvation. Confidence the Bible is true and its promises of salvation will be fulfilled is essential to assurance of salvation. 1 John 5:13 assures us that assurance is given to every believer, carnal and spiritual alike, that they may know they have eternal life. This assurance is made to rest, not on a changeable experience, but upon those things written in the unchangeable Word of God *(Psalm 119:89,160;* Matthew 5:18; 24:35; * 1 Peter 1:23, 25).

* Psalm 119:89,160, “Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever�

* Matthew 5:18; 24:35, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away�

* 1 Peter 1:23, 25, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you�

We need to have a clear understanding of what was accomplished by Christ in His death at Calvary. Salvation is not a work of man for God, but a work of God for man and depends completely upon divine grace without respect to human merit. Understanding that Christ died for us and provided a complete salvation, which is offered to anyone who sincerely believes in Christ, can have assurance of his or her salvation. We must understand salvation is a gift, and cannot be earned or obtained by human effort. It cannot be deserved, and is available as a gift from God to all who believe on Christ (John 10:2, * Romans 6:23). It is from Christ *(John 14:6), and is Christ indwelling the believer in the sense that eternal life is inseparable from Him (Colossians 1:27; * 1 John 5:11, 12). Therefore, it is as eternal as He is eternal. Thurs, the proper basis for assurance of salvation is provided, and the question resolves itself into the issue of whether one has really trusted in Christ.

* Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord�

* John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me�

* 1 John 5:11, 12, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life�

Doubting whether one has really committed to faith in Christ and the promises of God is very destructive to the believer, and doubting the faithfulness of God is fatal to any true experience of assurance. Some lack assurance of their own salvation because they are not sure God has actually received them and saved them. Looking for a change in their feelings rather than looking to the faithfulness of Christ usually causes this state of mind. Feelings and experiences have their place; however, the final evidence of personal salvation, which is unchanged by these, is the truthfulness of God. What He has said, He will do, and it is not pious or commendable for a person to distrust their salvation after having definitely cast himself or herself upon Christ.

Our assurance depends upon understanding the nature of God’s complete salvation for those who have put their trust in Christ. It is most essential that a person realize that assurance of salvation depends upon the certainty of the promises of God and the certainty that the individual has committed by faith to Jesus Christ in keeping with these promises. One who had made this commitment can rely upon the faithfulness of God, who cannot lie to keep His promises, and to save the believer by divine power and grace. I will conclude with the following article entitled:
_________________________

- Fixed Destiny -

1 Peter 1:3-4, “God . . . has begotten us . . . to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled . . . , reserved in heaven for you�

A number of years ago, Jim Kaat, a star pitcher for the Minnesota Twins baseball team, was asked by a sportswriter what it meant to be a Christian and a professional athlete. Kaat answered by relating an experience that had taken place on the pitcher's mound a couple of weeks earlier. It was at the end of a crucial game—a game the Twins needed to win if they were to have a chance at the league championship. Kaat needed to get only one more batter out and the Twins would win the game. He said that as he prepared to throw the ball the thought went through his mind, I am sure glad my destiny is not riding on this next pitch!

As Christians, we have a similar assurance. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are born again into the forever family of God, were we are given an eternal inheritances that can never fade away, which is reserved for us in heaven. Furthermore, Peter assured us that we are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5). God will guard our souls to the end. Therefore, we may live freely as children of God, having a bold confidence rooted in the character and word of our heavenly Father. Our destiny is not riding on the next "pitch" we make. Through faith, it is forever fixed in heaven. Our salvation is secure because God does the holding.



.....lisa pa...remind lng sad di ay ko...sa scene ni Jesus wer gi temp sya ni satan using His own scriputres..na moambak kadtong naa sya sa mountain...same thing wid falling into wrong doctrine and religion...