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Post by Nicodemus on Apr 2, 2004 21:45:21 GMT -5
The Following may help
Religion "Salvation is something I must do. I must somehow earn or gain salvation by the way I live."
Christanity "Salvation is something only God can do. Salvation is of the LORD!" (Eph. 2:8-9; Jonah 2:9).
Religion is summed up in one word: DO--man trying to DO different things to please God and earn His favor.
Christanity Christianity is summed up in one word: DONE--Christ dying on the cross to save sinful man (John 19:30).
Religion The religious man is busy "working" (doing good works) in order to be saved.
Chriatanity The saved person is "not working" (Rom. 4:5) but is RESTING upon the finished work of Another.
Religion TRYING
Christanity TRUSTING (Acts 16:31)
religion A Work to Do which is never done (How can anyone work well enough and hard enough to earn salvation?)
Christanity A Word to Believe (1 Pet. 1:25) about a Work that is Done (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
Religion Man hoping to save himself
Christanity God saving hopeless man (1 Tim. 1:15)
RELIGION is man trying to BRING HIMSELF TO GOD (by human effort, good works, ritualism, traditionalism, sacraments, etc.).
Christanity CHRISTIANITY is Christ BRINGING US TO GOD on the basis of what He did for us on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).
Religion is man trusting his own good works (Titus 3:5).
Christanity Salvation is man trusting the good work which the Lord Jesus did on the cross (Rom. 3:22-26).
Religion A religious ritual
Christanity A real relationship (John 17:3)
Religion Following rules
Christanity Enjoying life (Jn. 6:47; 10:10).
Religion "I must reform my life and turn over a new leaf"
Christanity "I must be born again" (John 3:7).
Religion Doing Something
Christanity Knowing Someone (John 17:3)
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Post by masarap on Apr 2, 2004 21:59:32 GMT -5
Hey NIc, very good, Mabuti!! There is a BIG difference between "do" and "DONE"!!! Maganda Gibii!! Masarap
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Post by Nicodemus on Apr 2, 2004 22:06:07 GMT -5
Salamat po!
A young man once asked Harry Ironsides, "What must I do to be saved?" Ironside answered, "Not a thing! It's too late!" At this the young man began to walk away, totally dejected and defeated. He got into his car and started to drive away.
Ironside came up to the car and told him, "The reason that you are too late, son, is because Jesus has already done it! And His words, 'It is finished!' are the testimony to that fact. There is nothing left for you to do, because Jesus has done it all!"
And yet people refuse to come to Him that they might have eternal life.
sigh!
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Post by genesda on Apr 5, 2004 6:10:42 GMT -5
Salamat po! A young man once asked Harry Ironsides, "What must I do to be saved?" Ironside answered, "Not a thing! It's too late!" At this the young man began to walk away, totally dejected and defeated. He got into his car and started to drive away. Ironside came up to the car and told him, "The reason that you are too late, son, is because Jesus has already done it! And His words, 'It is finished!' are the testimony to that fact. There is nothing left for you to do, because Jesus has done it all!" And yet people refuse to come to Him that they might have eternal life. sigh! Ironside also wrote many books on the "rapture" which he admitted were "full of holes" too. While there is no act that a man can perform to gain salvation, one must ask God for that forgivness and then follow Jesus' example. If not, what distinguishes the saved from the lost? There will be billions who will be lost. Everyone will not see heaven, even though Jesus died for all mankind.
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Post by genesda on Apr 5, 2004 6:18:04 GMT -5
If you are limiting the word "justification" to forgiveness only, then you have a problem with other verses. "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that be works a man is justified, and not by faith only." By the act of being willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac, was Abraham "forgiven" in this context - or was the faith (and forgiveness) that he already had perfected? You see, justification cannot ONLY mean forgiveness - if at all. Abraham showed his faith(belief) by offering Isaac(works). This verse explains how works are connected to faith and faith alone is not what God expects. As James sstated, "faith without works is dead faith".
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Post by genesda on Apr 5, 2004 6:29:55 GMT -5
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:28-39). JUSTIFICATION! It is a big word, and very often people miss its meaning. What is it to be justified? It is to be cleared of all blame, to be freed from every charge. It is the sentence of the court in favor of the prisoner. The prisoner stands there, charged with certain things; the evidence is all heard, and the jury brings in a verdict of "Not guilty." The man is justified. You've lost sight of what brings justification. "Belief" is the result of those who acceot the preaching of forgivness which brings justification. To believe is a two part word. 1. it is the mental acceptance of an idea. 2. acting on that idea To accept the idea (forgivness) and act (repent) on that idea brings justification/forgivness. Just hearing that Jesus died for my sins doesn't give me forgivness if I don't repent and ask God to forgive me.
[/color] Notice a most remarkable thing in these two verses. We have two things here which God does for the believing sinner that no man could do for anyone else. You could not both forgive a man and justify him at the same time. If you forgive him, he cannot be justified. He must be guilty, and therefore there is something to forgive. On the other hand, if you justify him, then you do not need to forgive him. Suppose, for instance, one had been charged with a certain crime, and after everything had been heard, the jury says, "Not guilty," and the judge pronounces him free. As that man comes out of the courtroom, a friend says to him, "It was kind of the judge to forgive you, wasn't it?" The man replies, "He did not forgive me; I did not require his forgiveness. I was justified; I was proven not guilty and did not need to be forgiven."The only reason you're not guilty is because someone paid for your crime for you. This is not automatic. There is a trial and you must be examined. If Jesus says "I never knew you", YOU will be found guilty and have to pay for your own crime.
So, you cannot be "justified" if Jesus doesn't know you. How does Jesus know if you are His? All mankind has salvation available to him, but why will so many be lost? What is the difference between the saved and the lost?
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