₦airaland Forum

italo:
I see! So you believe your Bible fell from the sky.


I'm not worried about the brainless opinion of someone who believes the Bible fell from the sky.

italo:
So a pagan religion compiled and canonized the Bible? A pagan religion preaches Jesus every second all over the world?

Jesus is Catholic. Kill yourself if it pains you too much.

italo:
Jesus established the Catholic Church in 33AD.

Martin Luther established protestantism 1500 years later.

So, in a sense, Jesus is Catholic.

mavrodi:
My quest for God has taken me far and wide, yet still i feel so empty, so "God empty"
Some one who has truly found God should tell me how to go about finding him!

NoWorries7:
By their fruits we shall know them.
1. Why the god of TB Joshua?
2.Why is he broadcasting his generocity on TV?
when it's written:But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
3.Why did he curse some Zimbabweans?
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Romans:12:14
4.Why is he selling that demonic water?
freely ye received, freely ye give.
5. False prophecy
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy:18:22
6.He's a liar. He denied his prediction on USA election.
I still remember the day that con man, said within two months,there will be nothing like bokoharam.

All your points match the thread title

HsLBroker:
Persecuting Christian is not the right thing to do, at least this of people preacher about been a better person

psucc:
Salvation!

Splinz:
Hello An2elect2, how are you ma'am? Greetings!

Yes, I've seen your honest strives and zeal for the word of God, which is why I want us to reason together as regarding your submissions below:

You are welcome.

For the first half of this statement, I say YES! But for the remaining part of it, I have some reservations to make, as will be seen as we progress.

Yes, and it is also true that there is a righteousness that comes through the Law, i.e, works (Romans 7:12).

Again, there is sanctification through the Law. An example is the Sabbath law that sanctifies those who keep it (Genesis 2:3).

And we are also justified by works of the Law (Romans 2:13).

---

I know you may be wondering what these is all about. Am I trying to prove that salvation can be earn through works? Not at all! Am I trying to prove that faith and works are inseparable? Yes! Here is it:

Salvation simply means “saved from death”
and this saving power has no man except God since “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and as a result, earn the wages of sin which is death (Romans 6:23). In other word, as a sinner, the only way one can possibly pay for his sins is to die eternally, which is just
the opposite of what God is offering the world through His Son—eternal life. By implication, it means that our “legal indebtedness”, which is death, has been cancelled and “nailed” to the cross (Colossians 2:14).

Understand. There is absolutely nothing that one can do to earn his/her salvation except to accept or be given salvation as a GIFT, since what we can only earn and have been earning is death! But how did this gift of God through faith come about, and what are you to do with this gift, or what is expected of you? This lead us to the next part—works.

The Bible says “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3). But is that the end of it? Here's what James has to say: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:21-23). The end of the story.

Lol do you not understand what this faith we are talking about? Do you think this Faith in Christ is an abstract thing? Do you know what we have?

We have Christ in us. What do you think Christ is doing in us when we believe? Idling away? or listing out instructions for us to follow. LOL. CHRIST IS LIVING IN US. CHRIST IS FULFILLING HIS OBEDIENCE IN US.

splintz if at this point you are still trying to obtain righteousness by faith and by works then have you ever thought about a startling fact that you have not experienced this power that I've been talking about from the beginning.

Paul: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 2Corinthians 13:5

If Christ is in you why do you have little faith or no faith at all in him? Why do you think that with Christ inside of you you will still continue in sin as you were before he found you? Examine yourself. If Christ is inside of you you will join me in testifying of his goodness because He will not let you continue in sin. He is stronger than what is stronger than you! You can't defeat sin but Christ can. That's why He has to live IN us. Romans 7!


Back to Abraham and faith and works. It is very clear in all scriptures that Abraham was justified, declared not guilty by faith. His faith was counted as righteousness. Even in James.

Scriptures are to be in harmony right? They can't contradict. From Genesis down to the apostles we are told that Abraham was made righteous by faith and the epistles have these almost on all pages confirming that men are made righteous by faith.

So why is James saying men are justified by faith and works and not faith alone like the other scriptures? Are we dishonest men and women? If not let us face this squarely. No scripture contradicts another but when we come across one that seems to contradict ( because of our misunderstanding) we must interpret contextually.

James started thus in 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect of persons. Apart from stating that the faith of Jesus
does not discriminate against persons, James is bringing to our notice something profound which many ignore which is that the faith we preach is alive and bears fruits. And one of the fruits it does not bear is discrimination. Did you see that?

James is saying if you have the faith of Christ prove it through your works because even the devil believes that there is God. Anybody can claim they have faith but there is only one faith that bears fruits. That is the faith of Jesus, the faith we preach. If you claim to have the faith of Christ and it does not bear fruits/good works in you then your faith is not of Christ but a dead faith.

Can this dead faith save a man? No
Which faith saves? The faith that produces works. If it does not produce works or bears fruits that faith is not alive and cannot save.

vs 14 What does it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and hath no works? can faith save him?

James is saying "in scriptural harmony" that how can a man say he has faith but yet we can't see goodworks or changes in him. It means that man has another faith which cannot save. This faith is a dead one.

vs 17 Even so faith if it hath no works, is dead, being alone.

See this! Remember.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them

UNTO GOOD WORKS. if we don't show good works then our faith is not rooted in Christ but is dead.

Abraham's obedience to offer Isaac upon the altar was the evidence of his faith in God. He wasn't justified by works before God but before men. But he was justified by faith alone before God who searches the hearts unlike men who judge from the outside.
Only God can see faith in us but men need to see our works to confirm our faith.

Works fulfil(show perfectly) faith. This is like saying the bearing of fruits shows seeds beneath the ground we can't see.

vs 21,22,23 Was not Abraham our father justified by works. when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
See 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 inputted unto him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God

Yes! Abraham didn't just believe God and that ends it, no! Abraham's faith was accompanied with works—obedience to God and His Law (Genesis 26:5). No wonder Paul said that “It is not the hearers of the law that are justified but the DOERS!” It is simple. When Abraham was tested by God, he believed what God said through faith and then proceeded to work which was to offer his son.

In the same vein, when someone is called to be a Christian (John 6:44, 65), there are at least three stages that he/she must pass through: 1. Repentance 2. Baptism 3. Receiving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Now talking of repentance, this is serious work! Yes, one must first of all make conscious efforts of rejecting his former ways, and then go on to receive baptism, believing that his sins will be washed away and he/she saved at that very moment. In all of these stages, faith and works are inseparable! One just doesn't believe in Jesus and that ends it, actually, where there is faith, there is of necessity, works to accompany it! (James 2:18).

Finally, as a further proof that salvation is not automatic

and not entirely free (it is free to us but not to God. It cost Him His Son), Paul admonishes us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

And what does God requires from us, for giving us such a precious gift? Ephesians 2:10 answered: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”. And also “...appointed that you should go out and bear fruits...” (John 15:16).

What fruit? One may say the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Of course, correct. But how do you exhibit these fruits, by just preaching it or by practicing it through works?

What about love which is vitally important? How do you practice it?

Again, the Scripture answers: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and His commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3) and “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10).

This is true but it's not saying what you are saying

In conclusion, “You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith” (James 2:18).

PS: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (verse 24 & 17).

The summary of James is Genuine faith produces works while dead faith doesnt.
It's not saying righteousness is by faith plus works

Moneyfem:
Ok, simply, God will forget the wickedness of the wicked once he repents? Does that mean God will not allow any physical repercussion to come on such a wicked man that is now born again?