I John 5:11-13

[NotWorthy]

All I can say is I believe in Jesus and I live my life with Jesus always on my mind. I always ask the question “what would Jesus do in many things that comes up in my life”. I have my ministy (I give out little Bibles), which I think is what Jesus said to do, spread the Gospel… I try to be obediant to the Word of God and when I really knew in my heart I was sold out to Jesus and made Him the Lord of my life, my whole life changed…I became a new creature in Christ, then I knew I was ready for baptism and I did get Baptized. That was a few years ago, and I am still wanting to keep on reading the Word and obeying it. I do believe I am going to Heaven because Jesus shed His Blood so that I can have that assurance. He said it is finished and I believe Him. Sorry if you think I’m wrong.
Love in Christ Jesus,
tomjoans(Joan)

Can I ask you something? What if you are wrong? What if this “only me and Jesus” attitude is wrong?

I mean, what if Jesus really did build a Church? And when Paul preaches obedience of Faith, he is talking about obedience to all of Jesus’ teachings, including those regarding His Church. That is certainly the way that the vast majority of Christians thought that Jesus meant - from the 1st century all the way to shortly after the Reformation. 1500 years is a long absence for a “me and Jesus” Faith to suddenly pop up.

 

[Nathan_Wagar]

“Hi Nathan
I know you must be born of water (flesh) and the Spirit (Spirit). That’s why when we’re born of the Spirit the scales are lifted from our eyes.
If you went before a Judge and someone paid the price for you to go free, would you have to pay the price again or would it be paid for and you would be free. Well, Jesus paid the price for our sins and we either believe it or reject it. He said it is finished, once and for all.
He is our Ticket to Heaven.
Love in Christ Jesus,
tomjoans(Joan)”

Tom, we could get into a lengthy debate about what exactly Jesus meant by “it is finished.”

Jesus is not a heaven ticket, however. Salvation is from sin, heaven is merely the end destination (not even that, we await a new heaven and a new earth in a resurrected body). Half of the book of Hebrews talks abiout the ability to fall away from the faith. Jesus talks about falling away from the faith. Eternal assurance is a myth started by Luther and poor Scripture scholarship to justify his complex about his own sinfulness.

Stop thinking of God as a judge, and look at him as a father. You can turn your back on your father, you can forsake your inheritance. It’s not a one time deal where you are “declared” righteous. That’s what Luther believed, that we are completely, utterly corrupt, in a constant state of sin, and that we remain corrupt, but are declared righteous.

Tom, this is not true. God infuses us with grace through baptism. He actually makes us clean. The Bible says the Church is the pillar of the truth. Not churches, CHURCH. The Catholic Church is God’s family. Come home.

 

[bubbaman]

Can I ask you something? What if you are wrong? What if this “only me and Jesus” attitude is wrong?

I mean, what if Jesus really did build a Church? And when Paul preaches obedience of Faith, he is talking about obedience to all of Jesus’ teachings, including those regarding His Church. That is certainly the way that the vast majority of Christians thought that Jesus meant - from the 1st century all the way to shortly after the Reformation. 1500 years is a long absence for a “me and Jesus” Faith to suddenly pop up.

Hello NotWorthy,

I’m glad you said it!
I would like only to add to it by stating,
Mathew 16: 15-19 - But who do you say I am? Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I build My Church, and the gates of the neatherworld shall not prevail against it. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loose in Heaven.
Is. 29: 13 The Lord said: Since this people draws near with words only and honors me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from me, and their reverence for Me has become routine observance of the precepts of men
Mathew 7: 13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those that enter through it are many.
Mathew 7: 15 Beware of false prophets who comes to you in sheep’s clothing but underneath are ravenous wolves.
Mathew 7: 21 Not everyone who say’s to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father.
Mathew 7: 24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

God Bless!