lastofall

[for me anyway] the Lord Jesus Christ is instructively warning us plain and clear, Yes "us" as in professing Christians, for it is only us that call Jesus Christ Lord, and none other. Many falsely believe He is speaking to other than "us", and are deceiving their own selves.

Yes it is evident that our nation is in the last stage of downfall, a reprobate mind, except it repent as did that great city Nineveh: yet at the same time we are as Isaiah when he said "Lord who hath believed our report" so is it now, for we find ourselves saying "Lord who shall believe our report".

[for me anyway] seeing that faith cometh (only) by hearing the Word of God; therefore if we lack faith, then we must more abundantly hear God's Word to receive more faith.

[for me anyway] we may see what verse one from (1 John 4:1-7) is saying with common knowledge (sense), that we may understand the rest together with it, for it is understanding the idea of it through the Spirit of Truth saying: Beloved believe not every idea or concept, but test the ideas and concepts, whether they are of God: because many false ideas and concepts are gone out into the world.

[for me anyway] faith is not believing in regard to defining it, rather it a common knowledge (sense) matter of telling the difference between the two, yet the two are as one in unity of purpose: it is easily known by the example of marriage: we BELIEVE in marriage, but are we FAITHful to the marriage; and we know on the Lord's side, He is faithful to the marriage of His bride; but what about us (the bride)? are we faithful to the marriage?

for this cause did the Lord Jesus Christ warn us in (Luke 17:32) "Remember Lot's wife" which is rightly divided with (Luke 9:62) "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

it is the being proud of it: instead of denying their selves, they exalted their selves: a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ will be clothed with humility, and shall never refer to himself as something.

I assume you are referring to (Romans 10:9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." You are right in that God looks for sincerity which is from the heart, or "pure in heart", and he knows them that are sincere, and those that are not. Confessing is to own, and when one owns with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, they had better mean it, that is, that had better have counted the cost (Luke 14:28-30) of following Him that they may indeed belong to Him; otherwise they deceive their own self. In (1 Corinthians 12:3) God's Word tells us exactly that "no man can say that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost", and this is why it is a very weighty matter of the heart in which we must count the cost, lest we find ourselves not making the sincere effort to do the things which He says; for then would we be reprobates, and our so-called owning Him as Lord with our mouth be found insincere. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us warning about this matter, telling us in (Luke 6:46) saying "And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" If we then do truly believe in Him, we will make the sincere effort to do what He tells us, knowing that one who is Lord is to be obeyed, otherwise we cannot truly call Him Lord. Unfortunately in this present time many are led astray by the false teaching that nothing is required of them, and so they follow a cheap no cost faith of error: Why? because it is easy and comfortable.

[for me anyway] I agree with all that you've said, and such things are dear to us which believe, and are urgently needed to be unmovable in Christ: for we behold this present evil world, and how general society has pushed God out of society, and that many are in the final stage of downfall of a reprobate mind, except they repent. Truly by our making the sincere effort to live the Gospel of Christ is also for the world's sake, that they would rather come to repentance instead of perishing. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Corinthians 15:19)

[for me anyway] no it is not wrong, and as for (Matthew 7:21) we are to make the sincere effort to do the things which He says, to be worthy of calling Him Lord, because a lord is one that is to be obeyed; for this cause did Christ also warn us in (Luke 6:46) saying "And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" God looks for sincerity, and knows those that are, and those that are not.

[for me anyway] it is rather a matter of what the Lord Jesus tells us, namely: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) Our daily problems is our own load which the Lord exactly tells us that we have to pick up and carry; also that we must deny our own will daily as well, that we may submit to and rely on His will daily, which is by His Word. If it be so that we will truly follow Him, then these are what we shall do, because the Lord tells us to.

[for me anyway] I absolutely agree that the teaching and preaching of repenting is being neglected greatly, although it is of the utmost importance. Just to add a few saying: first it is the first command that the Lord Jesus commanded as well as the first Word that proceeded out of His mouth when He began His ministry, namely "Repent"..for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17); which by the way is over-looked or bypassed by many, as if it applies to others, but not them. Another in (Mark 6:12) "And they went out and preached that men should repent"; this is what should be preached, especially now in this present evil world. Again the Lord Jesus made it exactly clear what should be preached in His Name among all nations in (Luke 24:47) namely "repentance for the remission of sins". As for what repentance is [for me anyway] it is to feel pain, the pain of guilt for our sins which causes us to amend our ways and doings: or we can bring it into a concise meaning from the Lord Jesus saying "Go and sin no more".

[for me anyway] as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ we should have already denied our own will (Matthew 16:24) beside abstaining from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), and beside abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11): and ought not to begin to say "but this" or "but that", for behold if we are truly "in Christ", if we truly belong to Christ we will have put to death the corrupt nature with its affections and lusts (Galatians 5:24). Notwithstanding sin does crop up upon us, yet again if it be so that we are truly born of God we will no longer commit [put our trust into the hands and power of] sin, because His seed remains in us, and we cannot put our trust in sin, because we are born of God. (1 John 3:9)

[for me anyway] we cannot now know, but of a certainty we would not want to be among the many which will say in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in thy Name; and in thy Name have cast out devils; and in thy Name done many wonderful works. (Matthew 7:22)

[for me anyway] I would agree with the Lord Jesus Christ, which in effect makes the matter of none effect, because we should be behaving the same every day regardless what day of the week it is, for we are called to do well every day. "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?" (Matthew 12:10) "..it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." (Matthew 12:12)

[for me anyway] the sin that leads to death and not life is unbelieving, which the Lord Jesus Christ told us plainly, that "he that believeth not is condemned already" (John 3:18); therefore except a person repent of unbelieving, they shall die in their sins. (John 8:24)

[for me anyway] the best things in life are when we deny our own will, and repent and own our sins, and submit to and rely upon the Word of God, and learn not to think above that which is written, that we may avoid exaggeration and over-estimation: and such can only be accomplished by obedience, which we learn by the things which we suffer; then may we bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (Hebrews 5:8) (2 Corinthians 10:5)

[for me anyway]... "And the went out and preached that men should repent" (Mark 6:12) "..and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations..(Luke 24:47)