Billiards Ball

Do you keep "what you need to survive" or do you have possessions beyond what you need to survive? For the COMMANDMENT is clear regarding neighbors, and was repeated by Jesus is different ways--"When were you in prison, master, or needed food or clothing"? Sell those golf clubs, that second car, etc. unless you understand that no one fulfills those commandments 24/7 -- therefore, Jesus. Your faith seems to be in your ability to avoid sin and keep commandments. What is Jesus saving you from? Hint: yourself/myself, praise Jesus!

What happens to born again Christians after death? What happens to atheists after death? What verses say "the apostles never had fear for death or imprisonment"? Does your neighbor lack food, clothing or a home? Why do you keep and covet yours instead of giving it to your neighbor?

No, the Jewish people had 613 commandments centuries before Jesus, and a millennia before Christians divided into "decrees, ordinances, etc." What you're doing is keeping some moral law but skipping ceremonial and legal law. So you believe that a good life without trouble is Heaven? Didn't the apostles and righteous ones of both testaments have trials? Was Job's great trial caused by sin? You disbelieve that "on Earth as it is in Heaven" is talking about two places that are sometimes disconnected, therefore, we pray that as it is there it becomes here...?!

But does our Law judge a man before it hears what He has to say?

Hi Jeff, Have you never read my posts? I'm a fundamentalist born again believer. I'm trying to ask the other poster to repent of his poor doctrine. He has some kind of legalistic "keep these commandments but not these". Thanks.

The commandments of which Bible book? The decalogue is for we Jews only. Do you marry your brother's wife? Wear mixed clothing? Kill a pigeon in Jerusalem for your sin? Sin in the NT is missing the mark of God's perfection, not law-keeping.

Yes! To "not sin" from the Greek is to be PERFECT. That means if I preach for an hour and get a prompt to go a second hour, and say, "No, I need to go do something else now," I've SINNED. You have Command > Obey Enough > Heaven comes from GOOD WORKS, lawful not sinning. Bible is ALL disobey including born again believers > trust Jesus to cover your disobedience BEFORE and AFTER being saved > Jesus transforms to perfect LATER. 1 John says if you say you have no sin you are a liar and not born again. Are you claiming to be sinless or to sometimes sin, then repent?

I have reasons: 1) My definition of repentance is biblical, missing the mark, that is, imperfection 2) No one has practical time to repent about imperfect work or anything else, we are to pray without ceasing, not repent without ceasing 3) Repentance led to salvation, it is not how I assure salvation 4) I save repentance for bigger stumbles where relationships are affected or where I need to change my life more significantly/bigger sins I believe you have a cultic non-standard understanding of repentance that most born agains, evangelical, charismatic, pentecostal, etc. lack

Godly repentance leads to salvation. I repented years ago, and was born again. Now when I sin, I can repent or not repent, but remain saved, because only imperfect saints will be perfected when we meet Jesus.

The first part of humility--I cannot become morally perfect by religion, even the Christian religion after a thousand years of practice. Heaven is where perfect people never harm one another--so to go to Heaven, humble yourself before God, call out to Him for salvation! Jesus died and rose, so trusting Him you receive eternal life. Do it today!

Agreed, however, I'm not talking about the consequences of sin (Jesus saved me), but my power over sin. Any Christian who says they NEVER sin is a liar and does not have Jesus (1 John). Sinless perfection is not only a poor doctrine, it's a very rare doctrine, since most born agains see they stumble sometimes, one reason we go to church fellowship!

When I don't resist temptation, that is sin, as you wrote, He died on the cross to save us from our sin. So I'm okay?

Jesus didn't die on the cross to perfect us? For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Cor 5:21 Since you disbelieve 2 Cor, H-O-W can I become perfect? I want to go to Heaven, not Hell. Thank you.

Okay, how and when do I become perfect? I'll go first: 1) I know I'm not perfect 2) I trust Christ to perfect me in the future 3) He perfects me in the future, as prophesied, at the Rapture You?

His commands are valid, our ability to be morally perfect, biblically, is invalid. Do you have a home and your homeless neighbor has none? Clothes? Food? Why are you not naked and homeless? Do you not love your neighbor "fully" as you wrote? The standard for Heaven isn't "love" it is sinless perfection. And are you claiming you are sinless now, on Earth, or later, in Heaven?

Do you have any other comments for what I shared? It is NOT possible to love God and neighbor fully this side of the Rapture. We will be completed/changed/transformed to go to a utopia.

And for dead Christians, what is their Heaven?

Heaven is a permanent residence, there are two ways you can permanently (always, 24/7/365 for millions of years) be morally perfect/never hurt anyone, that is, ALWAYS obey the two commandments with perfect love: 1) Self-will/self-effort/trying my best/Christian process of sanctification 2) Powerful transformation at the Rapture through the Lord Jesus Christ # 2 happens at the RAPTURE, a new, imperishable body plus POWER from Him who've we trusted, and in whom now we have the Spirit, as a deposit toward that TRANSFORMATION (Ephesians 1) # 1 is impossible for humans to do 24/7, therefore, the GOSPEL of salvation via forgiveness now, some transformation now (process of Christian sanctification) and TOTAL transformation LATER, when we meet Him in the air/in Heaven Sometimes when I preach, I ask the audience by show of hands, "Who here loves God/loves their neighbor/is yielded and obedient to Jesus Christ in every way, sexually, mentally, physically, financially, relationally, etc. 24/7?" and NO hands go up, zero, none. The gospel isn't "Jesus saved me from the difficult obedience to the Law of Moses so I could try to obey Him all the time" but "Jesus saved me from difficulties with the Law to be FREE". If I understood you right, John: 1) I don't need Jesus's atonement, I can simply love God and my neighbor for salvation 2) I'm able to never sin now (sinless perfectionism) so that I will never sin (cause harm) in the utopia of Heaven Have I misunderstood your doctrine here?

It is always wrong to do something you are anxious about, and always right to do something you feel free to do - Romans 14 - read it, heed it.

The biblical standard is plainly PERFECTION, not RELATIVE GOODNESS: 1) A utopia means I can NEVER cause harm or suffering 2) HOLY means "DIFFERENT THAN US" or PERFECT 3) Jesus died and rose, the perfect for the imperfect, that we would become (at the Rapture) as morally perfect as God - the great exchange - 2 Cor 5:21

It sounds like you've lost focus on Christ. First, check your focus, then, get some Christian counseling re: behavior, past abuse and the cycles of your life. Are you trusting JESUS for Heaven or YOURSELF?

Talk to people at supermarkets when you shop, neighbors when they pass by. You can still be heard witnessing from six or seven feet away. Why can't you go out to share the gospel?

You don't need to know "the exact date". You need to know whether you trusted/are trusting JESUS for Heaven or YOURSELF.

Agree!