What About Belief?

[tsth]

Something that I came across last night in our Bible Study:

1 Corinthians 10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

Hebrews 3:7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

Jude 1:5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

We cannot overlook these things!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[mead]

Very nice, thank you for sharing this.

[tsth]

I would also add the following unred:

James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Smalcald]

I would also add the following unred:

James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne, yes those are important things for us to understand and keep in mind.

But I have a question for you. Do you believe that works themselves help justify us together with faith?

[kat8585]

But I have a question for you. Do you believe that works themselves help justify us together with faith?

I do, because they show our faith. Works can't get us to heaven, but faith without works is dead.

[~~ angelique ~~]

What is the point in believing if Jesus will say, "oops, sorry, your belief and works weren't good enough"????? This topic is so freagin depressing.

[tsth]

I would also add the following unred:

James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne, yes those are important things for us to understand and keep in mind.

But I have a question for you. Do you believe that works themselves help justify us together with faith?

I guess I'm surprised at the question, with the TRUTH posted right there. I HAVE to believe it, as it is clearly stated by God in His WORD, and I most certainly believe what HE says.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[exrockstar]

But I have a question for you. Do you believe that works themselves help justify us together with faith?

I do, because they show our faith. Works can't get us to heaven, but faith without works is dead.

youve just contradicted yourself.

tsth just quoted James 2:24 but fails to see that it's not a salvation issue.

It's just demonstrating it.

It's saying "youre saved? OK then act like it."

[tsth]

What if:

Noah decided he would rather not do the work that God advised, but instead would just rather stand in agreement that God said he should build the ark?

Was it really faith?

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

What is the point in believing if Jesus will say, "oops, sorry, your belief and works weren't good enough"????? This topic is so freagin depressing.

Why do you assume He will say that? What is so bad about "belief to the point of actions"? The acting upon belief only serves to reveal the existance of Jesus Christ for me. I have acted upon His Word, and have found Him to be proved TRUE! What He says, works. Just as Noah and many others came to find out! HE IS TRUTH!!!!

Try it and see!

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

In His Love,

Suzanne