Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!mips!pacbell.com!ucsd!ucbvax!agate!stanford.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: news@newcastle.ac.uk Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: MANY will say, Lord, Lord Message-ID: Date: 21 Apr 91 05:46:23 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU. Lines: 43 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I agree with a great deal that you are saying here, but I think an emphasis needs placing on the fact that "you are saved by God's Grace", and not by works of your own (as you say, Eph 2v8) When you decide to follow God's will you must first ask and accept His forgiveness, this decision must be accompanied by action. This is not to say that you will go away and do everything according to God's will from that moment on, neither does God expect us to. I constantly fail Him from day to day but I am most certainly assured of my place in His kingdom, I can say that I know my Lord - not half as well as I'd like but I am slow to learn. I have just studied Colossians and in chapter 1v8 Paul explains our reconciliation to God, he says that the condition this are "if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." It is our direction, not how much progress we make. >The fact >that they say, "Lord, Lord," proves that their standing is that of a >Christian. I'm not entirely sure that it does, many people call to God in times of trouble, indeed God may heed their call... >Although you have not >carried out God's will, you nevertheless prophesy, cast out demons, and >do >works of power in the Lord's name. If you come before the Lord asking >to be >admitted into the kingdom because of these unprincipled works, the Lord >will say that He never knew you. I believe that everyone has aspects of God, as we were all made in his image. I can see God in my non-christian friends, they may already have some of the 'Fruits of the Spirit'. A christian however may attain these extra gifts from God for the gain of His kingdom, but I do not believe that someone who does not know God could have these gifts and be using them. There are saddly christians that are not assured of their salvation and they need to be assured - "not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." I apologise if I seem to know everything, this is only my interpretation of the Word, I hope that I have agreed with what you have already written. -- Nick