Something that is
widely taught, and rightly so... "we're not saved by works." Problem
is... the word works has been all messed up over the years to include
anything other than "just believe". That is not the intent of the
Scripture because today, even sin or lack of sinning is defined as a
"work" thus it isn't about all of that.
Folks say that this isn't giving license to sin but unfortunately... they are wrong as it gives license to sin because it doesn't take a degree in Psychology to understand that if you tell someone... live according to the flesh is wrong BUT if you live that way you're still not okay in regard to eternal life... they're going to easily and quickly give into their flesh. You might say... "you will lose reward in heaven" as if what... a crown or some other reward is something greater than eternal life itself? I'm kind of thinking any other reward will greatly pale in comparison.
A. W. Tozer said, “We rightly escaped the error of salvation by works and have entered into an opposite error of salvation without obedience.” Because of our idea that works include sin... we are times less obedient because we don't understand at all the seriousness of sin any longer as it has taken on a flare that says, "you shouldn't sin sure... but hey, you're going to so ______" and ultimately we don't worry much about it because after all... it's not by works! That's the way we ultimately justify living lifestyles that are anti-Scriptural in many ways. Thing is... the error that we escaped that Tozer was speaking of isn't that we were told by the church to not fornicate and since that is a work... it ain't about that. We were told by the church that liars, thieves, murderers and all that such were going to spend eternity in hell and since that's about "works"... it was error. No it wasn't because that is exactly what the Bible says and even the New Testament Epistle's. We've fallen into a totally different trap now... salvation without obedience.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The works that we're told by Paul and the others isn't something we must do to attain salvation is simple. Works of the Law. Even in the time of the Protestant Reformation, Luther wasn't bugging out because the church spoke against sin. Luther was bugging out because of things such as purchasing a place in heaven was heavily practiced. Works such doing the bidding of the church or doing work for the church was seen as a sure means of entrance into heaven and the church used that to the nth degree because it was advantages for them to do for many reasons, personally, financially and politically. This is the stuff that the church had gotten so wrapped up in that it no longer resembled anything close to Scriptural Christianity and Luther fought that mess. Over time... this turned into a different sort of error.
Sin is sin. Yes, Paul speaks of "deeds of the flesh are... " but just because Paul used the word deeds here and elsewhere Paul speaks of not by works... Paul isn't at all saying that one can be immoral, impure, sensual, an idol worshiper, drunk, full of strife and jealousy, etc. and still get into heaven simply because they "believe." Paul in fact said "don't be deceived. Folks that practice this stuff will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Paul speaks of works of the Law of Moses which is exactly what the Jews looked to in order to gain eternal life. Jesus told them that they search the Scripture because in them they think there is eternal life but the reality... it is only in Him is there eternal life... that they KNOW God. If you knew Him then you would know the Father. The Jews new the Law and thought that in Moses (Torah) they had access to God when in fact... they were far, far, far away from Him. This is just another way in which we've become so embedded in teachings of men that we, like the Jews, have totally lost sight of Him which matters most. This idea that works encompass any and everything outside of simply believing is error and a horrible trap that many have fallen into. Many will say Lord, Lord, but Jesus didn't reject them because of their lack of believing He was Lord... He told them away you worker of iniquity. Seems He spoke prophetically knowing that even the church would go the way of the Jew over time as was prophesied elsewhere by the others.
We need to rethink this and while I know many will reject what I am saying... without changing what Scripture actually says as well as context when Paul is speaking about it not being "by works"... you cannot make a biblical case for this idea that sin doesn't ultimately matter to God. It does... it will. Do not be deceived.
REPENT! TURN TO GOD! Redeem the time while there is still time to redeem!
Folks say that this isn't giving license to sin but unfortunately... they are wrong as it gives license to sin because it doesn't take a degree in Psychology to understand that if you tell someone... live according to the flesh is wrong BUT if you live that way you're still not okay in regard to eternal life... they're going to easily and quickly give into their flesh. You might say... "you will lose reward in heaven" as if what... a crown or some other reward is something greater than eternal life itself? I'm kind of thinking any other reward will greatly pale in comparison.
A. W. Tozer said, “We rightly escaped the error of salvation by works and have entered into an opposite error of salvation without obedience.” Because of our idea that works include sin... we are times less obedient because we don't understand at all the seriousness of sin any longer as it has taken on a flare that says, "you shouldn't sin sure... but hey, you're going to so ______" and ultimately we don't worry much about it because after all... it's not by works! That's the way we ultimately justify living lifestyles that are anti-Scriptural in many ways. Thing is... the error that we escaped that Tozer was speaking of isn't that we were told by the church to not fornicate and since that is a work... it ain't about that. We were told by the church that liars, thieves, murderers and all that such were going to spend eternity in hell and since that's about "works"... it was error. No it wasn't because that is exactly what the Bible says and even the New Testament Epistle's. We've fallen into a totally different trap now... salvation without obedience.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The works that we're told by Paul and the others isn't something we must do to attain salvation is simple. Works of the Law. Even in the time of the Protestant Reformation, Luther wasn't bugging out because the church spoke against sin. Luther was bugging out because of things such as purchasing a place in heaven was heavily practiced. Works such doing the bidding of the church or doing work for the church was seen as a sure means of entrance into heaven and the church used that to the nth degree because it was advantages for them to do for many reasons, personally, financially and politically. This is the stuff that the church had gotten so wrapped up in that it no longer resembled anything close to Scriptural Christianity and Luther fought that mess. Over time... this turned into a different sort of error.
Sin is sin. Yes, Paul speaks of "deeds of the flesh are... " but just because Paul used the word deeds here and elsewhere Paul speaks of not by works... Paul isn't at all saying that one can be immoral, impure, sensual, an idol worshiper, drunk, full of strife and jealousy, etc. and still get into heaven simply because they "believe." Paul in fact said "don't be deceived. Folks that practice this stuff will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Paul speaks of works of the Law of Moses which is exactly what the Jews looked to in order to gain eternal life. Jesus told them that they search the Scripture because in them they think there is eternal life but the reality... it is only in Him is there eternal life... that they KNOW God. If you knew Him then you would know the Father. The Jews new the Law and thought that in Moses (Torah) they had access to God when in fact... they were far, far, far away from Him. This is just another way in which we've become so embedded in teachings of men that we, like the Jews, have totally lost sight of Him which matters most. This idea that works encompass any and everything outside of simply believing is error and a horrible trap that many have fallen into. Many will say Lord, Lord, but Jesus didn't reject them because of their lack of believing He was Lord... He told them away you worker of iniquity. Seems He spoke prophetically knowing that even the church would go the way of the Jew over time as was prophesied elsewhere by the others.
We need to rethink this and while I know many will reject what I am saying... without changing what Scripture actually says as well as context when Paul is speaking about it not being "by works"... you cannot make a biblical case for this idea that sin doesn't ultimately matter to God. It does... it will. Do not be deceived.
REPENT! TURN TO GOD! Redeem the time while there is still time to redeem!
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