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Topic: another question...
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
For the born again Christian, we do not "try" to do good. God who is good has come to live in us and HE has changed us so that we want the things that he wants and thus our want is now for the good, because God who is good can want nothing else.
We love him thus what we want is to be pleasing to HIM.
Can you imagine loving someone and doing things that you know they hate just because you know they will forgive you? It would be impossible for you cant love someone and desire to do things they hate!
Love makes us to want what is good and pleasing to God; this is the work of God who is LOVE in us.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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epouraniois
unregistered
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by nan29:
A friend of mine said to me that if God is forgiving then why try to do good if He's going to forgive anyway? I didn't know how to answer him. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Not only does the Bible speak of reward, but it is common sense. Surely the argument cannot be that it is ok for someone to break into your friends home and kill and rampage because they believe there is no penalty? Of course there is a penalty. And it lasts forever. It is one thing Paul did not want, which is to be found naked in the resurrection. He wanted to be clothed in the Lord's righteousness. Another example might be the parable of the one without the wedding clothes?
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Caretaker
Advanced Member
Member # 36
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posted
It is only through faith in Christ Jesus that one has the forgiveness of God, those who reject Christ are condemned already:
John 3:
16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is not just lip-service to Jesus but a deep and abiding heart belief, and turning to Him with true repentence:
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.
10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If they have truly received Christ, then His Holy Spirit indwells their heart and begins to move in their life, and there will be manifested the fruit of the Spirit beginning with true faith in Jesus:
Gal. 5:
22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
Posts: 3978 | From: Council Grove, KS USA | Registered: Jun 2002
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nan29
Advanced Member
Member # 5761
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posted
A friend of mine said to me that if God is forgiving then why try to do good if He's going to forgive anyway? I didn't know how to answer him. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Posts: 38 | From: New York | Registered: May 2006
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