The True Church Of Christ According To The Scriptures

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: [The True Church of Jesus Christ According to the Scriptures]

The church is an organic body of believers worldwide (Eph 1:23; Col 1:24). This is his body (Eph 1:23; Col 1:24). Christ (not the Pope) is the foundation stone (1 Co 3:11; Eph 2:20; 1 Pe 2:4,5). Christ (not the Pope) is the head of his church (Eph 1:22; 5:23). Believers were purchased by the blood of Christ (Ac 20:28; Eph 5:25; Heb 9:12) not by plans or programs. We are subject to Christ (Ro 7:4; Eph 5:24) not your apostate church (Rev. 3:14–22). Yours is a dead faith (James 2:14–26). You cannot be saved by being "good" (Rom. 3:20, 28). Chrisitans are justified: by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:9), by his resurrection (Rom. 4:25), and by his righteousness (not our own). Rom. 10:4. Trust in him alone (Rom. 3:26, 27).

You do not have a biblical worldview.

See:

War of Worldviews

What is a Biblical Worldview?

"...[T]oday there seems to be some confusion about what the "world" actually is, as mentioned in the Bible...

...[O]ften the word has nothing to do with physical creation, geography or demographics. It is used to denote a way of life or a system of thought which is contrary to the will and ways of God. In this context, the "world" refers to a realm in which people act by their own rules, disregarding the lordship of Christ and the authority of God's Word. A person "of the world" is one whose source of approval is from earth (below) rather than from heaven (above, that is, from man or Satan, rather than from God (pg. 103, Overman)."

"Already answered..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Ga 1:6-8, Eph 4:14

"...[N] one cares about the opinions of a known public http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2746143&postcount=1102 liar such as serpent...You simply have no credibility left to stand on..."

Proof please.

Your words:

Sd: They [the Reformers] trusted the word of God (Ps 119:42). You should, too (Ps 78:22; Zep 3:2).]

Cruciform: "...[A]s do all heretics..." link

SD: “You removed the scripture from my quote.”

Cruciform: “That's okay. No one cares about your personal opinions…” link

SD: [Christ is the head of his church….The statement is true or it is false.]

Cruciform: "It's false..." link

Understand the spirit of antichrist (1 Jn 4:2-6)

See:

The Jesus test, the gospel test, and the fruit test

Your way may seem right but it leads to death (Prov 16:25, Jude 11). You'll "get it" (Isa 11:2; 40:13,14) when you trust in the Lord (Jn 14:6, Mt 6:33). You have no righteousness of your own (Job 15:14; Ps 14:3; Ro 3:10). It's not about you and your work (Ro 3:20; Ga 2:16) it's about him (Isa 54:17) and his finished work on the cross (John 17:4). The Spirit of God (Isa 11:2; 40:13,14) will not disagree with the Word of God (Jn 1:1) and the Word of God will not disagree with the Spirit of God (Jn 14:26; 16:1). The Spirit directs the decisions of the church (Ac 15:28).

"...Those who are not genuinely convinced that the only real bargain in life is surrendering ourselves to Jesus and his cause, abandoning all that we love to him and for him, cannot learn the other lessons Jesus has to teach us. They cannot proceed to anything like total spiritual transformation (pg. 66, Willard)."

"Post 20"

:yawn: Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Ga 1:6-8, Eph 4:14

Your "good works" are legalistic and in the flesh (Ga 6:8). :olinger: "Without...support in God, talk of "giving being the highest expression of potency," and so on, will quickly degenerate into empty words, bravado, self-deception, hypocrisy--or even more self-deification...

...If we--through well-directed and unrelenting action--effectually receive the grace of God in salvation and transformation, we certainly will be incrementally changed toward inward Christlikeness...

 The transformation of the outer life, especially The transformation of the inner being is as much or more gift of grace as it is our justification before God.  Of course neither one is wholly passive. (To be forever lost you need only do nothing.  Just stay your course.)  But with reference to both justification and transformation, "bloating is excluded" :olinger: by the law of grace through faith (Romans 3:27-31; Ephesians 2:1-10).  In fact, we consume the most grace by leading a holy life, in which we must be constantly upheld by grace, not by continuing to sin and being repeatedly forgiven. :dizzy: The interpretation of grace as having only to do with guilt is utterly false to biblical teachings and renders spiritual life in Christ unintelligible (pg. 71- 82, Willard)."

See:

No Mediator http://vananne.com/culttoasters/No%20Mediator.htm

[Proof please :peach:] "Right here..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14 Let the reader decide.

You make grace good for nothing which is no grace at all (Ga 1:6-8). Salvation is not found in the Roman Catholic Church (Jude 11). It is found in Christ alone (Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12). Cults and 'isms don't save. Jesus saves (Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23).

"Instead of inward transformation, some outward form of religion--often today even called "a spirituality"--is taken or imposed as the goal of practical endeavor. What is then important is to be a "good _____" (you can fill in the blank). And the respective social group--the "good _____s"--will enforce that importance, on pain of disapproval or exclusion from the group. Or the individual even enforces it upon himself or herself as what is "obviously" right. But, whatever the details, authentic inward transformation into Christlikeness is omitted. It is not envisioned, intended, or achieved.

Not so in the call of Jesus to live with him as his student or apprentice in his kingdom. By contrast, for him and for his Father, the heart is what matters, and everything else will then come along. And the process of inward renovation starts from the stark vision of life in the kingdom of God (pg. 86, Willard)."

"Answered here..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14, Ga 1:6-8

You'll believe God's word (revelation) or man's word (speculation). J. Vernon McGee.

"...[N]o one can actually believe the truth about him without trusting him by intending to obey him. It is a mental impossibility (pg. 87, Willard)."

Not your way (Jude 11). Jesus' way (Jn 14:6). Jn 4:24

"Already answered..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14, Ga 1:6-8

It starts with grace. It ends with grace. Grace, grace, grace--it's all about his grace (Gen. 15:6; Gen. 20:6; Deut. 7:6–9; Deut. 9:4–6; Job 10:12; Job 22:2, 3; Psa. 94:17–19; Psa. 138:3; Psa. 143:11; Dan. 9:18; Dan. 10:18, 19; John 6:44, 45; John 17:11, 12, 15; Acts 4:29, 30; Acts 26:22; Rom. 3:22–24; Rom. 4:4, 16; Rom. 5:2, 6–8, 15–21; Rom. 9:10–16; Rom. 11:5, 6; 1 Cor. 1:4–8; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 1:14, 16; Eph. 1:5–9, 11, 12; Eph. 2:8, 9; Eph. 3:16; Eph. 4:7; Eph. 6:10; Phil. 1:19; Phil. 2:13; 1 Thess. 1:1 1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Pet. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:14; 2 Tim. 1:1, 9; Tit. 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:5; 1 Pet. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:10; Jude 1, 21, 24, 25; Rev. 3:10).

Believe it (Mt 6:33, Ac 14:3; 20:32). It's not about Rome. It's about Jesus. There aren't two Christs (Mark 13:21–23). There is one Christ (Jn 14:6).

"...[W]e cannot realize this goal on our own. But there is no need for that. God has made provision for achieving this aim. To "grow in grace" means to utilize more and more grace to live by, until everything we do is assisted by grace. Then, whatever we do in word or deed will all be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). The greatest saints are not those who need less grace, but those who consume the most grace, who indeed are most in need of grace--those who are saturated by grace in every dimension of their being. Grace to them is like breath (pg. 93-94, Willard)."

See:

No Papal Authority

No Sacrifice

Which Jesus will you trust?

"Post #34..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14, Ga 1:6-8

Our minds are not renewed into error (Ro 12:2, Phil 2:2, Isa 11:2; 40:13,14 ).

"...Christian spiritual formation is inescapably a matter of recognizing in ourselves the idea system (or systems) of evil that governs the present age and the respective culture (or various cultures) that constitute life away from God. The needed transformation is very largely a matter of replacing in ourselves those idea systems of evil (and their corresponding cultures) with the idea system that Jesus Christ embodied and taught and with a culture of the kingdom of God. This is truly a passage from darkness to light.

The apostle Paul, who of course understood and taught about these things, warned us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). These higher-level powers and forces are spiritual agencies that work with--constantly try to implement and support--the idea systems of evil. These systems are their main tool for dominating humanity.

By contrast, we who have been rescued "from the power of darkness and transferred...into the kingdom of his beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13, NRSV) are to "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5, KJV). This is an essential way of describing the substance, the underlying reality , of Christian spiritual formation. We are, in Paul's' familiar language, transformed precisely by the "renewing of our mind" (Romans 12:2, PAR) [pg. 98, Willard]."

"Originally Posted by serpentdove

You misquoted me. It is what you do (Eph 4:14).

God can be trusted (Phil 2:16). Men lie (Ga 5:9).

"Ideas and images are, accordingly, the primary focus of Satan's efforts to defeat God's purposes with and for humankind. When we are subject to his chosen ideas and images, he can take a nap or a holiday. Thus when he undertook to draw Eve away from God, he did not hit her with a stick, but with an idea. It was with the idea that God could not be trusted and that she must act on her own to secure her own well-being.

This is the basic idea back of all temptation: God is presented as depriving us by his commands of what is good, so we think we must take matters into our own hands and act contrary to what he has said. This image of God leads to our pushing him out of our thoughts...and putting ourselves on the throne of the universe. The condition of the ruined soul and world naturally results. The single most important thing in our mind is our idea of God and the associated images.

Thus, A.W. Tozer did not exaggerate when he said,

'That our idea of God corresponds as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may be buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.

A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God...

...Images empower wrong ideas:  Images increase the danger of inadequate ideas.  They have the power to obsess :bow: and to hypnotize :noway:, as well as to escape critical scrutiny.  the image one has of oneself, for example, can override everything else and cause one to act in ways contrary to all reality and good sense...

...To manipulate images--and thereby people--:olinger: is the word of the propagandist :reals: and the advertiser. :devil: Unfortunately, it is often done in the name of Christ :banana: to achieve some desired result (pg. 100-101, Willard)..." :greedy:

See:

No Sacrifice

No Idolatry and False Teaching

[You misquoted me Eph 4:14] "You misrepresented me."

Your words not mine. I have quoted you exactly.

"You lied, plain and simple..."

Proof please. Your words not mine.

SD: [Christ is the head of his church….The statement is true or it is false.]

Cruciform: "It's false..." link

Understand the spirit of antichrist (1 Jn 4:2-6)

See:

The Jesus test, the gospel test, and the fruit test

Too bad you sin against redemption. Too bad you sin against reason. Too bad you sin against your redeemer.

"Too bad." Seth Brundle, The Fly

See:

God's Final Call (right click and 'save target as' to download) Adrian Rogers

"Already answered..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14, Ga 1:6-8

"Scripture is certainly authoritative. That does not mean, however, that only Scripture is authoritative."

The scriptures are full and sufficient (Lk 16:29,31), an unerring guide (Pr 6:23; 2 Pe 1:19) able to make men wise unto salvation through faith in Christ (2 Ti 3:15).

Grace is God's action not yours.

"...No other source, whether inside or outside of religions , even comes close to what God in Christ shows of love. This is the first "move" of love in the process of redemption. "He first love us" (1 Jn 4:19)...

When we receive what is thus clearly given, the revelation of God's love in Christ, that in turn makes it possible for us to love. Love is awakened in us by him. We feel its call--and first to love Jesus himself, and then God. Thus the first great commandment, to love God with all our being, can be fulfilled because of the beauty of God given in Christ. This is the second movement in the return to love: "We love, because He first loved us."

But the second movement is inseparable from the third movement: our love of others who love God. "If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:12). The first great commandment makes it possible to fulfill the second: love of neighbor as oneself...

The Fellowship of Christ's apprentices in kingdom living is a community of love (John 13:34-35). This is the fourth movement in the process of redeeming love (pg. 132, Willard)."

[The scriptures are full and sufficient (Lk 16:29,31), an unerring guide (Pr 6:23; 2 Pe 1:19) able to make men wise unto salvation through faith in Christ (2 Ti 3:15).] "Already answered in my responses to grif..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat) Eph 4:14, Ga 1:6-8

The opposite of love is pride Pr 6:16,17; 8:12,13;16:5. You are not God (1 Co 8:1). His word is the final word (Jas 1:18).

"I've answered serpent in numerous posts, so there's really no reason for me to continue with this thread."

Are you here to lecture to the rest of us? Your theology is not based on scripture (Matt. 15:9). Do you have more than: "Because I said so...;, "You vil believe me; or "Already answered..."? 1 Tim. 6:3–5

"My posts are there for interested and honest readers to consider..."

Your posts are an attempt to undermine the gospel of grace (Ga 1:6-8).

"I'll let serpent have the last word here (he apparently has some psychological need for it)..."

You have repeatedly accused me of lying.  Proof please.

"...[A]nd simply allow this (http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2746143&postcount=1102") to be my final reply..."

Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat)  Eph 4:14

The True Church Of Christ According To The Scriptures