Very good post…
The experience that really convinced me of this truth was when I was pondering over whether it really makes any difference to believe that Christ was God – wouldn’t it be just the same if He was a man and stick to old-fashioned, non-trinitarian monetheism?

At around this time I attended a monotheistic “church”. That is, they started out as a christian church, but when I visited, many years later, they had completely ceased to be Christian in any sense of the word.
This one error in thinking about Jesus changed their entire outlook and eventually destroyed the faith of the church.

Sobering lesson for me.

Karen…. an ‘old woman’? Thanks for your wisdom, and welcome to the conversation! You certainly haven’t done wrong!

Lisa,

Thank you in kind for letting me know that my post was not
out of line, and for your kind words.

It is my prayer that what touched you is the work of the Holy
Spirit, for I should not want (my) words to humble any one.
For it is with great pleasure I read each post so that I might
learn from brighter minds.
In His Service

Karen,

I think your post is the best comment here. You’re right, sometimes we just get too smart and your words should humble us all. Thank you for such a beautiful response.

Remember when Congress was appalled by health and wealth teachers with golden toilets and jets?

You’re right: What we believe affects how we live, whether there is an immediate “application” or not.

I just found your page and hope to learn much from it. I wish I could expound on the subject as intellectually as others on here. But I am just a simple person. So I am sure that I will need correction. Please do so.
What I believe is that my pursuit is to achieve salvation through a relationship with Christ. To know and accept my sinful nature is in rebellion against God. That Jesus came to redeem me, and rebuild the connection between God and man. By accepting Christ as my savior in faith, I will rebuild that lost relationship. In the rebuilding of that relationship I will be given the Holy Spirit, and in the Spirit I will be shown my sinful nature and in return with the help of the Spirit I will begin to (want) to change that nature. I will not want to identify with my nature (sinfulness) any longer. So my work starts with change within my self and never ends, but then extends outward. But in order for that change to be the righteousness from God I must make sure that I understand the nature and character of God. So not to misrepresent God. If I represent God in His truth, that will
produce good fruit, and if I misrepresent His true nature I will
reproduce bad fruit. In relationship, it is my responsability
and my desire to understand who God really is ( right doctrine, or
orthodoxy), right doctrine will produce right thinking and right actions, so right doctrine and right works are in right harmony. I must study God’s word in faith with prayer for discernment of true understanding of whom the God I worship. In God’s truth
there will be (good) works. With orthodoxy, we have guide lines
to help us from going off track.
But I also know of stories of Christians that were denied the
bible and still gave there life to the Lord. Unable to read His
word. I think that God gave them the help of the Spirit in
truth to produce good fruit. But I believe my Jesus can do any thing.
So in humility I ask, if my focus is kept on the need to glorify
God, won’t He lead me in correction? All my life I have never
questioned the truth of the bible. Maybe God led me here
so I can read and learn how to better articulate in truth and in
love to all these questions. I am not at all sure that I should
post this. If I have done wrong please forgive and old woman.

In His service

Ephesians 2

Kara,

Both. Because salvation is not on the basis of philanthropy, but on the basis of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. Yes, we may suffer loss of rewards for not doing good, BUT if BOTH people truly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, then yes they are both saved.

She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word (Luke 10:39)

Jesus said “but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her (Luke 10:42).

Seems to me that Jesus is indicating that Mary was doing was good and indicative of the necessary thing. I think it shows a priority of learning from Jesus over engaging in activity. The fact that it shall not be taken away from her means it is her to keep, ie it has eternal value.

To passage says that Mary was at the feet of Jesus listening to him. To say that Mary is feeding Jesus is reading into the text something that it is not saying. If anything, it was Mary who was being fed because she was at Jesus’ feet listening to Him.

Let’s ask this question…a person who is saved at 18 and lives their life doing all the things the church required of them, but short of doing the things the Gospel requires. Sometimes wavers in faith, but manages to find his way back. But just never really getting out of his comfort zone to pray for sick neighbors or say anything out of fear of being politically correct. This person dies at 80.

Now a person who lives a life of sin and debauchery, drunkeness and wickedness. But at 79, gives his heart to the Lord and becomes born again and does not live anymore like he did because he loves the Lord…and he dies a week later at 80.

Which one was the Lord going allow in heaven?

I am going to have to go with another commenter who said most of us live in the middle.

However, I also am about up to here with (and forgive me Dr. Foltz because I do not think you intended to convey this message):

“True belief always leads to true practice. When a person
says he is saved, but never goes to church, never yields his
life to the Lord, he has deceived himself.”

The idea that church is the end goal of right practice, instead of being a stopping off place at the beginning of the week to rest and refresh and worship, before heading back to the world and taking care of the least of these, both spiritually and physically.