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mushhead -> RE: Hank Hanegraaf of The Christian Research Institute. (4/22/2008 1:57:09 AM)
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quote:
We must work out our salvation daily unto good fruits that do good work in The Kingdom of God. Walking with God is a relationship, not just a buch of rules.
I've tried to stay out of this debate, but I want to jump back in, if just for this response. I am not sure what point the member is trying to make in the post containing the above statement, but one thing must be made clear. When Paul told the Philippians to work out their own faith, he was not talking about earning salvation. Nor was he talking about doing anything to enhance our salvation. In fact the quote is only a segment of a larger sentence. When we read the entire sentence (not to mention the verses around it) we begin to understand from its context what Paul was teaching.
quote:
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
2 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
. (Philippians 2:12,18)
You will notice that from the first through the eighteenth verse, the theme of obedience, likemindedness, and sacrificial service motivated by love for Jesus and humanity pervades the passage. We are called to follow Jesus and live out our faith in whatever ways, and where ever it takes us. This is what the Holy Spirit leads each community of believers, as well as each of us individually, to do.
Whatever the member "without a name" meant, I do find it interesting that he mentioned isolating passages to prove a point, but then quoted not a one verse, or a couple of isolated verses; instead he isolated a few words from one sentence.
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