'It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord", who will enter the kingdom of heaven but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?" Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!' - Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 13:26-27; James 2:14-17; 1John 3:18 -
The entire ministry of Jesus, and His behaviour, acts and deeds is understood in relation to this important declaration of the presence of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. Jesus ethical teachings, for example, cannot be understood apart from the announcement of the kingdom of heaven; the perfection to which they point makes no sense apart from the present experience of the kingdom of heaven. Participation in the new reality of the kingdom involves a follower of Jesus in a call to the highest righteousness and holiness.
'Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!' - Matt. 7:24-27 -
Brothers, I have the very warmest love for the Jews and I pray to God for them to be saved. I can swear to their fervour for God but their zeal is misguided. Failing to recognise the righteousness that comes from God, they try to promote their own idea of it, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God. - Rom. 10:1-3 -
I am no longer trying for perfection by my own efforts, the perfection that comes from the Law but I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith. - Phil. 3:9 - Luke 16:1-15 -
The beggar in Jesus' story about a very rich man and a very poor man. The wealthy man despised the beggar, paying no attention to his needs when he passed him each day. After the death of Lazarus, the poor man, he was carried by angels to Abraham's bosom, where he found comfort. But the wealthy man at death found himself in Hell or Hades, in eternal torment.
This story was not intended to praise Lazarus, and condemn the wealthy and rich. It shows the dangers of turning away from the needs of others. It teaches that our behaviour and attitude on earth or in this world will result in an eternal destiny that parallels our behaviour and attitude. This note is sounded frequently in the teaching of Jesus Christ.
There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently everyday. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames." "My son," Abraham replied "remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop any crossing from your side to ours."
'The rich man replied, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too." "They have Moses and the prophets," said Abraham "let them listen to them." "Ah no, father Abraham," said the rich man "but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead." - Luke 16:19-31 -
Jesus said to his disciples, 'Obstacles are sure to come but alas for the one who provides them!' It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone put round his neck than that he should lead astray a single one of these little ones. Watch yourselves! - Luke 17:1-3 -
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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