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Friday, August 26, 2011

Is it Scriptural: Jesus Is Lord -Jack Kelley

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Christian Issues Network

Biblical Q&A;   Scriptural Q&A;   Theology Q&A;   Proverbial;   What Do You Believe?
"IS IT SCRIPTURAL"
"Sometimes some say things are scriptural when they may not be Biblical"

Jack Kelley
 

Jesus Is Lord

Q. Is 1Corinthians 12:3 to be taken literally that NO ONE can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit?

 

A. I believe during the Church Age 1 Cor. 12:3 should be taken literally.  No one can sincerely say Jesus is Lord except by the Spirit because only born again believers want to have Jesus as their Lord.  Non believers don’t think He’s the Lord and in any case wouldn’t want Him to be.

But at the 2nd Coming, after they see Him return in glory to take command of planet Earth they’ll be forced to admit He’s the Lord of the whole Earth (Phil. 2:9-11, Zech. 14:9) even though they won’t have accepted Him as their Savior. This is why the people of Earth will mourn when they see Him coming on the clouds with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30).

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Is it Scriptural: Can We Lose Our Salvation? -Jack Kelley

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Christian Issues Network

Biblical Q&A;   Scriptural Q&A;   Theology Q&A;   Proverbial;   What Do You Believe?
"IS IT SCRIPTURAL"
"Sometimes some say things are scriptural when they may not be Biblical"

Jack Kelley
 

Can We Lose Our Salvation?

Q. In referring to the security of our salvation, you have said,  “There’s not a single verse anywhere in Scripture that even hints of Him removing His mark, unsealing the Holy Spirit, or rescinding His guarantee.”  Could you please explain Rev 3:5  “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”  How can the Lord blot out someone’s name from the book of life if the name was never written in the book of life or if the person will not be removed by the Lord?

 

And in Rev 2:5  “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”  From where did these people fall and what do you understand that the Lord will remove their candlestick means?

A. Everyone is listed in the Book of Life from the time of their conception (Psalm 139:16). People get blotted out for failing to do what’s required to be saved from their sins.  If you take Rev. 3:4-5 together you’ll see the Lord was saying that a few people in Sardis were saved, and if the others would do what they had done (obeyed what they had received and heard, which was the gospel) they too would be dressed in white (saved) and the Lord would never blot their names out of the book  of life.  He wasn’t threatening to blot their names out of the book, He was promising that if they accepted the Gospel he would not blot them out.

And in Rev. 2:5 the Lord was criticizing the church at Ephesus of falling from a pure devotion to their first love (the Lord) into a works based community that was in effect so busy in the service of the Lord that they no longer had any time for Him. According toRev. 1:20 each candlestick represented one of the seven churches, so by threatening to remove it He was threatening to disband the congregation at Ephesus. It had nothing to do with the salvation of individual members, but with the church’s focus on works instead of worship.

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Is it Scriptural: Can My Grandmother Still Be Saved? -Jack Kelley

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Christian Issues Network

Biblical Q&A;   Scriptural Q&A;   Theology Q&A;   Proverbial;   What Do You Believe?
"IS IT SCRIPTURAL"
"Sometimes some say things are scriptural when they may not be Biblical"

Jack Kelley
 

Can My Grandmother Still Be Saved?

Q. Would you tell me if there is any biblical basis for my belief that  prayers for the softening of a person’s heart who has already died will be heard from God and accepted? My understanding and view is that God is Lord of the Past, Present and Future; that he exists beyond my comprehension, over and above any time constraints. Because  I view him thus, I believe that my prayers for a softening of my late grandmother’s heart that will lead to her salvation combined with the belief that God desires all to be saved can lead to an intervention in her life by the Lord such that her belief will turn towards him. I’ve asked other Christians what they think about praying for dead loved one’s salvation and have been told by some that ‘what’s done is done and you can’t pray for someone who is already dead’ , but others have agreed with my view and think anything is possible with God. Biblically, which view is correct?

 

A. It pains me to have to say this because I can tell you loved your grand mother very much.  But it appears from the Bible that the over riding purpose of our life is to choose whether to accept the Lord’s death as payment for our sins or not.  When we die the time for making that choice expires and if we haven’t chosen the Lord by then it’s too late. The thought that anything is possible with God doesn’t account for the fact that He has made the issue of salvation a matter of our choice.  Hebrews 9:27 says that man is destined to die but once and after that to face judgment.

But you can take heart in knowing that no one knows what might have taken place in your grand mother’s mind in the last moments of her life.  If with her dying breath she asked the Lord to forgive her sins and accepted Him as her Savior then you’ll see her in Heaven.

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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Is it Scriptural: Judging Teachers -Jack Kelley

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Christian Issues Network

Biblical Q&A;   Scriptural Q&A;   Theology Q&A;   Proverbial;   What Do You Believe?
"IS IT SCRIPTURAL"
"Sometimes some say things are scriptural when they may not be Biblical"

Jack Kelley
 

Judging Teachers

Q. You have written more than once on how teachers of the Word will be judged more strictly because of the positions they hold.  If those in leadership positions are not necessarily interpreting and teaching correct doctrine, but have accepted the penalty paid by Jesus Christ on the cross and are themselves saved, how are they judged differently from those that follow them?

 

A. The only judgment believers will face is the bema seat judgment where rewards will be given to the deserving.  At that time 2 Cor. 5:10 says we’ll receive what’s due us for the things we’ve done while in the body, whether good or bad.  By definition good means those things done at the Lord’s prompting and in His strength.  Bad refers to things we do on our own and in our own strength.  In John 15:5-6 Jesus said that nothing we do apart from Him is of any value to the kingdom, but will be burned up like the unfruitful branches of a vineyard.

James 3:1 says teachers will be judged more strictly in this regard.  Even though a teacher may influence hundreds or even thousands to become believers, if he or she does so through the use of false doctrine, teaches things that go beyond the Lord’s intention, becomes enamored with the various “perks” of the position,  enters the field without a specific calling from the Lord, or any one of a dozen other such things, none of the fruit of his or her ministry will qualify for reward.

In effect James said teachers will not be given even the slightest benefit of the doubt when the time comes for judging the motives behind their actions, and if their motives were not absolutely pure, their work will be disqualified.  In 1 Cor. 3:15 Paul said such people will still be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.  In other words, with nothing to show for their life.

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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Is it Scriptural: Should I Get Married? -Jack Kelley

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Christian Issues Network

Biblical Q&A;   Scriptural Q&A;   Theology Q&A;   Proverbial;   What Do You Believe?
"IS IT SCRIPTURAL"
"Sometimes some say things are scriptural when they may not be Biblical"

Jack Kelley
 

Should I Get Married?

Q. I have been living with my girlfriend for the past year and have had a relationship for 3 years. We live together as man and wife but with no official ceremony. A friend(former) and I recently quarreled over the status of my relationship and he pointed out in Corinthians the prohibition against fornication. Ironically I am now inclined to agree with my former friend that I should be officially married to the woman I live with, but I still fail to see why God would care more about a ceremony and a band of gold rather than honest love and commitment between one man and one woman. I would be grateful for your perspective on this matter. If I abide in this relationship the Bible states I will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Does this mean that even though I believe I will go to Hell instead?

 

A. It’s not the ceremony or ring that counts with God, these are man made devices.  What matters to God is the commitment they symbolize. It says the two of you have officially become one before God and man.  Continuing in your current relationship cannot cause you to lose your salvation, and nowhere does the Bible say that.  It says all the sins of your life were forgiven at the cross (Colossians 2:13-14) and your salvation was guaranteed the moment you believed (Ephesians 1:13-14).

But it also says God is pleased when we live according to His standards and blesses us for doing so. His standards are one man, one woman, one life. Many feel an official wedding ceremony is the bast way to convey that idea to the world.  If you’re persuaded that’s the way to go then you should follow through with it.

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