Featured Matthew 7:21-23?

You bet! You need to realize that the type of Calvinist I am is based on Puritan and later Puritan type Calvinist preachers - not TULIP fanatics. The Bible is to be read and applied. The theological system is a background - not your religion. For instance, Jonathan Edwards would say that a passage like Matthew 7: 21-23 is to be taken in it's most literal form and if it scares you or makes you doubt your salvation - good. Worrying about whether you will make it to heaven is part of your "persevering in the faith". Edwards also has a whole chapter on "Faith alone" so I think I'll go with his argument on that for now. You are saved by faith alone. As a Christian you are to read the Bible and do everything it says to do. A good tree brings forth good fruit. You are told in scripture to look at that - not to assume on one hand that you work yourself into heaven or to presumptuously assume that as a saved, elect one you can live like you want.

 

No, sheol/hades is not hell. Gehenna, the LOF, is hell. The KJV & some other translations misinterpret sheol/hades as hell.

 

This is when Christ returns from heaven, wins Armageddon, sits on the throne of David in Jerusalem, and gathers the surviving nations of the tribulation to judge whether they will be allowed to be part of his earthly kingdom or not.

This is not when a man dies and wakes up in hell.

 

They'll be surprised because they thought they were saved. They attended church and lived a "good" life but never surrendered to Jesus as their Lord. Their god was politics, money, power, etc.

 

I don't worry. If when I die I find myself burning in hell then I've gotten just what I deserve. But if I find myself in glory with the Saviour it will be by the Grace of God ALONE, and absolutely nothing else.

Dave, if you worry about your salvation perhaps you should talk to your pastor.

Wow. All that splainin on account of adding one little word to the gospel.

You stick with Edwards and I'll stick with Christ, Paul, and James who repeatedly refute justification by faith alone.

While we're on the topic of 'final judgement' can anyone come up with any mention of our faith at the final judgement? Just one itsy bitsy passage.

 

Okay you angry starfish... (Not talking to you Kentucky)... Here is my answer... PRIDE!... Lord look at what we have done for YOU!... Instead of Lord look at what you have done for US!... In 1972 a well know writer of songs wrote one that could be in our song book but isn't... I was song leader in my church for over 35 years and I know ALL the old hymns but this one even though it was played to a secular audience tells my story... Does it tell yours?... Brother Glen

WHY ME LORD!

Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I've known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving you
Or the kindness you've shown.

Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so
Help me Jesus I know what I am
Now that I know that I've need you so
Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

Tell me Lord, if you think there's a way
I can try to repay
All I've taken from you
Maybe Lord, I can show someone else
What I've been through myself
On my way back to you.

Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so
Help me Jesus I know what I am
Now that I know that I've need you so
Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

 

we know from Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment", which rules out any "second chance" to hear the Gospel and get saved.

 

How about this passage in Luke 13 shedding some light on Matthew 7?

25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’

These are said to be outside, and trying to get into the Kingdom

any thoughts?

 

Ky, that's the way he preached it! Along with Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, John Bunyan, Thomas Watson and John MacArthur. What a lot of people forget is that scripture is living and ministers to us where we need it. You can overdue examining yourself and develop morbid introspection and even suffer depression but in our age of self esteem that is not usually the problem. Usually we have either people "accepting Jesus" and then forgetting about it or people baptized as infants, and signing on to a creed when they are older and figuring they are OK.

 

Please share your thoughts on the passage in Luke here as I am very interested in both passage which are important doctrinally

 

This is the complete passage in Luke:

And one said to Him, Lord, are the ones being saved few? And He said to them, 24 Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. For I say to you, many will seek to enter in and shall not be able. 25 And once the Master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and He shall answer and say to you, I do not know you; from where are you; 26 then you shall begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You have taught in our streets. 27 But He shall say, I tell you, I do not know you; from where you are. Depart from Me, all workers of unrighteousness! 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrust out. 29 And they will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and will recline in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, there are last ones which will be first, and there are first ones which will be last.

Clearly it is talking about "The Kingdom of God", and the After life.

This is an illustration as a warning to those who are professing Christians, who think that they are saved, because of their good works, when in reality, they are not.

Jesus is using metaphors, like the narrow gate, striving to enter, knocking outside the door, seeing the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, etc. to describe the reality of salvation and eternal life.

Because literally there can be no person who can try to enter heaven after they have died, which is clear from Hebrews 9:27. Nor will anyone literally be trying to argue with the Lord after they have died, as to why they did not make it to heaven, as they thought they were saved, by the many good works they had done in His Name.

Like in Matthew 22:11-13,

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

It is not possible to have entered the Kingdom of God, without being saved, which is account in Matthew is showing. This is an illustration of those who suppose there is another Way to get to heaven. As in John chapter 10, where Jesus is The Door, and says that no one can get into heaven by any other means, but through Him.

 

I can agree with your conjecture here, as it seems to be what the passage is saying.

You are right in saying that the Kingdom of God is already present here on earth, which started by the Coming of Jesus Christ. In Luke 17:21, Jesus says, "nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”, which no doubt refers to Himself. I do believe that when a person is saved, that they cross over from spiritual death, into the spiritual Kingdom of God, which is what John 5:24 says, "“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life". These had already passed over from spiritual death to spiritual life.

I don't understand why others are not commenting here, as it is a very important subject?

 

Sure they would, but knowing their fate doesnt stop them from making their case to God. Just because one is true doesnt mean the other isnt.

 

Think would be a picture of Mormons, JW, SDA, Catholics, any who attend a church who are 'religious"