Featured Who's Responsible?

Why was that not the answer He gave when asked the specific question, twice, 'what must one do to inherit eternal life'?

 

Jesus told the truth, that if a person perfectly keeps the law they would merit eternal life. Trouble is, if you sin even ONCE in your entire lifetime then you come short of the glory of God and must be punished for that one sin, and the wages of sin is DEATH or separation from God forever.

It is no different than our law. You could be a model citizen all your life, and then one day you rob a bank. Will the judge let you go because you were a good citizen 99% of your life and only committed this one crime? NO, you have robbed a bank and the judge will sentence you to jail according to the sentence prescribed by law.

So, to merit eternal life you would have to be 100% sinless. But Jesus told the absolute truth, the way to merit eternal life is to keep the law. The only person who has ever done this is Jesus Christ.

 

No, you are correct, we are judged for our works. If you transgress God's law as Adam did you are imputed or made "a sinner" as he was, and you are condemned to death, or eternal separation from God.

If you trust Jesus Christ to save you as Jesus trusted his Father to raise him from the dead you are imputed or made "righteous" and given the free gift of eternal life.

This is exactly what Romans 5:18-19 is teaching;

Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

This is called a "legal precedent". When someone commits a crime for the first time, those who commit similar crimes afterward are judged and sentenced the same way. This makes for consistency and equal treatment under the law. Adam was the legal precedent for those who sinned. They are imputed or made "sinners" as he was and condemned or sentenced to death. Those who believe as Jesus did are imputed or made "righteous" as he was, and given the free gift of eternal life.

 

Dead men don't reject, dead men don't reap the results of punishment. Can't have it both ways.

 

The OP passage is referring to those redeemed from the Land of Bondage by Jehovah, they were preached the good news that the Land of Milk & Honey was their's for the taking, and they rejected the gospel.

Did God send those that He had redeemed to hell because they CHOSE not to believe? No.

Even after all the wickedness Israel had done after God had redeemed them out of the Land of Bondage (unbelief, disobedience, murmuring, idolatry, fornication, rebellion, etc.), and even with Balaam wanting so badly to curse Israel, God made Balaam to declare:

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them. Nu 23:21

Even in unbelief and disobedience they were as righteous as Christ in the eyes of God. (Blessed is the man to whom, the Lord will not reckon sin. Ro 4:8)

But Israel still yet reaped in this temporal realm for their wickedness after being redeemed from the Land of Bondage, they wandered for forty years in the waste places when they could have possessed the Land of Milk and Honey, the Sabbath Rest of God.

Yet during all their wandering/chastening in the Wilderness He still yet gave them shade by day and light by night, He fed them manna, gave them water, their clothes never wore out, their feet didn't blister, etc., He was with them always.

So you see, there were temporal consequences only for their unbelief. There were no eternal consequences. Christ's atonement for His own covers the sin of unbelief.

I reiterate, only the redeemed, born from above child of God whose eternal destiny has already been secured has a choice.

 

Believe in the name of, on the person of the One God sent as the messiah!

 

ONLY Jesus, being God Incarnate, would ever be able to keep the law, so the answer is same as ALWAYS been, the just shall live by faith!

 

Jesus is God, but Jesus kept the law in his humanity, as a saved man would, by faith and obedience to God's word.

Jesus had to be made flesh and defeat Satan in his humanity to redeem man, something you seem unable to understand.

Jesus had to defeat the devil through death, something God in heaven cannot do, die.

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Again, Jesus had to defeat Satan as a man through death, something God in heaven cannot do. Jesus took part of "the same" flesh and blood as us, he took on the nature of the seed of Abraham (not Adam) and was made like unto his brethren the Jews in "all things".

You do not understand why Jesus had to be made flesh and live under the law.

 

LOL, the ‘Winman Spin’, you're as relentless as the eveready bunny….

17 And as he was going forth into the way, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother.
20 And he said unto him, Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth.
21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him..... Mk 10

Christ had reiterated the ‘Rabbinism’ of that day (as He did also in Mt 7:12; 22:37-40 etc.):

“…Rabbinism is never weary of quoting as one of the characteristic sayings of its greatest teacher, Hillel (who, of course, lived before this time), that he had summed up the Law, in briefest compass, in these words: ‘What is hateful to thee, that do not to another. This is the whole Law; the rest is only its explanation…..” Life & Times - Edersheim

…as did Paul:

8 Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law. Ro 13

Agape is a fruit of the Spirit, the natural man doesn’t have that love of God shed abroad in his heart.

For one to be a doer of the law, one must first have that law written it their heart:

13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified:
14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); Ro 2

The natural man is not circumcised in heart, he has not the law written in his heart.

This is an aspect of our justification that few even acknowledge. The blinders of ‘faith alone’, which you corrupt even more with your flesh-centric philosophy of ‘justification by my will alone’, is the root cause of this ignorance.

 

Well, that is all nice philosophy, you rely on an ancient Rabbi instead of the scriptures, but Jesus said if a person were to keep the law perfectly a man would live.

Luk 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

The first thing to note is that the Jews believed they could inherit eternal life. They did not believe they were born children of the devil as Calvinism falsely teaches.

Jesus answered by asking what the law says one must do to inherit eternal life.

The lawyer answers to love God with all thy heart, soul, and strength, and to love thy neighbor as thyself.

Jesus answers, Thou hast answered right, this do, and thou shalt live.

So, if a man were to perfectly keep the law his whole life, he would merit salvation. Trouble is, no man except Jesus has ever done this.

But Jesus did not say it was impossible to keep the law. Jesus in fact proved that a man could keep the law, he kept the law in his humanity as a man, by trusting God and always being obedient to the word of God.

Granted, this would be like a baseball player batting a perfect 1.000 for his entire career, but it could be done, and Jesus did it as a man.

But just because no baseball player has ever hit a perfect 1.000 does not mean every player has batted .000 as Calvinism falsely teaches. Just as every baseball player hits the ball on occasion, men can do good works. This does not mean he can merit salvation, because he would have to be absolutely perfect. Nevertheless, men can do good and do good on a regular basis. When you tell the truth, that is good. It is not a sin to tell the truth, otherwise God's commandments would be absolutely nonsensical.

Total Inability is false. It is like saying because no baseball player has ever hit 1.000, that this proves baseball players cannot hit the ball at all. That is total nonsense and absolutely false. Just because no man except Jesus has ever kept the law perfectly does not mean that men cannot keep the law at all. Men obey the law all the time. And men can obey the gospel if they choose to do so.

Calvinism is extreme and unrealistic, it does not reflect reality.

 

Ah, the blinders of 'sola fide'.

....the righteous by his stedfastness liveth. Hab 2:5 YLT

....who will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: Ro 2:6,7

 

You would have to keep the law perfectly to merit salvation. No man except Jesus has ever done this. This is why he could die as a "perfect" sacrifice for us, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

All men have sinned and "come short" of the glory of God. Again, you would have to be perfectly sinless your whole life to inherit eternal life. The moment you sin you are no longer God's child, so you can no longer "inherit" life. The moment you sin you are "sold under sin" as Paul said in Romans 7:14, you now belong to sin as your Master.

This was represented in the parable of the prodigal son, when he went out in sin he was joined to a citizen of that far country. He was now a child of the devil, a child of wrath.

Luk 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

On the other hand, the elder son NEVER sinned against his father. I believe this is a person who died as a small child before he could sin, knowledge of good and evil being required before sin is imputed. He "inherited" life.

Luk 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The elder son claimed to have never sinned at any time. Did the father rebuke him or call him a hypocrite? NO, the father spoke very kindly to the elder son, he called him "Son" which shows he was not lost. He said, "thou art EVER with me" which shows they were never separated by sin as the prodigal was, and he says, "all that I have is thine". He inherited life just a Jesus said, because he was without sin.

The father then contrasts the elder son to the prodigal, only the prodigal was "lost" but now "found", only the prodigal was "dead" but now is "alive again" which utterly refutes Original Sin and shows we are not born dead in sin as many falsely teach.

It is plain and simple for those whose minds have not been blinded by false doctrine.

 

Not talking about 'meriting salvation', YOU keep harping on that, and you keep adding 'perfectly'. Talking about doing 'by nature' the things of the law because of the change in inclination of the heart wrought by God in regeneration APART from the law.

....those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment. Jn 5:29 YLT

I suggest to you it is impossible for those with the law written in their hearts to PRACTISE evil, at least not for very long.

The text of Ro 1 & 2 is virtually permeated with 'works' and 'doing' and 'practicing':

27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.
28 And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them. Ro 1
1 Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judges another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.
3 And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 who will render to every man according to his works:
7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,
9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:
11 for there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;
13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified:
14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); Ro 2

 

Nevertheless, God himself is the standard, if you sin even once then you have "come short" of the glory of God and cannot inherit life. You are "sold under sin" as Paul said in Rom 7:14. Now sin (personified) owns you, he is your master, and his wage is death. The only escape is through Jesus. When we trust Jesus we are baptized into his body. We have now died "with him" to sin, but have also risen with him to new life. We are now "dead to sin" he (sin) does not own us or have power over us any more.

Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Just because we belonged to sin, and sin was our master does not mean we cannot do good. A slave can disobey his master, a slave can run away from his master. But his master holds authority and power over him by law and can forcibly take him back. But we have died to sin "in Jesus" and no longer belong to sin.

Even when we belonged to sin, we could obey the gospel. The moment we did so, we were made free from sin and became servants or slaves to righteousness.

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Your problem is that you have been taught sinners cannot do good, sinners cannot believe the gospel. That is complete falsehood, and this scripture PROVES that. Read it carefully.

Verse 16 shows we are servants or slaves to whom we YIELD ourselves. That shows we have both option and ability. We can obey sin, or we can obey righteousness. Note the words "whether" and "or". These denote option or choice.

Now notice verse 17 Paul says you "were" servants of sin, but you have obeyed that form of doctrine delivered you. This of course is the gospel.

Now, very important, notice in verse 18, that "then" after having obeyed the gospel you were made free from sin. Sin (personified) no longer owns you as a slave or servant. You now have "become" a slave or servant of righteousness. That word "then" refutes your view, it proves sinners can repent and obey the gospel.

Well, there you go, this scripture utterly refutes Total Inability and shows a sinner can obey the gospel. The moment he does, he is made free from sin and is now a servant or slave of righteousness.

Now concerning Romans 1, all of that is written about reprobates. It is not speaking of every man, but those who REFUSE to believe the gospel. These are people who hate God and put God out of their minds. This does not describe every man, Cornelius refutes that. The 3000 "devout" men who came to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentacost refute your view.

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Romans 1 is not describing all men. Not all men hate God and put God out of their mind. Cornelius did not hate God, and neither did his family. The Jews who came to Pentacost were sinners, but they did not hate God. They listened to Peter's sermon, and over 3000 believed on Jesus that day and were saved.

You need to read the scriptures for yourself and quit letting others tell you what they say. You have got it ALL messed up.

 

The saved shall have their good works judged, in order to see if they meet the standards for eternal rewards, but NOT as to if saved, as ALL at the Bhema seat of Christ have been saved, its the SAME way both OT/NT, saved by grace alone, received thru faith alone!

No ONE ever was saved by keeping the law, doing good works, as NONE save jesus would even been able to do that!

 

The very scripture you posted refutes your view;

6 who will render to every man according to his works:
7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,
9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

Paul is describing two kinds of persons here, some who pursue what is good and eternal life, others who are rebellious and contentious.

Is there one word here that says those good persons had to be regenerated to seek good? NO, there is not one word to that effect here, or anywhere else in scripture. You have poured your doctrine into the text when it is not there.

Not every man is a homosexual and every woman a lesbian as Paul describes.

You do not read scripture for what it really says, you have your mind already made up what doctrine is correct (Calvinism) and you interpret scripture to agree with your presupposition. That is a recipe for pure disaster.

 

Ah, the blinders of 'sola fide'!

No one has ever went to heaven without first having the Jerusalem that is above as their mother and the law written in their hearts.

Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. Ja 2:24

It doesn't bother you that this is the ONLY mention of 'faith alone' to be found in the entire Bible?

 

The word "able" is error. You will not find a verse in scripture that says men are not able to obey the law. Oh, you will find hundreds, if not thousands of verses that say man does not obey the law, but none of them say he is not able.

If a sin nature was inherited, then Cain would have gotten the strongest dose of any man, and God implied he could be obedient and give an acceptable sacrifice.

Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

You teach pure error. God himself implied that Cain had the ability to be obedient and do good, and also implied he would be accepted if he did so. God did not determine Cain would be lost from the foundation of the world as Calvinism falsely teaches.

 

NONE ever became a child of God without receiving jesus thru faith either!

 

l

God declared to us that none, no not one, are righteous in his sight, ALL our good works like filthy rags to Him...

NONE have ever been able to keep the law as God meant it to be kept in order to merit eternal life, save for Adam and Jesus...

Adam fell, and we all share in His sinning, so NONE after him could/would ever kept it..

Jesus as God incarnate did keep the law, as ONLY he was qualified and able to , by being God in human flesh!

There is not ANY passage in the entire bible that supports sinners can keep the law fully, or that apart from the Cross they have ANY hope to do such!

I fold to what Jesus and His Apostles taught, do you?