Welcome to Shining the Light Ministries Bible Study. This week we will be looking at the difference between the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit.
We are not saved by works, but if your faith does not change you to abstain from evil works and do good works then your faith is vain and you are not saved!
Not saved by works
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Faith without works is dead
James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Jesus will say He “Never” knew those who do not do certain good works with pure hearts
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
These people will not lose their salvation! Jesus said “I NEVER knew you! That means they were never saved!
Matthew 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Notice: this is speaking of helping Christians in these ways not drug addicts and drunkards. We are to visit the Christians who are in jail for passing out tracts in Wal-Mart and wittnessing to women outside of abortion clinics, etc.
We are to feed and clothe Christians more than the lost.Too often churches help the lost, but forget the saved.
People who do certain evil works will not go to heaven
1 Corinthians 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
People who do these things have never been saved! It does not matter if they said a prayer, believed the facts about Jesus correctly, go to church or anything else. If they do any of these evil works then they have never been saved, because they have never truly repented!
You cannot use Grace as a license to sin!
A person cannot use grace as a license to sin, trample over the Blood of Christ, slap His face, and spit in His face, and go to heaven! He will not be mocked!
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Jesus said in John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Atonement is not limited
Calvinist who say that only a chosen few can be saved are calling Jesus a liar!
Jesus said that if He was crucified He would draw all people to salvation. He’s not going to draw someone to salvation and then refuse to save them!
Here are a few more verses that show that everyone can be saved:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 12:46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
Acts 10:43 “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
Romans 10:11 “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Matthew 12:50 “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
1 John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
The evidence of this drawing is simply a desire to commit your life to Christ, not tears, or any emotion.
The Bible say that the natural person hates God and thinks salvation is foolish. They have no desire to be saved.
We cannot of our own minds just decide that we want to be saved.
Therefore, if someone wants to be saved then that means God would have to be drawing them to salvation. Because we are not even capable of even recognizing our need for God without God drawing us.
Salvation is a decision not an emotion!
Preachers who tell people they can’t be saved because they rejected God too many times, and God is not drawing them to salvation, even though they want to be saved, are evil wolves in sheep’s clothing!They are not saved themselves and they hinder others from getting saved!
If you have been told that you cannot be saved, You have been lied too!
You can be saved. God wants to save you no matter what you have done or how many times you have rejected Him.
Please go read my page How to Get To Heaven now and do what it says to get saved!
This is a much debated issue in Christianity. Today we will look at what the Bible says about it.
Nature shows there is a God
Romans 1:
18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:“
God says here that everyone is without excuse because nature clearly shows that God exists.
Those who do not believe in Jesus are already condemned to Hell
John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
God Promises that those who diligently seek Him will find Him
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.“
God promises here that if a person diligently seeks God then God will make sure they hear the gospel and have an opportunity to get saved.
I have heard about people in secluded tribes realizing from nature that the true God could not be their idols, but a single all powerful God who created everything. They then began to ask God to reveal Himself to them. Then after many years a missionary came to them and told them the Gospel and they got saved.
God gives everyone a chance to get saved, no one has an excuse. He reveals Himself through nature, and then He makes sure that anyone seeking Him does hear a clear presentation of the Gospel and has an opportunity to get saved.
