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Changed by God for God — 2 Comments

  1. AMEN, Well done Angus!! May be interesting for you the information of the differance between salvation versus the Kingdom:

    Salvation versus the Kingdom.
    “Someone asked Jesus: What good deed must I do to have eternal life? Jesus answered this question: keep the commandments. Which ones? the man asked. Jesus replied: You must … I’ve obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. What else must I do? Jesus told him: If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:16-23)”. This man is asking two different questions and is receiving two different answers.

    The first question is about salvation: What must I do to have eternal life? Because this man was living before the victory of Jesus at the mighty cross, the law and the prophets were still applicable, and the answer was: Keep the commandments. The answer for today is: Believe in Me and you will have eternal life as written: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it (Ephesians 2:8-9)”. The first question is answered, this man has fulfilled the conditions, and has eternal life (his salvation is secure), which is only based on believe, 100% grace and not based on one single work from our side.

    The second question is another one in addition: What else must I do? The answer is: If you want to be perfect, … This question is not about salvation at all.  Jesus is not judging this man regarding his decision but only suggesting him how to be perfect in addition to his salvation. As a result the consequences “it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” are also not about salvation.

    What are the consequences of our choices regarding this “What else must I do”? If you accept the suggestion of Jesus: You will receive a hundred times as much in return, in this very life, from that what you have given up, and in addition eternal life in the world to come (Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30). Well, this means a blessing in this very life (living in the Kingdom) and in the world to come eternal life. If you don’t accept the suggestion of Jesus to be perfect: In that case you are missing the blessings in this very life, however you still have eternal life in the world to come, which wasn’t based on our works (being perfect in this second question), but only on grace (the first question).  You didn’t built on the foundation and are saved “as through the fire” as written: If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15). You are missing the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven in this very life, for “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:17)”.

    The Kingdom of heaven came with Jesus first coming, is spiritual and has many advantages, already in this very life. You will be placed outside the spiritual Kingdom in this very life if you say no to question number two, which is based on our works, to prove your faith and your thankfulness for your salvation. However salvation, eternal life in the world to come is based only on Grace and not on our works. Never mix that.
    Please, never ever exclude anyone from eternal life based on human works. Thank You Lord for saving me only by grace and not because I was one of those five out of ten who had enough oil for my lamp (human works).
    Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
    That saved a wretch like me….
    I once was lost but now am found,
    Was blind, but now, I see.

    Keep up the Good work and stay blessed,
    Kees Heijstek

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