Hi Todd and Mike, thanks for your input,
I wrote this up as a part of seeking an answer to my question.
How can you know that you truly, I mean truly know that you really are: 1) believing in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, 2) truly someone who loves and knows God, 3) truly someone who is born again, 4). truly abiding in Jesus, truly abiding in His love, 5) truly a friend of Jesus, 6). truly a son or daughter of God, and, finally, in that Day of the Lord, 7) truly one of His sheep who goes to heaven and not a goat who doesn't ?
Could there be 7 more important questions for us ? God would be remiss not to help us in this would He not ?
To keep it simple for sheep, He gives one repetitive response that answers all 7 questions. Only one.
1). * Faith or belief or trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of one's sins is dead and of no use unless it manifests love, especially love for the saints.
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love....... For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 2). **. To say we love God and Jesus without loving the brethern is to not speak the truth.
1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
3). ***. Being born again, by definition, means loving the brethern. "Knowing God, by definition, is proved by loving the brethern.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
4). **** We only abide in Jesus and abide in Jesus' love if we love the brethern.
John 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.....This is my commandment that you love one another.
5). ******. You are only a friend of Jesus if you love the brethern.
John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
6). ******. You are only a son or daughter of God if........you love the brethern.
1 John 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
7).********. Only sheep who love the brethern go to heaven.
Matthew 25:31-40 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Seven extremely important questions for those who profess Jesus as Lord and only One answer. I get that love of the brethern is a fruit of salvation and that you can't earn salvation with fruit. I get that faith precedes love. But if we don't have this one fruit, we aren't a good tree planted by the Lord with our roots in Him. God is so clear on this that you would have to shut your ears and your heart to avoid this truth.
Forgiveness of sin is a glorious grace filled and precious gift and it is the point of reconciled entry into the life of Jesus, the love of Jesus, being made manifest. However, Christlikeness, shown most in love to the brethern, is the ultimate intention and purpose of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the gate, the race belongs to love, and the finish line is perfect Christ likeness. This is the order of importance is it not ? _________________ Robert
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