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Well, nearly, but not quite. The emphasis is wrong. Quite explicitly, it is Jesus Christ who will come again and judge everyone, the living and the dead. That's what we are told. There's no two ways round it.
Actually, it's accurate, the emphasis is accurate... and there is another way around it, dear Char (peace to you!). Two ways, actually:
1. Because those who are in union with Christ have no condemnation; and
2. Christ doesn't judge. He CAN... because he has been given the AUTHORITY... but he doesn't. Because he humbly grants that RIGHT back to the Father.
I posted to this, above. But just in case you missed that:
As to those who are in union with Christ, they have no condemnation... because his blood "covers" their sins. Paul mentioned this.
Romans 8:1. Christ did, too:
"Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
"Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
[Jesus] said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” John 6:48-57Quote:
It certainly isn't a question of us being judged by our sins, passively, as if by magic or some kind of permeable influence or anonymous force. No. Jesus will judge us in His mercy, and if our humble approach is "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner", then so much the better for us.
I think you mean a different "us" (perhaps the world of mankind) than some of us others do (the Body of Christ). Even so, you misunderstand. Mercy
does not judge. Mercy triumphs OVER judgment. That's why it's CALLED mercy.
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Very, very wrong and an insult to God is the Watchtower teaching that it is up to us to "keep ourselves in God's love". Such arrogance! No matter how good a person may seem or even may think he is, not one single human being is or will ever be perfect, because there has only ever been one perfect man, Jesus himself.
Far be it from me to take the side of the WTBTS, but while they may be wrong in HOW they teach this, the saying itself is not wrong. Unless you believe my Lord's brother, Jude, to have been wrong. For he is the one who said it:
"But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying through holy spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord [Jesus] Christ to bring you to eternal life." Jude 1:21Your comment, then, only serves to further in my mind that you truly do not know the Bible as you often claim you do. You obviously overlooked those verses we all included above. Can you really keep doing that, calling the teachings of others wrong... although they are recorded in the Bible... while touting your understanding as correct, based on... what, exactly? Your "feelings"?
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HOWEVER, we know that when He comes He will exercise mercy, so we know that He will take everything into account when He does so. And that He sees not as men see but as God sees, because, of course, we know that Jesus Christ is God.
When he arrives, dear one, the only ones who will be taken into account are the sheep and the goats. By that time, those who belong to him have already been "judged"... by means of their calling, choosing, and anointing. That is what the anointing is FOR. Since they ARE anointed, there is no reason TO judge them... because HE has already made such ones clean, by means of HIS blood... which they drink. See?
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There is no judgment at all for those who are in Christ, because His blood covers them.
I keep reading that on this forum. It is very very wrong.
No, actually, it's correct and accurate. It is the GOOD news of the kingdom.
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Is that an interpretation of the concept of Jesus' death being a propitiation for our sins, as Saint Paul puts it?
First, no, Paul didn't say that. John did. In the second of his letters canonized in the Bible. Second...
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That's a misunderstanding. Christ died once for all upon the Cross for our sins,
That is a misunderstanding, actually. He died once... for all WHO PUT FAITH IN HIM. THOSE folks. If what you state is true, then we might as well all go out and commit whatever sin/error against whomever we wish to... because we ALL be shown mercy. To think that THAT is the case... is an arrogance. It entirely misses the purpose OF his sacrifice.
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yet to think that that meant that any sins we commit are therefore all wiped clean before we even start is both smug and nonsensical, as well as being the ultimate in arrogant folly,
Third... that really is the case. That once one comes to Christ and drinks from HIM, one's sins and errors up to that time are forgiven... and forgotten. If one sins AFTERWARD, then one can ASK for forgiveness based on his propitiatory sacrifice. EXCEPT... if one sins... but does not forgive or show mercy to one who sins against THEM... then ALL of their sins are reinstated:
"... the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
"When the [b]other servants saw what had happened[/b], they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35We are forgiven... and shown mercy... AS we forgive and SHOW mercy. And we start with a CLEAN slate, once we've joined to Christ. That's why we are called VIRGINS. One doesn't have to DO anything to have one's sins cleansed to start...
except come TO Christ, in FAITH, and in that faith, partake of his flesh (so as to be "cured")
and blood (so as to be "cleansed"). Doing this (partaking) is what RATIFIES the "covenant" we HAVE with him... "for a kingdom." It is our "Yes!" as Israel cried out yes at Mount Sinai... and so binds us to the NEW (Law) Covenant... of LOVE... just as saying yes and being sprinkled with the blood of BULLS ratified bound Israel to the OLD (Law) Covenant.
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though basically at root it is a major error which those holding to it would be very wise to abandon, humbly and in penitence, as fast as they can.
Although your words sound "weighty"... they truly don't carry weight you think they do. Because they are inaccurate and lack truth. In that light, you might consider taking the advice you often give others. True, their shipping is sinking... but so is yours, dear Char. I realize that, given the longevity, you don't THINK it is... but the Jews didn't think their temple/golden calf was going to come to an end, either. Rather than calling for others to get out and swim... while your own life raft is taking on water... perhaps you might consider that the "water" in
your boat ISN'T "holy"?
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There again is the wrongness of this thinking. "Those who are in Christ" will receive no judgement? Nonsense! It's the arrogance of the Pharisee who said "Thank God I am not as other men are."
No, it's really not the same thing at all. The Pharisee didn't even believe he HAD sin. Those of the Body of Christ, however, know... for a FACT... that they not only
have sin but ARE sinners... and so, like the tax collector
plead for MERCY. Constantly. Day in AND day out. Just without all of the pomp, and robes, and hats, and bookbags, and fancy buildings, etc., that others have so that others will THINK they think themselves "sinners." You know, have "godly devotion." These plead THROUGH Christ... and they are NOT denied that mercy but ENSURED of it. That is what the anointing with holy spirit IS: a "token"... until the REALITY arrives. So, just as Naaman was cleansed simply bathing in the water in Jordan... these are cleansed simply by bathing in the "water" that is holy spirit. LIVING water. As Elijah told Naaman to GO to the water (in the Jordan)... Christ calls THESE by saying "COME!"... to the "water." That "water" is in HIM... and HE pours it out UPON those "wishing" and "thirsting."
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This attitude of assuming one is saved while looking down one's nose at those who will be judged, in our own minds, is folly of the highest order.
Then please consider... stopping your doing of it? Because you do it ALL the time, as to ones here and in particular those associating with the WTBTS. Now, I realize that you don't THINK you are doing it... or SEE that you are... but you are. Just... consider it.
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[Jesus] makes it clear that it is those who repeatedly come to him in penitence and sorrow but with faith in his mercy and forgiveness are those who will be received by him with open arms. Hence the tale of the Prodigal Son.
In that tale, the son returned home ONCE, not repeatedly. Show me, though, please... indeed, show ALL of us here, where the Apostles showed themselves to come to him repeatedly in penitence and sorrow. Please. Indeed, they often showed a LACK of both... arguing with each other, falling out with each other... leaving him, denying him... yet, he put up with them. Why? Because they were penitent? No. Because they had FAITH in him... and that he was the Son of God.
(I am reminded by him now to remind YOU of Saul of Tarsus and to ask you where that man BEFORE BEING CALLED AND CHOSEN... showed penitence and sorrow. To the CONTRARY, he did NOT, until my Lord himself met him on the road to Damascus.)
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It really does worry me that there are people who will read this and think to themselves that they are all right because they are "part of the Body of Christ".
Just as it worries some of us that you believe
you are right... in SPITE of what Christ said, the Apostles said, Paul said, etc., AND that you DON'T make such claim, NOR do you glorify God or Christ... or claim holy spirit... or anything. Nothing more than some men who dress in fancy garb (albeit, worn sometimes, yes) "said so." Actually, it doesn't worry us but just sort of makes us feel great sorrow for YOU. Because you claim to "see"... when it is very clear that you do not. But it doesn't
have to be that way. There IS One who sells eyesalve... and it's FREE...
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The Body of Christ is the Church of God, which is not a building but the body of all believers.
No, sorry, that is not accurate, either.
The demons believe. They KNOW Christ is the Son of God. They CALLED him "Lord" and "Son of David." Are THEY part of the Body of Christ/Church of God???
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That does not mean those on this forum and a few more. That means ALL believers, those who believe in One God, the Father Almighty, and that Jesus Christ is his only Son.
Please see above. SATAN believes in One God, the Father Almighty... and in Christ, his only-begotten son (who is NOT God's only son. Surely, you remember Adham, yes? As what of those called to BE sons? Some even think the angels are God's sons; they're not, but some think that). If all of this is true, how can Christ be his ONLY son? He is not. He is God's only-BEGOTTEN son... by the "woman", Jerusalem Above.
Galatians 4:26; Revelation 12:1-6You really should take a few minutes and re-read your Bible, dear one. Really. Or at least look up the verses folks share with you. Or at least stop referring to someone/Christ as saying something they didn't.
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He is our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate
No. He did not suffer "under" Pontius Pilate. Pilate... wanted to RELEASE him. Pilate was KIND to him. Pilate simply delivered him up TO those under whom he suffered... so that those could have THEIR wish: his death. He suffered way more during his time under arrest with the Sanhedrin than he did while with the Roman guard, Char. You REALLY should take a moment and read your Bible.
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and was crucified, dead and buried, yet on the third day he rose again, ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. And that from there He will come to judge both the living and the dead. And in the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
Funny, I remember rotely parroting that very same incantation, too... as a Lutheran. I didn't know it was wrong when I did it, either.
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That is the sum of Christian belief. While this declaring that certain people are part of the Body of Christ is true to a certain extent, it is true only insomuch as it is true of all believers who are part of the universal (catholic) church, the body of all who believe.
THAT... is the sum of
Catholic TRADITION, dear one, not christian belief.
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For the rest, Christ separates the sheep and the goats, yes... inviting the sheep into the kingdom and casting the goats outside. Though their own words and deeds have judged them. (As He also said, those who did good and showed kindness to even the least of his brothers is invited into the kingdom.)
Yes, provided it is understood that this will be on the final day of judgement.
No, this takes place at least a thousand years BEFORE the judgment, during the time that Christ separates the sheep from the goats... which takes place just AFTER the first resurrection. You disregard both, the first resurrection... and the work that follows that... because you only know of the general resurrection. A review of your Bible MIGHT help you get some understanding as to these two prior events; however, not if you insist on leaning upon your own understanding... rather than allowing Christ, the Holy Spirit, to lead you. Into ALL truth. About these things and everything else.
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Remember, there is no "who judges, God or Christ?" Because Jesus is God. The Father and the Son are God, united in union with each other, with and in the Holy Spirit. So there isn't really any "either, or". They are separate Persons in one God.
Sorry, no, wrong again. But since beat THAT math lesson to death, I won't elaborate any further than to say, once again, there is no "third" person. Someone made it up... and, sadly, you are still following that made-up myth... and those who propagate it. You don't HAVE to, though. You COULD... TURN AROUND... and follow the Lamb. I mean, that One will lead you to fountains of waters of life. If you're TRULY thirsty, then...
On the other hand, if you're of those who think think THEY are rich and not in need of anything... I would recommend buying eyesalve FIRST, so that you can see HIM... so as to see the water.
Peace!
A slave of Christ,
Shellama