Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

This came up in a Facebook discussion:

I saw this on somebody's Facebook wall "...All's I know is that I'm trying my best to be admired and accepted by Jesus..."

Thoughts? Is this part of the Pentecostal Apostolic thought process?

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

I strongly disagree with that statement yet believe that is exactly how many apostolics view their relationship with God.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

religion of works...

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

I agree here! To fit in, one must be admired and accepted by the other church members, so it is a given that one must be admired and accepted by God.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Admired and accepted are a very poor choice of words here, and indicate a possible attitude issue as others have already posted.

We are encouraged to strive to put on the mind of Christ which does not seek for self glory or human worship. Nowhere in scripture does it say we should seek to be admired or accepted of Christ.

We are accepted into the kingdom based on our faith in the work at Calvary, and His shed blood. We are changed by the power of Christ working within us producing fruit of the spirit. That should be our goal as a believer and follower of Christ.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Altho I dont like the term "admired" I understand that we want Jesus to count us worthy and we want to be accepted by him. That is as Biblical as anything I know.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Legalism.....

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

I think dying for me is all the acceptance I need.

How can they even reason this thinking?

He knows the hairs on our heads - - he cares for the sparrow, so how much more does he care about me?

I think it needs to be turned around - - we need to admire and accept Jesus! He's already done that for us!

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Jesus counts one as worthy or unworthy according to how they live.

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure : 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer : 2 Thess 1:4-5

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 2 Thess. 1:11

Jesus made it very plain some will be counted worthy but most will not.

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh , the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels Rev. 3:4-5

The devil has deceived almost all professing Christians into thinking they need not be holy and blameless before the Lord to be accepted by him. It is making his job so easy.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Apostle Paul is here speaking to saints who have believed, been baptized and received the Holy Ghost.

Yet look what he says to these blood washed, spirit baptized believers.

9 Wherefore we labour , that, whether present or absent , we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done , whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; 2 Cor. 5:9-11

So the doctrine of today that we are automatically accepted and worthy of the kingdom apart from what we do is total heresy. It has left the people despising the true God of the Bible and believing in a Jesus of their own mind.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Right on Michael, right on!

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Yes indeed! It is heresy, because it is causing us to miss out on so much with our relationship with Jesus!

Our focus each and every day is to put on the mind of Christ. Putting on the mind of Christ will cause us to lay aside things that hinder our relationship with him. Those things may seem "legalistic" to others, but a true child of God will recognize the value of setting things aside in their lives in order to more completely abide in Jesus.

When you get a glimpse of eternity, setting aside the things here that cause us to stumble will be worthwhile in order to spend eternity with our Saviour!

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

what can also be a heresy is taking a few scriptures out and making a stand alone doctrine with them and not looking at the rest of the word.

Michael points to a few verses, but in the context of the way he uses them actually contridicts other verses. His view completly negates romans 4 and ephesians 2

also other translations can help you understand this better.

in thessalonians, these people wasnt trying to make themselves counted to be worthy, they were suffering for their faith, Paul is trying to uplift them in their persecution.

4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

they wasnt trying to do works to earn this, they was suffering trials and tribulations and Paul said because of these sufferings you will be counted worthy

again verse 11

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.

who is going to make who worthy? God, who is going to bring this plan into fruition through you? God.

he takes verse from 2 corinthians 5:9-11 but before we got there lets look at verse 5
5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come

what is Paul speaking of here. what is this guarantee? Its the ressurected body, and God gave us His Spirit as a deposit, now lets look at 2 corinthians 5:9-11

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

All christians should try to please God this is through His will, but paul is not saying we do this to gain acceptance with God.

That would contridict the agape love of God. God will never love you more than he loves you now, and if by some reason you fail or stumble, cause you gave into the flesh that love doesnt change.

He commanded His love twords you. while i do believe a person can walk away from the faith, God did not walk away from them, if he Did then the scripture he will never leave you nor forsake you is a lie.

there is People are out here working to earn Gods love thinking the more they do the more acceptance they gain, and that isnt true. We do works out of debt, out of love, but not acceptance, romans ch 4 is very specific

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

People need to grasp how great grace is and loving our God is, if your out here working for acceptance to some how try to make your self worthy, then you failed your doing a religion of works and your rightousness is of filthy rags,

But if your out here labouring cause you have Gods love in you and believe your already accepted though the sacrifice of Jesus, then My dear sister its a whole new ball game.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

This is a concept of men straight and simple. If the concept does not agree with the rest of the body of teaching throw it out. Like this one you hold to.



If I had time I would post far more scriptures. They carry the weight of the day by far to the little frail concept that "no matter what we do God wont loves us more or less".

You do not understand Romans 4 or Ephesians 2. They dont contradict other scripture but when you mistakenly think Paul was teaching this Protestant doctrine then sure it would make it seem very contradictory.

The same Paul however who wrote Ephesians and Romans wrote this:

9 Those things, which ye have both learned , and received , and heard , and seen in me, do : and the God of peace shall be with you. Phil. 4:9

Paul said if you order your life the way he ordered his THEN God will be with you.

Paul would be shocked at the way men have twisted his writings to say Gods love is without condition and will never change no matter what we do.

That is the strong delusion sweeping through spirit baptized people today to weaken them. To set them up to fall. Its working but you/we can still overcome it. How?

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 2 Tim. 2:15

Protect yourself and those who hear you. True doctrine will fit together as pieces of a puzzle. All of the scriptures are true. Study all scripture on a given topic. Not just part. Peace, Michael

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

i understand you believe in your works based religion thats nothing new, but look what you said

true doctrine will fit together as peices of the puzzle,

My advice stop looking at the peices of the puzzle and look at the whole picture.

i made a very vaild points to everything you said, If i focus on the peices alone i will never see the picture.

the whole picture is redemption. Not based on my works,

you was saved by grace and that was not of your self, and now you think you can keep yourself saved? That isnt grace at all that is mike trying to save himself by works.

The bible does not teach that. what the bible does teach is works will be birthed by the Spirit in the believer. Again all christians should want to please God, i wont agrue that, but if your living in fear that your not counted as worthy, then you lack faith. that is not liberty in Christ, Paul declares there is now no condemnation to those in Christ who walk after the Spirit.

Even those who walk after the Spirit stumble, Paul, peter, just to name 2 of them yet none of them declared that they was going to get to heaven by any of their works. No they declared Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

I do believe we are saved to serve, but the service is not for acceptance but again like romans ch 4 declares out of debt.

God again will never love you more than He does Now, that is not doctrine of men, Mike God loved me while i was a dirty rotten sinner, He loved me so much that he sent his only begotten son to die for a wretched man like me. That love is beyond us to even compare, but your telling me after he deposits the Spirit unto the day of redemption in you. Gives you a Spirit of adoption, that He will now love you less. mike thats just rubbish...

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Amen note how Paul who they claim taught just believe once then your always loved by God no matter what wrote about HIS OWN APPROACH to living for Jesus.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Phil. 3:7-11

He forsook all that he may WIN CHRIST! More fellowship with him! More of his power! More of his sufferings!

What was his end goal?

That he might attain the resurrection of the dead! Verse 11

Yet by the time people get done reading the Protestant Commentaries you would think Paul taught we need do NOTHING AT ALL to attain the resurrection.:highfive

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Where did I say different? The Holy Ghost drives us, empowers us to overcome.

Well sure we should want to but scripture teaches hell for those who dont. Jesus said so. He will not blot your name out of the book of life IF YOU OVERCOME. By the Holy Ghost of course. Rev. 3:1-5

I dont live in the fear I wont be counted worthy but sadly many who think they are worthy apart from obedience will be shocked on the judgment day when they hear "depart from me ye that work iniquity". Instead of overcoming iniquity they continued in it. Matt. 7:21

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

agree to some point, the issue is a person stunbling while running the race versus living into carnality.

while we run to obtain the prize, we do trip, even in those times we are covered by grace, now if a person wants to forsake God and walk away and live in sin(carnality) and reject conviction, yes they are a worker of inquity. but they walked away from God, God did not walk away from them.

again for a person to overcometh, ( he must be empowered by God to overcome) i think we both agree on this, the power of the Spirit living in.

My biggest point is people who preach a work based religion will have people in and out of salvation 3-4 times a day.

I dont go out and plan on sinning, but some times i do sin. Do i feel guilt and shame ofcourse, am i unsaved? No

Grave meets me when i fall short, grace covers me on my imprefections.

Now i can choose today to stop living for God, however God doesnt just cut you loose, you are purchased property. That means chastizment will come, being turned over to satan to have your flesh destroyed so that in the end you might be saved. God wants you to be in saved more than you do.

as i told others, when Christ was nailed to the cross, he was nailed to you, if you want out of this relationship then your going to have to pull the nails out.

as for the worker of inequities, many of those knew of the Lord but they never knew him. Jesus knows all born again believers name.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Well yea but that I think proves my point. God does love one less even cuts them off if they do iniquity and dont repent of it. His love is not unconditional.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

I agree. Jesus is warning ALL people whether they say they know him or not. Everybody who works iniquity (continues in sin) will be cast out of his presence.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Phil. 3:7-11

If Paul thought he had to forsake all and live like this to win Christ and attain to the resurrection we should take it very seriously. Do WE want to win Christ? Attain to the resurrection?

Will God accept us if we live less?

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

I think if you go back and read my post again, I mentioned putting on the mind of Christ.

What exactly is the mind of Christ? HOW do you put on the mind of Christ? How do you become a new creature?

You see, a change takes place in one's heart with the new birth, salvation, spirit infilling.... and because of that change, there is a deeper love in your heart, far different from any other kind of love you have ever experienced. That kind of love makes you want to do whatever you can to please the ONE you are in love with.... that is the kind of love that I am talking about .... the one where you feel you are indebted the rest of your life to the ONE who has given so much to you. That kind of love and desire for deeper fellowship with Christ will by nature, in and of itself, cause one to begin to work to shed any remnants of your former fleshly nature, and to begin to fast, and pray, crucifying the flesh, so that the life of Christ can begin to regin in your life. This kind of love will produce true WORKS of the spirit, and not works of the flesh.

And dear sir, I am certainly not what you would call a legalist, if you will go back and read my post again. I said that the SPIRIT would convict you of things in your life. So let me re-post what I originally said.

Our focus each and every day is to put on the mind of Christ. Putting on the mind of Christ will cause us to lay aside things that hinder our relationship with him. Those things may seem "legalistic" to others, but a true child of God will recognize the value of setting things aside in their lives in order to more completely abide in Jesus.

When you get a glimpse of eternity, setting aside the things here that cause us to stumble will be worthwhile in order to spend eternity with our Saviour!

If I personally lay aside things that cause ME to stumble, why would you label me a "legalist"? I am doing it unto the Lord. That is my position. I hate legalism. I hate man's way of doing things, the Pharasical way! Just as Jesus condemned it! Yet, there is work to be done in our lives. We are in a constant battle with the flesh against the spirit, and if we just lay down and never try to discipline our flesh as in with fasting and prayer (as Jesus himself did), and if we never evidenced of the love of Jesus living in us by helping and loving our fellow man, than what good has it done in taking upon the blood of Jesus done in my life? I have not allowed the POWER of the blood and of his grace and mercy to transform me from my fleshly, wicked ways, into a new creature!

I am not a legalist by any means, and I can't understand how you thought that!

But I do believe with all my heart that as I seek to follow Christ with all my heart, that I am going to have to let go of some things that my flesh likes in order to have more fellowship with Him.

I don't impose those things on anyone else, other than my own self. I don't go around prating that now I have a great revelation, and everyone else should join me in letting go of ________ (Fill in the blank) thing that the Spirit dealt with me about.

IF I begin to condemn others because they are not doing the things as I have been bidden of the SPirit to do, then I am in the wrong..... and THAT is what is wrong with legalism, and Pharaseeism - it puts the emphasis in the wrong place.

I am a contender for PERSONAL HOLINESS, that being that the Spirit will lead and guide each one of us, teaching us, correcting us, and showing us the things in our lives that cause us to stumble. If we listen for the voice of God in our hearts, we will know without a doubt what things we are to do in order to have closer fellowship with the Lord.

Of course I believe in the grace and mercy of Jesus, it has transformed my life!!!! But let's not abuse that precious blood shed for us as a means of continued unrepentant sinning.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Our faith in the end is what saves us, of course.

Can I add a little more to this train of thought?

So... HOW can we have faith without ever allowing our lives to be transformed by believing that the precious blood shed at Calvary was to give us the power to overcome our flesh?

If we carelessly accept the precious gift of Calvary, and continue walking on in our unregenerate way, and never allowing his Spirit to completely transform us, we are crucifying the Son of God afresh. Heb. 6:6

We are to be NEW creatures, unlike our past ways that were lived in gratifying the flesh. In Christ, we live to please Christ, and in so doing, we have to lay aside things of our flesh in order to have closer fellowship with Him.

I am not going to tell anyone exactly what they need to do in order to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus, but the SPIRIT and the WORD will! If we begin to tune our voice to the Spirit, and the Word of God, we will begin to hear what we must do in order to walk in fellowship with Jesus.... and that little thing that we may have to stop doing.... our brother or sister may do it shamelessly without any regard, or any need to cut it out of their lives.... but that is between them and God.

This is the difference between the legalists, and those who advocate personal holiness.

I will seek personal holiness as unto the Lord, with my husband, and my family, and yet, in that same thought, I will not condemn my brother or sister if he/she does not carry the same personal holiness standard as myself, because that is between them and the Lord.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

alot of that post was directed at his verses not you specifically. but how would one view this scripture, what would be some of your personal thoughts


hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

well your either for the kingdom og God or your not. your either born again or your not, your either given a Spirit of adoption or your not.

your sealed to the day of redemption or your not.. we know you cant be either or.

but beyond what Paul said Christ won us. His actions wa shis life style, and he encouraged others to be like him. to run the race as though you want to win it. even though we as christian are not competing with each other.

Pauls point in general is everything that is here today will be gone, and Christ is more than these, but at the same token when Paul spoke of baptism in romans 6 and col 2 he spoke of being raised like Jesus through faith

and i really think that is what your trying todo is substitute works for faith. Instead of having faith that produce worth.

Paul was a extrodenary man, but paul also slipt back under the law and did a sacrifice, he also did a purification ritual to please others. He wasnt with out fault. But His faith was always keeping him pressed tword Jesus.

The deeds he did wouldnt gain him access, but the faith he had that produced those very works would be what Got him to heaven,

No one can ever do enough, Paul couldnt, Peter couldnt. I cant, you cant. we can never pay the debt. we can never do enough. That is the power of the cross. that is why we need grace.

ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. and not of works less anyone should boast

Mike what is a gift? Do you have to labour to get a gift? or is a Gift given out of Love.

John 4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

Acts 15:11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Romans 3:24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 9:16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Ephesians 2:5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

This past Sunday, the message was about the difference between salvation and sanctification.

The pastor said once you're saved, its OK if you want to cuss somebody out! He said its OK if you want to have an affair with that person at work! He said its OK if you want to cheat somebody out of their money! It's OK if you want to ignore the elderly or poor! .............AS LONG AS YOU DON'T DO IT!

Even Jesus himself was tempted. Not MY will, but THINE be done! We should all strive to be Christ-like.

When you're born of the spirit, you'll show the fruits of the spirit!

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

Blessed are the pure in heart for THEY shall see God. Matt 5:8

Re: Admired and Accepted by Jesus!
 

My thoughts on this scripture would be to learn to live within your means, and with such things as God has given you, and to not look on others or things with a spirit that desires to have more than you need.

I just read this scripture this morning:

Romans 13:14 "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."

This scripture seems to sum up most of what Paul taught. Allow the spirit of Jesus to so transform your life, and in so doing this, you will not make provision for your fleshly lusts, but will begin to deny them in order to have closer fellowship with Jesus.

You will not be producing fleshly, manmade works, but spiritual works as evidenced by the fruit of the spirit....