u/Lieutenant_Piece

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

Faith is the assurance of receiving what you hope for through Jesus. Jesus, is our hope because of what He offers, salvation.

This is reiterated 5 verses later.

(And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.) Hebrews 11:6

To draw near to Him, you must believe He will reward you if you seek Him. To have assurance of that reward from Jesus.

I talk to many catholics and protestants. Many protestants, not all, can attest to having full faith/assurance of receiving the Hope, Jesus. They often point to 1 John 5:13 to back up that position.

(I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.)

They trust in Jesus and trust that they have eternal life through Him. The catholics call this presumption, the Bible calls it faith.

The catholics have anathematized this faith by saying

"If anyone says that in order to obtain the remission of sins it is necessary for every man to believe with certainty and without any hesitation arising from his own weakness and indisposition that his sins are forgiven him, let him be anathema."

The Catholic Church historically teaches that, while a believer can have a "moral hope" in God's mercy, claiming absolute, infallible certainty of one's own final salvation is considered the sin of presumption.

These statements are sinful and make one devoid of the faith in Christ the Bible calls for. As Hebrews 11:1 says (Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for)

We are called to go beyond hope to the assurance of that hope. To truly trust in Jesus alone for salvation.

Today, the results are telling. Protestants have the assurance of things hoped for. Catholic have no assurance of things hoped for. Its all "maybe" or "if." They die hoping they will go to heaven, and that hope is still not faith. They are looking to their weakness or works instead of to Christ.

Many will stand before God and say "did we not do this work and that work" trying to justify themselves by works. Some protestants wouldn't do that, we don't believe works play any role in our salvation. However, catholics would proclaim such things to God since you do teach works justify.

God would not lay half your sins on Jesus and make Him suffer for them. He completes you. He doesn't go halfway.

(And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.) Philippians 1:6

Your understanding of some Bible verses undermine legitimate faith, so you will not be saved.

Some might call it presumption. The Bible calls it faith.

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

This is reiterated 5 verses later.

(And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.) Hebrews 11:6

If you seek after God, you must believe He will reward you to draw near to Him.

Faith is the assurance of receiving what you hope for through Jesus. Jesus, is our hope because of what He offers, salvation.

To truly have faith in Him, you must believe He will reward you. To have assurance in that Hope.

How is it that you teach that you can have faith in every other promise of God, but not this one?

(And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.) 1 John 2:25

And again, a few verses later

(And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.) 1 John 2:28

When He appears, we should have absolute confidence in Him, and not shrink back at all.

I have this faith, this confidence, that through the blood of Jesus, I shall be accepted. This is not to brag or boast. Nothing in my hands I bring, only to the cross I cling, and I have faith in Him.

Do you have the assurance of things hoped for, do you trust in His promise of eternal life, do you have the confidence in Him to not shrink back at His coming?

Here are some final verses.

(I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.) 1 John 5:13

(Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”) John 11:25-26

Some might call it presumption. The Bible calls it faith.

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

This is reiterated 5 verses later.

(And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.) Hebrews 11:6

If you seek after God, you must believe He will reward you to draw near to Him.

Faith is the assurance of receiving what you hope for through Jesus. Jesus, is our hope because of what He offers, salvation.

To truly have faith in Him, you must believe He will reward you. To have assurance in that Hope.

How is it that you teach that you can have faith in every other promise of God, but not this one?

(And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.) 1 John 2:25

And again, a few verses later

(And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.) 1 John 2:28

When He appears, we should have absolute confidence in Him, and not shrink back at all.

I have this faith, this confidence, that through the blood of Jesus, I shall be accepted. This is not to brag or boast. Nothing in my hands I bring, only to the cross I cling, and I have faith in Him.

Do you have the assurance of things hoped for, do you trust in His promise of eternal life, do you have the confidence in Him to not shrink back at His coming?

Here are some final verses.

(I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.) 1 John 5:13

(Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”) John 11:25-26

1. Do you have the witness of the Holy Spirit?

A believer should know if they have the Holy Spirit. They recieve it upon believing in Jesus.

(In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,) Ephesians 1:13

And the Holy Spirit will bear witness to the children of God.

(The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,) Romans 8:16

The second question should be, do you have the assurance of receiving the hope, Jesus, and His promise of salvation?

Jesus, is our hope because of the salvation He brings.

Genuine faith in Jesus is the assurance of that hope.

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

This is futher explained in Hebrews 11 verse 6.

(And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.)

To draw near to God, we must believe that He rewards those who seek Him.

If you seek God, you must believe He will reward you to draw near. You must have the assurance of that hope in Christ.

Considering all the various situations and the background of what happened to the people in heaven, I find it difficult to imagine the grief and pain ending.

They sinned against God in horrible ways. Some of them did horrendous things on earth but God still had mercy on them.

They lost fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, family, friends, wife, husband, and their own children to the pit of hell and death.

Sure, those who died deserved it, they sinned, but knowing that alone has never dismissed the pain of loss.

How could they even be happy in heaven with such knowledge? Will God erase their memories, essentially erasing who they were, or erase their feelings to ease the pain?

After you believe in Jesus you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

(In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.) Ephesians 1:13-14

You should know the Holy Spirit if you have Him.

(And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.) John 14:16-17

And the Holy Spirit will bear witness to all who are children of God.

(The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,) Romans 8:16

The Holy Spirit’s witness should bring a confidence of the redemption found in Christ clearly known to the individual. He should cause you to abound in hope.

(May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.) Romans 15:13

If you don't have that witness of the Holy Spirit, please pray for God to deliver and bear witness to you.

(If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”) Luke 11:13

I often hear people say that you cannot be sure of your salvation because you could sin up in the future and fall away. The Bible teaches the opposite.

We are saved by grace through faith alone. Faith is having the assurance of things hoped for.

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

Jesus, is our hope. Having faith in Jesus means trusting fully that you have salvation through Him. That His blood truly has truly cleansed you once for all.

If you don't have the assurance of receiving the hope, Jesus, then you don't have faith.

Again the Bible says (And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.) Hebrews 11:6

You must believe that He will reward those who seek Him. If you seek Him, you must believe He will reward you to even draw near to Him.

This is assurance and faith in Christ. To rest assured in Him.

Jesus, came to do His Father's will. His Father's will was that Jesus lose nothing of all that God gives Him. This includes every true Christian who had ever come to Him.

(For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.) John 6:38-39

Except for Judas who never believed (John 6:64)

Every Christian has divine protection. They will endure, they will persevere, they will overcome. Otherwise, Jesus has failed to do His Father's will.

Rest in Him. Be assured in Him. Have faith in Him.

I often hear it said that you would not have the cannon of Scripture without our church (usually referring to catholicism or orthodoxy.) The idea that we would not have the Bible if it wasn't preserved and passed down through these churches.

They should not take credit for such a thing. To do so is an insult to God.

God Himself declared that His Word would not pass away. God would not allow this world to be left without it.

(Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.) Matthew 24:35

God has said that His Word will accomplish all He set It forth to do.

(“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.) Isaiah 55:10-11

If these are God's declarations and God's will that His Word remain in the world and do all He sent it to accomplish, who is man to then claim that it was by him that it was preserved and passed down and that through man we can know God.

All who are God's will come to Him and God has kept His Word for us to hear and learn from even today.

Satan and empires couldn't prevent It and I will thank God for preserving It to be heard even today. I will not thank man for what I should praise God alone for.

When you stand before God on judgement day to face Him alone, what do you believe will ultimately justify you? What makes it superior to a protestants understanding whereby they believe they will be justified solely upon grace through faith in Christ?

Through a catholics prospective, this "protestant" understanding only gets initial justification, not final.

What will you tell God? I should be let in because of Jesus plus these deeds I've done and obedience?

There are many troubles in the world today. We could look anywhere or all around us and see problem after problem. We could focus on such things, to let them drag us down, but this is a call not to. Not to ignore the problems, but focus on the solution.

In this world, troubles will befall us all. Even though there is darkness all around, you can still focus on the Light. Jesus, will one day deliver His own from this world. More than that, He will conquer it.

We are only here for a short while. This world may as well be a hotel stay, but it is not our home.

Focus on Jesus. Focus on the Light. Don't let the darkness take your attention away from that.

(For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.) Romans 8:18-19

Jesus, tells his disciples to wait for Him.

(Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”) Matthew 26:36

He, comes back and finds them sleeping.

(And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?) Matthew 26:40

Prior to this, in the Old Testament, it says God gives sleep.

(It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.) Psalm 127:2

Why would God give someone sleep then question them for sleeping?

A lot of people think justification comes from Jesus plus obedience. That they will be made perfect before God by what they do in the flesh rather than the Spirit.

(This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?) Galatians 3:2-3

Question them, what would you say to God if He asked "why should I let you into heaven."

The correct answer should be "I have faith in Jesus and He has cleansed me." As the verse above says, we received the Spirit by the hearing of faith.

Those who think works justify, if they were confronted with this question, have to admit they tried to be made perfect by the flesh. Through my obedience, my holiness, my righteousness, plus Jesus for initial justification, I should enter heaven.

They stand before God, lifting up their righteousness as a reason to enter heaven, and all that shall be seen are how utterly polluted they are.

(and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.) Part of Isaiah 64:6

If this is how one would try to enter heaven, by presenting obedience and self-righteousness, the standard is perfection. If you would be perfect, know that is impossible.

(For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.) Romans 7:14

If you would be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace.

(Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.) Galatians 5:4

Grace is an unmerited favor, not something you can merit. Faith is having assurance in Jesus Christ, not the attempt to establish self-righteousness.

Believe Jesus's promises today.

(Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?) John 11:25-26

Two Christians at my workplace were recently confronted about two different things. One of them being myself.

1. Employee was told that speaking about the Bible or God was offensive around some people and they should stop. No more conversation about such topics to or around other employees.

2. Employee was told to refer to trans person by their preferred pronoun despite religious objection.

Thoughts?

(For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”) John 6:38-40

Jesus, was tasked to lose nothing. That everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life.

If a person looks upon Jesus and has faith in Him, Jesus's mission now becomes focused on you. To not lose you. To keep you and raise you on the last day.

The sheep is not tasked with keeping the sheep. That is to say, you are not tasked to keep yourself.

But the Shepard, Jesus, is tasked with keeping you.

He, will not fail His Father. Rest in Him and He will raise you up.

The Bible says (So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.) Genesis 1:27

I see these things as being counter to one another. Where one can't be both masculine and feminine simultaneously. And one should not try to embody the other.

Am I missing something with this idea or does God creating male and female in His Image not address the differences between the two in emotions, attitude, mindset, preferences, will, ect...

This is just something I've written to help you evaluate yourself.

Do you have faith in Jesus?

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

A Christians hope is in Jesus and they have assurance that they will recieve Him/be cleansed by Him. Trusting in Him and His sacrifice.

After they believe they are sealed with the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will bear witness to them.

(The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,) Romans 8:16

Does the Holy Spirit bear witness to you? Do you have the assurance of our hope, Jesus Christ?

If you don't, please pray for God to deliver and bear witness to you, that you may have true faith in Him.

This is just something I've written to help you evaluate yourself.

Do you have faith in Jesus?

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

A Christians hope is in Jesus and they have assurance that they will recieve Him/be cleansed by Him. Trusting in Him and His sacrifice.

After they believe they are sealed with the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will bear witness to them.

(The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,) Romans 8:16

Does the Holy Spirit bear witness to you? Do you have the assurance of our hope, Jesus Christ?

If you don't, please pray for God to deliver and bear witness to you, that you may have true faith in Him.

This is a breakdown of Paul condemning people for believing the law/works of the law would justify. Found in Galatians 5:2-4

(Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.) Galatians 5:2

Now we have to ask the question, why would these people not have Christ if they accept circumcision? Why would Christ be of no advantage to them?

(I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.) Galatians 5:3

This is the answer. If they are going to make their salvation contingent upon following one part of the law, then they would have to be obedient to the whole law.

We cannot be defining the "whole law" as Paul mentions it as being just "circumcision and sacrificing" like a lot of people try to. He clearly identifies the "whole law" here. Anybody reading this with knowledge is going to acknowledge this includes moral and ceremonial commands, both of which he sums up as love later in Galatians 5:14.

(You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.) Galatians 5:4

If we attempt to be justified by lawkeeping, we have fallen from grace.

Grace is an undeserved favor for believing in Jesus, in His atonement for sins.

What an insult to God to think you can gain grace or stay in grace through your deeds rather than through Christ alone.

This is why they would be fallen from Christ and cast away.

One should keep the law, that is a good thing to do. But please, don't think your justified by keeping it. Your justified solely on Christ alone, if indeed you have faith (rely, trust, have confidence) in Him.

(For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.) Galatians 5:5

(Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.) Romans 5:1-2

Hebrews 11:1 gives us the definition of faith.

(Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) Hebrews 11:1

Faith is the assurance, substance, confidence of things hoped for.

A Christians hope is in Jesus.

(Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,) 1 Timothy 1:1

As Christians, we have the assurance (faith) in our hope, Jesus.

After which, the Holy Spirit bears witness with our Spirit about our standing with God.

(The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,) Romans 8:16

We shouldn't be overcomplicating it.