What do I need to do to believe in Christ.

[MJFlores]

You're pretty close to what I believe. I do disagree with that in small part. But that's not a big deal. It is sufficient to say that Jesus is the head of the body and the Spirit within the body as well. (Romans 8:9) Whether you believe Jesus is also the body or not is not very important.

To answer your question. The church is not a human made organization in my belief. And someone could be saved and not be a member of any denomination. As for people in denominations that's between them and God. I won't necessarily know where God has them (presently) or brought them from (past) or is taking them to. (future)

That's true. I'm an Acts 2:38 believer.

So who will the Lord Jesus Christ save? Isn't it his body the church?

Which church? All churches - regardless of their different beliefs?

Isn't it written in:

Matthew 7:21-23 New International Version (NIV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

They knew Christ alright but Christ never knew them. Isn't that sad?

Do you know why? They were not members of his body, his church.

 

[Thief]

Luke 23:39-43 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

View attachment 22231

There is always an exception to the rule. He was fortunate to be there at the right time.
He has the right kind of faith, the right attitude and he firmly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Otherwise you won't like the other criminal who mocked him saying “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

Then we have this verse as a reminder:

1 Corinthians 6:7-10 New International Version (NIV)
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

I prefer to quote the Carpenter....
not much for spreading myself to thin

You do realize?....the parables are sufficient

 

[MJFlores]

I prefer to quote the Carpenter....
not much for spreading myself to thin

You do realize?....the parables are sufficient

What are parables?

par·a·ble ˈperəb(ə)l/
noun
plural noun: parables
a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.
synonyms: allegory, moral story/tale, fable, exemplum
"the parable of the prodigal son"

There are a number of parables told by the Lord Jesus Christ during his ministry on earth.

And his apostles asked him, why the Lord Jesus have been using parables in his preaching and his reply could be seen in the Bible:

Matthew 13:10-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

To make the long story short, the Lord Jesus Christ used those beautiful and simple stories for people whose hearts have become dull.

Capisce?

 

[Thief]

and I rarely quote anything more

the entire bible is filled with quotes
what will you say first?.....when the angelic appear

 

[MJFlores]

and I rarely quote anything more

the entire bible is filled with quotes
what will you say first?.....when the angelic appear

That is the problem when people leave the Bible and won't use the Scriptures - then follow their own minds to invent their own Christs. In my reply Permalink #25, I have posted what different Jesuses, people have invented over the years:

Religious perspectives on Jesus - Wikipedia

1. Catholics and Protestants believe that their Jesus is God the Son equal to the Father in a confusing Trinitarian set up instead of the Son of God.
2. Mormons believe that their Jesus is one of the three gods in a Triune godhead, brother of Satan and went to America
3. Oneness Pentecostals believe that their Jesus is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
4. Jehovah's Witness believe that their Jesus was a spirit person then sent by God
5. The Bahá'í Faith consider Jesus to be a manifestation of God, who are a series of personages who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization
6. Gnostics believe Jesus was seen as the savior and bringer of gnosis by various Gnostic sects, such as the extinct Manichaeism.
7. In the Ahmadiyya Islamic view, Jesus survived the crucifixion and later travelled to India, where he lived as a prophet (and died) under the name of Yuz Asaf.
8. In Scientology, the teachings of Jesus are included among belief systems comprising those "earlier forms". Jesus is classified as below the level of Operating Thetan, but as a "shade above" the Scientology state of "Clear"
9. In Raëlism, Jesus and several other religious figures are considered prophets sent by an extraterrestrial race called the Elohim.
10. Followers of Religious Science consider Jesus to be a teacher of Science of Mind principles, but reject his unique divinity, arguing that every person is equally divine.
11. In Hinduism Jesus is an avatar of the God Vishnu

1 Corinthians 4:6 Common English Bible (CEB)
Brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit. I’ve done this so that you can learn what it means not to go beyond what has been written and so none of you will become arrogant by supporting one of us against the other.

 

[Thief]

I’ve done this so that you can learn what it means not to go beyond what has been written and so none of you will become arrogant by supporting one of us against the other.

and this ^ fellow you quoted......
had something written?

so back to my previous post....
the Carpenter's parables are sufficient

 

[MJFlores]

and this ^ fellow you quoted......
had something written?

so back to my previous post....
the Carpenter's parables are sufficient

Mr. Parable R Sufficient,

Now explain to me, this parable and how to put this parable into practice:

Luke 16:1-8 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

“‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

 

[Thief]

Mr. Parable R Sufficient,

Now explain to me, this parable and how to put this parable into practice:

Luke 16:1-8 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

“‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

It's called.....cutting your losses

(and King James of 1960 is more to my liking)

so you find yourself in a situation.....a falling out with your Master
you then make well and good with others
if your Master is about to give you the boot
you might need a little kindness from those who have debt

did you not find it odd?
the Master was cheated by the dishonest steward
who then cut the sum of debt owing to the Master

and so the Master loses twice over

first His steward is ripping Him off
then His steward reduces the incoming owed

and yet the Master gives regard for the play of hand by the steward

do you suspect?....the Master and the steward are of the same mind

 

[MJFlores]

It's called.....cutting your losses

(and King James of 1960 is more to my liking)

so you find yourself in a situation.....a falling out with your Master
you then make well and good with others
if your Master is about to give you the boot
you might need a little kindness from those who have debt

did you not find it odd?
the Master was cheated by the dishonest steward
who then cut the sum of debt owing to the Master

and so the Master loses twice over

first His steward is ripping Him off
then His steward reduces the incoming owed

and yet the Master gives regard for the play of hand by the steward

do you suspect?....the Master and the steward are of the same mind

So what is the moral lesson of the parable? Does it suggest thievery is good that the Master lost twice over? Does it suggest that if the manager would be fired from his job, might as well burn the Master's house down?

 

[Thief]

So what is the moral lesson of the parable? Does it suggest thievery is good that the Master lost twice over? Does it suggest that if the manager would be fired from his job, might as well burn the Master's house down?

I wasn't attempting to add to the narrative
just pointing to the narrative.....the Master calling the steward....'wise'

 

[MJFlores]

I wasn't attempting to add to the narrative
just pointing to the narrative.....the Master calling the steward....'wise'

The questions are simple. Question 2 to 3 are just answerable by a yes or no.

1. So what is the moral lesson of the parable?
   
2. Does it suggest thievery is good that the Master lost twice over?
   
3. Does it suggest that if the manager would be fired from his job, might as well burn the Master's house down?

 

[Thief]

The questions are simple. Question 2 to 3 are just answerable by a yes or no.

1. So what is the moral lesson of the parable?
   
2. Does it suggest thievery is good that the Master lost twice over?
   
3. Does it suggest that if the manager would be fired from his job, might as well burn the Master's house down?

you can't lead the conversation

 

[MJFlores]

you can't lead the conversation

In short, you just don't know.

 

[Thief]

In short, you just don't know.

better yet.....parables are designed for your perspective
no two people hear any word in the same way

what do you need to be a Christian?
focus on the parables
and make certain your pespective

I say....if you judge by sight
you will be judge ON sight
if you judge by rumor
you will be judged by hearsay
and no one will ask of you....anything

If you judge at all
make certain your own mind and heart......first

I do know
my plea of ignorance disappeared decades ago

 

[MJFlores]

better yet.....parables are designed for your perspective
no two people hear any word in the same way

what do you need to be a Christian?
focus on the parables
and make certain your pespective

I say....if you judge by sight
you will be judge ON sight
if you judge by rumor
you will be judged by hearsay
and no one will ask of you....anything

If you judge at all
make certain your own mind and heart......first

I do know
my plea of ignorance disappeared decades ago

 

[Thief]

would that be you?.....in the photo

 

[MJFlores]

would that be you?.....in the photo

 

[Thief]

no further comment then?

 

[MJFlores]

No use further discussing at this point when people are unresponsive to defend their posted beliefs. How can I compare that? It would be talking to a brick wall. Just look at the flash and forget the whole thing.

 

[YeshuaRedeemed]

https://www.gotquestions.org/Romans-road-salvation.html