Khoi Ngo

Brother, the justification of Gentiles by faith was not an afterthought for God. It was preached to Abraham even before Isaac and Jacob were born. “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” - Galatians 3:8 God desired to save a people for Himself from among Adam and mankind.

Then according to you, the apostle Paul insulted himself. Paul counted being a Pharisee among other things as rubbish. There is no instructions from the Christ and His apostles to the one body of Christ to become a Pharisee. More importantly, no need to insult anyone, including Pharisees. They need to hear, repent, and believe the gospel of Christ too... to be saved, forgiven, justified, and reconciled to God. That Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. His blood, the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. That on that tree and cross, He bore our sins in His body and became a curse for us. It is written: For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, 👉 a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 👉 👉 👉 and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 3:3-14

That's not the gospel of your salvation. The gospel of Christ and His kingdom is that He died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day for our forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation to God. That on that tree and cross, He bore our sins in His body and became a curse for us. His blood, the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. Without the gospel of Christ, you have no access to God and His kingdom. We were sinners and enemies, alienated from God and His kingdom. It's through the gospel of Christ that we are reconciled to God and become part of His Son's kingdom. The gospel of our salvation is what Christ has done to save us and reconcile us to God, our Father. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” -Colossians 1:13-14 🟡 What did Christ do when He was on earth? 🟡 How did the kingdom of God come near them? Christ healed the sick. “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ - Luke 10:9 🟡 How did the kingdom of God came upon them? Christ casted out demons. “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” - Matthew 12:28 🟡 Christ proclaimed His own death, burial, and resurrection. And then He fulfilled it by dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again the third day. He conquered death and Satan, and delivered His people from sins. 🟡 How is the kingdom of God is within us? “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." - Luke 17:20-21 Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith. “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” - John 14:17-18 “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love," - Ephesians 3:17 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ” - Colossians 3:15

Are all sinners entitled to hear the gospel of Christ? Does God owe all sinners the opportunity to hear the gospel? Are Satan and his angels entitled a Savior and offered salvation?

These questions might help. 1. Why do sinners need to be saved to begin with? 2. Saved from what actually? 3. And can sinners save themselves by their intent and spiritual fruit? Why is Christ and His gospel even necessary?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will share as I'm led by the Holy Spirit and there's nothing you can do about it. And Muppet has shared what he meant in his original post. Let the reader understand.

I know you didn't mention that. But I'm addressing the context of OP's last few posts that touch upon voting. Thought you were joining that conversation and context. If you're not joining that, then you can ignore what I'm sharing.

Appreciate the response. You made a few points. I'll respond to a few of them for further discussion for mutual edification. It's good that you don't impose "voting" on the brethren. Then this exhortation and admonition is not for you, but for others that the Spirit may speak to. You may see it as a "privilege" but that would be your own conviction and not instructions and pattern from the Scriptures for the one body of Christ. ----- As it pertains to mankind, God has revealed to us in the Scriptures... the state of mankind since Adam sinned and onward. Sinners are still wicked, carnal, and sinful today. That's why we need to preach the gospel to every creature in every nation, so they can hear, repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be reconciled to God and made a new creature in Christ. And teach new believers / disciples to obey everything that God has commanded. ---- Amen, we should be grateful to God according to the Scriptures. This is a sacred cow / idol for many... "democracy" In the kingdom of God according to the Scriptures... do we see a democracy under King Jesus? My exhortation is we should obey what God has commanded according to the Scriptures, not men's traditions (and there are many) that other people impose on the one body of Christ. If it's not according to the pattern and instructions of the Scriptures, then it's merely men's traditions, wisdom, & opinions, and has no authority on the one body of Christ. ---- And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, 👉 but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. - I Samuel 8:7 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. — Romans 1:18-32

Good question. There are many layers of obfuscation here. Not everyone is convinced that according to the Scriptures that... 👉"Voting" 👉 is the "power" 👉"to ask people" not to kill babies. All 2-3 premises need to be examined in light of the Scriptures. What did Christ and His apostles do in the Scriptures? What did they instruct the one body of Christ (believers) to do in the Scriptures? Believers don't ask people to not kill babies. We declare to people that it's a sin against God to murder babies and God commands them to repent. We preach the gospel to sinners and tell them that God commands them to repent and believe the gospel for their justification and reconciliation to God. That Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. On that tree and cross, He bore our sins in His body and became a curse for us. His blood, the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. If it's not according to the Scriptures, then it's merely men's traditions, wisdom, and opinions.

The "right thing" according to the Scriptures, not the opinions of men and men's traditions.

But not everyone is convinced, persuaded, or agree that "we have the power" and if that "power" is according to the Scriptures. It's an opinion of men and traditions of men imposed on the one body of Christ that it's the right thing to do. That assumed premise is not granted yet. You probably need to flesh that out more according to the Scriptures.

Obedience to God according to the Scriptures. Doing good according to what God has said in the Scriptures. Not the commandments of men, the traditions of men imposed on the one body of Christ. Big difference.

Yes, I think some folks do that to stop us from testing and examining what we hear. On another note... One time I intentionally taught error and then revealed that I did that. And then said... "This is what happens when we don't search the Scriptures for ourselves to see if these things are so." The brethren gave me the "look," smiled, some chuckled, and appreciated the reminder/exhortation/admonition.

Some brethren are weak in faith and stumble because they are hung up on a particular spelling/pronunciation of His name, so I sometimes accommodate them until I can show and teach them that God is not hindered by languages and/or our pronunciation of His name, and that we are a group of English-speaking brethren and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But brethren have liberty to call their Lord and Savior whichever name has been revealed to them. I've personally witnessed people healed and demons casted out in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have done the same. No need to speak Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. And the Holy Spirit gives the gifts of tongues and the interpretation of tongues to the one body, so other languages are acceptable to God.