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Can Satan Read Minds?
GaryK:
Oh, I'm sure JohnMichael was probably well satisfied with Rene's answer. It buttoned it up pretty good. I know I was at the reminding of it.
But could someone.............and I hate to break the trend, yet again.............but can someone remind me just what are 'good works', scripturally speaking of course?
DougE6:
Hi gk. I did a quick search and found 19 (nineteen) verses admonishing us to good works or explaining them. I am glad you asked that question, reading these verses was an encouragement to me to pursue good works. :-)
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Joh 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
Act 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
1Ti 5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
1Ti 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
t 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Tit 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Dave in Tenn:
Gary, I think the emphasis should be taken off WORKS and put onto GOOD. Every breath we take, every thought we have, every deed we do is a WORK. There isn't a man alive (from the best to the worst) who doesn't work every waking (and sleeping) moment of his life. The judgement is on man acording to his works--whether they be GOOD or not good.
Sorry, but I don't know of a better 'teacher' than Jesus Christ to explain to us what works are GOOD and what works are BAD. Some works are rewarded in Heaven. Some works earn their reward now. He makes it very clear which is which, though it may take a long, long time for us to have a life full of GOOD works.
We have a trustworthy teacher in Ray, though none of these truths fit on a bumpersticker or can be throughly explained in one or two articles. I know that Ray works, but I also believe Ray understands GOOD works, and knows WHAT works as well.
GaryK:
Hi Doug and Dave, and thanks. Would you believe I actually had a theory to go along with the good works stuff but, well, since Dave says emphasis should really be on ‘good’, and that guy Ray’s statement of works “even though they are inspired from God.”, and Dave's words “there isn’t a man alive who doesn’t work every waking (and sleeping) moment........that sort of blew it for my point. Way to go Dave.
No, don’t ask me for it now, I don’t remember. Besides, I lost my train of thought over Ephesians 2:10.
The only thing you did with the “there isn’t a man alive who doesn’t work every waking (and sleeping) moment” was to remind me there’s a real thin line of separation, under another’s direct control, between me/you, another believer and the guy serving a death row sentence for murder, or the gutter wino sleeping it off in the box, or between the gutter wino and the rich man in the limo, or between the rich man in the limo…….well, anyway. Boy, that Jesus sure is a stickler for details when he frames evil, no?
Oh well. As Rosanne Rosannadanna would say, “it just goes to show you, it's always something--if it ain't one thing, it's another." “Never mind”.
Carry on boys.
mmijares:
--- Quote from: DougE6 on September 17, 2011, 09:53:22 AM ---mmijares
Here is a post form a recent thread, and Rays Direct response...
THE POST...
None of us are saying that good works are not needed. All good comes from God. The nub of the matter is who gets credit for the good works?
If we think, in our heart, that the good works come from us, that repentance comes from us, that our knowledge comes from us, that our faith comes from us, then we are God in the temple of our heart. The Beast lives in our heart.
On the other hand, when we are baptized with the Spirit, when Jesus lives within us, then the Beast has been killed, and we do those things that Jesus does. We think like Jesus and we do the works of Jesus. Through this Spirit we are subject to the Kingdom of God. God is sovereign and rules within us.
Therefore, since it is through the influence of the Spirit of Jesus (the same Spirit as His Father) that we do good works, then God gets all the credit for the good works that we do. God is sovereign in all things. All the credit, all the glory goes to God.
RAYS DIRECT RESPONSE....
RAYS' COMMENT: Actually a great deal of credit does go to those who have good works:
2Ti 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and PROFITABLE UNTO MEN.
Tabitha was raised from the dead by Peter. Do we not think that maybe she was granted this incredible miralce because she was 'FULL of good works?"
Act 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did.
We will in fact be reward for OUR good works even though they are inspired from God.
God be with you all,
Ray
--- End quote ---
Ray's response did not actually negate the fact that good works (and the very effort of doing them) are from God although he elaborated that the person whom God chooses to bear good fruit is rewarded. Of course we are rewarded! It is just the same of being punished or corrected if we did wrongly. It is God's way of making us learn what good and what are not. And we all know this very well.
Ray's statement of "Actually a great deal of credit does go to those who have good works." should be regarded as relative and not an absolute statement. God gives us credit for performing good works just the same He corrects us for commiting sins! But ALL GOOD THINGS are from above! And this is absolute!
And excerpt from FREE WILL - http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,12957.0.html
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights… - So there it is. Does God make people sin? No. But when anything good happens, it’s attributed to God.
If we continue to think that the EFFORT of doing good comes from us then we are in danger of becoming proud and thinking ourselves highly.
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