Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
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Scratching
the Surface of James
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James isn't the
quickest read in the Bible; because, like Proverbs, there are lots of really,
really, really pregnant one-liners that evoke a Psalm 1like recognition then
passion: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the
wicked...but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
Truly, there are verses
requiring deep mining through long periods of prayer, reflection, and
conversation with others who are praying and reflecting on 'em.
Yet, there is a
powerful and humbly penitential theme that James pounds into anyone who really
wants to get it/Him: professions
of faith are only as good as practices of faith.
Succinctly, deeds
prove creeds.
Walk proves the
veracity of talk.
Summarily,
behavior betrays belief and belief determines ultimate destiny: heaven or...
One of the most
literally damning lies in too many of today's churches is it's impossible to
know if someone really believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
That is a lie
born in hell.
No one will find
any confirmation for that in the book; though we can read books about the book
that will claim that because there are darkly influenced or even demonically
oppressed or possessed souls trying to rationalize away or tone/water down the
truth to prevent people from the only truth - Jesus as attested in Holy Scripture
- that sets people free for heaven to live abundantly in the meantime.
James is among
the most categorically clear, compelling, and conclusive when it comes to the
truth that we can know much
more than less who is going to heaven and who is headed in another
direction: "Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has
proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to
those who love Him...Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves...Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead...As the body
apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
James got it from
Jesus: "If you love Me, you will obey Me...Love each other just as much as
I have loved you...As you do it to/for them, you do it to/for Me."
Paul was blunt:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have no love, I'm a
noisy gong or clanging cymbal."
Simply, believers
behave like believers and non-believers are blowbags who talk the talk but
don't walk the walk and make Him wanna barf.
Let's be
unmistakable about this because souls hang in the balance.
We are not saying
it's possible to work our way into heaven; but
we are declaring the truth that people who are going to heaven are more than
less visible to us as going to heaven because their deeds, walk, practices, and
works give saving credibility to their creeds, talk, professions, and
witnesses.
Now there's
always someone who wants to trifle at this point: "But can you really know
for sure who's going to heaven and who's not?"
No.
That's God's
business; or as Martha Young often told me, "You love 'em and let God
judge 'em."
But we're not a
faith based on two feet planted firmly in the ozone layer of reality!
We can see who more than less looks like they're going
to heaven.
Luther:
"Good works don't make a person good; but a good person does good
works."
Calvin often
noted the reality of showing the signs of salvation.
People who love
Jesus by loving like Jesus are very persuasive about where they're headed;
conversely,...
People who are
loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, humble, and
self-controlled are very persuasive about where they're headed; conversely,...
People who extend
mercy and forgiveness are very persuasive about where they're headed;
conversely,...
Unless I've
missed something/Someone, the book is very clear - and the red letters never contradict this clarity - that
some people are going to heaven and some people are going to...
Yes, that
ultimate determination - Oh,
let's say judgment because that's how the book puts it! - is God's.
True.
It's also true
that everybody shows hints of where they're gonna be in the end.
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...to be continued...
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Blessings and Love!
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