To say that the theif have no good works is simply being
judgemental.!
so the other thief didn't do any good
works...
Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who hung
there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself
and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked
him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same
sentence? 41 We are punished justly,
for we are getting what our
deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing
wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom. "
43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell
you, today you will be with me in paradise."
seems to me both criminals were sentenced to death for crimes
they have commited... and it was because of the plea of second
criminal to Christ to remember him when he enter his kingdom that
was the saving grace for him..... nothing here mentions good works
whatsoever.....
The parable about the workers is simply to tell us that the
rewards from God is the same....for those who came to Christ first
(as Christians) or those who come later (convert Christians) - same
salvation. There is no point in evagelising if converts do not get
the same rewards as early Christians.....It is not about doing
works....
God's plan for all Christians are the same..........
what's (as Christians) and what's (convert Christian)?
Everyone's a convert Christian nowadays. Yeah, same salvation....
some don't need to do too much....
maybe except methodist who needed a doctrine that
says "The Methodist Church must view the perplexing times and
problems we face today in the light of the life and teaching of
Jesus. Jesus teaches us to love our neighbours and to
seek justice for all. Silence
and passivity in the face of need, injustice and exploitation is to
deny Christ."
well, here's another look at the Methodist discipline:
The official
United Methodist doctrine is this:
When a person repents of sin and trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord, that person is forgiven of sin and receives the gift of
eternal life (right relationship with God). The Holy Spirit takes
up residence in that person, teaching and equipping him or her to
he a disciple of Christ, and confirming that the person is indeed a
child of God.
Article IX,
The Articles of Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own
works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith,
only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of
comfort.”
Article IX,
The Confession of Faith, The Book of Discipline:
“We believe we are never accounted righteous before God
through our works or merit, but that penitent sinners are justified
or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
We believe
regeneration is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus
Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are made
partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. By
this new birth the believer becomes reconciled to God and is
enabled to serve him with the will and the affections.
“We
believe, although we have experienced regeneration, it is possible
to depart from grace and fall into sin; and we may even then, by
the grace of God, be renewed in righteousness.”
http://www.bethany-umc.com/AboutUs/methodistbeliefs.htm
Q: How do Methodists understand the grace of
God?
A: The following information from reflects a
Methodist understanding of grace, from The People Called
Methodists: The Heritage, Life and Mission of The Methodist Church
in Singapore.
One of the distinctive insights which the Methodist Church
inherited from its founder, John Wesley, is a comprehensive view of
the grace of God. Pervasive in all of creation, grace reveals God’s
purpose to heal and restore humanity from the disorder of
sin.
John Wesley defined grace as that free and undeserved love and
mercy which reconciles the sinner to God, through the merits of
Christ. By grace, estranged sinners are reconciled to God through
Jesus Christ, enabling the pardoned and reconciled sinner to do
what would otherwise be impossible.
But grace also transforms, and for Wesley, this expresses the
essence of the Gospel of salvation that was the heartbeat of his
preaching ministry. The God of grace is love and the grace of God
is the demonstration of that indescribable love freely showered
upon all humanity.
While the grace of God is essentially undivided, the saving
activity of grace can be seen in these five phases of the work of
the Holy Spirit:
http://www.methodist.org.sg/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=206&Itemid=145#god
if you have any issue with understanding the methodist
discipline, i encourage you to write to the the Methodist Church in
Singapore for their learned answer. as far as i can see, my views
echoes the fundamental beliefs of the methodist discipline. in the
meantime, i believe i am going through the 5 different
phases....
At the end of the day, proven faith are faith that has
works.....simple.
To make it simpler, Christ will save Christians (those who live
their lifes as Christians like some social responsiblity doctrines
says one should) and not those who claimed they are Christians but
whose life does not reflect that of a Christian.
If one does good works and is worried about what others says or
thinks....then I cannot help. If it is done from one's heart with
the love of God, all these burden will be lighten....When will one
need to go on proving their faith? Hmmmmmm maybe that today got and
tomorrow don't have attitude again.......
But being a Christian is not a one off event or a one day
affair....it's a life long affair. If one live their life as
Christians should, on their last day, Christ will see their proven
faith with works (done with the heart) and will be
rewarded.....
but at the end of the day, "proven faith" can only be proven in
the face of God.... by then, we are not able to look at each other
and say "naa naa naa po po", see i told ja so..... (sorry, more
funny stuff)
so what "proven faith" are we talking about while we are roaming
the earth?
as i said, everything hinges on what happens in front of God....
and by then, it does not matter to each other which way it
swings....
