From: rpitts@emperor.gatech.edu (Richard Pitts)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Polytheism
Date: 31 Aug 92 13:31:35 GMT
Organization: CERL-EE, Georgia Institue of Technology

In article <ksand-290892182041@wintermute.apple.com> ksand@apple.com (Kent Sandvik) writes:
|In article <66994@hydra.gatech.EDU>, rpitts@emperor.gatech.edu (Richard
|Pitts) wrote:
|> 
|> In article <ksand-260892164213@wintermute.apple.com> ksand@apple.com (Kent Sandvik) writes:
|> |In article <66293@hydra.gatech.EDU>, rpitts@emperor.gatech.edu (Richard
|> |Pitts) wrote:
|> |> Jesus said unless you repent (change) you will not see or enter the
|> |> Kingdom of Heaven.  Repentance or changing one's ways, direction, or
|> |> thought is common throughout the Bible, as one turns from false gods
|> |> to the One True God.
|> |
|> |Jesus also said that unless you sell all your belongings and join
|> |him you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Also he said that rich
|> 
|> Kent would you like to quote the passage you reference.  I think you
|> will find out that this man loved his stuff and so walked away and
|> didn't enter the Kingdom.
|
|My Bible is back home, but as you said, this man loved his stuff
|and walked away and didn't enter the kingdom, because he didn't
|sell all his belongings and joined Jesus company. Need I say
|more about Christianity here in United States.
|
|> |men can't get to Heaven. It is interesting to observe how the
|> 
|> Also, if you keep reading, YOU will see that Jesus followed this up
|> with the statement "With man this is impossible, but with God all
|> things are possible," as he responded to this event and his disciples
|> question of "then who can be saved."
|
|Is this then a back door to rich people?

Kent, it is a back door for everyone.  For as it says, all things
are possible with God.  

If you'd like to cite a Scriptural reference to someone selling all of 
stuff and so because of that being granted entrance to the Kingdom
of God (being saved), then we can discuss it.

The Scripture says that we are saved by grace through faith and not 
by works - it is a gift of God - so that NO MAN can boast.  Eph 2:8-9

|> |words of Jesus could be twisted and avoided, especially here in
|> |the rich country of USA. In other words some things Jesus said
|
|> You noticed, didn't you, that the rich man was not saved.  Man can
|> not do enough to merit salvation, it is a gift of God, SO NO MAN 
|> CAN BOAST.
|
|I would call the statement about a typical word twisting!

Again, I assume you are saying I twisted words here, maybe you aren't,
but if you can cite entrance into the Kingdom of God by selling one's
stuff, then do so and we will discuss it.

|> |are important, others are, eh, annoying and better not talk about 
|> |them.
|
|> I just talked about them.  By the way, Kent, it seems you do a pretty good 
|> job of twisting words all on your own.
|
|I'm just stating what Jesus said, man. So follow the words of Jesus,
|sell your belongings, give them to the poor, and join him. I support
|100% Jesus' statements, this world has too many poor people.

Correct you stated what Jesus said, but what did it mean and how was
it applied?  Could the application not have been that MAN CANNOT BUT
GOD CAN?  One can sell one's belongings and give them to the poor
and join Jesus today, but again works do not merit salvation.  Remember
Jesus words about those who say "Lord, Lord, didn't we do heal the
sick and cast out demons in your name" and Jesus said "depart from
me I never KNEW you."  Their seemingly great works weren't enough.

Not that we aren't to give to the poor, but do you remember Jesus' 
words about 'we will always have the poor with us'? 

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Richard Pitts
-- 
rpitts@cerl.gatech.edu       |    
Atlanta, GA                --|-- 
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Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,alt.atheism