Jun 4, 2009 -- 11:19PM, Leight wrote:

...you are correct Sincerely....  that is why we must wear the full Amour of God at all times, and pray, and watch....      who would have every thought that Christianity was like this, a wrestling match were nothing is what it seems, and people have to be more or less researched for evidence of christianity and then dealt with wisely.    ...  didn't you think salvation was merely accepting Jesus, and putting a few coins in the plate....     but its a living vital relationship wherein one must eschew sin, love righteousness, study...and listen for direction...   and be ready... at all times ..... not fearfully or anything such as that     but this is enemy soil, the Kingdom of Darkness, and there is a whole world arrayed against one doctrinally as well as spiritually.....    and one wants to slay the Goliaths....  Christianity is by no means a passive singing of spirituals...  it is 'war', within and without the sanctuary... and within and without ones own flesh... and mind..  the armour....   Truth, Righteousness, Faith, Gospel of Peace, Salvation, Sword of the Spirit/Word of God, Prayer....  nothing can penetrate that array.... and it is the advance of Victory, Victory in Jesus....

Leight, let's look a little deeper into this "battle" we are in. It is us who do not take the precautions needed when we are deceived.  Jesus had warned that all who follow HIM will be persecuted(just as HE was.)  Paul follows up on Jesus saying "Search the Scriptures" by giving the  admonition for everyone to "Study to show one's self approved" "rightly dividing the word of truth."(2Tim.2:15). Also to the Romans(14:5) it was to be fully persuaded in one's own mind that a subject/doctrine/belief was truly as one perceived and not assumed.(based upon the truth of GOD'S WORD)

No one should base their belief's in GOD and Salvation upon the belief's held by others.(until such is proven to be FROM and true to the WORD OF GOD.   I am thinking of Jim Jones and cyanide filled "Kool-Aid." and the "Heaven gate"' persons. However, there are newer ones as well.   The Armor of GOD does little for one who blindly accepts "Mom's and Dad's" or "Grandma"s religious beliefs without first making sure that they were correctly arrived at scripturally.

Ezek.18:20; 14:14+ reveals that each person is responsible for his/her own choices in beliefs. GOD has given the correct choice, but Satan has been giving "options" since before he was cast out of heaven and in Eden Eve chose to obey him rather than GOD.  Doesn't that fact wave a red flag that one's decisions should (and especially where eternal life is the prize) be fully and adequately researched to be assured of the TRUTH. The Holy Spirit will lead the truly seeking one to the TRUTH.  The one who is seeking to justify his preconceived false ideas will mis-construe/wrongly interpret to justify , in his own mind, a continuing in the deception. 

The concept of "Love God and Love neighbor" OR "Do unto others as you would have them do to you" Isn't a evil/wicked concept, but  the converse is. Christiany is built on a righteous foundation which the secular world abhors and tries to remove.  The "Peace"which Jesus gives isn't as the world "understands", but is as Paul stated, (Col.1:20), "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven."

You are correct, Leight, there are many who believe that Salvation is just a "cake walk"-----a lip  profession of "acceptance of Christ and the tossing of a few coins".  It was for that reason That this searching of the heart and mind needs to be accomplished with the sweeping out of the erroneous "beliefs" and the "holding fast to that which is good".  Each believer has to "clean their own house" before they can help another "see" the erroneous pitfalls/stumbling-blocks which are destructive to one's spiritual life.

I don't remember if there is anything written by any of the Prophets to indicate that Jesus would be betrayed by a kiss given to Him by one of His inner circle, but it seems to me that if someone were planning to betray another person, the obvious thing for the betrayer to do would be to appear to be a friend of the betrayed person. It all started with Lucifer's rebellion. When he took one third of all the created angels with him in rebellion, I'm sure he didn't announce to them his intention of taking them down with him. He pretended to be their friend. The same thing happened when he tricked Eve into disobeying God: he pretended to have her best interest at heart. Imagine what would have happened if he had told Eve, "Hey, Eve. I hate God, and I hate you and Adam too, and the best way I can think of hurting Him is to cause you to lose your eternal life, so do me a favor, and eat this fruit." !!!

The only difference is that Judas couldn't fool Jesus.