I think we have done battle before on Grace centered forum~you went under the name "GB"is this correct? If not then you are his brother.
Mr. Pharisee~If you had listened better, than you would known that I meant except we had witness from Peter (scriptures) themselves we would not had known Lot was a righteousness man. Deuteronomy 2:19 nwould not have proven that he was righteous~who were the children of Lot, ( Ammonites and Moabites) but Israel's enemies. Of course we have NT witness that was needed to prove Lot's case~his overall life did not in comparison to Abraham. He would not even been a consideration for a nominee for Hebrews 11.
Jesus, that is, the Jesus "of the Bible", described the Pharisees to me Red. Here is how He describes them.
Matt. 6:
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
And again;
Mark 7:
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside "the commandment of God", ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
And again;
Matt. 23:
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
These Words of the Jesus "of the bible" describing Pharisees, describe a religion in which the people therein "Transgress" God's Commandments by their own religious traditions. They don't "Yield themselves" servants to obey God as Paul and the Faithful examples in the Bible did. They go about establishing their own righteousness, just as the mainstream preachers of Jesus' time did. That describes this world's popular religions that you and Kenneth Copeland, and others who have "transformed themselves" into apostles of Christ, have adopted and are promoting to others.
People who not only hear God's word, but are "doers" of God's Word, are not Pharisees. Jesus, Peter, Zacharias, Simeon, Anna, the Wise men etc. These are men who have "Yielded themselves" servants to obey God. They are not like you and the Pharisees who reject God's Judgments and Sabbaths, in order to walk in your own judgments and Sabbaths.
Whereas I believe in the Actual Scriptures, like the Jesus "of the Bible" and Zacharias, and Simeon and Paul, etc. As a result, I don't reject God's Judgments or His Sabbaths or His Commandments in order to live by the popular man-made religious traditions of this world God placed me in. Nor do I partake in the self-exaltation and self-righteousness of Calvinists, or whoever you have yielded yourself servants to obey.
So you, calling me a Pharisee, is a deception, a lie, and there is nothing in my posts that would suggest that I behave in the manner of a Pharisee as described by Jesus.
Now I understand deceivers must change the definition of Pharisee, because to go by Jesus' definition, they are the Pharisee. Perhaps if you listened to the same Jesus I listen to, you might be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and align yourself with HIM, and not the religions of this world God placed you in.
I posted Jesus' Words regarding Lot and even His command, "Remember Lot's wife". I asked the question, "why didn't God turn Lot to salt along with his wife"? When a man seeking the truth and wisdom from God reads the account, as Jesus implies we do, it is clear that Lot didn't put anything before the command of the God of Abraham, not even his wife. And as promised, God showed Him Mercy. But you have to distract, change the subject, and call people names in order to justify yourself, and preserve and promote your own particular adopted religion, and their religious philosophy.
Just as the Pharisee. Surely there is nothing new under the sun.
I have no clue what you are attempting to say when you said: "I believe God's Word is also His Mercy"~the word of God is God's testimony of truth, totally different than his mercy!
Ez. 20:
10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
I look at this as God's Mercy as well. Caleb and Joshua are examples of men who listened to God, but were not only hearers of God's Law, but doers, as Paul teaches. And as promised, they shall be justified.
I agree with you on one point, "You have no clue".
Psalm 145:8-9~“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
The DEFINITION
Mercy.~Forbearance and compassion shown by one person to another who is in his power and who has no claim to receive kindness; kind and compassionate treatment in a case where severity is merited or expected.
Mercy is very closely connected to grace; Grace is demerited favor, and mercy is demerited forgiveness. These are close, but not identical.
I am told to "beware" of your religious philosophy, and to "Take heed" of your sermons. If you don't even know what a Pharisee is, to the point of falsely accusing others of being one, how could you even begin to understand God's Mercy? And if you are filled with so much hubris, self-exaltation and pride that you can't even be challenged without falsely accusing those who would post Scripture which brings question your religion, then you won't see that Is. 65 is talking about you.
Is. 65:
1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I have spread out my hands all the day "unto a rebellious people", which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
And as all preachers of Pharisaism, Arminianism, Calvinism, Catholicism, and many others "who profess to know God", you must ignore and omit so much of the Scriptures in order to justify their preaching and fill their manmade shrines of worship make of "Brick".
It's not too late Red. Even you can repent and turn to God and bring forth "works" worthy of repentance. But this takes self-denial and humility and most of all, belief in the God you profess to know.
I truly hope you might consider what is actually written in the Scriptures "
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" and remember the words of the Jesus "of the Bible", "
It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by "every word" that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
A choice God sets before all men.
