Scripture is clear as the pastor stated. Great message.
Acts 16 31
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved-you and your household.
It is so simple and we make it so hard.Praise the Lord!

I will say Pastor Lawson has a totally different view of hell than I do but this particular message is spot on.

"21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.'". -Matt 7:21-23

The claim that all you need to do is claim Christ as your Lord and Savior is like saying all you need to bake bread is flour. It is true you can't make bread without flour but you have to look at all the ingredients and steps, not just the one, if you want to ensure your bread is ok at the end. Steps like Matt 25:31-45, Mark 16:16/ John 3:5, and John 6:51-59. It's not say a person can't be saved through extraordinary means outside of those ingredients but there is clearly a proper ways of worship dating back to Cain and Able.

And what does it mean to "believe"? Even the demons believe Jesus is who he is.

"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46, RSV)

Prior to the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 25, Jesus also tells us:

"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' (Matthew 7:21-23, RSV)

Those calling him "Lord" clearly "believe." Why then are they not saved?

So according to Matthew 25 the criteria of final judgment are: those who are judged righteous ("sheep") are those who have compassionately served the hungry, thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, the marginalized and needy people they could help in their life. Those judged unrighteous ("goats") are characterized by their failure to serve these same groups, showing hardness of heart and lack of mercy. This is not simply about doing general good deeds, but about responding specifically to people whom one realistically can assist according to one's gifts and opportunities, reflecting the diversity of charisms taught by Paul in the New Testament.

Jesus warns that lacking compassion for those who can be helped endangers salvation as much as actively opposing Him or the Holy Spirit. The followers of Christ (disciples then and now) are called to cultivate a heart of mercy, which is central to Christian spiritual life and the Kingdom of God (Mt 25:41-46). This is the heart of the matter (pun intended): heartlessness separates people from God at the final judgment because it reveals an allegiance to "another master", one hard-hearted and lacking love who is identified with Satan and his demons who will themselves receive final condemnation (Mt 25:41).

Who is Jesus addressing in Matthew 25? Though it can't be said with absolute certainty, it seems that the Gospel of Matthew overall was written primarily for a Jewish-Christian community who were seeking to understand their place inside and outside Judaism, and the disciples are typically the immediate audience for Jesus' teachings throughout the Gospel. The discourse in Matthew 25 is about judgment and responsibility, addressed in a way that the disciples and by extension the early Church and those of us today who profess faith in Him, who "believe" in Him-would understand their roles and duties (including mercy and justice) as members of the Kingdom of God. So it seems clear that He is addressing His disciples, specifically His closest followers who are to carry on His teaching and mission. He is instructing the disciples (and ultimately anyone who claims to have faith in Him) about the manner in which they are to live as His followers, being vigilant and compassionate, and anticipating the ultimate separation of the righteous from the unrighteous.

So if we want to enter heaven, which is nothing less than a sharing in or partaking of the divine nature through union with our Creator, we must be conformed to Jesus (the God-man who "marries" or unites the divine with the creature, so that the creature might become like the divine). How are we conformed to him? "Believe" in him? Depends on how we understand "believe." According to Jesus we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily and follow him. (Luke 9:23, RSV) Moreover, as He tells us in Matthew 25, we must see Him in our fellow man and treat others accordingly. Jesus says those who fail to show mercy to others are effectively rejecting Him, warning the audience that this endangers their salvation in that it lacks conformity to Jesus's own life, which in the end is the test for entering into everlasting life. Do you "believe" in Jesus Christ? Show me how conformed your life is to Jesus and that will answer the question. And just to be clear, to the extent we are conformed to Jesus it is his gift to us. It's not some Pelagian effort.

So in Matthew 25 Jesus is addressing His disciples, instructing them and through them the Christian community then and now about readiness for the final judgment and the implications of belonging to His Kingdom of God. Jesus's teaching presumes the faith of those whom He is describing (sheep and goats). It is addressed to His followers and distinguishes between those who are true disciples and those who are not, based on their acts of compassion toward "the least of these," who represent Christ Himself. The parable's judgment is grounded in recognizing the dignity of every human being as equal to Jesus's own dignity, which presumes a Christian worldview of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. So those hearing this sobering teaching were presumptively people of faith. The same is true for those of us hearing it today who profess that faith.

Those who show mercy and serve the needy reflect authentic faith and are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven (the sheep). But, those who show hardness of heart and ignore the needy are identified not as His followers, but followers of "another master" (Satan), jeopardizing their salvation, even though they are presumptively people of faith.

Faith is a gift from God that in its essence is openness of the human heart to receive God's gifts, which are the works of mercy Jesus describes in Matthew 25 (St John Paul II). In summary, we must have faith in Christ to be "eligible" for heaven and that faith must lead to conformity to Christ and so must be exhibited and expressed through the behaviors Jesus describes in Matthew 25. Faith that saves us is a living faith to the extent our lives exhibit the behaviors Jesus calls for in Matthew 25. But our salvation is at risk if we have faith but our lives lack those behaviors. Basically, faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).

FTACo88-FDT24dad said:

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And what does it mean to "believe"? Even the demons believe Jesus is who he is.

"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46, RSV)

Prior to the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 25, Jesus also tells us:

"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' (Matthew 7:21-23, RSV)

Those calling him "Lord" clearly "believe." Why then are they not saved?

So according to Matthew 25 the criteria of final judgment are: those who are judged righteous ("sheep") are those who have compassionately served the hungry, thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, the marginalized and needy people they could help in their life. Those judged unrighteous ("goats") are characterized by their failure to serve these same groups, showing hardness of heart and lack of mercy. This is not simply about doing general good deeds, but about responding specifically to people whom one realistically can assist according to one's gifts and opportunities, reflecting the diversity of charisms taught by Paul in the New Testament.

Jesus warns that lacking compassion for those who can be helped endangers salvation as much as actively opposing Him or the Holy Spirit. The followers of Christ (disciples then and now) are called to cultivate a heart of mercy, which is central to Christian spiritual life and the Kingdom of God (Mt 25:41-46). This is the heart of the matter (pun intended): heartlessness separates people from God at the final judgment because it reveals an allegiance to "another master", one hard-hearted and lacking love who is identified with Satan and his demons who will themselves receive final condemnation (Mt 25:41).

Who is Jesus addressing in Matthew 25? Though it can't be said with absolute certainty, it seems that the Gospel of Matthew overall was written primarily for a Jewish-Christian community who were seeking to understand their place inside and outside Judaism, and the disciples are typically the immediate audience for Jesus' teachings throughout the Gospel. The discourse in Matthew 25 is about judgment and responsibility, addressed in a way that the disciples and by extension the early Church and those of us today who profess faith in Him, who "believe" in Him-would understand their roles and duties (including mercy and justice) as members of the Kingdom of God. So it seems clear that He is addressing His disciples, specifically His closest followers who are to carry on His teaching and mission. He is instructing the disciples (and ultimately anyone who claims to have faith in Him) about the manner in which they are to live as His followers, being vigilant and compassionate, and anticipating the ultimate separation of the righteous from the unrighteous.

So if we want to enter heaven, which is nothing less than a sharing in or partaking of the divine nature through union with our Creator, we must be conformed to Jesus (the God-man who "marries" or unites the divine with the creature, so that the creature might become like the divine). How are we conformed to him? "Believe" in him? Depends on how we understand "believe." According to Jesus we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily and follow him. (Luke 9:23, RSV) Moreover, as He tells us in Matthew 25, we must see Him in our fellow man and treat others accordingly. Jesus says those who fail to show mercy to others are effectively rejecting Him, warning the audience that this endangers their salvation in that it lacks conformity to Jesus's own life, which in the end is the test for entering into everlasting life. Do you "believe" in Jesus Christ? Show me how conformed your life is to Jesus and that will answer the question. And just to be clear, to the extent we are conformed to Jesus it is his gift to us. It's not some Pelagian effort.

So in Matthew 25 Jesus is addressing His disciples, instructing them and through them the Christian community then and now about readiness for the final judgment and the implications of belonging to His Kingdom of God. Jesus's teaching presumes the faith of those whom He is describing (sheep and goats). It is addressed to His followers and distinguishes between those who are true disciples and those who are not, based on their acts of compassion toward "the least of these," who represent Christ Himself. The parable's judgment is grounded in recognizing the dignity of every human being as equal to Jesus's own dignity, which presumes a Christian worldview of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. So those hearing this sobering teaching were presumptively people of faith. The same is true for those of us hearing it today who profess that faith.

Those who show mercy and serve the needy reflect authentic faith and are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven (the sheep). But, those who show hardness of heart and ignore the needy are identified not as His followers, but followers of "another master" (Satan), jeopardizing their salvation, even though they are presumptively people of faith.

Faith is a gift from God that in its essence is openness of the human heart to receive God's gifts, which are the works of mercy Jesus describes in Matthew 25 (St John Paul II). In summary, we must have faith in Christ to be "eligible" for heaven and that faith must lead to conformity to Christ and so must be exhibited and expressed through the behaviors Jesus describes in Matthew 25. Faith that saves us is a living faith to the extent our lives exhibit the behaviors Jesus calls for in Matthew 25. But our salvation is at risk if we have faith but our lives lack those behaviors. Basically, faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).

---

I think the key to that verse is Jesus says he did not know them. Sounds like they were depending on their works rather than true faith in Christ. And I think if you really know Jesus, fruits will be displayed. You repent, and your heart is changed.

Knowing Jesus and Him knowing you is the key. Not what you do. Christ in you.

dermdoc said:

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FTACo88-FDT24dad said:

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And what does it mean to "believe"? Even the demons believe Jesus is who he is.

"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46, RSV)

Prior to the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 25, Jesus also tells us:

"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' (Matthew 7:21-23, RSV)

Those calling him "Lord" clearly "believe." Why then are they not saved?

So according to Matthew 25 the criteria of final judgment are: those who are judged righteous ("sheep") are those who have compassionately served the hungry, thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, the marginalized and needy people they could help in their life. Those judged unrighteous ("goats") are characterized by their failure to serve these same groups, showing hardness of heart and lack of mercy. This is not simply about doing general good deeds, but about responding specifically to people whom one realistically can assist according to one's gifts and opportunities, reflecting the diversity of charisms taught by Paul in the New Testament.

Jesus warns that lacking compassion for those who can be helped endangers salvation as much as actively opposing Him or the Holy Spirit. The followers of Christ (disciples then and now) are called to cultivate a heart of mercy, which is central to Christian spiritual life and the Kingdom of God (Mt 25:41-46). This is the heart of the matter (pun intended): heartlessness separates people from God at the final judgment because it reveals an allegiance to "another master", one hard-hearted and lacking love who is identified with Satan and his demons who will themselves receive final condemnation (Mt 25:41).

Who is Jesus addressing in Matthew 25? Though it can't be said with absolute certainty, it seems that the Gospel of Matthew overall was written primarily for a Jewish-Christian community who were seeking to understand their place inside and outside Judaism, and the disciples are typically the immediate audience for Jesus' teachings throughout the Gospel. The discourse in Matthew 25 is about judgment and responsibility, addressed in a way that the disciples and by extension the early Church and those of us today who profess faith in Him, who "believe" in Him-would understand their roles and duties (including mercy and justice) as members of the Kingdom of God. So it seems clear that He is addressing His disciples, specifically His closest followers who are to carry on His teaching and mission. He is instructing the disciples (and ultimately anyone who claims to have faith in Him) about the manner in which they are to live as His followers, being vigilant and compassionate, and anticipating the ultimate separation of the righteous from the unrighteous.

So if we want to enter heaven, which is nothing less than a sharing in or partaking of the divine nature through union with our Creator, we must be conformed to Jesus (the God-man who "marries" or unites the divine with the creature, so that the creature might become like the divine). How are we conformed to him? "Believe" in him? Depends on how we understand "believe." According to Jesus we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily and follow him. (Luke 9:23, RSV) Moreover, as He tells us in Matthew 25, we must see Him in our fellow man and treat others accordingly. Jesus says those who fail to show mercy to others are effectively rejecting Him, warning the audience that this endangers their salvation in that it lacks conformity to Jesus's own life, which in the end is the test for entering into everlasting life. Do you "believe" in Jesus Christ? Show me how conformed your life is to Jesus and that will answer the question. And just to be clear, to the extent we are conformed to Jesus it is his gift to us. It's not some Pelagian effort.

So in Matthew 25 Jesus is addressing His disciples, instructing them and through them the Christian community then and now about readiness for the final judgment and the implications of belonging to His Kingdom of God. Jesus's teaching presumes the faith of those whom He is describing (sheep and goats). It is addressed to His followers and distinguishes between those who are true disciples and those who are not, based on their acts of compassion toward "the least of these," who represent Christ Himself. The parable's judgment is grounded in recognizing the dignity of every human being as equal to Jesus's own dignity, which presumes a Christian worldview of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. So those hearing this sobering teaching were presumptively people of faith. The same is true for those of us hearing it today who profess that faith.

Those who show mercy and serve the needy reflect authentic faith and are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven (the sheep). But, those who show hardness of heart and ignore the needy are identified not as His followers, but followers of "another master" (Satan), jeopardizing their salvation, even though they are presumptively people of faith.

Faith is a gift from God that in its essence is openness of the human heart to receive God's gifts, which are the works of mercy Jesus describes in Matthew 25 (St John Paul II). In summary, we must have faith in Christ to be "eligible" for heaven and that faith must lead to conformity to Christ and so must be exhibited and expressed through the behaviors Jesus describes in Matthew 25. Faith that saves us is a living faith to the extent our lives exhibit the behaviors Jesus calls for in Matthew 25. But our salvation is at risk if we have faith but our lives lack those behaviors. Basically, faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).

---

I think the key to that verse is Jesus says he did not know them. Sounds like they were depending on their works rather than true faith in Christ. And I think if you really know Jesus, fruits will be displayed. You repent, and your heart is changed.

Knowing Jesus and Him knowing you is the key. Not what you do. Christ in you.

---

Except that's not what he says.

And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Matthew 19:16-21, RSV-CE)

While I probably get what you mean in regards to seeking salvation being "saved" or "born again" is a very Protestant and relatively new concept.

For many Protestants, being "saved" refers to a specific moment of conversion. Usually involving an "altar call" made really famous by Billy Graham and is associated to justification by faith when one accepts Jesus as their "personal savior". Some Protestants believe this assures your salvation at that moment.

As Orthodox (Catholics too) we believe in salvation, but rarely use the past-tense "saved" to describe our current status as we view salvation as a process and life long pursuit. We might say we hope to be saved at judgment.

We believe the Church and the Sacraments play a significant role in our salvation and there is no singular moment of salvation.

Honestly, that seems a little silly to me and is one of the main 4-5 reasons I was born Protestant/Baptist but Orthodox today.

I think if you are truly justified and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will never fall away. You will produce fruits because of you being regenerate.
I think we are basically saying the same thing. Just looking at it differently. If you truly make Jesus the Lord of your life fruits will be produced.
And I am not saying Catholicism is works based as far as salvation. I get what y'all are saying.

CrackerJackAg said:

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"born again" is a very Protestant and relatively new concept.

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Can you clarify what you mean by this?

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

John 3:7
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

1 Peter 1:22-25
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

"All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever."

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

I have a ton of Catholic/Orthodox friends. And numerous priests. We laugh about the perceived differences in soteriology.

We all believe basically the same thing with a different emphasis on Sacraments. When anybody starts saying Catholicism is a works based salvation deal I ignore them as they have no idea what they are talking about.

And when Catholics say Protestants believe all you have to do is believe in Jesus and repentance and true faith are not part of the process I turn them off also.

FTACo88-FDT24dad said:

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dermdoc said:

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I have a ton of Catholic/Orthodox friends. And numerous priests. We laugh about the perceived differences in soteriology.

We all believe basically the same thing with a different emphasis on Sacraments. When anybody starts saying Catholicism is a works based salvation deal I ignore them as they have no idea what they are talking about.

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Thanks Derm!

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I added something about Catholic misconceptions on Protestants so be careful with your gratitude. You either know the Lord or you do not. It is that simple. Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Calvinist, Arminian, Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God, Pentecostal, etc.

TeddyAg0422 said:

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Satan and the demons of Hell "know the Lord," do they not?

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Why did I know this was coming?

yes they know the Lord but reject Him.

That is excellent. Every person who thinks Catholicism is works based needs to listen to this. You either trust Jesus for everything, including salvation, or you don't. And the joy and peace that comes from that trust is indescribable.