On Maintenance-Based Salvation

So, I signed up for Discord because I'm learning Japanese, and I wanted to find some native speakers to practice with.  This was then I also decided to look for Christian Discord servers to see if I could find some fellow believers (as we all should, suggests Hebrews 10:25).

Unfortunately, I'm still disappointed in what I found.  When looking at the rules of one Christian Discord server called /r/Christians, there is the garden-variety core tenets of the faith, one of which I have started to question because of the concepts of "seven spirits" (Revelation 4:5), God appearing as a man in many places (especially in the OT, see Genesis 32:24-30 for an example).  I'm talking about the Trinity doctrine, where God is one God in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).  Now, I still believe that God is one (I Timothy 2:5, James 2:19, etc), and that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are indeed one God (I John 5:7).  Yet I don't believe that these three entities are the ONLY ones that can rightfully be called God.  As I've said, there's the God that wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32:24-30, the three men called the LORD in Genesis 18, there's even a possibility that Jerusalem itself is God in Psalm 48:12-14:

Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

(Psa 48:12-14)

At the very least, it's worth it to re-evaluate the doctrine of the Trinity, with a plain reading of Scripture approach, also considering the verses above.

Then there was this rule:

"Promotion of works-based or maintenance-based salvation is a first-time bannable offense."

To many believers, believing in any of these is instant anathema and instant heresy.

Works-based salvation? Yeah, I'm against that. Obviously salvation is not by works (Ephesians 2:9, Titus 3:5, etc.).

Yet, I tend to believe in the latter kind of salvation, maintenance-based salvation, for the following reasons:

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. 

The Bible makes it clear that a type of maintenance is required to go to Heaven.

What about this passage:

Act_14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

And what about this:

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

(Heb 10:38-39)

Wow. Because this doctrine flies in the face of modern OSAS and “faith alone” theology, I am certainly a minority, if not a huge minority in this world. (It's quite lonely, to be honest.) I'm simply taking the Bible as it is, and taking God at His Word. And yet, questioning “sola fide”, OSAS, and even the Trinity (how dare me!), is enough to call me a heretic, when I'm simply reading the Bible like an atheist, with next to no filter.

We who profess faith in Christ have allowed ourselves to believe, without question, everything the modern church tells us, without going to the Scriptures for study (see Acts 17:11), and without testing different theologies, even the extreme ones, if they come up (I Thessalonians 5:21).

Now, am I saying I don't believe that faith is enough to be saved?  Not at all!  To endure to the end, to not draw back, to not fall away, AND to perform good works, etc.  IS faith, as James tells us:

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

(Jas 2:20-26)

James sums it up this way:

Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

Perhaps it takes a church that is called a "cult" by the world, whether or not they are in the Truth, to have a more honest conversation about these topics, because at least they use Scripture that most stings the conscience.  And honestly, this position is not unbiblical:

Mar_13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Side note:  I also found that their Reddit page (of which the Discord server is based on), adheres to the doctrine of "In Essentials, Unity, in Non-Essentials, Liberty, in All Things, Charity".  This is heresy, because it is suggesting that there is some doctrine in Scripture that is non-essential, which is a lie.  If Scripture itself does not deem it non-essential (Romans 14:1), then it is essential to be saved, PERIOD:

Luk 4:4  And Jesus answered [the devil], saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 

How To Spot A Fool According To The Bible

 The Bible has a lot to say about fools.  The book of Proverbs are chock full of verses that talk about the contrast between the fool and the wise.  It is implied that it is not good to be a fool.  It is implied that folly does not lead to anywhere pleasant, but rather trouble.

But why are we as Christians to spot fools anyway?  What practical purpose does that serve?  For starters, you will know who NOT to preach to:

Pro 23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Yes, it's true:  The Bible commands us NOT to preach to fools.  So who is a fool?  Here are some ways to tell:

1. They are atheistic in their heart:

Psa 14:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 

Psa 53:1  To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. 

Anyone who is a devout Atheist, especially one who openly proclaims it, is called, by Scripture, a fool.  Penn Jilette is one who openly proclaims his atheism.  I have once seen a video of actor John DeLancie speaking at an Atheist rally, and also one where he proclaims himself to be "Openly Secular":

Again, these are just a couple of famous examples of atheists who are proud and open about their lack of faith.  And the Bible confirms that you can trust the fact that what they plainly say is coming from their heart:

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 

However, I myself do not call them fools, for it is written:

Mat 5:22b  ...but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 

I may be taking it out of context, but what is not out of context is the fact that, to me at least, the word "fool" is no light word in light of the above text.

2. They utter a slander:

Pro 10:18  He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. 

3. They despise their father's instruction:

Pro 15:5  A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 

4. They have no delight in understanding:

Pro 18:2  A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. 

The ESV renders that verse as this:

Pro 18:2  A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. 

5. They trust their own heart, or "follow their heart":

Pro 28:26 (ESV)  Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. 

To "trust your gut" is also following your heart, according to the context.  Make your decisions based on truth and wisdom!

6. They always say what's on their mind:

Pro 29:11 (ESV)  A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. 

7. They talk constantly:

Ecc 5:3 (ESV)  For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. 

Ecc 10:14 (ESV)  A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? 

There are probably many more ways a fool can be spotted, but these are seven ways that I know of that directly connect to the word "fool".