Featured some of the Old Testament writers believed in multiple Gods, just that Yahweh was the best God.

[Multicolored Lemur]

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Then this contradicts the Matthew 7:21 verse, as shown above. As well as Matthew 7:23.

And in general, we’re more familiar with the Christianity from the letters of Paul, such as Ephesians. The actual 4 Gospels give a very different “flavor” of Christianity.

 

[Scooter]

All that is good, but was thinking more about the history of Church and Bible, theology, and even Christian apologetics. That goes beyond Sunday school but I think Christians should learn about the Bible and religion beyond just read inspirational passages. That why if they encounter a skeptic or have their own doubts, they won't be as easily stumped.

Kids Sunday school teaches the basics. Adult Sunday school gets into practical living. I love delving below the surface and mining out golden Biblical truths to help believers mature. I love sharing deep truths I learned in seminary. For an example, the history of the church can be learned in chapters 2 and 3 in the Book of the Revelation. It is a fantastic study.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - New Living Translation

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise...

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verse 35 — “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. . . . . ”

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This is beautiful. It’s also a very high goal. In fact, it’s more of an aspirational goal which can be approached but never actually reached. And helping other people is tough. It’s tough on yourself, and it’s also difficult to do in a way which lets the other person keep their dignity.

And yet,

about ten verses down

in Matthew 25: verses 45 & 46, it says that if you don’t meet this standard, you’ll be sent to hell.

 

[Scooter]

And yet,

about ten verses down

in Matthew 25: verses 45 & 46, it says that if you don’t meet this standard, you’ll be sent to hell.

Sure. Believers should be helping people. How can a person call him/herself a Christian and not help others? But helping others won’t get anyone into Heaven. I don’t know how many times I need to explain this to you. I have presented multiple verses to show you that salvation comes only by faith. So if you want to believe someone can be saved by works, despite the Bible expressly refuting that thought, go right on.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

But helping others won’t get anyone into Heaven.

These verses in Matthew say that they will.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - King James Version

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their...

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31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

— King James Version​

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People may have heard the sheep from the goats before.

From verses 34 to 40, it says that if you help the least of these, you’ll go to heaven. In fact, “the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

And yes, helping as the sole standard of heaven contradicts other verses in the New Testament.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - English Standard Version

The Parable of the Ten Virgins - “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their...

www.biblegateway.com

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers [or, brothers and sisters] you did it to me.’

— English Standard Version​

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And same meaning in this other version.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - English Standard Version

The Parable of the Ten Virgins - “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their...

www.biblegateway.com

41 ”Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 . . .
44 . . .
45 . . .
46 . . .

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And single standard for hell. If you don’t help the least of these, you’ll be sent to hell.

And neither one is true.

This is kind of where the Jesus legend gets played like a heavy metal rock star, maybe? ? ? A bad dude in the outside, but a big softie on the inside. Yeah, I’d say it’s something like this.

Jesus was a wandering mystic and rabble-rouser. The Romans killed him when they didn’t need to. And all these legends and sayings grew up around him.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Not taught in high school because there aren’t definite answers. But there are pretty good answers. B+ answers as it were. As far as the theories, there are —

1) Principle of Utility, most long-term good for all sentient beings,

2) the rights of sentient beings,

3) social contract theory,

4) virtue ethics, and I think Aristotle takes this approaches.

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And please don’t blame any of these theories for impossible situations, or for people who want to be bullies, etc, etc.

For impossible situations, your best judgement call based on all your life experience, skillfully adjusting as you go . . . no guarantees!

 

[Scooter]

But helping others won’t get anyone into Heaven.

These verses in Matthew say that they will.

Anyone can pull verses out of context and build a false doctrine around it...like working your way into Heaven. The whole Bible needs to be considered when building a doctrine. Your insistence that someone can do enough good works to enter Heaven, despite clear teaching that it is impossible, is the same path cults spring from. No matter how many verses you twist out of context or how many versions you present, no one will enter Heaven based on any works they do on this earth. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Period.

If works were the basis for salvation, then the thief on the cross who asked Jesus to remember him, is in Hell today and Jesus is a liar. The thief was not allowed to get baptized, take the Lord's supper, feed the hungry or cloth the naked. Yet, because of his faith in Christ on the cross, Jesus saved him. So do not kid yourself into believing you can go to Heaven by doing any kind of good deed.