Originally posted by galveston75
Yes it is. Spiritual knowledge should lead to good relationship with God but it's the heart that's the tricky thing in the equasion. Many people do have a good heart or a decently good heart but it still controls our motives as the Bible says.
And fortunently the Bible also says the heart can be trained to help transform us to come inline with Gods wa ...[text shortened]... h that right heart by letting them see the truth or the ability to connect the dots so to say.
Thats fine, but we cannot judge who has and who has not the right heart. Only Christ knows that. Only Christ can tell who is saved, who will be saved etc. This is why those who claim they are saved or others they know are saved is wrong. You cannot preempt Christ and claim salvation. Christ will decide that on the day of judgment.
I also disagree that spiritual knowledge [depending on your definition] leads to a good relationship with God. I also disagree that the Bible is the key to salvation.
First Christ and the doctrine of Christ and his teachings is the key to salvation. Faith in Christ and demonstrating that faith by your good works, is the key to salvation. Im sure you dont need me to provide references for that. I can if you like.
Next, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Christ will give the Good Samaritan eternal life, and the Priest and Levite who both possessed spiritual knowledge were clearly far from God, and will get damnation. Spiritual knowledge is just knowing what God wants and likes and expects. KNOWING means nothing if it is not converted into ACTION and GOOD WORKS. A man can know everything, but if when he is tested and is required to APPLY what he knows, if he cannot apply his knowledge, then he has failed .. just like the Priest and Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Christ is looking for people who can APPLY their knowledge and who have the right heart and mind. Anyone who cannot convert their knowledge into Good works is far from God, and according to Christ in Matt 25, they will be like the goats who will get damnation.
As usual I can provide references to everything I said .. please let me know if you want further clarification.
Next, I have often quoted Romans 2 v 9 to 15, where Paul goes into detail about Gentiles who have no law but still can do good works. But most Christians dont like the implications of that passage.