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Please help me with scriptural support for the following:

“Be careful not to measure your holiness "salvation" by other people's sins.” - Martin Luther

In the same way, if we measure God's love by worldly things and not by Heavenly blessings, we are deceiving ourselves because we have already received the Gospel but Heaven is yet to come

Salvation and God's love is not correlated to fame, wealth, popularity or any other measure that the world uses to measure success. Remember that our spirits are not of this world, and so spiritual success will not look like worldly success.

“Why would we want fame, when God promises us glory?
Why would we be seeking the wealth of the world when the wealth of heaven is ours?
Why would we run for a crown that will perish with time, when we're called to win a crown that is imperishable?"
-Paul Washer

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    The focus of this question is unclear to me.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Oct 31, 2021 at 12:12
  • @Nigel J Thanks for asking. In the context of Martin Luther quote - Believers consider themselves saints when they start measuring their sins with fellow believers or non as per Luke 18:11-13. Further in the similar way they measure God's love by earthly/worldly possessions/success and not by Heavenly; out of which, one is the Gospel (gift of God to mankind through His Son). So concern is to find scriptural support Commented Oct 31, 2021 at 20:36
  • Hi Ashish, I recently floated an idea for a sister Christian site on the BH Meta page. It seems like a question like yours would be a good fit for the proposed site and I took the liberty to quote your question as an example. Please take a look and let me know what you think. I am voting up your question because it is a searching one even if it doesn't quite fit into the guidelines of either current site. hermeneutics.meta.stackexchange.com/q/3853/44735 Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 1:30

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Here are some Scriptures:

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. (James 2:10–11, ESV)

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:36–50, ESV)

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (Rom. 3:22–31, ESV)

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ... (Rom. 4:1–5, ESV)

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matt 16:24–26, ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17, ESV)

See also https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/54633/in-john-542-was-jesus-statement-particularly-offensive-because-it-claimed-they

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 5:1–6,ESV)

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. (John 15:18–21, ESV)

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  • Thanks bro, the verses fits within the context of Martin Luther's quote, however is it possible to share scriptural support, when believers start measuring God's love by earthly/worldly possessions/success and not by Heavenly, please refer the description too for further details. Commented Oct 31, 2021 at 20:00
  • See added link.
    – Perry Webb
    Commented Oct 31, 2021 at 20:56
  • and two passages added
    – Perry Webb
    Commented Oct 31, 2021 at 21:14
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    You ask: "is it possible to share scriptural support, when believers start measuring God's love by earthly/worldly possessions/success and not by Heavenly"? Do you mean is there any biblical support for the health, wealth and prosperity gospel where some Christians believe God will bless them with material possessions, success and wealth?
    – Lesley
    Commented Nov 1, 2021 at 16:20
  • @Lesley Yes, people confuse God's love & His blessings with earthly/worldly possessions/success as their primary objective and not by Heavenly; they loose focus on their salvation. Romans 1:24-32 gives an understanding how God's love/mercy has ceased for some "God gave them over to degrading passions...". Commented Nov 2, 2021 at 22:45

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