Heeding the Church

Luther:
In 1 Timothy 4:16, It’s the teachings of Paul. As it applies to you, it would be the Holy Scriptures.

Lets go over it.

1 Timothy 4:16
King James Version (KJV)¹⁶ Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

That says that we should attempt to save ourselves by heeding the doctrine of the Church. So, that disproves your contention.

Jesus saves us from God’s wrath. What is Paul telling Timothy to save himself from in 1 Timothy 4:16? Is Paul telling Timothy to save himself and others from God’s wrath or something else?

Lets look at the context:

1 Timothy 4
King James Version (KJV)1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;² Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;³ Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

First, in this Chapter, St. Paul warns Timothy that in the end many will depart from the truth. 

⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:⁵ For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.⁶ If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.⁷ But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.⁸ For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Then he admonishes him to hold on to his faith and do good.

⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.¹⁰ For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Then he says, it is because we trust in God that we labour and suffer reproach. The implication here is that we labour and suffer in order that God, the Saviour, may not disqualify us from salvation.

¹¹ These things command and teach.¹² Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Then he says, be an example of faith with your words and your works.

¹¹ These things command and teach.¹² Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

And then he says, if you continue in these things, you will save yourself and those who listen to you. In other words, you will guide these men to salvation by Jesus Christ. But this is metaphorically referred to as save thyself and others.

Now, show me where Scripture says we must not try to save ourselves by turning to Jesus.

You haven’t demonstrated that understanding yet.

I'm pretty sure it is you who have shown your lack of understanding.

I never claimed that I “save myself” by faith.

It is the Protestant motto.

God gave me that faith.

In order that you would act upon it and produce good fruit.

I never usurped God’s right to judge me.

You do it everytime you claim to be saved by your faith alone.

Christ is going to judge me but, If I’m already “saved” (and I am),

There you go again. By your words, demonstrating that you don't trust God.

Christ isn’t going to judge whether or not He is going to let me into Heaven. I'll already be there. He is going to judge what I’ve done for him in the body.

Exactly!

Revelation 22:12-15

King James Version (KJV)
¹² And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
¹³ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
¹⁴ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
¹⁵ For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Matthew 25:31-46

King James Version (KJV)
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.
⁴¹ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
⁴² For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
⁴³ I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
⁴⁴ Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
⁴⁵ Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
⁴⁶ And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Sincerely,

De Maria