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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/3/2008 5:26:58 PM
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Walker311
Posts: 1496
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quote:
From this scenario, would you be able to discern if this person is really a Christian?
Nope!
a) She has not performed the action.
b) She may not go through with it because your words echo in her mind.
_______________________________________
I thought about your previous question concerning how we approach Christians living in a sinful lifestyle and was reminded of Jonah.
As Christians, God has a plan which is for our good and one that will glorify Him. When we are disobedient and go our own way just as Jonah did, God lovingly will correct us in a way that we will understand that it is Him.
In some instances, if we were able to prematurely interfere with the process of a Christian hitting bottom and they come out of their sinful lifestyle, they may eventually go back to what they were doing before. In another example, if we could successfully draw this person out of that situation, it could save their life.
Whatever happens, we need to be sensitive to God's guiding hand.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/3/2008 5:56:30 PM
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ladyichigo
Posts: 539
Joined: 10/23/2007
From: Honolulu
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I have a friend whom I consider sort of as my little brother. We were in youth group together, and I witnessed him accepting Christ into his life and getting baptized. Around the end of High School, he started using pot and acid. We all knew what he was doing, and we encouraged him to stop. We prayed for him, and he decided to stop cold turkey.
A few years later, he told me he has been sleeping around with his then girlfriend. I told him he should stop. He stopped coming to church, but I continued to pray for him. I moved to Hawaii, and I found him on myspace. I kept in contact with him but didn't really converse much with him, but I continued praying for him as God continued to give me a burden to pray for him.
Last month, he shared with me that he is going to church again. He said he had hit rock bottom, and was brought to a terrible place, but he was grateful to God that he was placed there to return to God. He ended his relationship with the girlfriend, and is now even more pursuing Christ in his life.
A lot of the kids I grew up with in my youth group who gave their life to Christ have turned to the world after High School. I've been praying for each one of them in hopes that they will go back to God. Sometimes I get to a point where I feel it is hopeless for them...but stories like my friend that I shared about encourage me to continue to pray for them and let the Holy Spirit do His work in them. Lord, do whatever needs to be done to bring them back to You.
< Message edited by ladyichigo -- 4/3/2008 6:07:29 PM >
_____________________________
Mari
I'm not cool enough to come up with a witty quote, but God is still good.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/3/2008 10:04:12 PM
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SonInMe1
Posts: 3515
Joined: 4/16/2005
From: my mom by God
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quote:
You've never said to a brother or sister that something may be wrong?
No. A couple times people have said things to me. One guy made some comments about my weight. Guess he thought he could because he had recently lost some weight. He said it nicely, but after I moved away, he came to visit and...he had gained all of his weight back.
Another brother, who had just gotten a ticket for not wearing his seat belt, had noticed I did nto wear mine and talked to me about it...again nicely, and I have never gotten into a car without buckling up.
For....me....to criticise or bring to the forefront another's sin? Well it would have to be a burning bush moment...God speaking to me obviously before I would act on something like that. Pride is somethiung I struggle with as well and it would be too easy to fall prey to pride and go ahead and say something to a brethern about their sin....so I am very careful about that...
and of course hypocracy is always an issue. Like the brother who commented on my weight, it must be don with the right motives or it will come back to roost.
quote:
God doesn't bring your sins to mind?
All da time.
_____________________________
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/3/2008 11:01:58 PM
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Walker311
Posts: 1496
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quote:
Guess he thought he could because he had recently lost some weight
It's human nature to fix something in your life, even if temporarily, and POOF! you are an expert.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/5/2008 11:13:47 PM
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Dakotasunbeam
Posts: 1035
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The simple answer to your question walker, is "No." But I do think there are some people on the point of being reprobate. They are unwilling to change. We know that there will be a great falling away. Some people--many people who are not getting serious about their sanctification and holiness with Christ will not be here 10 years from now as the age gets dark. They are like the seeds budding in shallow soil. The cares of this world will come in and eventually choke them out. It's always time to be get about follow God and His word.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 8:22:49 AM
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Little_1
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A Christian who is living in close fellowship with the Lord will find it hard (if not impossible) to deliberately and willfully sin.
However, when we are 'overtaken' in a sin, e.g. 'anger' - we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ - mercifully.
Sin will always be part of our flesh whilst we live in these bodies - even the Apostle Paul struggled with this fact when he said "the spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak". The closer we come to Jesus, the more we realise our fallen nature however, there is also growth and a pressing onwards when we learn to draw from God's Holy Spirit strength to overcome temptations and not try to resist in our own strength.
I would rather realise my sin, face it and confess it and seek the Holy Spirit's help to strengthen me in the face of that sin onwards.
< Message edited by Little_1 -- 4/6/2008 8:37:31 AM >
_____________________________
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." ROMANS 12:12
Testimony
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 8:41:16 AM
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URForgiven
Posts: 936
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It is only as we rest in Christ, as we abide, trust, focus, rely on Him that we can say no to unrighteousness.
To abide in Him is not a one time, nor a yearly, nor a daily activity...it is a moment by moment activity. And some moments I totally choose to go my own way. [If you think you don't, then you are deceiving yourself]. But, as I grow, I see that God is true and that when I choose my way, it is inconsistent with who I now am...a Child of God.
That is the "old man" who is fading, but will remain until I leave this earthly suit.
< Message edited by URForgiven -- 4/6/2008 8:51:07 AM >
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 8:59:01 AM
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Mannamuncher
Posts: 2613
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The Lord chastens those He loves, and
disciplines those He receives as sons...
What am I being chastened/disciplined for ?
Probably because I sinned...
_____________________________
Coincidentally...both Obama & Oprah begin with a zero...
If Jesus Christ came back today and saw what was being done in his name, he'd never stop throwing up.
Woody Allen
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 9:15:43 AM
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Walker311
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The continuous comments/reponses tell me that it's understood by most Christians that we cannot continue to go our own way if we love the Lord even if we try.
The closer we come to Jesus, the more we realise our fallen nature however, there is also growth and a pressing onwards when we learn to draw from God's Holy Spirit...
To abide in Him is not a one time, nor a yearly, nor a daily activity...it is a moment by moment activity...
What am I being chastened/disciplined for ?
Probably because I sinned...
______________________________
Dakota said:
quote:
Some people--many people who are not getting serious about their sanctification and holiness with Christ will not be here 10 years from now as the age gets dark.
I do wonder how God deals with these.
Will they be dead, no longer saved? Please expand on this.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 11:48:43 AM
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Little_1
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Boy Walker - you know how to make us draw on what we have learnt from the Scriptures. 
When the storms of life come along, e.g. death of a loved one, financial loss, illness, etc - these such people who don't have their roots 'deep in the soil of God's grace, love and mercy' will not be able to withstand. Their zeal and love for God will fade and they will go back to their old ways of life and not be able to draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit like those who have gotten to know the power of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. Sadly, they will lose their peace and joy in the difficult times - something which those who draw strength from God's Spirit do not lose despite trying times.
Regarding my understanding of what happens:
Hebrews 6
1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3And this will we do, if God permit.
4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
< Message edited by Little_1 -- 4/6/2008 12:46:34 PM >
_____________________________
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." ROMANS 12:12
Testimony
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 5:48:13 PM
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LoyalFriend
Posts: 154
Joined: 9/29/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: inthysite
quote:
ORIGINAL: rcjames
quote:
ORIGINAL: inthysite
Blue1914 raises a valid point. It is obvious when the sin is socially unacceptable, such as fornication, adultery, drunkeness, etc. But what about the more common sins such as gluttony, pride, unforgiveness, gossiping, hypocrisy, the list goes on. There are plenty of Christians who continually live in these sins.
How about a Biblical defanition of Gluttony.
Thanks
RC
G5314
φάγος
phagos
Thayer Definition:
1) a voracious man, a glutton
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G5315
Pro 23:20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
Pro 23:21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
Mat 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
Php 3:18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,
Php 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
May I ask what's the difference between the person who is visibly overweight being judged as a glutton as oppose to the person who is thin who indulges and overeats? Like a thin person who eats a large pizza, but still is thin. Is God's judgement of gluttony based upon the outward appearance alone or the actual actions of over indulging be it once a week for one or once a month for another?
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 6:00:32 PM
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LoyalFriend
Posts: 154
Joined: 9/29/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mannamuncher
The Lord chastens those He loves, and
disciplines those He receives as sons...
What am I being chastened/disciplined for ?
Probably because I sinned...
That's what I believe and I know I sin. I even struggle with repeating the same sins over at times and the Lord knows I deeply regret my own short comings. Still, I trust that he will continue to do a work in me no matter what my failures may be along the way.
Here is a Chorus to a song I like............
"But when I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call"
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 7:25:44 PM
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zamdad
Posts: 1313
Joined: 4/8/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SonInMe1
How many of you have been confronted with a sin...or confronted others with their sins?
I've been confronted. Confronted about my drug use many years ago. Confronted about my promiscuity. While I bridled at the confrontation at the time, I came to see that those people who had the guts to tell me I was destroying myself loved me enough to confront me.
I have also been in the business of confrontation. As a probation officer my job was to work with people to correct behavior. A good portion of this work involved sex offender supervision. I got to participate in treatment as well as monitor clients in the community. I learned something about real discipleship in this process. I got to see beneath the mask. To confront attitudes, values and beliefs because that are where our thinking begins and our behavior is a result of our thoughts. Funny thing is, while I was confronting and holding accountable men on my caseload, I had no one in my life to get that close to me. Looking back, I was longing for the same kind of connection. I think, as a culture, we are lacking this type of intimate, interpersonal connection with each other and that's why we'er all in this handbasket asking where we're going.
quote:
LoyalFriend
May I ask what's the difference between the person who is visibly overweight being judged as a glutton as oppose to the person who is thin who indulges and overeats? Like a thin person who eats a large pizza, but still is thin. Is God's judgement of gluttony based upon the outward appearance alone or the actual actions of over indulging be it once a week for one or once a month for another?
INtersting observation. It seems that when we do this type of judging, we are judging only what we see on the surface. We don't take the time to understand and then we want to be understood. Fat or thin is not a reflection of the heart. Wanna see what's on people's hearts? Where their priorities (life loves) are? Look at their checkbook or credit card statements. Check out MySpace and Facebook pages. Seems we all want to be known, we jsut don't want to take the time to reciprocate.
_____________________________
Change is not necessarily reform anymore than noise is music.
-Unknown-
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 8:04:01 PM
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Walker311
Posts: 1496
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zamdad said:
Seems we all want to be known, we jsut don't want to take the time to reciprocate.
I have this problem that I don't like about myself as I relate to others. It is a pet peeve of mine to constantly ask others about themselves such as what's going on in their lives but there are those who will not ask me about my life and I take note of it and see IT as my flaw. I don't understand why some people are like this and do not seem to be interested in others... and I'm talking about Christians, folks I go to church with, those we fellowship with and so on. If they asked me "How has your week been" I would faint. oh well, I digress!
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/6/2008 10:37:03 PM
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zamdad
Posts: 1313
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What I'm getting at Walker, goes deeper than "how are things?." It used to be that in this country most people had two or three very close friends. As we've moved closer together, we've grown further apart. We've developed more and more ways to communicate with each other, yet we know each other less and less.
Asking how are you has become superficial. We, all too often, really don't want to know. Several weeks ago I was walking out the door of church with a man who was having some medical issues. He said he wanted to go home and I was leaving the building with him. Several times on the way out the door, folks stopped him and asked how he was doing. As soon as he began to say, not very well, the looks these well wishers gave indicated that they did not really want to hear it. Each response was folowed with a promise to pray for him.
A couple of years ago while I was going through some really tough times emotionally, my pastor asked how I was doing. I asked if he really wanted to know. He said yes. I told him that I was not doing very well. He put his head down, stared at his feet and began to hum. I told him about this later and he made excuses about some people not really wanting others to pry. At the time I was the chair of our deacon board. I told him that I came to him to share as both my pastor and as my friend and that I was seeking guidance. Since then, we've been able to share openly, yet it still feels superficial.
Even within my own household. Several years ago our computer was in a room downstairs. I would go in there for hours at a time and write. My wife was upset with me and said she didn't like me spending time down there away from her. This is understandable. She asked what I was doing down there. I thought about, she uses the same computer, she could look at my writings and find out what I'm doing and what I'm thinking. It feels to me like she didn't want to take the time.
We live in a world that is rushed. We barely have time to stop and listen to the silence. If we're that busy, how do we have time to listen to God? Are we driven by the tyranny of the urgent or a desire to truly know God? If we truly know the heart of God, what about our neighbor?
_____________________________
Change is not necessarily reform anymore than noise is music.
-Unknown-
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/12/2008 10:10:08 PM
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Dakotasunbeam
Posts: 1035
Joined: 6/2/2005
From: Midwest USA
Status: offline
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I know my answer comes late, but the Bible is pretty clear. We God will never leave us, but we can leave Him. No one can snatch us out of His hand (scriptures teach), but we sure can leap out. The Bible is pretty clear about those who practise sin, adulterers, liars, murderers, etc. etc. will NOT get into heaven.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Walker311
The continuous comments/reponses tell me that it's understood by most Christians that we cannot continue to go our own way if we love the Lord even if we try.
The closer we come to Jesus, the more we realise our fallen nature however, there is also growth and a pressing onwards when we learn to draw from God's Holy Spirit...
To abide in Him is not a one time, nor a yearly, nor a daily activity...it is a moment by moment activity...
What am I being chastened/disciplined for ?
Probably because I sinned...
______________________________
Dakota said:
quote:
Some people--many people who are not getting serious about their sanctification and holiness with Christ will not be here 10 years from now as the age gets dark.
I do wonder how God deals with these.
Will they be dead, no longer saved? Please expand on this.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 9:16:27 AM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
I know my answer comes late, but the Bible is pretty clear. We God will never leave us, but we can leave Him. No one can snatch us out of His hand (scriptures teach), but we sure can leap out. The Bible is pretty clear about those who practise sin, adulterers, liars, murderers, etc. etc. will NOT get into heaven. I'm joining you even later, Dsunbeam, but you are preaching truth. Hebrews 12:14 is more than "pretty clear", it is absolute - no one will see the Lord without holiness!
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 9:44:43 AM
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SonInMe1
Posts: 3515
Joined: 4/16/2005
From: my mom by God
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Where does our holiness come from?
_____________________________
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 10:00:35 AM
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Walker311
Posts: 1496
Joined: 4/11/2005
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quote:
will NOT get into heaven.
Ok... that's what I thought and I agree as well. I see this as a threshing time.
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 10:27:01 AM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
Where does our holiness come from? The sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebr 10:10-14).
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 1:07:38 PM
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Walker311
Posts: 1496
Joined: 4/11/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
quote:
Where does our holiness come from? The sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebr 10:10-14).
Eph:1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 3:17:45 PM
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deliveredarling
Posts: 1902
Status: offline
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I am completely befuddled. My pastor this morning was preaching about Grace. What I heard him saying was that if we call on the name of Jesus that we are saved. While I agree with that, there is more to it. Are we not changed at salvation? Do we not give up the old nature in pursuit of a new one because of His Grace? We have become a new creature and old things pass away... Where does the notion that we can call on Him and continue living in the flesh come from? I understand Grace from my own experience of it in my life. I don't have the desire to live in the flesh anymore because I love Him. It doesn't mean that I am a better Christian or anything like that. It means I don't want to live that way anymore. I don't want to touch the hot stove because I know it burns me. Does that mean that I am a holier than thou type of person? Does that mean that I am an arrogant person because I don't go to bars, am not promiscuous, do not engage in other sexually explicit acts? How do you explain to someone that you know the difference between bondage and freedom? I guess people are equating freedom in Christ to mean that they are free to live in the flesh and ask for forgiveness every time and then go out and do it again in a repetitious cycle. Is this what is meant by forgiving 70 times 7? Someone please correct me if I am wrong in my thinking here. I've just learned that in my life it is much more comfortable to be obedient than disobedient. Maybe I just don't understand Grace.
_____________________________
"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed: but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light."
Luke 8:16
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RE: A Christian WILL NOT Continuously Sin! - 4/13/2008 6:57:53 PM
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Liveloved
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quote:
We both went before | | | |
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