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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Who makes the rules? | 1 John 3:9 | Baptistbred | 94624 | ||
No one has yet answered 1 John 3:10. It says , I quote once again, "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are OBVIOUS." KJV says "manifest". Must I continually ask the same question and be told that we live under grace? I have been a Baptist my entire life hold to "grace by faith alone"! Of course I don't offer my corrupt works to God as an offering to him for my salvation! John obviously emphasizes that one's faith CAN BE SEEN. Everyone keeps saying in essence that only the inward life counts to God. Then what of the hundreds of scriptures that point to the OUTWARD life? #1. We are to be able to discern the lost according to John. #2. We discern this by their works according to John. #3. My original question, "Who makes the rules as to what sins manifest a lost person, and what sins manifest the Christian struggling with sin? #4. How are we to tell a struggling Christian from a expert hypocrite? John says we can-how? |
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2 | Who makes the rules? | 1 John 3:9 | John Reformed | 94640 | ||
I believe your answer is found by considering what John means by "practicing sin". 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Cannot sin does not mean that christians are incapable of sinning. It means that they are incapable of sinning in the same way as the children of the Devil. They make a practice of sinning. They love their sins and never experience godly repentence or shame that arises from the failure to glorify Christ. John says it is obvious to us when, a professor of Christ, leads a sin filled life. But he does not say at what point it becomes obvious to us. When, or at one point, does church discipine need to be exercised in the life of a church member? Usually when his sinning begins to bring reproach upon the chuch and upon our Lord's good name. It then behooves the leadership to call the offending person and confront him with the situation. If he remains unrepentant and refuses the counsel from the key holders, ex-communication may be unavoidable. Your fat friend may be digging his own grave with his teeth, but this behaviour is hardly an obvious proof that he is a child of Satan. John 1 John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. |
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3 | Who makes the rules? | 1 John 3:9 | Baptistbred | 94693 | ||
I must say I appreciate your thoughtful and intelligent answer with some of the irrelevant answers I have been getting. Thanks! I think you understand my dilema. You have given me food for thought and I will condider your comments. They have shed some light on the subject. I will study the scriptures more to try and understand. Let me know if you can shed more light on "when" we can tell a lost person from a saved person. |
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