Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Aliehs | 22383 | ||
You said that I said that our only duty was to know God/Christ better. What I really said was: "Our ONLY "duty" / "responsibility" under the new covenant is to know more about Jesus, respond to His work on the cross, and PRAISE Him for EVERY good and perfect gift - that includes the gift of our righteousness which cannot be attained totally or in part, but which can only be RECEIVED totally. PERFECT gift." And regarding all those things you listed which we should "do" - I agree with you on your point that "it is not done under our own power, but they are marks of a true believer." Marks because of a response. "1. We are saved by grace, through faith, apart from works. This is the basis of our salvation, and it is completely a work of God (Ephesians 2:8,9)." I agree. Salvation is a gift. "2. We are saved for the purpose of glorifying God through our good works (Ephesians 2:10)." That verse says "....to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ministry work, perhaps? Run the church as a body? Let run it after His heart ("good works")? Fulfil our calling? "3. Law has never been a means to make one righteous, since all it does it shut man up under sin (Galatians 3:22) and reveal God's perfect standard for us (Psalm 19:7). The Law, while being perfect in itself, has never made anyone perfect (Hebrews 7:11, 18, 21)." Agreed. However, all things aside, if anyone is ABLE to fulfil the law perfectly, that would be one way to righteousness (law of righteousness). But you and I know, it doesn't work and we can't go that road to righteouseness. The OTHER way to righteousness then, is by faith and in recepit of it as a GIFT, not something to attain for since we have already attainted it by faith (righteousness of faith). Romans 9:30-32 "4. The good works which God empowers us to do for His sake are marks of our new life in Christ. A "faith" that does not demonstrate itself in works over time is a dead faith, which does not save (James 2:14-26)." One thing to note about James when reading his letter is that it was written BEFORE Paul's. A lot of practicalities in it, but it is milk since he did not have a full understanding of grace as Paul did. This is not to mean that we don't read James, but that we should be aware about his understanding of grace compared to Paul's. "Please show me ONE God-honoring work that we can do which is not in keeping with God's moral law." Well...I think the Pharisees are very good at doing ALL God-honouring work that is keeping with God's moral law.....so no, I can't show you ONE which is not keeping with God's moral. But well...we know what Jesus thought about them... "Paul, Peter, and James did not consider the law useless for the Christian. Not considering the Law obsolete, they preached the Law to believers:" They DID??!!!! They preached the LAW to believers???!!! Tim 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; So if the law is not made for a righteous man, how can it be made for us who are already made righteous in Christ? Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 6But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way,.... 8....."The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):.....10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "Lastly, we have the example of Christ Himself. How did He describe His perfect life? As "fulfilling" the law rather than "abolishing" it (Matthew 5:17-18) We should absolutely see Jesus as our example, but that example he set for us is complete and perfect obedience to the moral law of the Father." Yes, He has fulfiled the law so that I don't have to fulfil it myself when I'm in Him. The law is not abolished because it's already written in my heart. That example he set for us is made complete and perfect because of total reliance on the Spirit. THAT'S the example we should follow - reliance on the Spirit. "causing the believer to contantly rely on God's grace and forgiveness." Rely on God's forgiveness? But He has already forgiven my past, present and FUTURE sins....so I should instead THANK Him for it. After all, when He died for my sins, He was dying for ALL sins of mine which are "future" since I wasn't even on this earth yet. |
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2 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Aliehs | 22385 | ||
Anyway....I think I'll end this discussion with the agreement that "Law and gospel are interwoven throughout both Testaments, and the proper understanding of both and the uses of both is key to understanding Scripture." You will always be able to find scriptures to support your understanding and I will always be able to find scriptures to support my understanding. One thing though - I say again - "no one pours new wine into old wineskins." Jesus was saying this for the benefit of the Pharisees to hear - I understand it to be the old covenant and the new covenant. Jesus, btw, NEVER mentioned anything about old wine in new wineskins (a question in your previous post)....so I'm sorry but won't waste energy trying to make understanding of that. Finally, I just want to say whether we agree with each other's views or not - we will BOTH go to heaven. It's okay if you want to "work out your righteousness" and it's okay if I chose to believe that I AM already righteous (and just need to behave so by learning from the Spirit) - both of us are already SAINTS and no longer sinners because of receipt of the salvation gift. You can go ahead and be Martha....I'll chose to be Mary (and both are believers of Christ, btw): Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." I'll hold on to the word of God (which is Jesus) and I'll let God work in me completely. Bless you! |
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3 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Reformer Joe | 22391 | ||
You wrote: "Finally, I just want to say whether we agree with each other's views or not - we will BOTH go to heaven. It's okay if you want to 'work out your righteousness' and it's okay if I chose to believe that I AM already righteous (and just need to behave so by learning from the Spirit) - both of us are already SAINTS and no longer sinners because of receipt of the salvation gift. You can go ahead and be Martha....I'll chose to be Mary (and both are believers of Christ, btw)" Yes, both are believers in Christ, but that is not to say that Mary's life was CHARACTERIZED by doing nothing. It is not okay to believe whatever you want. One of us is seriously wrong regarding what characterizes the life of a believer in Christ. There are people in this world who profess faith and do not really possess it. False brethren do exist. They themselves do not consider themselves false brethren. There will be those who will be saying , "Lord, Lord, didn't I..." and being told that Jesus never knew them. Be sure from Scripture that yours is a living faith. And as I close, I would like to point out to you a few references on Law and Gospel and the distinction between justification and sanctification: "Faith Alone" by R.C. Sproul "The God Who Justifies" by James R. White http://www.founders.org/FJ28/article1.html http://www.alliancenet.org/pub/articles/horton.LawGospel.html And Martin Luther's Sermon on the twofold use of law and Gospel: http://www.ccel.org/l/luther/sermons/law_gospel.html May God's blessing and truth characterize and transform your life. --Joe! |
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4 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Aliehs | 22520 | ||
If saying Mary's life was characterised by doing nothing, then yes, I'd be wrong. Which is why I didn't say it. And if you should imply that I'm doing nothing, or if I'm going to go about living in sin, then you're wrong in your understanding indeed!!!!!!!!!!! Horrifically wrong. True, I'm not yet like Jesus, and I AM changing, but I do NOT intend to change in my OWN strength. In order for me to experience true freedom and grow in my relationship with God, I have learnt to accept myself where I am and see myself the way God sees me - righteous. Even if I'm still learning from Him how I should BEHAVE so. I trust that God will be faithful to finish the good work He had began in me. With this belief that I've been already made right with God through Christ, I will begin to make real spiritual progress in my spiritual walk. One of the biggest issue I have to understand is that I CANNOT CHANGE MYSELF!!!! Trying to bring about a change in my own strength and through my plans will always result in frustration. My efforts will be in vain and I'll only give up on myself. When I say "God, I can't do this anymore. I have done everything I know to do, try to behave myself by following your laws, and it doesn't work. If anything is going to change of me, You're going to have to do it." Will the Holy Spirit frown on me? No. I believe He'll say "Great! Now I can go to work." He's waiting for me to stop TRYING to change myself and start TRUSTING Him to change me. And if you think that I cannot be changed by TOTAL reliance on the Holy Spirit, then you're saying that the Holy Spirit is NOT ABLE to do it for me. "Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." It is GOD who works in me to WILL and to ACT according to His good purpose. And I will trust Him to do just that! I CANNOT change myself, but I CAN spend time seeking the One Who can change me. I cannot change by my will power, but I can use my will power to decide to spend time with HIM. As I regularly wait in His presence, I put myself in position for Him to change me. During these times, He WILL reveal the things in my live, my thoughts, my attitudes, my behaviour, etc - that need to be changed. All He wants me to do is to get into agreement with Him. He wants me to say, "God, I see this area in my life that You are showing me, and I agree that it needs to be changed. However, I am powerless to do it. If You don't do it, it won't get done. Show me what I need to do, and give me the power to do it." THIS is what it means to work out my salvation/righteousness - cooperationg with the Holy Spirit from the time we accept Christ as our Saviour to the day we meet Him face to face, allowing Him to work out of us our ungodly traits and work us into the character of Christ. When that happens to perfection, wouldn't I be following that previous list of 10 things you gave me to do according to Paul, Peter, James, John....???? Come on, you can't say no. But comparing this scriptural way to YOUR way, it's indeed going to be a stumbling block for you. Because you think it's effortless on my side. Which is true/understandable - my only effort would be being and spending time with the Lord, and He will change me because of that. You, like the Pharisees, want to have the self-glory that your godly actions are a result of the involvement of your direct efforts in changing yourselves. I have God's nature in me now which He had planted as a seed the minute I received Christ. I no longer have my sinful nature. I am a new creation. 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. Forgive me, but the only way I know how to bear the fruits from this seed is by watering it regularly with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26 by the washing with water through the word,). God provides just the right "temperatures" or circumstances we need to grow. The more I love God (because He first loved me), the more I hate sin and love the things He loves instead. The more I love God (because He first loved me), the more I want to do things to please Him. Is that so difficult to comprehend? 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. The power to change doesn't come from me - it comes from the Lord. My job is to continually get into the Word and see what Jesus looks like; like a mirror, the Scripture reflects His image. When I see what He is, I also see what I'm not. That's when I need to get into agreement with God and ask Him to change me. As time passes, a visible difference will be seen in my behaviour. |
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5 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Aliehs | 22521 | ||
My faith in the love of God, my faith that He has made me a brand new creation (pure and righteous in His eyes), my faith that He will finish the good work He had begun in me is strong. My works WILL show EFFORTLESSLY because of that. It will pass the fire test because it is HIM working in me not me working in me. I challenge you to spend your time regularly with God to meditate on His word and talk to Him about your life. Then be silent and listen for His direction. And FOLLOW His directions out of LOVE. Matthew 22:36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Once you are able to fulfil the GREATEST commandment of all, the rest will be effortless to fulfil. You say "Be sure from Scripture that yours is a living faith." My answer: I am. It's more alive to me than anything I've ever known - GLORY BE TO GOD!!!! He'll never say "I don't know you!" to me because my life is ENTIRELY in His hands - ENTIRELY. You can take the stairs up if you want - I'll take the escalator. |
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6 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | charis | 22588 | ||
Dear Aliehs, Greetings in Jesus' name! I suggest you read 'Pilgrim's Progress' and also about John Bunyan. He and Christian took the stairs, because there weren't any escalators or elevators. The easy paths all led back down the mountain! :-) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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7 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Aliehs | 22863 | ||
Hi Charis :o). From my knowledge about stairs and escalators, they both go up and down ;o). I take it that when you say "easy paths", you mean smooth situations and circumstances without struggles. That is, life without struggles. That's not what I'm taking the "escalator" for. My "escalator" is the conformation by the Holy Spirit of my life instead of the conformation of myself on my own. My paths may still be difficult, but the Holy Spirit will ensure that the more I become like Jesus, the easier it'll be for me to handle/react to difficult and trying situations. In Christ's love, Aliehs |
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