Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 209237 | ||
Dear Jeff, You wrote, "...how a person’s behavior effects how he/she stands before God..." I don't think I said that -- if I did it was a mistake. Bishop Ryle stated it better than I might ever do: "When I speak of growth in grace, I do not for a moment mean that a believer's interest in Christ can grow. I do not mean that he can grow in safety, acceptance with God or security. I do not mean that he can ever be more justified, more pardoned, more forgiven, more at peace with God, than he is the first moment he believes. I hold firmly that the justification of a believer is a finished, perfect and complete work; and that the weakest saint, though he may not know and feel it, is as completely justified as the strongest. I hold firmly that our election, calling, and standing in Christ admit of no degrees, increase or diminution... I would go to the stake, God helping me, for the glorious truth, that in the matter of justification before God every believer is complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)." We'd not say that a person's behavior effects their standing before God. Rather, a person's standing before God results in a specific kind of behavior. See Galatians 6:15. Think of it this way: The fruit does not effect the species of the tree. The species of the tree results in a specific kind of fruit. In addition, the old man is not stuck on a cross, yet still able to gasp for mercy. The old man must be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) -- i.e., dead as a door nail! The man in Christ of 2 Corinthians 5:17 is not a reformed sinner, he is a new creation. In redemption, God kills the sinner and raises him to newness in life. In Him, Doc |
||||||
2 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | jlhetrick | 209247 | ||
Dear Doc- Here is how you put it: "Scripture is quite clear about a number of specific behaviors and how they relate to how a person stands before our Holy God" I believe Bishop Ryle is talking about something different, but I agree with you... he makes plain sense. Justification is not an ongoing process. When we are justified, it is a final act of saving grace. However, how we might "stand before God" after that (being justified) would be, as I understand it, a matter of our being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14). The new creation continues in a process of being made holy. Even as new creations we are not perfect in our obedience and submission to God. Perfectly justified and saved, but not perfectly holy. This is what I assumed you were infering when you wrote "Scripture is quite clear about a number of specific behaviors and how they relate to how a person stands before our Holy God". If I took your words out of context and/or my paraphrase seemed to imply a different meaning than your intended one, then please accept my sincere apology. God bless, Jeff |
||||||
3 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 209261 | ||
Hi, Brother Jeff... Yes, thank you, that was what I thought I had said. Specific behaviors disclose our standing before God. They do not cause it. No worries, really, Jeff. As doctrine is gifted us textually, our textual expressions either rightly reflect those truths or they reflect something else. We are all counselors, directly, indirectly, tacitly, and implicitly... whether we are aware of it or not. Satan started the bad counsel trend by twisting what God had said. Since then there has been nothing but an ever increasing bedlam of ever deviating advice telling us what to think and what to believe. Our careful and cooperative effort to render words in concert with our Lord's Word is a work of a good steward, demonstrating our love for Him and His Word. In Him, Doc |
||||||
4 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | jlhetrick | 209296 | ||
Amen! | ||||||