Results 61 - 80 of 119
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Unanswered Bible Questions Author: Bill Mc Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
61 | What is the new covenant Christ spoke of | Luke 22:20 | Bill Mc | 12961 | ||
See also 1 Corinthians 11:25. What is the new covenant that Christ speaks of? Who is it between? When does (or did) it go into effect? What are it's provisions? Please use scripture to support your answer. |
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62 | Who was Jesus asking God to forgive? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17189 | ||
Who was Jesus beseeching the Father to forgive? The context seems to suggest that it could be either the people casting lots for Christ's garments or the 'crucifixion party' consisting of the Romans who performed the act, the Jews who demanded it, the onlookers, and the even the sympathetics. There is no record of anyone asking for forgiveness at the crucifixion so why did Christ ask the Father to forgive? Did the Father answer this request? If so, how? Not even the thief asked for forgiveness. He only requested that Christ remember him when the Lord came into His kingdom. So who was forgiven? Is it possible that this was Christ's pronouncement that forgiveness for all mankind was provided for at the cross by His shed blood - Heb 9:22? If so, not everyone has accepted this forgiveness because not everyone 'comes' to the cross. Would this passage and the rest of the Bible support this view? |
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63 | What do you think? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17194 | ||
Thanks, Steve. You write, 'Jesus never called on His Father to forgive sins.' But here in this passage (Luke 23:34) He does. So what did you mean? In the instances that you cited where Jesus forgave sins, do you think that He forgave just because He was God (Mark 2:7)? Or do you think He forgave the sins because He knew that He came to be the sacrifice for all sins for all time (Heb 9:15 says that His sacrifice even forgave the sins committed under the first covenant (Law)? | ||||||
64 | Steve, Christ bore sins in His body. | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17242 | ||
Dear Steve, please read all of this post and judge for yourself if what I write has merit and stands up to scripture. Please reply and let me know what you think. I do agree that, on the surface, it appears that there would be a big problem with Jesus (being God) bearing sin and dying. This is because, as you have said, God is perfect - without sin and He is immortal. But we do know that Jesus was fully God and fully man. Here is what I believe: 1. Man is, similar to God, a tri-part being. We have a spirit, a soul, and a body -1 Thess 5:23 - 'Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Your true identity, who you are at the deepest level, is your spirit. Your soul is your mind, will, and emotions (personality) and your body houses your spirit and soul. You are a spirit who has a soul who lives in a body. We are not human beings with spiritual experiences. We are spiritual beings with human experiences. 2. Jesus, being fully man, had a spirit, soul, and body. References for His human spirit - Matt 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30. References for His human soul - Matt 26:38; Mark 14:34; John 12:27. I won't list references for His physical body. Most people accept that (unless they are Gnostics). 3. This verse is KEY to understanding how Christ bore our sins: 1 Pet 2:24 'and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.' He bore our sins in His BODY, not in His spirit or soul. Under the OT sacrifices, the animal being offered bore the sins in it's body (Animals don't have spirits but they do have souls). This is where, as you have stated, 2 Cor 5:21 says that He became sins for us. Want further proof? Heb 10:5,10 - 'Therefore, when He (Christ) comes into the world (incarnation), He says...a BODY You (God) have prepared for Me...By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once for all.' Christ bore our sins in His BODY, but His spirit, who He really was, and soul, His personality, DID NOT become sin. 4. Therefore, I don't believe that He stopped being God just because He bore our sins in His body. Paul says almost the same thing of the Christian in Rom chapter 7. There is a power of sin in the members of his body (vs.18,23), but it is not him, who he is (vs. 17,20,21). 5. Christ chose when to give up His human Spirit and, when He did, He died - Matt 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30. 6. At the resurecction, Christ became a life-giving Spirit - 1 Cor 15:45 'So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.' Why? Because He came to give His physical life to bear our sins. And He now gives us His eternal spiritual life through the impartation of the Holy Spirit. Life begets life. Of course, He has His resurrected body now, too. Well, there's my take. I don't feel that it is necessary to strip Christ of His deity in order to have Him bear our sins in His body. What do you think, brother? In Him, Bill Mc |
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65 | How did the imputation of sins happen? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17314 | ||
Hi Tim! Great to hear from you! To your questions! First, let me say that I don't know or understand everything about how God carried out the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross. What my mind cannot understand and figure out, I have to accept by faith. I'm not saying that as a copout, I'm just saying that I'm limited. 1 Pet 2:24 - and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. Heb 10:5,10 - "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;" By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. This is what scripture says. 'He bore our sins in (not on) His body.' I don't know exactly how this happened, anymore than I understand completely how, at the cross, I was crucified, buried and risen with Christ. I am not trying to sound stupid here but, just because I cannot explain it, does not invalidate it. I agree, Tim, that 'sins' are not physical things as such. But they are thoughts, feelings and acts that DO exhibit themselves many times physically. So how did our Lord bear these thoughts, feelings, and acts in His body? I don't know. (There I go, sounding stupid again.) But we do know that it happened and that His body was the sacrifice for ours. We do know that He was made to be sin so that we could be made righteous in Him. How was my 'old man', my old nature, crucifed there with Christ? I wasn't even born yet! But Paul says it was. He says that, through this act, we have been crucified with Christ, and are dead to sin. Nevertheless, I was trying to make the point that however you want to define 'bore our sins in His body,' that it was His body that became sin, not His divinity. Paul says that we have indwelling sin in us. But he makes the distinction that it is not us. Paul says, "I don't do it, but sin which dwells in me, does it" - Rom 7:20. Some of these things are hard to understand. Some of these questions will probably not be answered until we get home. How did Christ bear my sins in His body? I don't know? But I believe He did because that is what it says. Can you shed any more light here? Note 1: I do believe that these sins where imputed (credited) to Christ and His righteousness is imputed (credited) to us. But I don't believe that this is a 'pretend' or 'positional' truth. If you have no money in your back account and I impute 10,000 dollars to your account, it is not a pretend thing. You can, if you so desire, make actual withdrawals from that account. In other words, I can't say, "Tim, I've imputed 10,000 dollars in your account but its not really there. I've only written the deposit amount in your checkbook but I never really made the deposit." What good with that be? I would be lying to you. If I've actually imputed 10,000 dollars to you, then you HAVE it. It's yours. And it wouldn't make much sense for me to say, "Well, Tim, it's there but you can't use it until you die." You would have no need of it then. Note 2: Speaking of money, I checked on those reference materials I asked you about concerning Greek grammar, etc. Could you impute about 2,000 dollars to my bank account so that I can buy them? Thanks. I appreciate it. ;) Note 3: How did we ever get on this rabbit trail? My question was concerning who was Christ requesting forgiveness for? Now, we are over in 2 Imputations chapter 3 verse 12. ??? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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66 | Tim, what is your understanding of this? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17372 | ||
Dear Tim, what is your understanding of these passages? John 1:29; Rom 3:25; Heb 9:26; Heb 10:4,11; 1 John 3:5. These all speak of Christ taking away sin (or sins). Hebrews especially makes a point that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins but that Christ alone has done this. Obviously, Christ's blood has done something concerning sins that animal blood could not do. If you get time, could you share your understanding of the 'taking away' of sins? How is it different from the atonement that OT sacrifices executed? Also, my interlinear says that the literal translation of 1 Pet 2:24 is: 'who the sins of us himself carried up in the body of him onto the tree' It still seems to suggest that His sacrifice had something to do with our sins carried, bore, sacrificed IN HIS BODY. Isaiah 53:6 says that 'the LORD has caused the iniquities of us all to fall on Him.' Isaiah 53:11 says 'as He will bear their iniquities.' And Isaiah 53:12 says that 'He Himself bore the sin of many.' Scripture still seems to support that Jesus Christ was indeed 'to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.' - 2 Cor 5:21. Gal 3:13 says that Christ became a curse for us. These are all pretty strong statements that seem to imply more than just that God pretended to see Jesus as sin. My NASB Study Bible says that Paul seems to teach that Christ's HUMAN (not divine) nature became sin. I don't know about that. I will have to study it more. But if Jesus did not actually bear our sins in His body, then why did He die have to die? Couldn't God just have 'imputed' death to Him without it literally happening? Please be patient with me. I am trying to understand. In Him (and always curious), Bill Mc |
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67 | Are Christians under the Mosaic law? | John 1:17 | Bill Mc | 19841 | ||
Dear forum readers, This should be a fairly easy question. Is the Christian still under the Mosaic Law? I am interested to see what the general consensus of this forum is. John 1:17 - For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 7: 18,19 - The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. Hebrews 8:13 - By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. Hebrews 10:1 - The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. Romans 3:20 - Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 1 Timothy 1:8,9 - We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous... Galatians 3:19,24 - What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 2:16,21 - know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 3:11 - Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 7:10 - I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 1 Corinthians 15:56 - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. Romans 7:5,7a,8b - For when we were controlled by the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For apart from law, sin is dead. Galatians 3:10 - All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Romans 10:4 - Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Galatians 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Romans 8:3,4 - For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Galatians 3:24,25 - So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 7:6 - But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. Galatians 3:1-3 - You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Galatians 1:6-8 - I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel -- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 5:18 - But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. Galatians 2:19 - For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. Galatians 5:1 - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Under grace, Bill Mc |
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68 | What you are saved from? | John 6:37 | Bill Mc | 15144 | ||
Dear Sister D, 'Once saved, always saved' is NOT dependant upon your ability to live to God. 'Once saved, always saved' reflects a correct understanding of what salvation is and what it is not. If we could 'live to God', we would not need a Savior. We cannot live APART from God. He ALONE is the source of life. The repentant heart that God seeks is concerning what you believe about His Son. Jesus said that the world's sin is that they do not believe in Him. That is the only sin that remains 'unforgiven' and that must be repented of. Christ has forgiven the believer ALL of their sins. The cross was an ETERNAL act of God. It took away ALL sins - past, present, and future. If all of your sins are NOT forgiven, then how are you going to get more forgiveness? Without the shedding of blood, there is NO forgiveness. Are you going to ask Christ to come and die for you so that you can have more forgiveness? God NEVER calls you to live for Him. He calls you to come to Christ and find LIFE. Then He calls us to live out His life in our bodies - Romans 12:1. Please read my other post, dear one. Do you understand what you are "saved" from? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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69 | What are you saved from? | John 6:37 | Bill Mc | 15145 | ||
Dear Sister D, 'Once saved, always saved' is NOT dependant upon your ability to live to God. 'Once saved, always saved' reflects a correct understanding of what salvation is and what it is not. If we could 'live to God', we would not need a Savior. We cannot live APART from God. He ALONE is the source of life. The repentant heart that God seeks is concerning what you believe about His Son. Jesus said that the world's sin is that they do not believe in Him. That is the only sin that remains 'unforgiven' and that must be repented of. Christ has forgiven the believer ALL of their sins. The cross was an ETERNAL act of God. It took away ALL sins - past, present, and future. If all of your sins are NOT forgiven, then how are you going to get more forgiveness? Without the shedding of blood, there is NO forgiveness. Are you going to ask Christ to come and die for you so that you can have more forgiveness? God NEVER calls you to live for Him. He calls you to come to Christ and find LIFE. Then He calls us to live out His life in our bodies - Romans 12:1. Please read my other post, dear one. Do you understand what you are "saved" from? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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70 | What is eternal life? What is saved? | John 6:37 | Bill Mc | 15157 | ||
Dear Sister, I said what I said because I don't believe you understand what salvation really is. Did you read my other post? I agree, 'No unclean thing shall enter the kingdom of heaven.' So, the question is, did Christ make you clean or not? See Hebrews 7:25 - He saves us FOREVER. Ezekiel 18, while being holy scripture, is written to the house of Israel. Are you under the New Covenant or the Old, Sister? Dear one, if you think you are 'prone to lose your salvation' or 'prone to lose out with God' you have become victim to some erroneous teaching. Proof of this is in your statement, "if we turn from our righteousness..." That is exactly what Christ wanted the Pharisees to turn from. We have no righteousness. Our righteousness is God's righteousness - 'the righteousness that is FROM God' and it is a gift, it can't be earned. If you are IN CHRIST, you are His righteousness before God. So, Sister D, would you be so kind as to answer my question? What are you saved from? How can eternal life be eternal if it can be lost? In Him, Bill Mc |
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71 | Is truth relative? How do we know it? | John 8:32 | Bill Mc | 20432 | ||
How do we know when we are are taught the truth? There are many different denominations and they all claim to be right. There are many different guides on this forum and they all claim to be right. All these denominations and forum guides have scripture to back up their views. But they frequently do not agree. Jesus promised us that we would know it. So how do we know the truth? Many (not all) Baptists would say you've got to be immersed during baptism. Catholics and Methodists would say that sprinking is fine. Pentecostals would say that you need to be baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Conservatives would say that those gifts have passed away. One church says you can't have musical instruments. Another says its fine. One church says you have to worship on Saturday. One says you need to worship on Sunday. One church says you need to confess your sins publicly. Another says that open confession is not necessary. One church says that anyone can partake of communion during the Lord's Supper. Another says that you can only if you are a member of that church. One church says they believe in the free will of man. Another says they believe that God is completely sovereign and man has no choice in the matter. Once church says you can't have female pastors. Another says that there is no male and female in Christ so it's OK. One church says that the Christian is no longer under Law. Another says that Christ in us enables us to fulfill the Law as He did. One church says that your salvation is secure because it comes from God. Another says you can, at some point, reject it and fall away. So how do you KNOW that we are being taught truth? Everyone - churches, denominations, pastors, forum guides have certain scriptures to back up their view. EVERYONE! So how do you know what the truth is? |
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72 | When did disciples receive the Spirit? | John 20:22 | Bill Mc | 15824 | ||
Did Christ's disciples receive the Holy Spirit before Pentecost? If so, why did He tell them to wait for it? |
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73 | How is it a law without consequences? | Rom 5:8 | Bill Mc | 19814 | ||
Steve, What does Gal 5:18 mean to you? 'But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.' You yourself said that 'While some people want to categorize them, the Bible does not.' Is the Mosaic Law the exact same as God's moral law? Why would God say that we are no longer under the Law? If your answer is that 'we are no longer under the punishment of the Law' then you are playing loose with the text. Paul was addressing circumcision as a sign of being under the Law. The Judaizers were trying to put the Galatians back under the Law with all its restrictions and rules. So Paul was not talking about JUST the punishment of breaking the Law. My analogy still stands. If there is a law that says, "Do this or die," then you have no right whatsoever to strip away the "or die." God never did. The wages of sin is ALWAYS death. Now either Christ took it for you, or you must take it. You cannot say that God overlooks it. God does no such thing. Every time you sin, Christ took the punishment for that sin upon the cross. So, back to my analogy. If the speed limit says 65 MPH and it is NEVER enforced, then how is it a law? You said that a law is "a rule that was parceled by (I'll substitute 'government' for the sake of illustration) to give me direction, having positive or negative consequences.' So, according to your definition, if there is no negative or positive consequences to going over 65 MPH, then, by your own definition, it is no longer a law. It then becomes merely a principle i.e. you SHOULD to this. But the Law said that you had better to this or else. If you break the Law, you deserve death. Neither you nor I have any right to change the conditions or to attempt to strip the Law of its power. How is a 65 MPH speed limit a law if there is no consequences? In Christ, not under the Law, Bill Mc |
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74 | Searcher, what translation do you use? | Rom 5:8 | Bill Mc | 20056 | ||
Searcher, Could I ask what translation you are using? All of mine, NASB, NIV, NKJV, interlinear, have the word 'not' and in none of them is it in italics. Also, if you see my other posts on 'Is the Christian under the Mosaic Law?', you will see many other verses that agree with Gal 5:18. What translation are you using, brother? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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75 | What is a 'slave of righteousness?' | Rom 6:18 | Bill Mc | 12968 | ||
How are we 'slaves of righteousness?' What does this mean? |
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76 | What is 'dying to the Law?' | Rom 7:4 | Bill Mc | 12967 | ||
What does Paul mean when he says that we were "made to die to the Law?" How does this apply to our lives? Please use scripture to support your answer. |
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77 | Is Galatianism alive and well? | Rom 7:4 | Bill Mc | 14361 | ||
Dear Steve, You write, "We still have to obey the Law, but are we condemned by it? (implied, no)" I strongly disagree. To say that disobedience to the Law has no punishment belittles it and robs it of it's power. It was given to show that the wages of sin (disobeying the law) is death (the punishment for disobedience) - Romans 6:23. Your statement is analogous to saying, "I will no longer get a speeding ticket if I go over 65 MPH, because of grace, but I still HAVE to go 65 MPH." Law without punishment is meaningless. Paul writes in Galatians 3:10 - "For as many as are of the works of the Law (whether you are a Christian or not, brother) are under a curse:" Why? "For it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by ALL things written in the book of the Law, to perform them." Do you want to be under the Law? Fine. That is your choice. But, according to scripture, you need to be under ALL of it and PERFORM it 100 percent. You can't pick and choose. The Law is not some a la carte buffet where you can pick out what you want to keep and what you don't. You can't say, "I'll be under this part but not this part" or "I have to obey it but God will not punish me if I disobey it." God does not leave that option open for you, brother. James says that "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." Can you keep it perfectly, Steve, the whole Law? If not, what are you going to do? Will you then ask Christ, in His grace, to cover your sin? Grace covers it ALL, brother. Christians who mix law and grace do a grave injustice to both. They rob the Law of it's punishment (death) and they rob grace of it's result (life, though we deserve death). The wages of sin is ALWAYS death. That is what sin deserves each and every time. But Christ took that for us and gave us His righteousness. How are you going to improve on that. Stop mixing Law and grace. Stop trying to put new wine into old wineskins. Stop trying to weaken the law and cheapen God's grace. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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78 | Where does your righteousness come from? | Rom 7:4 | Bill Mc | 14384 | ||
Dear Steve, I did cite the scripture - Galatians 3:10. It was right there in the body of my post. We are perfect (spiritually - our standing before God). Look at Matthew 5:48. How perfect are we to be? As perfect as our Father in heaven. How are you going to get it? As a gift. Righteousness is received as a gift from God - the righteousness from God that is received by faith. I have a good understanding of law, grace, and mercy. People that mix law and grace do not understand them. Have you noticed that your Bible is divided into 2 sections? The Old Covenant and the New? Do you understand the difference between them? Look at Galatians 3:2,3 - Paul says, "This is the only thing I want to find our from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" How would you answer this question, Steve? Then, "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected (Mat 5:48) by the flesh (trying to establish your own righteousness apart from God's)?" How would you answer this question? Check verse 21 - "for is a law had been given which was able to impart life (it could not), then righteousness would indeed have been based on law." The whole thrust here, brother, is that righteousness, before salvation or after, NEVER comes from the law. Why? Because the law condemns. Only Christ imparts life. Righteousness is not based upon the law but upon Christ. Check verse 24,25 - the Law was given to lead us to Christ. If you have truly come to Christ as your ONLY righteousness, you are no longer under the law. Where are you? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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79 | How are you being perfected? Law? | Rom 7:4 | Bill Mc | 14398 | ||
Steve, Let's use yours (some of them contradict quite nicely). See my comments in :: Define "the Law." … a rule that was parceled by God (authority) to give me direction, having positive or negative consequences. ::You said in your prior post that you don't have to experience the consequences of not keeping the Law - no judgement:: For the Jews, it is the Law of Moses. There are 613 laws. While some people want to categorize them, the Bible does not ::true - so look up all the references that says that we, Christians, are no longer under law. Please let me know how many you find.:: For us gentiles, God still gives us laws, ::true, the law of Christ, not the laws of Moses:: including those He gave Noah in Genesis 9 ::Nope:: and the New Testament ::look up the greek for 'testament' - it is the same as covenant:: Define "grace." … His willingness to provide us with His enablement to find favor in God's eyes (Gen 6:8). Grace does not overlook sin ::Hold this thought - GRACE DOES NOT OVERLOOK SIN - your statement. Hebrews 10:17 says that God does:: Rather, it is grace that is needed to bring righteousness into action in our lives (Rom 5:20-21) ::These verse are describing what Christ has done-His actions, our actions, righteousness is imparted, then lived out::. Mercy forgives us of sin, but it is grace that enables us not to sin. ::true:: What is the relationship between the two? ... For Christianity, the concept of grace has to do with God's willingness to overlook our breaking His law under the condition that we have accepted the atonement of Christ's death in our place. ::OK, the thought I asked you to hold onto - GRACE DOES NOT OVERLOOK SIN - is contradicted right here. Now does it or doesn't it? You can't have it both ways.:: Without any law, there would be no need for grace. With law, there is need for grace. ::The question is, with grace, is there need for law? No. Why? Because we have something better. We have the indwelling Spirit of God to lead us. We are to be lead by the Spirit not the law.:: What is the purpose of the Law? ... To restrain sinfulness (Gal 3:19) ... To rebuke sin (Gal 3:22) ... To reveal our need for Christ (Gal 3:24) ::true, and, in my life, it has done that. It did reveal my need for Christ. I am now joined to Him, not the law (Romans 7 - first part):: How does "the Law" or any law effect our lives, today? ...Therefore, the abolition of the Mosaic Law code in no way leaves us in a state of lawlessness (Rom 6:1,14; 7:6). ::true, we are not left in a state of lawlessness. We are left with the Spirit of God - the law of Christ, a higher law - love, ruling in our hearts.:: Are we told we don't have to follow "the Law"? ... Nowhere tells us gentiles that they are not to keep the covenant of God. ::That is because the Gentiles were NEVER given the Law (Mosaic). Instead, Paul has to try to show the Jews, who were given the Law, that they are no longer under it.:: Paul says that we should not expect atonement for sin based solely on obedience to some of the commandments. The law itself says blood sacrifice brings atonement...Our faith in God's laws cause us to receive the atonement of Christ's blood sacrifice atones for sin. ::FALSE - our faith in the SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF CHRIST causes us to receive the forgiveness of sins. His death alone reconciled us to God. His death took sins away, NEVER atoned (covered) them. Try to find the word atonement used of Christ's sacrifice in the NT:: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome," (1 John 5:3) ::true, the law of Christ - love is never burdensome:: People that mix law and grace do not understand them. Have you noticed that your Bible is divided into 2 sections? … Yes. It is there are two Testaments, not covenant. ::Again, check the word:: The Old Covenant and the New? … Did you know there are more than two? Do you understand the difference between them? … Yes, I understand the difference between them all. ::Your position shows that, indeed, you do not. You mingled them together:: If you do, explain. ::I have been trying to:: Look at Galatians 3:2,3 … By hearing with faith. ::right, so...:: Then, "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected (Mat 5:48) by the flesh (trying to establish your own righteousness apart from God's)?" How would you answer this question? … You mixed Scripture and changed what Matthew 5:48. I suggest you repent. ::Already have:: Answer my questions, since I answered yours. ::Not my last one, are you being perfected (made complete, righteous in God's sight) by the flesh? Yes or No. Easy question.:: In Christ, Bill Mc |
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80 | Will you enter God's rest? | Rom 7:4 | Bill Mc | 14418 | ||
Dear Steve, I do understand what you are saying. I was bound for 30 years, as you say, 'trying to obey them ALL.' And, you're right, brother, it is a struggle. Always trying to keep short accounts with God, even though God had said that the account was 'paid in full - it is finished.' If you are being honest with yourself, you KNOW that you can't obey them all. No one ever has EXCEPT Christ. He fulfilled ALL of the Law. Then, He caused us, through our union with Him, to die to it. Why? Because we are now joined to Him. Brother, I love you in the Lord. I have been where you are now. You're right - under law, the Christian life is a struggle. But Christ said, "My yoke is EASY, My burden is LIGHT. Come to me and you will find REST (not struggle) for your soul." Would you describe your Christian life as easy, light, and restful? I couldn't. After 30 years, I felt no more 'perfected' than the day I began my walk with Christ. I could still think the same sinful thoughts and act out the same sinful patterns of my 'old man.' I was miserable. I, too, wanted to obey all the laws of God. I knew that they were holy, good, and righteous. But I couldn't find LIFE there. Scripture says that no law was ever given which could IMPART LIFE or righteousness. All the Law could do was show me my sinfulness. I was like Paul in Romans 7. I wanted to obey with all my heart but I always, somewhere, fell short. No matter how much I repented and confessed my sins, no matter how much I attended church, no matter how much I prayed, no matter how much I tithed, no matter how much I witnessed, no matter how many times I rededicated myself (I wore my rededicator out), I NEVER felt like I measured up to the Christian I ought to be. In frustration, I was ready to bail out, and I cried, "What a wretch I am!" Then, through a series of events, and the help of some wonderful Christians, I began to understand my identity in Christ. Christ, my brother, is the ONLY one who can ever live the Christian life as it is meant to be lived. He alone is acceptable to God. Through are spiritual union with Him, we are MADE acceptable and righteous before God. At our deepest level of being, our spirit has been joined to Christ's Spirit. That is how the scripture can say we HAVE BEEN (past tense) perfected. As I now live by His Spirit (remember, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me), I am BEING perfected (present tense) in my soul (my behavior). And, one day I WILL BE perfected (future tense) COMPLETELY, spirit, soul, and body, when I inherit my redeemed body. But, Steve, my identity, who I am at the spirit level is a new creation in Christ. My spirit IS perfect before God. Why? Because it is joined with His Spirit. How could it be otherwise? That is where I rest. Yes, I still commit sins, my behavior (soul) is not perfect. But that is not who I am. As Paul says in Romans 7, sin dwells in my body, but it is NOT ME. I am a new creation created to, yes, do good works. But why? Look at Christ's life, Steve. Did He do good works to be made righteous? No, He did good works because He WAS righteous. He did do good works to be made acceptable to His Father? No, God said that He was acceptable BEFORE Christ ever started His public ministry (remember, 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.') Christ was righteous, holy, acceptable because He and His Father were one. There were united. Jesus said, "I only do what the Father tells Me to do. I only say what the Father tells Me to say." Are you united with Him, dear brother? The Bible says you are. Then how can your identity (not your performance) be anything less than what He IS. Your performance will catch up (become sanctified) as you live out of your new identity with Him. He wants you to live out of a vital, pulsating, life-filled, abundant relationship with Him, not rules. Steve, this is the only place I know where there is rest. There is no rest under the Law. But, "there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God (that's you, brother). For the one who has entered (past tense) His rest has himself also rested from his works (before salvation or after), as God did from His. Therefore let us be deligent to enter that rest..." - Hebrews 4:9-11 You must rest from YOUR works. Let God do the good works through you. He predestined them, He will be faithful to do them. He ALONE will finish the good work He has begun in you. Trust Him, Steve. I pray, dear brother, you will enter HIS rest and there find YOUR OWN. In Christ, Bill Mc BTW, Yes, Jesus did proclaim the New Covenant (remember His blood at the Lord's Supper?) but, you're right, it did not go into effect until He died.) |
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