Lines

[Jullianna]

Galations 5:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Paul wasn't speaking to unbelievers here. Clearly there are lines we are not to cross as believers (since per verse 21 this was at least the 2nd time they'd been warned). Why does it seem that so many who describe themselves as believers are afraid to draw lines?

 

[Gimzani]

I believe it is because of the misconception that Grace will cover all sins. Yes it does, but to keep sinning is to spit on the body and blood of the Crucified Messiah.

Paul described this very problem:

Rom 6:15-18 “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the penalty of the law, but under grace? Yahweh forbid! Know you not that to whom you yield yourself slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whom you obey. Whether of sin to death or obedience to righteousness, but thanks to Yahweh, that you were slaves of sin but you obeyed from the heart the form of teaching which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you were enslaved to righteousness..”
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One issue is that people do not want to obey the Lord. Christianity is a Religion. YHVH wants MORE than that. Yes, there is Grace to save you, but people do not really know what that means. If the were keeping Torah and had to do animal sacrifices to cover their sins they might have a better appreciation of what Messiah did.

It is Grace that saves us and it is Torah that blesses us.

Jer 17:5-7, 9 “So says Yahweh, cursed is the man that trusts in man, and who makes flesh his strength; and who turns aside his heart form Yahweh. (Verse 7), Blessed is the man that trusts in Yahweh, and Yahweh is his trust. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters. It send out its roots by the stream, and will not fear when the heat comes. But its foliage will be green and it is not worried in the year of drought. No will it cease from producing fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and it is desperately wicked; who can know it?
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We ARE asked to keep Torah - we will be required to keep it in the age to come - the New Jerusalem.

Micah 4:2 “And many nations will come and say, come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the LAW shall go forth from ZION, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.”
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[phil36]

Galations 5:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Paul wasn't speaking to unbelievers here. Clearly there are lines we are not to cross as believers (since per verse 21 this was at least the 2nd time they'd been warned). Why does it seem that so many who describe themselves as believers are afraid to draw lines?

I think maybe that some may not fully want to whole heartedly serve Jesus. Ad It's a good reminder for us all to focus our minds and lives on Jesus.