And stop listening to people like Skinski here who does not understand the gospel.
If the gospel is stop doing evil. Then God is having us do under our own power what he claims we can not do before we are saved.
The gospel is this.
You are evil. Because of it, You are dead to God. But God loved the world so much, he gave his only son. Trust in him, and he will cleanse you and make you free (adopt you as his son)
Those who are born again are Gods children. When we sin, God chastens us. This, added to the knowledge of God and his true love, causes a changed life.
We do not change by our own power. and we are not saved by changing. We are saved TO CHANGE. And as Paul said, Those who are saved by grace WILL DO THE WORK GOD CREATED US TO DO (eph 2: 10)
People like Skinski here want to be like the pharisee, He will be on the street corner praising God he is not like the sinner.
We, Those who are Gods children) need to continue to be on our knees thanking God for saving such wretched people as us.
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Why is it that the forsaking of sin is decried by you?
Does not the Bible say...
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Does not turning to God involve the turning away from sin?
Isaiah taught "let the wicked forsake his way, the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord." God offers pardon for all those who will do that which is why the Bible states...
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
What did Paul and Barnabas preach?
Act 14:14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
Act 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and
preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Act 14:16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Why would they preach that if men could not turn from evil?
Here is what you claim,
If the gospel is stop doing evil. Then God is having us do under our own power what he claims we can not do before we are saved.
Man has the full capability to cease from evil and due to this God holds all men accountable for their deeds. If the doing of evil was involuntary and thus not resultant of the free exercise of the will then sinners would have an excuse for their sin.
The truth is that all men have been given the light of conscience being that Jesus Christ is the light that lights all men who come into the world and the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us to live godly lives. It is not something we do apart from the grace of God anymore than a light globe can shine without electricity, yet just like a light globe has to abide in a powered electrical socket likewise a human being must abide in the grace of God.
The people of Nineveh had the full capacity to forsake their evil. Likewise the prodigal son had the full capacity to forsake the pig pen. David had the full capacity to forsake murder and adultery and likewise we all have the full capacity to forsake evil and turn to God.
If such wasn't the case then the Bible would not state "godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation."
So I am like a Pharisee because I contend that we have the full capability to forsake our evil ways and turn to God?
I am like a Pharisee because I contend that through abiding in the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ that we are made pure in heart where the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us?
I don't recall the Pharisees teaching any such thing. In fact I recall Jesus reprimanding the Pharisees for lacking that very thing...
Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
It was the Pharisees who lacked heart purity and instead sought their justification in the works of the law. Jesus was teaching this very thing when he stated...
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
It appears you are so adverse to giving any ability to man that you are forced to deny the very words of Scripture...
We do not change by our own power. and we are not saved by changing. We are saved TO CHANGE. And as Paul said, Those who are saved by grace WILL DO THE WORK GOD CREATED US TO DO (eph 2: 10)
Of course we don't change by our own power. We are transformed by abiding in God's power which works through us and that cannot be done unless we turn from our disobedience to God. God is the author of the salvation of those who obey Him, not of the disobedient.
Our hearts are established in grace for grace is the power of God to live in victory over the vanities of the world. It is impossible to serve vanity and abide in grace at the very same time.
When the Bible speaks of chastisement here is what it says...
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Read the whole passage and not simply two verses. The chastisement of God upon His children is not within the context of willful disobedience. Those who are willfully disobedient are not the children of God but children of the devil (Joh 8:34-41). The chastisement of God is to bring us to holiness without which no-one will see God. We are not to despise such chastisement for we can fail of the grace of God if we allow a bitterness within to spring up whereby we would be found in a state of spurning the grace of God which teaches us to despise ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and uprightly now. To despise such correction may well leave someone in a state where they cannot find repentance because sin has so hardened their heart and thus they are unable to yield to God in truth.
In Hebrews it plainly states that no sacrifice remains if we willfully sin after having come to a knowledge of the truth whereby we were sanctified. In other words the iniquity of those who would despise the cleansing of the blood of Christ and turn back to filthiness is not cloaked.
There is no rebellion to God in salvation. Salvation not only involves being given pardon for our transgressions but also involves being saved from being in rebellion to God.
This second aspect is most often denied because many want a theology where they can remain in rebellion to God and be pardoned at the same time. Such a theology tickles the ears for sure but can only ever lead to ruin.
I am not trying to disagree for the sake of disagreeing Eternally Grateful nor am I trying to puff myself up as you imply. I am simply contending for HEART PURITY in us as the purpose of why Jesus gave Himself for us. Jesus did not come to cloak iniquity but to PURGE iniquity and purify us once and for all. Praise be to God for such a wonderful gift.
God bless!
