-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Yes, ........ and ...... No
He would never exhibit self aggrandizing. He was too humble for that. Now, he was secure in his Salvation.......I believe that, but he very often pointed out his human weaknesses throughout his Epistles.
Worthy of the Reward is a bit different than worthy of the Saving Grace God bestowed upon him by choosing him.
He would never exhibit self aggrandizing. He was too humble for that. Now, he was secure in his Salvation.......I believe that, but he very often pointed out his human weaknesses throughout his Epistles.
Worthy of the Reward is a bit different than worthy of the Saving Grace God bestowed upon him by choosing him.
If it makes a difference.............
[FONT="]Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
[/FONT][FONT="]Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
[/FONT][FONT="]To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Each of these shows he used the "small s" for saints, which tells me he was only speaking of them as "believers, members of the faith" and not Saints as the Catholic Church teaches. But, that may just be me, soooo
As for 1 and 2 Corinthians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, he addressed those Epistles "to the church." Just FYI.
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
[/FONT][FONT="]Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
[/FONT][FONT="]To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Each of these shows he used the "small s" for saints, which tells me he was only speaking of them as "believers, members of the faith" and not Saints as the Catholic Church teaches. But, that may just be me, soooo
As for 1 and 2 Corinthians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, he addressed those Epistles "to the church." Just FYI.
[/FONT]
Paul was all about " Christ in me" in the area you are speaking of
v 13 kjv " Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" << hes saying this about Himself. He was before these things He is explaining that anyone even the worst of sinners can be saved because of Gods mercy Given through Jesus.
when paul is talking in another place it reveals that " sin" had changed from the Law, to the gospel. Because He says this also of Himself
Phillippians 3 :4-6 " Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the RIGHTEOUSNESS TOUCHING THE LAW , BLAMELESS.<<< He says he is blameless according to the Law of moses.....but then continuing on in this chapter He says all that is worthless compared to Knowing Jesus Christ.
v7-15 "But what things were gain to me, those I COUNTED LOSS for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the KNOWLEDGE OF Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, THAT I MAY WIN Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
Jesus is telling Pilate that the Sanhedrin are guilty of greater sin than Pilate is, because they are the ones who handed Him over to Pilate - which is then played out when Pilate addresses the crowd, offering to release the Lord ((release God?? ha! Pilate's ignorance)) and the crowd responds shouting for Him to be crucified, saying "His blood be upon us!" as Pilate washes his hands. though Pilate is guilty of injustice, condemning a man he himself sees as innocent, the crowd is more guilty, demanding that injustice be done - a crowd who ought to have known the scriptures and seen the works Christ does, should have understood what evil they were doing much better than Pilate. Pilate probably did not understand what he was doing, not like the Sanhedrin did.
we see the same hint of hierarchy again here:
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.
(Mark 9:42)
(Mark 9:42)
and similarly, here:
For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
(1 Corinthians 8:11-12)
(1 Corinthians 8:11-12)
the Sanhedrin sinned not just against God in handing over Christ to Pilate, but against Pilate, putting him in the position of executioner who didn't have the revelation of God in the scriptures to understand what was being done. Jesus tells him, they are guilty of "greater sin."
Saul, too, who should have known who Jesus is, was sinning against the church, potentially destroying the faith of the weak by persecuting them with the argument that he was acting in God's name.
since you brought up blasphemy against the Spirit, consider Saul's rationale when he persecuted the believers: he was assigning the work of the Spirit among these people to Satan, wasn't he? because when he did these things, he did them in what he thought was zeal for his religion. Saul, in accusing 'the saints' of blasphemy, was himself blaspheming.
perhaps looking back, Paul realized that at the time he knew what he was doing was wrong - having been present at Stephen's stoning, and surely not unaware of Christ's ministry on earth, shouldn't he have understood who Jesus is? maybe not then. but when he wrote this letter, he surely knew.