Apologetics: witnessing to atheists

[SabbathBlessing]

Yes, Jesus and the apostles taught GW (especially the Gospel of Christ) to everyone because sinful humanity retains the image of God or moral free will, so every normal adult soul is able by faith/volition to choose to between the two options of 1. repent/choose life or 2. do not repent/choose cursing (cf. DT 30:19 & MT 23:37).

Look at you quoting OT. Yes, this is very true, either we are blessed or we are cursed, Jesus came to save us from the curse but not everyone accepts this free gift by abiding in Him John 15:10 1 John 2:6 John 15:4

 

[GWH]

Look at you quoting OT. Yes, this is very true, either we are blessed or we are cursed, Jesus came to save us from the curse but not everyone accepts this free gift by abiding in Him John 15:10 1 John 2:6 John 15:4

Yes, and God enables everyone to make the choice to accept Christ or not by ensuring even sinners retain the divine image, which refers to God-consciousness and MFW or conscience that makes humanity different from animals.

 

[Cameron143]

Uh, YOU were the one with the beam; I was the one confessing being a sinner, like Paul, who posits earthly perfection as a goal rather than as a possibility, because surely he must have been the most mature Christian who has ever lived.

My original post wasn't about my own sinfulness, but whether or not it was possible to live sinlessly. So why would I mention whether or not I personally still sin. It wasn't relevant to the post. Nor have I made a claim that I live sinlessly continuously. But by your own admission, you posted it is possible to live sinlessly. Yet you admonish me for believing something you have attested to as being true.
Honestly I spend nearly as much time on this site explaining what I haven't said as what I have said.

 

[GWH]

My original post wasn't about my own sinfulness, but whether or not it was possible to live sinlessly. So why would I mention whether or not I personally still sin. It wasn't relevant to the post. Nor have I made a claim that I live sinlessly continuously. But by your own admission, you posted it is possible to live sinlessly. Yet you admonish me for believing something you have attested to as being true.
Honestly I spend nearly as much time on this site explaining what I haven't said as what I have said.

I think your OP was this: "By walking under the influence of the Spirit, one can actually live sin free. But this isn't accomplished through an act our will focusing on the law. No one ever kept the law by trying to keep the law. The motions of sin in the flesh will guarantee the failure of this approach. See James 1 for the anatomy of sin. Rather, our effort should be to humble ourselves and divorcing ourselves from any effort, we empty ourselves to be filled with an alternative Director. He Who cannot sin, will keep us in all righteousness as He propels us. Perhaps a thread concerning what it is to actually walk in the Spirit is warranted.":

My observation was that if the cofounder of the NT did not claim perfection per PHP 3:12, then we should realize that living sin-free by walking in the Spirit is an earthly goal per PHP 3:14, but not something we should expect to surpass Paul on by achieving it this side of heaven even by humbling or emptying ourselves, so having a thread on that subject would be a useless and prideful exercise.

 

[Cameron143]

I think your OP was this: "By walking under the influence of the Spirit, one can actually live sin free. But this isn't accomplished through an act our will focusing on the law. No one ever kept the law by trying to keep the law. The motions of sin in the flesh will guarantee the failure of this approach. See James 1 for the anatomy of sin. Rather, our effort should be to humble ourselves and divorcing ourselves from any effort, we empty ourselves to be filled with an alternative Director. He Who cannot sin, will keep us in all righteousness as He propels us. Perhaps a thread concerning what it is to actually walk in the Spirit is warranted.":

My observation was that if the cofounder of the NT did not claim perfection per PHP 3:12, then we should realize that living sin-free by walking in the Spirit is an earthly goal per PHP 3:14, but not something we should expect to surpass Paul on by achieving it this side of heaven even by humbling or emptying ourselves, so having a thread on that subject would be a useless and prideful exercise.

Right...your point was irrelevant to the discussion at hand. Perfection was not the issue, but how commandments can be kept.
And Paul didn't co-found the NT. The Spirit is the lone author.
And while I believe the Apostle to be an incredible person and probably a devout and holy man, my guess is he would have applauded those who sought to walk in holiness and encouraged it. Even God Himself encourages us to be holy as He is holy. But again, not the substance of my post regardless of how hard you try to make it so.

 

[GWH]

Right...your point was irrelevant to the discussion at hand. Perfection was not the issue, but how commandments can be kept.
And Paul didn't co-found the NT. The Spirit is the lone author.
And while I believe the Apostle to be an incredible person and probably a devout and holy man, my guess is he would have applauded those who sought to walk in holiness and encouraged it. Even God Himself encourages us to be holy as He is holy. But again, not the substance of my post regardless of how hard you try to make it so.

"actually live sin free" would be pretty perfect, thus

"how commandments can be kept" perfectly WAS the issue

God's HS inspired Paul to write most of the NT including the gospels by his assistants Mark and Luke

Seeking to walk in holiness was what Paul said he did not claim to do perfectly

Encouragement is not the same as achievement

And this response is in reply to the substance of your post #365