Consequences of sinning
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Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out… And this is the will of him who sent me; that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:37, 39)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)
He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor 1:8-9)
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 1:21-22)
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of his return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (Php 1:6, AMP)
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:25)
Romans 3:24 (NASB)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Ephesians 1:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP][SUB] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses[/SUB], according to the riches of His grace
Colossians 1:14 (KJV)
[SUP]14[/SUP] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Hebrews 9:15 (KJV)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Colossians 3:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NASB)
[SUP]31 [/SUP] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice
(Notice Paul didn't say these people were going to hell now )
.
[SUP]32 [/SUP] Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out… And this is the will of him who sent me; that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:37, 39)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)
He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor 1:8-9)
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 1:21-22)
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of his return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (Php 1:6, AMP)
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:25)
Romans 3:24 (NASB)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Ephesians 1:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP][SUB] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses[/SUB], according to the riches of His grace
Colossians 1:14 (KJV)
[SUP]14[/SUP] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Hebrews 9:15 (KJV)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Colossians 3:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NASB)
[SUP]31 [/SUP] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice
(Notice Paul didn't say these people were going to hell now )
.
[SUP]32 [/SUP] Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
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Who preserves Paul unto His heavenly kingdom? Does Paul preserve himself? No. The Lord preserves ...
Paul seems to me as if He had His part as well though i think is what some are missing
1 corinthians 9:24-27 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do itto obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
it doesnt seem He is saying to rest, but to run the race in order to obtain the prize. surely God strengthens us to do His will, but we do His will, willingly and thats very important, God gets the glory because through His word we are empowered with the Knowledge of salvation but i really dont see paul saying, theres nothing for me to do, because Jesus already did my part. i rather See Him saying
1 timothy 4:9-10 "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.10That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
Iguess im not understanding where hes saying labour and striving is not what Hes saying.
1 timothy 4:15-16 "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
and things like
Philippians 3:12-16 "Not 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. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
and then all of the warnings to the same folks he is telling them you are saved by Grace, warnings about How they actually live
2 thessolonians 1:8-9 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
there are so mony things like this in the same letters to the same churches i guess is what im saying, was paul trying to trick us with these types of statements? or is He sayoing God saved you by Grace, Now walk in faith and obey the Lord Jesus Gospel? or is He saying theres no part on the believer because the finished work? it seems like all of the warnings wouldnt be in there is He wasnt making pretty important points...... I think that because Jesus did what He did, we are to do the things were taught to do, and cant say " i cant" anymore BECAUSE we have received His spirit that strengthens us. and should as well heed Pauls warnings that are there because they have been since the beginning. im just not able to grasp why all the things people dont want to hear, are supposed to be disregarded when they are plainly there in the same letters to the same churches. seems to me somethings really missing when we need to not mention all the things that are there. God designed it perfectly i believe so that Grace and faith work together and faith, is to believe and do, not argue against doing anything and labeloing it self work, if we have the spirit we are made able, we have to follow and obey though and its certainly not an effortless thing, gets easier through perseverance, but it requires all we are to belong to Jesus and His things.
thats my belief anyways, and seems thats whats there in the bible to me also.
Paul seems to me as if He had His part as well though i think is what some are missing
1 corinthians 9:24-27 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do itto obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
it doesnt seem He is saying to rest, but to run the race in order to obtain the prize. surely God strengthens us to do His will, but we do His will, willingly and thats very important, God gets the glory because through His word we are empowered with the Knowledge of salvation but i really dont see paul saying, theres nothing for me to do, because Jesus already did my part. i rather See Him saying
1 timothy 4:9-10 "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.10That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
Iguess im not understanding where hes saying labour and striving is not what Hes saying.
1 timothy 4:15-16 "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
and things like
Philippians 3:12-16 "Not 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. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
and then all of the warnings to the same folks he is telling them you are saved by Grace, warnings about How they actually live
2 thessolonians 1:8-9 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
there are so mony things like this in the same letters to the same churches i guess is what im saying, was paul trying to trick us with these types of statements? or is He sayoing God saved you by Grace, Now walk in faith and obey the Lord Jesus Gospel? or is He saying theres no part on the believer because the finished work? it seems like all of the warnings wouldnt be in there is He wasnt making pretty important points...... I think that because Jesus did what He did, we are to do the things were taught to do, and cant say " i cant" anymore BECAUSE we have received His spirit that strengthens us. and should as well heed Pauls warnings that are there because they have been since the beginning. im just not able to grasp why all the things people dont want to hear, are supposed to be disregarded when they are plainly there in the same letters to the same churches. seems to me somethings really missing when we need to not mention all the things that are there. God designed it perfectly i believe so that Grace and faith work together and faith, is to believe and do, not argue against doing anything and labeloing it self work, if we have the spirit we are made able, we have to follow and obey though and its certainly not an effortless thing, gets easier through perseverance, but it requires all we are to belong to Jesus and His things.
thats my belief anyways, and seems thats whats there in the bible to me also.
Those who "Obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus" are those that reject His sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. These are unbelievers.
Being "obedient to the faith" is believing in Christ and His work for us for life and living.
Notice here that even the good moral-living law-keeping priests need to be "obedient to the faith". The keeping of the law of Moses is NOT the same as being "obedient to the faith".
Acts 6:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Pagans/Gentiles also need to be "obedient to the faith" and believe in Christ and what He has done for life and living.
Romans 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake,
All people of all types are called to be "obedient to the faith" - which is belief in Christ alone for life and living.
Romans 16:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
Being "obedient to the faith" is believing in Christ and His work for us for life and living.
Notice here that even the good moral-living law-keeping priests need to be "obedient to the faith". The keeping of the law of Moses is NOT the same as being "obedient to the faith".
Acts 6:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Pagans/Gentiles also need to be "obedient to the faith" and believe in Christ and what He has done for life and living.
Romans 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake,
All people of all types are called to be "obedient to the faith" - which is belief in Christ alone for life and living.
Romans 16:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
dont forget James, 1 2 and three john, those also have to be erased and explained away, whole chapters of Pauls epistles such as ephesians 5, galatians 5 and six, basically both of the thessalonian epistles. and then some white out to erase anything left that opposes effortless salvation and doing nothing. then it would also need the commentart of certain pastors who created the gog, to explain whats left :
the interpretations you come up with sometimes astound me bruce.....it seems to me that no matter what you see in scripture, theres a fantastical way of explaining it that really, to my own eyes and ears is a circle of ommiting everything that doesnt fit the gog books and articles.
but you know, you certainly have the right to say what you wish, i hope some actually do consider how the gog always explains the whys and hows of why Gods word just isnt really meant for them if it disagrees with websters definition of Grace......
but you know, you certainly have the right to say what you wish, i hope some actually do consider how the gog always explains the whys and hows of why Gods word just isnt really meant for them if it disagrees with websters definition of Grace......
What I am advocating for Jason - if you can see it - is complete dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself that is in us for life and living. What Christ has done on the cross and in His resurrection.
I encourage you to ask the Lord about His wondrous grace and the complete salvation that is in Him alone. For we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Keep your mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Col. 3:1-3
He will be faithful to you my precious brother. All is well...
I encourage you to ask the Lord about His wondrous grace and the complete salvation that is in Him alone. For we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Keep your mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Col. 3:1-3
He will be faithful to you my precious brother. All is well...
I agree it would be illogical to be able to repent from every sin all the time. If that was true then if you sinned and instantly got in a car accident. Died and you would go to hell.
It makes more sense we do it first as an initial response to Christs sacrifice and mercy. Acknowledging our sinfulness and need for a savior. This response comes after we first put our faith in Christ. And baptism is a symbolism of how God cleansed the earth by water and now symbolizes the old me is no more but now we agree to not serve self but to serve God and others.
Afterwards asking forgiveness a way to restore relations with our Father. Not for salvation in a sense but just as you would if you did something in a earthly relationship. You would need to restore it so one can move forward. Its a way to defend against satans way of making us feel sorrow and guilt. Satan loves to try and keep us in guilt. But the faster we give it to God and move forward the faster we can start doing right again.
Otherwise that guilt and shame can only lead you further away from Christ. I have lived it and dont want to repeat it.
The further you allow yourself to wonder from Christ the easier satan can attack. His goal to destroy everything you have. The key thing to remember is evil cant take you from God but evil can pollute your mind, twist, lie and make you feel like God doesn't want you. His goal is to make you, yourself give up on God. Because he knows when the source of good is denied, your mind becomes severely vulnerable to evil.
Lets remember guilt and shame only should lead to one place and thats back to God. God wants to take it from you and lead you on to bigger and better things.
It makes more sense we do it first as an initial response to Christs sacrifice and mercy. Acknowledging our sinfulness and need for a savior. This response comes after we first put our faith in Christ. And baptism is a symbolism of how God cleansed the earth by water and now symbolizes the old me is no more but now we agree to not serve self but to serve God and others.
Afterwards asking forgiveness a way to restore relations with our Father. Not for salvation in a sense but just as you would if you did something in a earthly relationship. You would need to restore it so one can move forward. Its a way to defend against satans way of making us feel sorrow and guilt. Satan loves to try and keep us in guilt. But the faster we give it to God and move forward the faster we can start doing right again.
Otherwise that guilt and shame can only lead you further away from Christ. I have lived it and dont want to repeat it.
The further you allow yourself to wonder from Christ the easier satan can attack. His goal to destroy everything you have. The key thing to remember is evil cant take you from God but evil can pollute your mind, twist, lie and make you feel like God doesn't want you. His goal is to make you, yourself give up on God. Because he knows when the source of good is denied, your mind becomes severely vulnerable to evil.
Lets remember guilt and shame only should lead to one place and thats back to God. God wants to take it from you and lead you on to bigger and better things.
A while back, I read a book called The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith. There was an interesting chapter in the book and I would like to share the chapter here. The book is in the public domain so there are no copyright issues in posting the text.
What Ms. Smith does is point out two issues and I wonder if what was written by Ms. Smith might explain the quandary we find ourselves in here at CC. I believe that persons on both sides of the issues we have been discussing in various threads are born again believers and we are all in varying stages of our walk with the Lord.
I hope you all enjoy reading what Ms. Smith wrote in her book and if posting the excerpt from the book is not in compliance with rules here at CC, I apologize in advance ...
What Ms. Smith does is point out two issues and I wonder if what was written by Ms. Smith might explain the quandary we find ourselves in here at CC. I believe that persons on both sides of the issues we have been discussing in various threads are born again believers and we are all in varying stages of our walk with the Lord.
I hope you all enjoy reading what Ms. Smith wrote in her book and if posting the excerpt from the book is not in compliance with rules here at CC, I apologize in advance ...
What I am advocating for Jason - if you can see it - is complete dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself that is in us for life and living. What Christ has done on the cross and in His resurrection.
I encourage you to ask the Lord about His wondrous grace and the complete salvation that is in Him alone. For we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Keep your mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Col. 3:1-3
He will be faithful to you my precious brother. All is well...
I encourage you to ask the Lord about His wondrous grace and the complete salvation that is in Him alone. For we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Keep your mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Col. 3:1-3
He will be faithful to you my precious brother. All is well...
He actually has alot to say that is the gospel that Gives freedom from sin, and teaches depending on His spirit living in us, theres no reason to oint what the gospel actually is, it includes His death and resurrection, But omits nothing that is there. its not dependance on His death that accomplishes anything, its dependance on Him and TRUST in His word that produces faith, when a doctrine works to explain His word away.....it will never lead to trust or dependance on Jesus.the dependance somes from His Gospel
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
probably why he continually said this , so no one could mistake it
matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
notice Here what Jesus says, and His accusers say
John 8:51-52 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
dont be caught in the crowd thats explaining why Jesus words arent meant to keep and do, tell people about the cross and resurrection, yet, make sure yu accept His words because they are spirit, and they are Life. when preaching total dependance on His death and resurrection means you have to disbelieve, or make of no importance what He actually said and then made clear " dont just Hear my words, do them they are not mine but the Fathers words" you are on dangerous Ground, whatever Jesus taught is the Kingdom of Heaven meant for everyone who believes whether jew, gentile, male , female, Black, white, old , young, tall, short, one leg, or two legs.......anyone Who Hears His word, will Hear Him saying " do these things, dont be deceived, do them they are Life, they are light, they are truth, they are Gods Words, they are freedom and spirit.
so preach about the cross, but understand where faith comes from and what it does, to oppose the word of Jesus, is foolish, to hear it and ignore it is foolish and will lead to certain destruction. this according to His words not mine, and His words are those of the eternal God who doesnt change.
God bless and he sure will be faithful to me, and i will be faithful to His word and would encourage you and anyone else to accept the truth of your part in the gospel. Because He suffered indignity, mortality, being spit on, mocked and ridiculed, beaten, flogged and the pain of having nails driven through His hands and feet, so that you, can have Life through His words, and He sealed the covenant with His blood. Just Like moses did in the ot, he spoke the covenant, the gospel, and then shed His blood on Hos words and all the people.
its all about the gospel and all that it contains
The Christian's Secret to a Happy
Life by Hannah
Whitall Smith
Chapter 2
GOD'S SIDE AND MAN'S SIDE
There is much misunderstanding about the subject of the life and walk of faith
because its two sides are not seen clearly. People are apt to think that there
is only one side to it. They dwell exclusively upon the one they happen to see
more clearly, without even thinking of any other. It is no wonder then, that there
are distorted views of the whole matter.
Now, there are two very distinct sides to this subject, and like all other
subjects, it cannot be fully understood unless both of these sides are kept
constantly in view. I refer of course to God's side and man's side. In other
words, to God's part in the work of sanctification, and man's part. These are
very distinct and even contrasting, but they are not really contradictory.
At one time this was very strikingly illustrated to me. There were two
preachers holding meetings in the same place at alternate hours. One spoke only
of God's part in the work, and the other dwelt exclusively upon man's part.
They were both in perfect sympathy with each other, and realized fully that
they were each teaching different sides of the same great truth. This was also
understood by a large proportion of their listeners. But some of the listeners
did not comprehend this and one lady said to me in great perplexity, "I
cannot understand it at all. Here are two preachers undertaking to teach just
the same truth, and yet to me they seem flatly to contradict each other."
I felt at the time that she expressed a puzzle that, very often, causes great
difficulty in the minds of many honest inquirers after this truth.
Suppose two friends go to see a famous building and return home to describe it.
One has seen only the north side, and the other only the south. The first says:
"The building was built in such a manner and has so many stories and
ornaments." "Oh, no," says the other, interrupting him,
"you are altogether mistaken. I saw the building, and it was built in
quite a different manner, and its ornaments and stories were so and so." A
lively dispute might follow upon the truth of the respective descriptions,
until the two friends discover that they had been describing different sides of
the same building, and then all would be reconciled at once.
I should like to state, as clearly as I can, what I judge to be the two
distinct sides in this matter. I would like to show how looking at one, without
seeing the other, will be sure to create wrong impressions and views of the
truth.
Man's Part In Faith
To state it briefly, I would say that man's part is to trust, and God's part is
to work. It can be seen at a glance how these two parts contrast with each
other, and yet are not necessarily contradictory. I mean this: there is a
certain work to be accomplished. We are to be delivered from the
power of sin, and are to be made perfect in every good work to do the will of
God. "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord," we are to be
actually "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are to be transformed by the
renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is good, acceptable, and the
perfect will of God.
A real work is to be wrought in us and upon us. Sins with which we constantly
struggle are to be conquered. Evil habits are to be overcome. Wrong attitudes
and feelings are to be rooted out. A positive transformation is to take place.
So, at least, the Bible teaches. Now, somebody must do this. Either
we must do it for ourselves, or another must do it for us. Most of us have
tried to do it for ourselves at first, and have grievously failed. We then
discover, from the Scriptures and from our own experience, that it is something
we are unable to do. But, the Lord Jesus Christ has come on purpose to do it.
He will do it for all who put themselves into His hands and trust Him
completely.
God's Part In Faith
Now, under these circumstances, what is the part of the believer, and what is
the part of the Lord? Plainly the believer can do nothing but trust. The Lord,
in whom he trusts, actually does the work entrusted to Him. Trusting and
doing are certainly contrasted things, often indeed contradictory, but
are they contradictory in this case? No, because it is two different parties
that are concerned. If we should say that one party in a transaction trusted
his case to another, and yet attended to it himself, we should state a
contradiction and an impossibility. But, when we say that one party in a
transaction trusts the other to do something, and that the other goes to work
and does it, we are stating something that is perfectly simple and harmonious.
When we say, therefore, that in this higher life man's part is to trust, and
God's part is to do the thing entrusted to Him, we do not present a very
difficult or puzzling problem.
The preacher, who is speaking man's part in the matter, cannot speak of
anything but surrender and trust, because this is positively all the man can
do. We all agree about this. And yet such preachers are constantly criticised
as though, in saying this, they had meant to imply there was no
other part, and that nothing but trusting is to be done. And the cry goes out
that this doctrine of faith does away with all realities. Souls are told to
trust, and that is the end of it. They then sit down in a sort of religious
easy chair, dreaming away their life, fruitless of any actual result.
All this misunderstanding arises from the fact that either the preacher has
neglected to state, or the hearer has failed to hear that the Lord works not by
us, but by Him. Actual results are reached by our trusting, because our Lord
undertakes the thing entrusted to Him and accomplishes it. We do
not do anything, but He does it, and it is done all the
better because of this. As soon as this is clearly seen, the difficulty
disappears entirely.
On the other hand, the preacher who dwells on God's part is criticized on a
totally different ground. He does not speak of trust, for the Lord's part is
not trust, but to work. The Lord's part is to do the thing
entrusted to Him. He disciplines and trains by inward exercises and outward
divine care or direction. He brings to us all the refining and purifying
resources of His wisdom and His love. He makes everything in our lives and
circumstances subservient to the one great purpose of causing us to grow in
grace, and of conforming us, day by day and hour by hour, to the image of
Christ. He carries us through a process of transformation, longer or shorter as
our particular case may require. And soon, we see actual results concerning
what we have given Him in trust. We have dared, for instance, according to the
command in Romans 6:11, to believe ourselves dead unto sin by faith. The Lord
makes this a reality.
The Potter And The Clay
Sanctification is both a step of faith and a profit in the oven, and finally
turns it out of his workshop, a vessel to his honour, and fit for his use.
Before, I was speaking of the clay's part in the matter. I am now speaking of
the potter's part. These two are necessarily contrasted, but are not in the
least contradictory. The clay is not expected to do the potter's work. It only
yields itself to his working. It seems to me that nothing could be clearer than
the perfect harmony between these two apparently contradictory sorts of
teaching.
What can be said about man's part in this great work is that he
must continually surrender himself and continually trust. But when we come to
God's side of the question, much can be said about the many wonderful ways in
which He accomplishes the work entrusted to Him. It is here that growing is
important. The lump of clay could never grow into a beautiful vessel if it
stayed in the claypit for thousands of years. But when it is put into the hands
of a skilful potter it grows rapidly under his fashioning into the vessel he
intends it to be. In the same way the soul, abandoned to the working of the
Heavenly Potter, is made into a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for
the Master's use.
The Maturing Process
Having, therefore, taken the step of faith by which you have put yourself
completely and absolutely into His hands, you must now expect Him to begin
work. His way of accomplishing that which you have entrusted to Him, may be
different from your way. But He knows, and you must be satisfied.
I knew a lady who had entered into this life of faith with a great outpouring
of the Spirit and a wonderful flood of light and joy. She supposed, of course,
this was a preparation for some great service and expected to be put forth
immediately into the Lord's harvestfield. Instead of this, almost at once her
husband lost all his money, and she was shut up in her own house to attend to
all sorts of domestic duties with no time or strength left for any Gospel work
at all. She accepted the discipline and yielded herself up as heartily to
sweep, dust, bake, and sew, as she would have done to preach, pray, or write
for the Lord. As a result, through this training He made her into a vessel
"meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2
Timothy 2:21).
Another lady entered this life of faith under similar circumstances. She also
expected to be sent out to do some great work, but instead was confined with
two invalid children, to nurse, humor and amuse all day long. Unlike the first
lady, this one did not accept the training. She worried, rebelled, and lost all
her blessing, retreating into a sad spiritual condition. In the beginning, she
understood her part of trusting but did not understand the divine process. She
took herself out of the hands of the Heavenly Potter and the vessel was marred
on the wheel.
I believe many a vessel has been similarly marred by not understanding these
things. The maturity of a Christian experience cannot be reached in a moment.
It is the result of the work of God's Holy Spirit, who, by His energizing and
transforming power, causes us to "grow up into (Christ) in all things"
(Ephesians 4:15). We cannot hope to reach this maturity in any other way than
by yielding ourselves completely and willingly to His mighty working. However,
the sanctification the Scriptures encourage, as a present experience
upon all believers, does not consist in maturity of growth, but in purity of
heart.
From the moment the lump of clay comes under the transforming hand of the
potter, it is, during each day and hour of the process, just what the potter
wants it to be at that hour or on that day. Therefore, it pleases him, but it
is far from being the vessel he intends it to be in the future.
A little baby may be all that he or she could be or ought to be, and may
perfectly please its mother. Yet it is very far from being what that mother
would wish it to be when it reaches maturity.
The apple in June is a perfect apple for June. It is the best apple that June
can produce. But it is very different from the apple in October, which is a
perfected apple.
God's works are perfect in every stage of their growth. Man's works are never
perfect until they are in every respect complete. In this life of
sanctification, all we can claim is that by an act of faith we put ourselves
into the hands of the Lord for Him to work in us all the good pleasure of His
will. Then, by a continuous exercise of faith, keep ourselves there. This is
our part in the matter. And when we do it we are truly pleasing to God. It may
require years of training and discipline to mature us into a vessel that will
be in all respects to His honour and fitted to every good work.
Trust Is The Foundation
Our part is the trusting. His part is to accomplish the results. When we do our
part He never fails to do His. No one ever trusted in the Lord and was
confounded. Do not be afraid to trust or tell others to trust. Trust is the
beginning and the continuing foundation. When we trust, the Lord works, and His
work is the important part of the whole matter.
This explains that apparent contradiction which puzzles so many. They say,
"In one breath you tell us to do nothing but trust, and in the next you
tell us to do impossible things. How can you make such statements agree?"
They can be understood just as we understand the statements concerning a saw in
a carpenter's shop. We say, at one moment, that the saw has sawed the log, and
the next moment declare that the carpenter has done it. The saw is the
instrument used. The power that uses it is the carpenter's.
And so we, yielding ourselves unto God, and our members as instruments of
righteousness unto Him, find that He works in us to will and to do of His good
pleasure. We can say with Paul, " I laboured . . . yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). In the divine
order, God's working depends upon our cooperation. It was said that our Lord
could do no mighty work at a certain place because of the unbelief of the
people. It was not that He would not. He could not. I believe we often think
that God will not, when the real truth is that He cannot. The potter, however
skilful, cannot make a beautiful vessel out of a lump of clay that is never put
into his hands. Neither can God make out of me a vessel unto His honour, unless
I put myself into His hands. My part is the essential revelation of God's part
in the matter of my salvation. As God is sure to do His part all right, the
vital thing for me is to find out what my part is, and then do it.
In this book, I will dwell mostly upon man's side. I am writing for human
beings, in the hope of making it plain as to how we are to fulfil our part in
this great work. But I wish it to be distinctly understood, that unless I
believed with all my heart in God's effectual working on His side, not one word
of this book would ever have been written.
We must rightly divide the scriptures by looking at who is being spoken to at the time and for what purpose. This includes the words of Jesus as well. And this is not denying Christ or His words as is falsely accused of by some.
Jesus said to the rich ruler that he needed to keep the law of Moses - do the commandments - when the ruler asked Him "What must I do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gave him the law of Moses to expose the fact that he didn't even keep the first commandment because he had money as his "god".
Now do we say to people today "after the cross and resurrection" when they say to us - "What must I do to be saved?" Do we say _keep the law of Moses? No of course not.
Does this mean we are disobeying Jesus because Jesus told the rich guy to do that. Of course not and yet there are some that say it is denying Jesus and His words. This is exactly what some Sabbath keepers say us Christians are doing if we don't observe the Sabbath as outlined in the law of Moses.
What do we say today in the "New Covenant" to those that ask us what must they do to be saved. Paul tells us exactly what we say and it is the same thing Jesus has said in the gospels as well when you divide His word correctly.
Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
[SUP]30 [/SUP] and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
[SUP]31 [/SUP] They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Jesus also told a guy to go show himself to the priest when he was healed. Do we do that today? It's in the words of Jesus and it was a commandment of Him to the guy? Of course not.
All scripture needs to be filtered through the finished work of Christ on the cross and resurrection and in light of the New Covenant. If we don't - we end up mixing up the Old Covenant with the New Covenant and we ruin both and their purpose as Jesus said.
Jesus said to the rich ruler that he needed to keep the law of Moses - do the commandments - when the ruler asked Him "What must I do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gave him the law of Moses to expose the fact that he didn't even keep the first commandment because he had money as his "god".
Now do we say to people today "after the cross and resurrection" when they say to us - "What must I do to be saved?" Do we say _keep the law of Moses? No of course not.
Does this mean we are disobeying Jesus because Jesus told the rich guy to do that. Of course not and yet there are some that say it is denying Jesus and His words. This is exactly what some Sabbath keepers say us Christians are doing if we don't observe the Sabbath as outlined in the law of Moses.
What do we say today in the "New Covenant" to those that ask us what must they do to be saved. Paul tells us exactly what we say and it is the same thing Jesus has said in the gospels as well when you divide His word correctly.
Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
[SUP]30 [/SUP] and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
[SUP]31 [/SUP] They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Jesus also told a guy to go show himself to the priest when he was healed. Do we do that today? It's in the words of Jesus and it was a commandment of Him to the guy? Of course not.
All scripture needs to be filtered through the finished work of Christ on the cross and resurrection and in light of the New Covenant. If we don't - we end up mixing up the Old Covenant with the New Covenant and we ruin both and their purpose as Jesus said.
U
Being born again is not based upon the confession of sin, being born again and gaining eternal life which is a gift is accepting the finished work that Jesus completed on the cross and by His resurrection victory.
We are born again when we accept Christ's gift of dying for us and stop trying to save ourselves or gain eternal life on our own merit. There is knowledge of sin in coming to belief in Jesus, since the person knows that they can never be sinless enough according to God's standard.
You can confess your sin if you want but unconfessed sin does not change your status in Christ if you have received His free gift of salvation. God judged and forgave all our sin at the cross.
We have only limited awareness of our own sin therefore it is impossible to remember or even know every sin. It makes our salvation an ongoing work of contrition and a penitent heart if you believe God does not forgive future sins.
The confession of every sin daily really stems from Catholic dogma and is not what scripture teaches.
We are born again when we accept Christ's gift of dying for us and stop trying to save ourselves or gain eternal life on our own merit. There is knowledge of sin in coming to belief in Jesus, since the person knows that they can never be sinless enough according to God's standard.
You can confess your sin if you want but unconfessed sin does not change your status in Christ if you have received His free gift of salvation. God judged and forgave all our sin at the cross.
We have only limited awareness of our own sin therefore it is impossible to remember or even know every sin. It makes our salvation an ongoing work of contrition and a penitent heart if you believe God does not forgive future sins.
The confession of every sin daily really stems from Catholic dogma and is not what scripture teaches.
Is SIN a choice or an action?
The limited awareness of our SIN before or after conversion is not a true doctrine. The Bible clearly defines SIN has Choice and not something you are powerless over or commit without knowing. Sins of commission and omission are not found anywhere in the Bible.
SIN is a willful decision to go ahead and do what GOD told you was wrong and not to do.
It is this little issue that divides many and keeps people from understanding the correct truth that you overcome SIN now, not later. This doe snot mean sinless perfection which is wrong, we will still SIN, but it should not entangle you or have dominion over you.
TO say you sin and do not know you did it or know when you did is not going to pass the test with Jesus.
The limited awareness of our SIN before or after conversion is not a true doctrine. The Bible clearly defines SIN has Choice and not something you are powerless over or commit without knowing. Sins of commission and omission are not found anywhere in the Bible.
SIN is a willful decision to go ahead and do what GOD told you was wrong and not to do.
It is this little issue that divides many and keeps people from understanding the correct truth that you overcome SIN now, not later. This doe snot mean sinless perfection which is wrong, we will still SIN, but it should not entangle you or have dominion over you.
TO say you sin and do not know you did it or know when you did is not going to pass the test with Jesus.
