I believe the Tax Collector was more justified than the Pharisee. The thief on the cross was indeed saved. I believe both Samson and Solomon were saved. But these men's lives are not the standard of Godliness that a man of God is supposed to live. For Godliness means one has God abiding within them. The Scriptures say in,
1 Peter 4:18
"And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
1 Peter 4:18
"And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
Can you please explain why Paul never in 1 Corinthians ever rebukes their FAITH and does not say they are not saved or belonging to Christ DESPITE all the things were doing? (1 Corinthians 6 is dealing with specifics) Yet Paul does rebuke the Galatians for falling away from grace.
If one does not sin then why though out the epistles we are told to put off things
Ephesians 4
[SUP]20 [/SUP]That, however, is not the way of life you learned [SUP]21 [/SUP]when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. [SUP]22 [/SUP]You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [SUP]23 [/SUP]to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [SUP]24 [/SUP]and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. [SUP]26 [/SUP]“In your anger do not sin”[SUP][d][/SUP]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, [SUP]27 [/SUP]and do not give the devil a foothold. [SUP]28 [/SUP]Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
[SUP]29 [/SUP]Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. [SUP]30 [/SUP]And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [SUP]31 [/SUP]Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. [SUP]32 [/SUP]Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [SUP]6 [/SUP]Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[SUP][b][/SUP] [SUP]7 [/SUP]You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [SUP]8 [/SUP]But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. [SUP]9 [/SUP]Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [SUP]10 [/SUP]and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [SUP]11 [/SUP]Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [SUP]14 [/SUP]And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
James 1
[SUP]19 [/SUP]My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, [SUP]20 [/SUP]because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. [SUP]21 [/SUP]Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
1 Peter 1,2
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.[SUP][b][/SUP] [SUP]23 [/SUP]For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. [SUP]24 [/SUP]For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
[SUP]25 [/SUP] but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[SUP][c][/SUP]
1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.[SUP]2 [/SUP]Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, [SUP]3 [/SUP]now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
By the way 1 Peter 1 goes INTO 1 Peter 2. So how does you reconcile those passages?