Hey you!...you are not allowed to marry..or eat certain foods.....you need "to do" right things for your righteousness to be intact...repent or it's off to hell with you!....lol..just playin' on the 1 Tim 4 theme...
But you would agree that the spirit is law, right? It tells us what GOD wants us to do. If we don't do what the spirit says that could lead to trouble, don't you agree?
I think the biggest misunderstanding comes when people take this as "now we are free to sin all we want and it's all good", like salvation is just a license to sin all we want with no fear of consequence, and are free to sin away (which I guess we are, but feel that the Spirit wont allow it). My understanding of what happen to me at regeneration and being born again and made new was that the Spirit entered me and changed me making me more aware of my sinful ways and gave me the will and power to work and start changing them. It did not just give me the ability to sin all I want with no worry or guilt about it. To the contrary really, now when I sin, and I still do no doubt for it doesn't perfect us into sinless beings completely perfect, that sin is amplified to me and makes me want to repent and try to avoid that behavior in the future. I see so much back and forth over this issue and think really clarifying exactly what we mean when we say this would go a LONG way in avoiding unnecessary argument.
There is a war with the flesh that won't be fully resolved until after we go to glory. But indeed, our perspective changes. Once sin didn't bother us, now sinning triggers a spiritual response in us.
Will we still have the desire to sin?
Of course. It's pleasurable, and what the flesh wants. But the difference now, is God gives us the power to say "no" to the flesh. He always provides a way out.
Will we always take the way out?
Nope.
That was all I was trying to say. That's why I think we should be more clear when we debate this amongst each other and clarify exactly what we mean. Two people that believe the same thing may look at it from 2 different perspectives and I've seen and been part of "back and forth" sessions on here where neither side was willing or able to see they both were trying to say the same thing in different ways. Example- I never see many saying "once we are saved we can sin away with no worry", nor do I here many say "once we are saved we are completely sinless and perfect, and if we sin once we lose salvation", and yet every day I see brothers and sisters talking past each other like this is what's being said by each side instead of coming together like we are called to. A great example is if you think I was saying anything other than what you just repeated back. If you thought you were correcting me on anything then this was the perfect example because I agree 100% with what you said and it was exactly what I was talking about in the comment you replied to. I just don't think we should be so quick to "OK" the sinning part, I think many are way to "cool" with a Christian sinning and feel it can be dangerous for the babes in Christ. Not that we should take a "Holier than thou" attitude either, but there are much better middle ground stances we can take in my opinion. Anyway thanks for the response and honestly I really do agree.
I've seen this too. People are so accustomed to arguing that they don't even recognize when they are being agreed with or apologized to!
I was actually agreeing with him. And I also agree with what you posted.
Happy New Year and may God bless you, your family, and all our extended family here on CC.
See now, those who preach a works salvation (which is false) do not preach so out of fear (which is also false). But who's more afraid - someone who recognizes a pitfall so they may avoid it, or one feels the need to convince themselves there's no possible way they can screw it up?
If they can mess it up, then they are their own savior. People aren't coming into agreement with a revelation of God's grace because they need an excuse. They are coming into agreement with it because they are hopeless otherwise. The idea of not being able to mess it up is not sourced in fear but the Gospel. They are secure in Jesus Christ. That is not fear based thinking, but a thought process that is in line with God's word. They are completely and totally dependent upon Jesus for their salvation. A righteousness that is of faith.
If they can mess it up, then they are their own savior. People aren't coming into agreement with a revelation of God's grace because they need an excuse. They are coming into agreement with it because they are hopeless otherwise. The idea of not being able to mess it up is not sourced in fear but the Gospel. They are secure in Jesus Christ. That is not fear based thinking, but a thought process that is in line with God's word. They are completely and totally dependent upon Jesus for their salvation. A righteousness that is of faith.
You're building your foundation on sand.Take heed to yourself and your doctrine. Continue in them, for [by] doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:16
Lose is the wrong term. The question should be, can a Christian renounce their salvation.
I don't think you can "renounce" your spiritual birth anymore than you can renounce your physical one. Either way you phrase it the answer would be no.
I don't think you can "renounce" your spiritual birth anymore than you can renounce your physical one. Either way you phrase it the answer would be no.