JGIG - I have to say, I am not going to read all the stuff you write to come to the basic point I am right.
Your humility is, well, indicative.
You like Ryan Rufus. Now I can gloss up the message in lots of fluff, but when push comes to shove, either sin is the problem in the world or it is not.
Yes. Sin is the problem.
Faith in Christ is the solution.
That is the message of Grace:
- Who Jesus Christ is
- What He came to do
- What that actually accomplished, and
- Who those who believe in Christ are in Him
If you think the problem is faith in Jesus, goodbye.
Since you don't actually read what I write, you have made a false assumption about what I think.
There is nothing else to say. You are an empty wind bag.
And then called me an 'empty wind bag' based on your false assumption
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Most people have no clue who Jesus is or what he represents, and still they sin. Sin happens in the farthest jungles of the world to the most sophisticated cities, still it is not related to Jesus.
If again you hold law is the problem with world you are saying you are an anarchist. That is what people who believe like this are called. Or a biblical term is lawless. Again goodbye.
Sin is part of the human condition; we are all born into Adam.
But since you don't read what I write here, you resort (again) to name-calling, this time, 'anarchist' and 'lawless'.
Do you condemn righteous living as evil? Yes. Again goodbye.
Um, no.
But you don't read what I write, so you don't know that.
If you lived in the times of Moses you would have been thrown out as an unbeliever.
I'm a Gentile, not bound to the covenant of Israel, so, no.
If you were a prophet, you would have been stoned to death as a false prophet.
For teaching righteousness is by faith? Huh. Better let Abraham know.
There is a simple set of rules to approach God and His holy throne.
1. Righteousness
2. Respect for His ways
3. Acceptance of His command
And all this time I thought it's our Perfect, Permanent High Priest through Whom we may approach God's Throne:
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (from Heb. 4)
Now in Jesus we have His righteousness, which bears fruit in our righteous walk.
But you deny all three propositions by denying the first in believing we can never walk righteously.
But you don't read my stuff, so how can you say what I do or do not believe?
Here's what I believe regarding access to God, righteousness, and fruit (if you choose to read it):
- Righteousness, apart from the Law, is a gift from God. God does not take what's already inside us to make us righteous, He gives us His Righteousness in Christ: "21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (from Rom. 3)
- Because I am in Christ, I have access to the Father and His Throne: "6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (from Jn. 14) Also Hebrews 4:14-16 above.
- Because I have put my faith in and believe in Christ, I accept the command of God relayed in 1 Jn. 3:23 - "And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."
- Because I am in Christ, and am led by His Spirit, He produces His Fruit in me which I bear. Training by our Father God produces a harvest of righteousness. I'm content to let God and the reader judge whether or not that's the case in me from what they see here from me (those who actually read what I post).
One thing you have to remember is there is no conversation until you accept Gods terms.
These are God's terms:
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (from 1 Jn. 3)
I'm good, thanks, according to the standards you've written above
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So glad we've cleared that up!
-JGIG