Can a So-Called Cafeteria Christian be a True Believer?
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So you claim to be blameless, but not sinless?
Peterpiper said man does not have to keep sinning "implication" - man can be sinless. He also said with the power of the Holy Spirit we can be over-comers. Believers are not over-comers because they are sinless. We are over-comers because of our faith. 1 John 5:4 - For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
Peterpiper said man does not have to keep sinning "implication" - man can be sinless. He also said with the power of the Holy Spirit we can be over-comers. Believers are not over-comers because they are sinless. We are over-comers because of our faith. 1 John 5:4 - For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
So you are saying that blameless does not mean sinless, but doing our best to resist sin? By who's standard do we determine whether or not we are doing "our best?"
So you don't claim to be sinless, without fault or defect, flawless 100% of the time just like God the Father? Are any of us actually perfect "in that sense?" NO.
Matthew 5:48 - Be Perfect - AT Robertson points out - Perfect (teleioi). The word comes from telo, end, goal, limit. Here it is the goal set before us, the absolute standard of our Heavenly Father. The word is used also for relative perfection as of adults compared with children.
So absolute perfection, sinless, without fault or defect for us will not become a reality until we are present with the Lord, but that is the goal to strive for. Yet teleioi is also used to refer to the maturity of an adult, which is the end or aim to which the child points.
So you don't claim to be sinless, without fault or defect, flawless 100% of the time just like God the Father? Are any of us actually perfect "in that sense?" NO.
Matthew 5:48 - Be Perfect - AT Robertson points out - Perfect (teleioi). The word comes from telo, end, goal, limit. Here it is the goal set before us, the absolute standard of our Heavenly Father. The word is used also for relative perfection as of adults compared with children.
So absolute perfection, sinless, without fault or defect for us will not become a reality until we are present with the Lord, but that is the goal to strive for. Yet teleioi is also used to refer to the maturity of an adult, which is the end or aim to which the child points.
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Blameless is the work of the Lord Jesus in our hearts. -not a self-based work of the flesh. We do work out outwardly what is already in us because of the new creation in Christ but even that is His work. We participate in His work in us by renewing our minds to the truth and depending on Him alone. The flesh profits nothing - only the Spirit gives life.
1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[SUP]8 [/SUP] who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[SUP]9 [/SUP] God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 1:3-4 (NASB)
[SUP]3 [/SUP] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
[SUP]4 [/SUP] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NASB)
[SUP]25 [/SUP] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
[SUP]26 [/SUP] so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
[SUP]27 [/SUP] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
Colossians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
Jude 1:24 (NASB)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
We are to work out this "blamelessness" that we already have in our inner man that is in Christ the new creation created in righteousness and holiness. The Holy spirit in us will transform us to live outwardly what we are like in Christ. That is definitely a process.
1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[SUP]8 [/SUP] who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[SUP]9 [/SUP] God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 1:3-4 (NASB)
[SUP]3 [/SUP] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
[SUP]4 [/SUP] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NASB)
[SUP]25 [/SUP] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
[SUP]26 [/SUP] so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
[SUP]27 [/SUP] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
Colossians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
Jude 1:24 (NASB)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
We are to work out this "blamelessness" that we already have in our inner man that is in Christ the new creation created in righteousness and holiness. The Holy spirit in us will transform us to live outwardly what we are like in Christ. That is definitely a process.
Demons do believe in Jesus because Demons are with Jesus. Salvation is not for Demons. Salvation is ONLY for us Spherical!
To quote that Demons also believe and therefore somehow believing in Jesus is not enough for Salvation does show you really do not understand what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Could it be you have never received Salvation?
Sounds like you are teaching a Salvation based on works. The works of mandatory accepting every Doctrine from God.
The Thief on the cross never accepted every Doctrine, but yet he did receive Salvation by Faith only.
To quote that Demons also believe and therefore somehow believing in Jesus is not enough for Salvation does show you really do not understand what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Could it be you have never received Salvation?
Sounds like you are teaching a Salvation based on works. The works of mandatory accepting every Doctrine from God.
The Thief on the cross never accepted every Doctrine, but yet he did receive Salvation by Faith only.
R
I had to go back and read the original question cause you know sometimes their intent is up in the air. But it all depends on how I believe someone believes (accepts christ) by scripture and there are a million 'how do we get to heaven' ...'how are we saved' threads. So my short answer is separated into salvation and living for him. Yes I believe they can be separate. I'm not going to go all into that because I'm sure there are several posts that could be dug up with scripture about it. But here ya go.
Eph 2 8-9. Act 16:31. Anyway. Then there's the Christian walk... So you guessed it...I'm a Grace through faith believer and do believe people can be saved and sitting on the fence.
Eph 2 8-9. Act 16:31. Anyway. Then there's the Christian walk... So you guessed it...I'm a Grace through faith believer and do believe people can be saved and sitting on the fence.
If we look closely at what Spherical is saying, we will see he is basing Salvation totally on accepting what Jesus says in the Scriptures. If we do not believe in certain Doctrines in the Scriptures then we cannot receive Salvation.
The Thief believed only one Doctrine and that was Jesus is God.
It was by Faith that the Thief received Salvation. It was by Faith that Abraham received Salvation. And yes, people back before Jesus appeared did receive Salvation by Faith.
Romans 4:1-8
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? [SUP]2 [/SUP]For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” [SUP]4 [/SUP]Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, [SUP]6 [/SUP]just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: [SUP]7 [/SUP]“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
[SUP]8 [/SUP]For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [SUP]9 [/SUP]not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Listen up Spherical, Salvation is not based on what Doctrines we accept or reject, Salvation is based on believing in Jesus. Demons also believe but Demons cannot receive Salvation. To quote about Demons also believing as a means to put Works on Salvation does prove you really do not understand the Scriptures and might be a false Christian doing the will of your father Satan.
I thank God that people like you are not in charge of who receives and does not receive Salvation. You may be nothing more that a mouth piece for Satan.
You must ask yourself this question Spherical, "am i doing the will of the Father or my will"?
Too many people like you cannot differentiate between what they want to say is the Truth and what God says is the Truth.
The Thief believed only one Doctrine and that was Jesus is God.
It was by Faith that the Thief received Salvation. It was by Faith that Abraham received Salvation. And yes, people back before Jesus appeared did receive Salvation by Faith.
Romans 4:1-8
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? [SUP]2 [/SUP]For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” [SUP]4 [/SUP]Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, [SUP]6 [/SUP]just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: [SUP]7 [/SUP]“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
[SUP]8 [/SUP]For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [SUP]9 [/SUP]not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Listen up Spherical, Salvation is not based on what Doctrines we accept or reject, Salvation is based on believing in Jesus. Demons also believe but Demons cannot receive Salvation. To quote about Demons also believing as a means to put Works on Salvation does prove you really do not understand the Scriptures and might be a false Christian doing the will of your father Satan.
I thank God that people like you are not in charge of who receives and does not receive Salvation. You may be nothing more that a mouth piece for Satan.
You must ask yourself this question Spherical, "am i doing the will of the Father or my will"?
Too many people like you cannot differentiate between what they want to say is the Truth and what God says is the Truth.
