2 Peter 1 is incredible Scripture brother, and should be exactly what what we should attain.
But the author of that great Scripture himself still had plenty of sinful issues the Holy Spirit was working in him with. Sins such as hypocrisy, and worse, a watering down of THE Gospel. These sins are laid out in Galatians 2.
I say this because I thought your comments were a little harsh to brother EG. Perhaps you could have said it better in a loving manner.
Have a blessed night.
My comments my seem harsh but are in love. EG is on the right track. That said, there is a condition in the body today, especially in sin-consciousness doctrine that I cannot help myself and have no control over sin, what my heart wants to do I cannot do , so I place the total responsibility for renewal and change on God...I only do my part by taking the gift of salvation and do practical things like accountability groups, small groups, staying fellowship.....
This is not taught in the bible at all. If EG were to really grab a hold of his new creation in Christ and see himself as God does, he would flourish more than he has....
God does not view brother EG as a Sinner any more, but EG views himself that way....why would we view oursleves as less than God does?
Answer-sin-consciousness doctrine preaches that if we view ourselves as God does after conversion we are guilty of self-righteousness and working for our salvation...This is because sin-consciousness doctrine does not truly believe we are immediately a new creation in Christ...part of the issue is the lack of teaching that man is a 3 part being....mind, spirit and body...sin-consciousness doctrine glosses over the 3 part man....They teach that you come just as your are and despite your junk, you are ok[this is true].....but this also leads to zero spiritual growth and maturity, because oyu constantly have to war with yourself and have forgotten you have purged from your old sins...sin-consciousness doctrine strands many at the cross and doe snot even show how you crucify your old man with Christ...they tech you to stand afar and looking at what Jesus did, and one day in glory you will be the same way....
The overt fear this doctrine spreads is that if you claim to not be a sinner, you are saying you are perfect, and you cannot be perfect....this is all flesh talking, because sin-consciousness doctrine never teaches Romans 1-8 as it should be properly taught. enabling Grace and Spirit controlled and led deliverance and freedom...instead they teach it as what a wretch you are and you have no hope over your SIN and you are helpless until death....then you overcome....It teaches that 2 natures are always at war and you are helpless over doing good, growing spiritually and maturing....what good would it do, sine the sinful nature is never going to be defeated....it also teaches total and absolute surrender to Jesus is impossible, it stresses that each should work out their own things alone and the most damning part is this....anyone else that has victory over sin and says they are not a sinner, is automatically a liar, engaged in self-righteous works based salvation efforts and is not near as spiritual as me, because I know what a wretched man of sin I am.....it also places self above Jesus....and places all responsibility for total transformation on Jesus and God.....
The sad fact is, that sin-consciousness doctrine places people in a very hopeless condition and eventually leads many to ship wreck...if they came from legalism and works based false teaching and churches this appeals to them, because on the surface it presents itself as non-works based...but in the end, change comes in spurts, there is no spiritual maturity and apathy for the return of Jesus replaces any motivation to be everything God has called them to be.....this becomes the first church of the Frigidaire, the Assembly of the frozen chosen. the fellowship of shipwrecked sinners.....
Jesus took care of the sin problem over 2,000 ago and he is snot taking care of it today on a daily basis with saints that are mired down into the misunderstanding of the new man.....if we would overcome the sin-consciousness doctrine with the righteous-consciousness truth....the world would change...
My motivation is to see brothers and sisters here, especially like our great brother EG, be completely liberated from
sin-consciousness doctrine......we have to get people from the cross to the tomb and raised into newness of life...
Regardless of what traditions state...this is not a single process that happens at the cross....I was visiting a church this past weekend. The pastor was very frustrated 3 months ago...he said...the same people come to the altar call week after week for the same things...I reviewed what he was preaching and his leaders were teaching...gave him and his leaders a course on idenitty in Christ and teaching about the resurrection power we have in us...
In 3 months a radical transformation took place and the ones constantly coming down to get right 3 months still come down, but to help others and pray for others....the church is bursting with life, disciples are being made....the community is reaching the busted and disgusted....
I asked the Pastor what changed....he said preaching life to people and who they are, that they are no longer a sinner saved by grace,but a sin-forgiven saint, that will still sin and have the power of him who raised Jesus from the dead living in them...and enabling them to destroy yokes, lift burdens and change the life....
This is my prayer for our dear and great brother EG and others here....
Nobody is ever going to be perfect, but we should be the most mature saints God ever rescued....
