standing and state, atonement and sanctification
Is there anyway skinski you can separate these things
and quit attacking foundational truths?
Titus 3:5
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
This is the whole issue right here isn't it?
standing and state, atonement and sanctification
Is there anyway skinski you can separate these things
You believe in...
Salvation IN sin
Justification IN Rebellion
Yet the Bible teaches this...
2Pet 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
What exactly is escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust? It is right there in the Bible and Peter speaks of it as HAVING already taken place.
1Pet 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pet 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of
his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
What exactly is one no longer living the rest of one's time in the flesh to the lusts of men? What is ceasing from sin?
The Bible does say this...
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
What does it mean to crucify the affections and lusts? Could it be related to picking up our cross and DENYING ourselves?
How about these verses...
1 Joh 3
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Standing and state? John writes about MANIFEST CONDUCT there and ties it to whether one is a child of God or a child of the devil. So what exactly is this standing and state you are speaking of? I suspect it is a teaching where one has a "standing" of righteousness and yet can be in a "state" of unrighteousness.
The Gnostics taught "standing and state" because they separated the "deeds done in the flesh" from the "state of the soul" because they believed that "sin was a symptom of the flesh." They taught that "matter" TRAPPED the "soul" and thus the virtue in the soul was suppressed by the flesh. Hence the root of sin was the nature of the flesh.
Augustine of Hippo was an adherent to Neo-Platonism and was also a student of Manichaeism for 9 years before he converted to Catholicism. It was Augustine of Hippo who introduced this "dual nature" aspect of humanity into orthodox Christianity by appealing to Romans 5:12 in the Latin Vulgate where Augustine held the view that "all humanity" was present in the seed of Adam when he sinned and thus was INFECTED with Original Sin.
You quote Titus 3:5 but how does that negate anything I have said. We are saved by God's mercy indeed. We don't renew our regenerate ourselves. Yet that in no way negates a genuine repentance and conversion where the rebellion is forsaken.
Who does God give the Holy Spirit to?
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and
so is also the Holy Ghost,
whom God hath given to them that obey him.