Paul said he is the chief of sinners, and this was after his Damascus experience, he also said "I do what I do not want to do" if this isn't referring to sin what is he referring to, Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife, so did Isaac, David killed a man in order to have Bathsheba, Peter lied and said he did not know Jesus and was not one of His followers
Look at what you have just done.
You allude to this passage...
1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Yet here is the context of that passage...
1Ti 1:13
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that C
hrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Paul is using the term "chief of sinners" clearly in the context of his former life. Why do you refer to that scripture out of context? Why?
Is it because you want the Bible to to say something it doesn't and you are thus forced to allude to things out of context? Let's be real here. This is not a game.
Paul said this...
Act_24:16 And herein do
I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Why not quote that? Why is it that so many professing Christian's contend in favour of unrighteousness?
Look at what Peter wrote here...
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things,
be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Is Peter teaching that Paul was the chief of sinners and that he is still struggling with filthy language and substance abuse? There is simply no comparison between what Peter preached and what you are contending for.
Honestly Peter and Paul would be thrown out of most church congregations today.
Paul wrote this...
Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22 That ye
put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And
be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Eph 4:25
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Eph 4:26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Eph 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Eph 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Eph 5:3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Eph 5:4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Does a passage like that mean nothing to you Carey?
Is that passage like water off a ducks back to your mind? Do you pretend passages like that don't exist and simply cling to a few verses that are isolated from their context?
Is that what you do? Will you dodge my questions with some rhetoric?
Paul said he is the chief of sinners, and this was after his Damascus experience, he also said "I do what I do not want to do" if this isn't referring to sin what is he referring to, Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife, so did Isaac, David killed a man in order to have Bathsheba, Peter lied and said he did not know Jesus and was not one of His followers
Then you refer to this verse...
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
The wretch of Rom 7:14-25 is "carnal and sold under sin" (v14), does what he would not if he knew better (v15), mentally assents that the righteousness of the law is good (v16), says that it is the sin in him holds him in bondage (v17), pleads ignorance as how to rule over the flesh (v18), he keeps falling into sin (v19-21), he recognises one law in his mind and another law in his flesh, and it is the latter law which keeps him in bondage and he is crying out for deliverance (v23-24). he serves the law of God with the mind but with his flesh the law of sin (v25).
You really think that is the Christian who has been redeemed from all iniquity and made pure (Tit 2:14)?
Is the Romans 7 wretch this...
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Has the Romans wretch been made free from sin and has he become a slave to righteousness?
Look at what Paul immediately following the wretch passage...
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Right there is the deliverance that the wretch was seeking. Plain as day written there in the Bible in simple plain easy to understand language. Look at what Paul also wrote...
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but
if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Was the Romans wretch mortifying the deeds of the body throught the Spirit? Are you?
This is where the rubber hits the road. They are not teaching you these scriptures in whatever church you attend, if they do they explain them away as not really meaning what they plainly say.
Look at this scrupture...
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that
our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For
he that is dead is freed from sin.
Do you still serve sin? Or have you been freed from sin? It is one or the other.
Look at what Paul writes soon after...
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Is that optional? Compare what Paul wrote there to the passage from Ephesians 4 and 5 I quoted.
Why do you argue in favour of an ongoing life of sinning?
Look at this passage...
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 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.
Have you escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust? Or are you still in bondage to the lusts of your flesh. The Romans Wretch was still in bondage to the lusts of the flesh.
Think seriously about it for this is not a game. You can dismiss my post and write it off in you mind and you can ignore what the Bible PLAINLY teaches and instead worship an IMAGE of your own imagination. Yet that image will be destroyed by the REAL JESUS at the judgement and you will be in utter shock.