Born again Christans DO NOT SIN!

[Daniel Veler]

You have not yet learned the difference between being made to be sin-less and being sin-free.
The Sacrificial Blood of Christ makes us to be sin-less before the Father. You have nothing to do with that, except to recieve His Grace and to abide in FAITH by believing it. That's the Faith that God is looking for, that we should TRUST in the work His Son HAS "finished" for us, as well as His Father.
Yes! For Jesus, it was a two way street. The Father needed His Son's Sacrifice as much as we do, otherwise we would NEVER get to know Him, nor Him us.
So then, because of Christ, and faith in Him, we now have Peace with God, and we are no longer under condemnation. John 3:18.

Upon the Day of Jesus' glorious return, and our resurrection unto Christ's likeness of immortality, only then shall He make us to be sin-free.
Until the latter, try not to get callouses on your knees!!

BTW, your reference to wilful sin, in it's context (KJV), is speaking of trampling upon the blood of Christ, calling it to be "an unholy thing", AFTER one has been sanctified by it.
That specific act is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. ONLY that sin has never forgiveness. ALL OTHER SIN will be forgiven!

God didn't call us out of the world to be "sin-trackers"!!
So, get off your knees, and start walking in HIS Spirit, and not your own.

Come to understand the parable of the sower and how Christ explains it. And see which one of hearers are his brothers

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

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Born again Christans DO NOT SIN!

If you're still sinning, then it's extremely likely that you're NOT born again, and if you're NOT born again, THEN YOU WILL GO TO HELL WHEN YOU DIE...

BORN AGAIN Christians that WILFULLY SIN AFTER THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH WILL STILL GO TO HELL, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO REVERSE THEIR DAMNATION!!

YOU ABSOLUTELY *MUST* STOP SINNING - IT'S A CORE REQUIREMENT OF THE GOSPEL...

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We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1 John 5:18

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Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1 John 3:6

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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.

1 John 3:9

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Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:34

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For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:26-27

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Spiritually speaking, being born again, in Christ, your spirit is pure, white as snow and you have passed from death to life.
But you still have sin the dwells in the members of your flesh. Your sin is not sin into death but you cannot say you now live a perfect holy life, reflecting God's light with exact likeness if Jesus in all your behavior, actions and relationships with others.
What you are saying that the day you were born again, you loved your neighbor as yourseld perfectly without flaw. You never lied, nonthoughts of evil came into your your, you never did the things that all sinners do anymore. This is not possible and self deceiving.
Can you say that from that day forward you never did any wrong?
Paul struggled with the spirit warring against the flesh as we all do. Romans 7 is a difficult and confusing chapter for many yo fully comprehend - but this truth is there.
Paul says he does things he does not want to do. The evil he keeps doing. It is not him but sin thay dwells in him (Vs. 19-20)
Spiritually we died to the Law, but it is still at work in our flesh. He concludes he is wretched and needs to be rescued from this body..(Vs. 24). Jesus delivers us, but we are not yet fully redeemed. When we die, our spirit separates from our flesh, which does btw include the soul.
The Word is powerful enough to divide soul and spirit. They are highly integrated along with the rest of your flesh. Make no mistake, the flesh (sarx) is not just your physical body, it is your sinful nature/corrupted soul.
We have died to our flesh, but still daily must say no to temptations and mortify our old self ... and still backside and fail - all of us do.
"For if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit di mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live." Rom.8:13
This is why the Bible continuously reminds us to walk in the spirit, mot in the flesh.
"For the flesh does desire contrary to the spirit and the spirit contrary to the flesh and these are opposed one to another, that the things that you may will, these you may not do." Gal. 5:17 YLT "May not" means sometimes.
I really don't want to debate this. You either receive it or not.

 

[justbyfaith]

Christians, DO sin every day, or else 1 John 1:8-10 is pointless!

John says that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:8 does not say, "If we say that we do no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." Look at it again.

The verse is speaking of indwelling sin, not practical sins (otherwise, 1 John 1:8 contradicts 1 John 3:5-9)...

Indwelling sin can be rendered dead (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has any say over our behaviour (Romans 6:14).

Because of the will, each sin is done willfully, and needs to be repented of, willfully.

There are non-willful sins. If I see a beautiful woman not my wife and I desire her, I have sinned (Matthew 5:27-28); however, that sin may not be something that I did willfully; it may be that I had a reaction to her beauty in my heart that I had no control over.

Also, if I dream that I am committing some sin, I am committing sin in my heart; however in my dream state, there is an absence of the willful in what I am doing; everything that is happening is in the subconscious mind and not in the conscious mind.

My response to these kinds of things is that I confess them; and Jesus is able to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I think that I may be a step ahead of other people in the road to sanctification because I confess the sins that I commit in my dream life; God is dealing with my subconscious mind when I confess such sins and therefore there is not going to be as much conscious sin...because the subconscious is the root of the conscious.

...Repenting from Sins does NOT get a person Saved ...

If I am a worker / doer of iniquity, my fate will be that I am going to be cast into the furnace of everlasting fire (Matthew 13:41-42; Matthew 7:23, Matthew 25:41).

My only way out of being a worker / doer of iniquity is to cease from being one...and that means to repent.

Jesus came into the world to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21)....to redeem us from all iniquity (Titus 2:14)...to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

That is what the Cross does.

It doesn't only justify us (as per Romans 5:9)...it also sanctifies us (Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29) and cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

The type of Repentance that SAVES ( there are three different types of Repentance ) is the one that will Lock you in to a Promise Of God—

Here are some promises of God that this applies to...

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (kjv), Hebrews 10:14 (kjv), 1 John 3:9;

1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:3, 1 John 2:6;

Jude 1:24, 2 Peter 1:10, 1 John 2:10;

1 John 3:6, 1 John 2:17;

Romans 6:6 (kjv), Colossians 2:11 (kjv), (NLT);

Philippians 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:17 (kjv).

...you need to know the Correct “Type” Of Repentance.......it is NOT turning from Sin.....It “ IS” turning to God with a Contrite Heart...

God is holy...

So, to turn to God is to turn to holiness and thus away from sin / unholiness.

The bible explicitly points out that everyone sins to some degree.

I think that I can probably dispute that with any Bible verse that you might be able to bring up.

Here are some verses that mention that we may still mess up after coming to Christ.

1 John 2:1-2 (KJV) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Notice it says, "IF any man sin" not "WHEN"

The scripture is clear that we do not have to obey the dictates of the flesh (Romans 8:12-13).

“ Sinless Perfection”

That, of course, is a misnomer that is often used in order to create a straw man that is easily toppled by 1 John 1:8.

While the doctrine of "entire sanctification" teaches us, not that sin has been eradicated from the flesh in the sanctified believer (so that we might be able to "say that we have no sin"); but that it has been rendered dead (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has any say over his behaviour (Romans 6:14).

The problem is that some Christians falsely believe they are GOOD.

Barnabas was good (Acts of the Apostles 11:22-24).

Yes, Jesus did say that no one is good but God...however He said that before the Cross...

After the Cross, the Holy Spirit was given to man (John 7:39)...

So then, after the Cross, man can bear the fruit of, among other things, goodness (Galatians 5:22-23).

Paul struggled with the spirit warring against the flesh as we all do. Romans 7 is a difficult and confusing chapter for many yo fully comprehend - but this truth is there.

Romans 7:14-25 is Paul using the literary tactic of IDENTIFICATION...he identifies himself as carnal in order to define carnality in order to win the carnal person to Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:22 (kjv)).

That Paul himself is not carnal is evident in that he was penning holy scripture and is therefore a "holy man of God" (2 Peter 1:21 (kjv)).

Spiritually we died to the Law, but it is still at work in our flesh. He concludes he is wretched and needs to be rescued from this body..(Vs. 24).

Romans 7:24 can be referred back to Romans 6:6; it is speaking of "the body of sin".

We have died to our flesh, but still daily must say no to temptations and mortify our old self ... and still backside and fail - all of us do.

Backsliding and failing is not inevitable for the born again Christian (Romans 8:12-13).

In fact, while John may have been using hyperbole in 1 John 3:9, the exaggeration that he was making was very likely the fact that we do not have to walk according to the flesh but can be victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57) and set free (John 8:31-36).

 

[dev553344]

I think that I can probably dispute that with any Bible verse that you might be able to bring up.

Are you saying you walk perfectly with God's righteousness? And that you love God and everyone perfectly? Because there are numerous scriptures that give commandments of how to behave and if you don't your sinning, just two for instance:

I once talked to a guy that was trying to tell me to sell all I have and follow Jesus. And this is a common fault in extremist Christians these days. They think the bible applies to them literally in this day and age as if they were living in Jesus' time. Cause you wouldn't have a computer or internet access probably either, and you'd be homeless and street preaching...and begging for money, or perhaps God would provide for you instead of begging? Which is something that isn't possible in our day and age, how will you eat now that all the animals and food is gone from societies natural areas? Maybe you'll eat crows and bugs then?

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

Matthew 25:31-46

New International Version

The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

The verse is speaking of indwelling sin, not practical sins (otherwise, 1 John 1:8 contradicts 1 John 3:5

How is sin dwelling in you if Christ washed it away? Gotcha!
Sin is sin. Context is important. You proof text to support you view especially when you don't quite have an understanding of that text.

Indwelling sin can be rendered dead (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has any say over our behaviour (Romans 6:14).

Let's examine Romans 6:6
"knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;"
Let's look at the context and summation of Rom. 6:6 that you
think you understand.
"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Rom. 6:12-14

What do we see here? Commands, warnings, advice to exercise self control, restraint, awareness.
"DO NOT LET SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY".
This means that there is a possibility that it can and so needs restraint. We must mortify the fleshy desires. It is an ongoing effort and of course with spiritual maturity gets easier. We say no when temptation comes, we dismiss it. Being not in bondage to it doesn't mean we won't get carried away with it.
"THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY ITS LUSTS"
This happens, our old habit's can resurface and we fall into them.
"DO NOT PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS TO SIN"
This is reality and it is a command. If this was not possible, Jesus would not give us this command and we'd all be walking around as holy saints, reflecting Jesus Light - (as we are called to do). And the world would surely see outwardly how everyone is changed from bad to good, never finding fault in us - wed be prefect, so much so they would all want to be like us. But they still see our faults and we demonstrate that we do the same things and therefore call us on it.
Thankfully some of us shine ... the workers are few!
Sin does not have dominion, control and spiritually we are dead to it.
But "the flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh" until we die and are finally separated from our flesh.
IF the Bible states there is a war inside the Christian between flesh and spirit then there is.

There are non-willful sins. If I see a beautiful woman not my wife and I desire her, I have sinned (Matthew 5:27-28); however, that sin may not be something that I did willfully; it may be that I had a reaction to her beauty in my heart that I had no control over.

Paul said he did things that he did not want to do and therefore concluded that it was not him (his spirit), but sin that dwelled in him.
Evil thoughts get in our heads and we should dismiss them straight away. But then with some temptations, former desires ( and the Devil knows which ones you frequented), we may hold onto them longer tham we should, entertain them, reminisce and that is the war waged against your spirit.

My response to these kinds of things is that I confess them; and Jesus is able to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

You just admitted to confessing sins. Congratulations.

I confess the sins that I commit in my dream life;

Listen. Pray before you go to bed to have a peaceful sleep, for God to protect you from evil dreams, very likely a doorway to your sub-conscious for Satan to mess with.
Dismiss evil thoughts and temptations and more importantly, don't act on them and you'll do fine.

 

[Truman]

Thinking I deserve heaven is a sure sign that I have no understanding of the gospel.

--Sinclair Furgasson

A man I admire once said, "If we got what we deserved, we'd be burning in hell!" I agree. Thank You, Jesus.

 

[Truman]

Are you saying you walk perfectly with God's righteousness? And that you love God and everyone perfectly? Because there are numerous scriptures that give commandments of how to behave and if you don't your sinning, just two for instance:

I once talked to a guy that was trying to tell me to sell all I have and follow Jesus. And this is a common fault in extremist Christians these days. They think the bible applies to them literally in this day and age as if they were living in Jesus' time. Cause you wouldn't have a computer or internet access probably either, and you'd be homeless and street preaching...and begging for money, or perhaps God would provide for you instead of begging? Which is something that isn't possible in our day and age, how will you eat now that all the animals and food is gone from societies natural areas? Maybe you'll eat crows and bugs then?

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

Matthew 25:31-46

New International Version

The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Become willing to lose all for the sake of gaining Him. I think that's what this means.

 

[Truman]

A born-again Christian has their spirit born-again. The soul is another issue that has to be walked out. Luke 9:23

 

[dev553344]

Become willing to lose all for the sake of gaining Him. I think that's what this means.

It meant something during Jesus' time when people could live off the land, but the Romans were persecuting Jesus and the Saints, so he had them leave society and preach around and about to spread the word. The church was brand new and had little members. Like a fragile tree in harsh conditions it needed to grow. We now have massive Christian church presence here on earth. And now days we can worship and still be part of society and honor the government. Although it appears to be diminishing quickly around the world with the pandemic countermeasures.

 

[Truman]

 

[justbyfaith]

Are you saying you walk perfectly with God's righteousness? And that you love God and everyone perfectly? Because there are numerous scriptures that give commandments of how to behave and if you don't your sinning, just two for instance:

I believe that the love of the Lord has been shed abroad in my heart (Romans 5:5) and that this is the fulfilling of the righteousness of the law within me (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:4).

I still have my flesh, so I must needs abide in Christ by walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit. When I do that, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in me (Romans 8:4); and I do not sin (1 John 3:6).

I once talked to a guy that was trying to tell me to sell all I have and follow Jesus. And this is a common fault in extremist Christians these days. They think the bible applies to them literally in this day and age as if they were living in Jesus' time. Cause you wouldn't have a computer or internet access probably either, and you'd be homeless and street preaching...and begging for money, or perhaps God would provide for you instead of begging? Which is something that isn't possible in our day and age, how will you eat now that all the animals and food is gone from societies natural areas? Maybe you'll eat crows and bugs then?

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

I talked about this issue with one of my pastors just today, because I was struggling with it to a certain extent (although the passage that I was looking at was in Luke 14:25-33).

He said that what matters is that you can have possessions as long as your possessions don't possess you; and that this is what Jesus was aiming at in our hearts when He spoke what was in the verses in question (yours and mine).

How is sin dwelling in you if Christ washed it away? Gotcha!

Some things in holy scripture are a mystery that we cannot really fathom.

What we do know is that if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

I have concluded on not a few occasions, that if we have been truly cleansed from all sin, we would simply be unaware of the work that the Lord had accomplished in us; and we would also consider that we have not apprehended a perfect state of holiness but have room to grow.

Verses that substantiate this: (Job 9:21 (kjv), Isaiah 42:19 (kjv), John 9:41 (kjv))

Also, Philippians 3:12-15, esp. v.15.

 

[dev553344]

I believe that the love of the Lord has been shed abroad in my heart (Romans 5:5) and that this is the fulfilling of the righteousness of the law within me (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:4).

I still have my flesh, so I must needs abide in Christ by walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit. When I do that, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in me (Romans 8:4); and I do not sin (1 John 3:6).



I talked about this issue with one of my pastors just today, because I was struggling with it to a certain extent (although the passage that I was looking at was in Luke 14:25-33).

He said that what matters is that you can have possessions as long as your possessions don't possess you; and that this is what Jesus was aiming at in our hearts when He spoke what was in the verses in question (yours and mine).

You said you can disprove that the scriptures support the idea that everyone is sinners. Then how do you contend with the following:

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

This has implications of salvation as seen in the Parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee and also a person that says he is without sin knows not Jesus:

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Therefore they don't know the difference between them and Jesus clearly seeing that they believe they are without sin.

 

[justbyfaith]

You said you can disprove that the scriptures support the idea that everyone is sinners. Then how do you contend with the following:

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Notice that that verse does not say, "If we say that we do no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

Look at it again.

It is speaking of indwelling sin; not practical sins; otherwise 1 John 1:8 is in contradiction to 1 John 3:5-9.

We all have indwelling sin; however, indwelling sin can be rendered dead (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has any say over our behaviour (Romans 6:14).

So then, even though we have indwelling sin (per 1 John 1:8); we do not have to behave according to it.

There is sin in the flesh (Romans 7:18); but we do not have to walk according to the flesh (Romans 8:12-13).

So, when I say that not everyone is a sinner, I mean that in a particular sense; in the sense that a sinner is a person who sins.

I do not mean it in a different sense; in the sense that we all have indwelling sin (1 John 1:8, 1 Timothy 1:15, Romans 7:18).

 

[justbyfaith]

This has implications of salvation as seen in the Parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee and also a person that says he is without sin knows not Jesus:

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Therefore they don't know the difference between them and Jesus clearly seeing that they believe they are without sin.

If anyone abides in Jesus, they do not sin (1 John 3:6).

 

[dev553344]

If anyone abides in Jesus, they do not sin (1 John 3:6).

So we haven't been made perfect by selling all and giving it to the poor and following Jesus, and then we aren't perfect and are rich then and sinners. If you're understanding the bible correctly you should see this fact that it points out...not that we won't be saved from our sins...

Matthew 19:24-26
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

 

[justbyfaith]

Again, Jesus was aiming with verses such as those, at people whose possessions are possessing them; He is not saying that it is a sin to have ownership of material wealth.

Consider.

1Ti 6:17, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18, That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19, Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

 

[dev553344]

Matthew 23:9-12

New International Version

9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

 

[justbyfaith]

Matthew 23:9-12

New International Version

9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Does this post address anything in particular that has been said?

 

[dev553344]

Does this post address anything in particular that has been said?

Have you read this and seen any truth in it? And the Pharisee looks down on sinners, which is not what your saying, but it's similar to it since you expressed that you think we're not sinners, being not perfect:

Luke 18:9-14

New International Version

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

[justbyfaith]

Have you read this and seen any truth in it? And the Pharisee looks down on sinners, which is not what your saying, but it's similar to it since you expressed that you think we're not sinners, being not perfect:

Luke 18:9-14

New International Version

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I consider that the Bible teaches that those who abide in Jesus Christ do not sin (1 John 3:6); for they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit...and as a result the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them (Romans 8:4)...see 1 John 3:4.

But I consider also that if anyone has been made perfect, that they will also consider that they have room to grow and have not attained to perfection (Philippians 3:12-15, esp. v.15). They consider themselves not to have apprehended; and this makes them a candidate for perfection.

Things like that can short-circuit your brain; however, they are biblical truths.

So, what does it mean to be exalted?

If I say that I have no sin, I will be abased. I will be thrust down into sin.

If I humble myself and say, "God, be merciful to me a sinner" I will be exalted. I will be given the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:7, Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6).

As long as I humble myself and call myself a sinner, the Lord will give me the power to have victory over (1 Corinthians 15:57) and freedom from (John 8:31-36) sin.

I am a sinner in that sin indwells me; and I do not deny that.

However, I will also state that it is possible to walk in freedom (John 8:31-36) and victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) over sin.

If you ask me whether that is the general direction of my life, that I am walking no longer in the direction of sin, death, hell, and satan, I will tell you that I did indeed repent and am walking towards righteousness, life, heaven, and God.

Is this pride? Is this exalting myself?

Or, is it merely declaring with accuracy what the Lord has done in my life?

The reality is, that I had an experience like that of the tax collector in the parable; and, as I beat my hands upon my chest, the reality was that I was discontented with a lifestyle of sinning. My iniquity had been found to be hateful (Psalms 36:2). It had taken its toll on my life and I as through with it.

Is it any glory to me therefore that I turned away from my sin?

Have I somehow said that I am better than other people because I don't any longer live the way that I used to live? I say to you verily, the fact that I don't live any longer like I used to is in no way a statement of superiority over those who have not yet repented in this way. We are all sinners, in the sense that we have indwelling sin. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). The only difference in me is that I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ and He has given me the Holy Spirit because I relinquished the control over my own life. I do not any longer live by what I want (the flesh) but by what the Lord wants (the Spirit).

So, my better behaviour in no way makes me a better person than you. I am just as much of a sinner as you are, in my flesh. What changes my behaviour is that I do not walk according to the flesh (Romans 8:4). Because I have accepted Jesus as the Lord of my life.