For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Gal. 5:17
"Spirit" in Galatians 5:17 is actually "spirit." It is not the Holy Spirit; it is our mind that knows the law which is the context of the verses around 17. It is the sister verse to Romans 7:25.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 1 Pet. 1:14 ** A warning and command. Why if we could naturally live without sin? Because we still do and it takes effort.
You have completely twisted this verse. Here it is again.
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest
your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the
former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you
is holy, you also be holy in all
your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 1 Cor. 3:3-4
The maturing of the fruit of the Spirit takes time. It is a process as in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The Corinthians were not where they should be in their growth. These are trespasses that they were committing against EACH OTHER. They fit the Lord's Prayer and the verse following.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9 So we do not practice sin as before, but we do occasionally fall into our old ways.
"'Practice' was added, but not in the true meaning of the verse." 1 John 3:9 is also in the chapter of willfully committing sins of lawlessness - verse 4. So what you are actually saying is like, "we do occasionally fall into our old ways of mass murder." I can't even once. Can you?
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Cor. 10:13 We are still tempted and tested, refined as He brings us through the fire.
You don't seem to know what sin is. Temptation is not sin. Dwelling on temptation and letting it entice you, and then committing an act of sin, is sin. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Know who you are in Christ, IF, indeed, He abides in you.
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. Matt. 18:15
A born again Christian has the Holy Spirit. But we still have free will, and a lot depends on if you actually love Jesus with all your heart, or just want Him as your ticket to heaven and are just "using" Him. They don't fear God. The latter are in danger of quenching the Holy Spirit. Paul commanded, "do not quench the Spirit." They are on a slippery slope, and could become excommunicated, returning as a dog to his own vomit. They will not be in heaven. But if you can win back that Christian and he eventually falls in love with God to the point of a forever kind of love, they will keep His commandments and abide in Christ, and Christ in him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 This message is to Christians, who often need temporal healing. “I’m sorry I hurt you … I’m sorry I violated our agreement … I was late … I disobeyed you … lied to you … was selfish … was insensitive, etc.”
Those are immature fruit, and called trespasses that I've already commented on. Trespasses are sins NOT unto death. They are what Jesus is out Advocate for as we forgive each other to bring back reconciliation and unity, and what is described in 1 John 1:7.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:7-9
Verse 8 is mankind before coming to Jesus, and was what Gnostics said. Verse 9 is becoming a Christian.
If written in the Greek form of writing, which this is not. It would be as some translators correctly separate:
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that
God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and w
alk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we
walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
It was actually written in the Hebrew Semitic style of writing which is called contrasts of content. This is why verse 10 seems to be just hanging out there after verse 9, because verse 9 would also be needed to cleanse verse 10.
5 - God is
LIGHT
6 - Walk in
DARKNESS
7 - Walk in
LIGHT
8 -
DARKNESS - non Christian saying they have no sin
9 -
LIGHT - how to become a Christian
10 -
DARKNESS - same as 8.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 1 John 5:16
It should be quoted with verse 17.
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin
which does not
lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not
leading to death. There is sin
leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not
leading to death.
Two types of sin.
Sin leading to death is described and what Jesus took away:
1 John 3:4-5
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
Sins not leading to death are the trespasses of Matthew 6:14-15; Leviticus 5:15
I think if you understand what I've previously taught above, it pretty much covers the rest of your post too.
Ron, is there a sin you love? Is that why you are advocating for the opposite of what Jesus taught?