Jesus told us we needed to repent (Matthew 4:17), that we had to be perfect like God (Matthew 5:48). Yet I keep hearing people say it’s impossible. Would God ask us to do something that is impossible? Is it impossible to obey a few commandments?
Impossible?
- Thread starter Bob Estey
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Invisibilis
Well-Known Member
Only if one's understanding of repent and perfect are conditional.
Behold
Well-Known Member
To be like God, is to have the same righteousness as God.
Christ, who is God, died on the Cross, to give you "the gift of Righteousness".
If you are born again, then you have it.
If you are just water baptized, then you dont.
If you are just religious, and try to follow Christ, then you dont.
You have to be Born AGAIN, as this is God birthing your spirit into spiritual union with His, and that creates your SPIRIT, to become "a new Creation in Christ".
This is to be "made righteous", and that is what God means when He tells you to be "righteous".
It is what God requires you to BECOME, or you will not go to heaven when you die.
For God and for those empowered by Him, what is impossible?
I think the object is to obey the Lord. He showed us the path.
I hear that Bob, I've gained a good 20 lbs since the start of winter and, know I will get it off as, I've started eating good again. Made some home made black bean soup and Arapes yesterday...I forgot how great I cook!!! LOL! So, I cannot really exercise like most, shoulders (both) and feet (both) are shot and the back is shot too...oh, did I mention left knee? Lol. So it's eating whole foods, and drinking water (try sliced cucumber in it, it's awesome and WAY better than lemon) and some form of exercise. I can walk around the block a couple times before having to get off feet. But that's about it except for a park with my dogs as, it is soft grass so takes longer for the pain to kick in. He WILL do what we cannot, He's given us all GOOD food to eat. Too many really bad for you fast food places around. Every corner it seems.
Once eating well, the fast food holds no power over you, you won't even crave it!
I wish you well!
Contex is always key to understanding the bible.
Yes Jesus said be perfect as the Lord your God is perfect, but he also knows us and earlier in Matt 5 he saids :- " For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven"
No where does he commend the rightousness of the pharisees.
In fact when talking to the women at the well he tells her and us, it is not what we do that matters but what we believe that matters.
We are to serve and worship God 'in Spirit and in truth' how or where doe not matter.
Precious friend, did you mean
the "how" is 'In Spirit and In Truth,' Correct?
GRACE And Peace...
The Pharisees and teachers of the law in Jesus's time were not obeying God. Jesus was making the point that if you were only as good as them, or slightly better, then you weren't good enough.
Matthew 19:26
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Yes, for All have sinned, and as 1 john1:8+9 says those who say that don't sin, are not Christian.
We constantly need Jesus's forgiveness to live for him.
I beg to disagree. We've all sinned, true, but what need is there to keep sinning?
Hi Bob,
We are very weak without Christ. We will be tempted in many ways until we die. When I first became a TRUE born again Christian, it was the big things I thought would be impossible for me to walk away from, yet, He gave me the strength saying "My grace is sufficient for you". THEN, all the "little stuff" came to the surface and still does to a point. Things we do not even realize is sin...of course we all try our best to stay away from things that can tempt us to sin, it worked for me as I asked God to keep me from temptation and that He would keep it from me. Been a very long time now, and He remains faithful!
But we will still have moments. But then:
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."1 John 2:1
He is faithful to forgive
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
These were written to believers so, yes, we can still sin. and even just a bad thought, or judging someone in your heart, being angry with a brother and letting the sun go down while still angry. Being discontent as we are told to be joyful and thankful even for "bad" things happening in our lives. Certainly the more we seek His face, the more scripture we feast on, one should be sinning less and less as they find out all the sins mentioned. If we were sinless, we would have no use for Christ as we would be as perfect as Him and, I sure haven't found anyone even close to that.
I wish you well brother.
I think one of the keys is to learn to resist the temptation to sin.
Yes we learn to do this by Him living within us, and when we are weak, He is strong through us if we...trust.
"9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10" Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
The human creature is most certainly weak in many areas, pride will tell us we can and should do ALL things through...ourselves...? Wish I followed Jesus from youth
Jesus certainly did not mean for us to be perfect in the absolute sense because it is impossible in this system. (Romans 5:12) He implied that imperfect people can be “perfect” in a relative sense. However, using Jesus and God Almighty as a standard, we can only strive to imitate them by expanding our love to embrace even our enemies. Luke referred to this another way. See Luke 6:36 and consider some supporting scriptures in Matthew 5:43-47.
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