And the free gift of grace is to walk in HIS power and LIFE that is without sin....without any effort...simply by faith. By grace through faith. This is what the bible testifies of. Not a hopeless situation of continual sin in the body.
Yes. And the Bible also testifies that we will continue to live in conflict with our flesh so long as it remains corruptible flesh. And as a result the Bible testifies that if we sin we are not to be concerned over it, simply end it, forget about it, and get back to walking in the Spirit.
But any notion that if we sin we are no longer 'In Christ' denies His intercession for us as our High Priest, that He is Always making intercession for us - why? Why do you need an intercessor right now? I know why I do!
Jesus continually intercedes for us, for me. I have no confidence in my ability to recognize everything I do that may be actually outside of faith in God, and so I wouldn't even claim that I never sin even if I thought that was true, because I know that is hubris.
Of course I don't want to sin! It's been pointed out a couple of times that this "Christian Grace Believer who wants to sin" is a straw man - a myth.
Episkopos, I want you to know, that whatever we may disagree over on process or whatever, I'm in absolute agreement with you on this above quote.
I think the realization of this walk in faith comes by understanding what God has done for us, in making us a new creation, holy and righteous, in whom sin does not live.
This is what I think it means that I am as Jesus on this earth, a son of God dwelling in human flesh. In Jesus' case, He is the First born Son of God, and the Unique Son of God in that He was given a newly created body, not corrupted by sin, that body indwelt by the Messenger of YHWH, God who comes to man, if you will.
In our case, we were born of God, Spirit gives birth to spirit, and then new spirit being incarnates in the body of the original man, now the old man. Everything good that is in me is from my Father. What is in old mark is from his father, Adam. So while Jesus occupied uncorrupted flesh, we do not yet have that privilege, because I have to live in old mark's body.
But just the same, this grace in which God saved us, this redemption, our new life, is the freedom to enjoy God while we live our best, knowing all the while He will faithfully complete the work He began. He is faithful, He will do it, and we cannot. We can cooperate with what God is doing, but He is the One working in us. And we should not reject the fruit of Jesus' intercession. In Him we have eternal life, so we should live it.
Much love!
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