The church at a crossroads....

Gideons300 said:

And the answer the church offers is that either a) you are not trying hard enough or b) you are not saved at all.

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What church is telling you that? For me, this is a signal to reconsider where to attend.

By faith we are saved, and by faith we have access into the grace in which we stand.

Much love!

Gideons300 said:

You lay a trap, methinks. .

Look to Jesus and His promises and ask Him if He can save you you to the uttermost and deliver you from the power of darkness.

I will however post my testimony as to what God has done for me in a new thread. You are welcome to read it if you like. That might give you the answer you need, but most likely not the answer you were hoping to get.

blessings to you, Mark

Gids

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You strike me the same as others who by innuendo appear to make that claim. It makes me wonder why. Why dance around it, and not just say it? Or, why not set the record straight?

I'm looking for clarity in what you are saying.

Certainly Jesus saves to the uttermost! I'm curious though, what answer do you suppose that I am "hoping for"?

Much love!

Make no mistake, God is not mocked. Man cannot exalt himself to constrain the will of the Lord at any time, something which the OP implies more than once in this topic. Does the clay dictate to the potter? Does man declare to the Ancient of days upon His throne, "I don't believe sufficiently, therefore Your will is not done!"?

This is idolatrous rebellion, that man can work against the purpose of God in heaven. "If we have His Spirit then we won't sin," the strong delusion that God seeks to please man in the unrighteousness of his flesh, that body of corruption which is perishing. The flesh is by no means justified nor purified; this is the weakness we must bear in this world. Heed the words of the Lord who declared to the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The longing and worldly sorrow to do great works, that only if a man believed correctly then he would perform the acts of the apostles, is the fruit of a poisonous tree. Worldly ambition does not serve the kingdom of God for what did the Lord Himself say? The one who humbles himself like a child to serve others is the greatest in His kingdom. (Matthew 18:1-4)

Who raises the dead? Who gives life to old bones? Not man no matter how he strives to live a sinless life, believing that such a thing is his just reward in this flesh. God is no respecter of persons nor does He serve man. For those who were chosen before the foundation of the world, it is never a matter of "Lord, revive us!" This is the cry of men who stumble about in darkness cursing what the Lord blesses and blessing what God despises.

No, it boils down to the following question: Here I am, Lord, what would You have me do?

Gideons300 said:

I just posted my testimony for you. I pray you finally understand what I am sharing.

blessings to you,

Gids

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It's brought some clarity, and some red flags.

Much love!

marks said:

The wolves . . . who want us to rely on ourselves, and would rob from us the promises of God.

He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

In these simple words, we can see, that if you have been born again, you will remain born again. It is God who is working in you, making you who you will be. And this work WILL continue throughout our lives.

No matter what the wolves say, we can know these things are true.

Much love!

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The theif on the cross agrees!

Gideons300 said:

So, an Christian who as become addicted to painkillers comes to you desperate for an answer that will deliver him from his bondage to sin. What do you tell Him?

Gids

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Hypotheticals? These aren't real, and tend to become distorted. What do I tell him? I can only answer concerning real people in real conversations. Each are unique.

But any addiction is answered in the power of God, and trusting in Him.

God has promised to sanctify us. We can count on Him to do just that. What He has said, He is faithful to do.

Something we need to keep in mind is that He has His way of doing things, which might not be our way. His timing may not be our timing. I've found God to be quite surprising at times!

Can we trust Him with our sanctification? Or will our impatience drive us into legalism?

Much love!

In a nutshell:
1. Deny self.
2. Take up my cross daily.
3. Follow Jesus.

"and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me..." Mathew 10:37 BSB

Gideons300 said:

Our straining at gnats will not bring about the revival we so desperately need. Far better to get rid of the camels of unbelief inside us. If not, we are simply going back to do's and don'ts, which may have the appearance of good intentions, but have no power to change us into His image nor setvus free indeed.

blessings,

Gideon

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Gideon paul was not straining at gnats when he said he who stole let him steal no more .
Let us not think its a crime , a sin , or even judging when we correct error and sin amongst believers .
That is part o the problem . So few even correct any more .
And very few even teach what the true grace of GOD is really all about .
For the grace of GOD which brings Salvation has appeared
TEACHING us to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts , to be walking soberly righteously , godly in this world .
Folks fail to believe that in Christ we actually have the power to overcome sin .
The Lord drew me Gideon , and the more he put into the bible , the more the Spirit
taught and revealed to me . The more i realized the very evil of sin itself . I knew there was jmuch evil in my flesh .
SO i cried out one night for God to even save me from my own carnal self . He does and He can .
HE gives us the SPIRIT , the abililty and the power to overcome sin . And it comes not from us , BUT FROM HIM .
Folks need to start believing in HIM . See the truth . We , man , are evil from our youth and evil resides in our flesh , so we are naught .
BUT the power that comes FROM HIM changes the heart , our desires and gives us the ability to walk HOLY as We ought too .
And warning out against sin , aint no sin nor is it straining at gnats . ITS simply correcting .

There are many pieces to God's puzzling word. I see the heart piece, the piece that brings the others into focus, as being the daily cross.
By the atonement of Christ, and by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can confidently say: "It is no longer I who live but Christ Jesus who lives in me..."

Wooly wolves...wily witches...nefarious nephilim...creepy creatures, a nasty bunch!

Gideons300 said:

So, an Christian who as become addicted to painkillers comes to you desperate for an answer that will deliver him from his bondage to sin. What do you tell Him?

Gids

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God will give the words that must be spoken . I dont do scenarios . But i will wait upon the LORD .
HE knows what words that one would need to hear . And thus HE would give me the words that one would need to hear .

A word for the wise...a season of opening and closing doors.

Truman Ron said:

A word for the wise...a season of opening and closing doors.

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We have us a season RIGHT NOW , A HUGE OPEN DOOR to point to JESUS .
Most folks are fearful of covid , most folks are fearful cause trump lost . Yet all i have is peace and hope . CAUSE MINE IS IN THE LORD .
Folks are gonna see our hope . WELL if our hope aint tied into the world . We running out of time Ron .
We are running out of time . Most ya prophets are prophesying of peace . ME , i warning us nothing but betrayals and persecutions
are coming for us . ANd that we had better be firmly planted in Christ and all bible doctrine , or folks are gonna fall away .
A false hope is rising my friend , and its end will be the second death . We must HOPE ONLY , TRUST ONLY , IN GOD .

Gideons300 said:

That is where we are misunderstanding. We do not grow from old nature to new. We put it off by faith, once for all.

Oh, that we might "get it". We ARE new! Our old nature IS dead. However, we have not believed it or appropriated it by faith as our possession, right here, right now. And it is this unbelief that has opened the door for satan to keep us in the wilderness of unbelief, always 'getting there', but never arriving.

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Man, Gideon. Just catching up on this thread, and I have to say this is one of those places where my theology and yours disagree. I don't think it can be established from scripture that the old man somehow dies once and for all. Otherwise, Paul's teaching on the flesh warring against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh would be rendered either obsolete in view of his other teachings, or downright heretical.

Not saying I hate the teaching - I wish it were true - but you would have to establish it through scripture.

If you are up to dissecting scripture with me, I'd be interested. Otherwise (or if now isn't the best time), I understand. But I'd like to discuss the verses and passages you think support this teaching.

God bless, and great again having you on the forum.
- H