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Walking in the Spirit is a choice that can only be made by those who have received Him. Since all Christians experience the discipline of God, clearly none walk in complete obedience. There would be no admonition by Paul to follow the Spirit if our natural inclinations didn't persist even after...

The only real responsibility of "believers " is to believe the Lord and Jesus qualified this in equating belief to obedience to His teaching. However, Jesus was preaching primarily to Jews under the law, not to the Gentiles. Most of the teaching relevant to the Church comes to us from Paul and...

Yes, but having received Him, the responsibility is actually His, not ours. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and...

God knows everything including what's hidden in our thoughts and emotions. I won't provide scriptural support for that, yet it is plainly stated in both old and new testaments. We are "known " by Him in the Biblical sense by intimate relationship as Eve was known by Adam and gave birth to the...

"There is no one righteous but One, that is God ". The only righteous men in the strictest sense are those accounted as righteous by God for their faith in His Word. But, you will always find argument with people unable to accept what scripture plainly says and remain confident in themselves.

I don't have children, but I can't imagine a child doing anything that would break fellowship with a loving parent. The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of adoption by whom we call out to God "Abba " or Father. This isn't metaphor, but spiritual truth as stated in scripture. 15 For you did not...

While i appreciate your thoughtful argument, it runs contrary to the teaching of the apostles in that one doesn't have to physically die in order to be born of His Spirit (if I'm understanding what you've posted.) It also runs contrary to my experience and that of all the saints that I've...

I'm inclined to believe so, but I also think believing the gospel is dependent upon who you trust. My mom's faith was primarily in her church. She learned to trust God in the trials of life, but her faith was based more upon church teaching and the encouragements of her parents than on biblical...

All people recieve the Holy Spirit for the asking through belief in the Lord. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11...

I've thought that way, but some "Christians" don't seem to even think that's possible. Since its an arbitrary term applied to believers, I think it should include seekers who haven't received His Spirit, (no one really seeks after God, but some "hear" Him calling and are slow to respond in...

Actually, the first Christians were called followers of the way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. "The way" was a reminder of old testament prophecy regarding the redemption of Israel, and refers to a road or path to be followed. Even the Lord's demonstration of service by washing the...

While not saying so, some Protestants don't consider Catholics to be Christian, and some Catholics don't identify as Christian so that they won't be considered Protestants. I think its carnal nature to view the carnal as non Christian, but everyone is born with a carnal mind and every Christian...

In the gospels, the most difficult people to reach, the ones Jesus sometimes referred to as sons of the devil, were those confident in their own righteousness, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. The church has its own version.

You're sinless?

Excellent post, but I would suggest that you edit it slightly in reference to the Holy Spirit. Some people think that the Holy Spirit is a force that we can manipulate, but He's a person, one like Christ, so personal pronouns are more accurate and less likely to promote that error. The water...

I agree with you, but this simple act of obedience is significant in the life of a saint in expressing our means of sanctification, identifying with Christ in His death, and rising (from the waters representing that death) to a new life in Christ. Paul exhorts us to put to death the deeds of...

Excellent post, but I would suggest that you edit it slightly in reference to the Holy Spirit I think the point is that religious works do not save. Buddhists, Taoist, and even Jews believe in doing good works to spiritually advance themselves, but how many are Christians?

Excellent post, but I would suggest that you edit it slightly in reference to the Holy Spirit. I believe personal pronouns are more appropriate when referencing the God head (using He rather than it.) Jesus in speaking about the "helper" described the Holy Spirit as one like Him. It may sound...

Maybe I'm just tired and cranky. You didn't offend me, but somebody did. I'm not a mind reader, but I've always had excellent reading comprehension and I know the difference between misstatements and prevarication.

Its clear to you. Its clear to me, but it obviously isn't clear to everyone. Some folks also believe that reciting a sinners prayer saves them, but such a prayer is worthless if it isn't said in faith. I prayed that prayer as a child when I found a tract in my Halloween candy. I wanted to...