My problem with this is that Christians can (and do) continue to sin. Are none of those sins able to forfeit a true believer's salvation?
The answer I usually get to this question is that the sinner’s original acceptance of Christ wasn’t really genuine, as demonstrated by his subsequent behavior belying any genuine decision to live a life in imitation of Christ. This kind of “by their fruits ye shall know them” argument is, of course, a slippery slope. Once it is conceded that even the genuinely born-again can lapse into sin, we are stuck with figuring out how much sin is too much (or worse, how to deal with the sinner who will not confess the sin). So I am looking for a better answer.
I do not presume to know what you do or do not know.
My perspective. (Warning Long, scroll by if no interest to you)
I look at SIN, for what it WAS and what it IS.
What it WAS, and IS was/is Being directed by God, then failing to DO that directive.
Adam, case in point. Directed to eat of every tree, but didn’t. Directed to Not eat of one particular tree, but did.
...His Freewill choices, became called sin.
What it WAS, was directives oral, then written, called Laws.
The tribal, governing head, ie father of a group, receive the Law from God, told the people, the people agreed to DO, sometimes did DO, sometimes did NOT DO. The Law itself contained the Consequences...
DO as directed and
having Agreed, expect this positive consequence.
DO NOT as directed after
having Agreed, expect this negative consequence.
- Applicable to those called Hebrews, then called ISRAEL, then called 12 Tribes, then scattered, the primarily called Jews, now called ISRAELITES, or commonly Jews, (in reference to a Race of People), regardless of which specifics Tribe.
- IF Under the Law (ie subject to the Law), what applied to forefathers Agreement, also applied to descendants.
- SAME, what Godly promises were given applied to the forefathers and descendants.
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Under the Law, NOT OBEYING or DISOBEYING the law, was called A SIN. (It could be a sin against God, a sin against mankind, a trespass against mankind.)
That^ applied to those people specific, and to this day, still does, “IF” they elect to continue Under the Law. Some do, Some do not. Some maintain claim of their Jewish “race”, but are not particularly Practicers of their Jewish “religion”.
I am a Gentile, thus not applicable to me.
- The Jews First, then all Tribesmen were sent forth from Heaven, out of Gods Mouth, Gods Word, in a body God Prepared, in the Likeness as a Jewish man, that Jewish men could Hear...and SEE.
(For centuries their complaint was they could Hear, but that was not satisfactory, they wanted to SEE God.)
So, God promised He would sent a MESSIAH, an image in the flesh.
- You know the Order and Way... Jesus arrives as a humbled Jewish Servant of God...teaches, preaches, reveals mysteries, reveals knowledge that had been kept secret, etc.
- Jews are Divided, who believes Him, who doesn’t, some who feel their own Jewish teaching power position threatened and largely against Him.
- Gentiles are Hearing the buzz, lending their ear, divided, some believe, some do not.
- Jesus grooms students, (so to speak) 12 Jews, called Disciples, to carry on teaching to the Jews and all tribesmen. 1 Deflects turns against Jesus.
- One man of mixed heritage, citizen of Rome, (father a Roman) and (mother a Jew), this man raised Jewish, called Saul, becomes excellently taught in Jewish Law/Religion, becomes a Pharisee.
- he is against this Jesus and taunts the people that follow this Jesus.
- Jesus leaves Earth, after growing, maturing, preaching for 3 years.
* this one man Saul, has an encounter, with a Light shining down from Heaven, and A voice of the Lord, about his taunting Jesus’ followering.
* The Lord solicits this Roman/Jew/Pharisee, to Serve Jesus.
* Saul the Jew/ ie Paul the Roman, agrees.
* Paul goes to the Arabian wilderness for 3 years and is taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, via the Holy Spirit.
* Pauls’ Service to the Lord, IS to Primarily teach the Gentiles the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Meantime while Paul is in Arabia, the Jews, ie Disciples are traveling primarily to Jew established communities, primarily going to the Synagogs, to share the news of Jesus Christ. The congregation is ofcourse the Jew Members of the Synagogs, and inviting not only Gentile men, but Gentile women, Jewish women, into the meeting place, and establishing those electing to “follow” Jesus’ teaching, being called “the Church”.
- Separate buildings, begin being established as Churches...people are deciding where to go, when to go, and what they desire to hear.
* So it’s a mix, a joining together, a maintaining of separation as each chooses.
- Paul leaves Arabia, goes to where some Disciples are preaching.
- At this point (while Paul was in Arabia) the Disciples have as well chosen men to help them, learn, travel, or stay in particular areas/cities. It is a mix, Jews and Gentiles, “leaders” so to speak, conferring one with the other, trying to make sure they are all spreading the Word,
according to Gods Word.
- Many “leaders” are skeptical when Paul arrives, and says he Believes in Christ Jesus, and has been Preaching Christ Jesus, along his way from Arabia to Antioch (Ie in Turkey).
A mutual friend vouches for Paul. Then the Holy Spirit by His Word informs the Disciples( teaching ie now called Apostles), that Paul WAS Chosen by Christ Jesus TO preach to the Gentiles.
- eh whispers, doubts, maybe’s among them.
TO the POINT...the NT is the oral, scribes hearing, scribes writing, recorders rewriting on script, written records kept preserved, taught from, copied, distributed, at times confiscated, stolen, burned, rewritten from memory, hidden, distributed, lost, discovered, found, more copying, more distributing...
* In the NT...AS both the Jews, desiring to Learn about Jesus’ Gospel, and AS Gentiles, desiring to Learn about Jesus’ Gospel ... were BOTH
Mixing...learning something new...wondering...questioning...doubting...
Denying...Believing...keeping a Divide...all pretty much hanging on what INDIVIDUALS were freely choosing to Hear, agree or disagree, mingle, or divide.
So keeping in mind..
.you are NOT represented as Every single person IN the NT. Some things apply to the Jews, some things apply to the Gentiles, some things apply to Believers, some things apply to Doubters, some things apply to Flat out Deniers, and
a FEW things apply to INDIVIDUALS, who heartfully Believe......
AND followed Gods express direction (Order and Way according to Gods Word)
TO Become MADE “now/then”, fully assuredly COMMITTED To the Lord God Almighty...
AND Receive “now/then”, the fulfillment of Gods Promise FOR heartfully Committing TO the Lord God Almighty.
Jews, Gentiles, umpteen divisions among the “teaching congregations”, umpteen divisions among the people, (which many PEOPLE have stamped themselves with A TITLE, which within that TITLE, there are many divisions.)
Applying a TITLE to oneself, merely gives an INDICATION of what one believes, but not the details.
* Such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism...GENERAL TITLES, but not the Details of the Divisions within the SECTS...and they ALL have Divisions within...and Divisions among the members of the same Sects.
A Person WHO, has DONE the WILL of the Father, TO MAKE a True Heartful Commitment, are expressly ONE group WHO are Divided from ALL others and ARE expressly IN Christ. That is a permanent adjoining.
* Others can continue joining, quitting, joining another, quitting, etc.
* The Permanency IS by, through, of The Works and The Keeping BY The POWER of God.
* By, through, of The Promise of God, that individual IS forgiven ALL sin and Trespasses...AND CAN NEVER AGAIN “commit” SIN..
* They CAN NEVER AGAIN Be or Stand AGAINST GOD.
* Now, CAN THEY “commit” Trespasses Against, between and among MEN? Absolutely. Forming a permanent holy relationship with God...
DOES NOT MEAN, (that man NOW KNOWS ALL THINGS).
* So sure, men can Trespass AGAINST men....unintentionally...and even intentionally.
* It is the unintentional trespassing, (accidents, say you will do something, then can’t, etc.) That we easily can apologize, correct.
* It is the intentional trespassing, we struggle with. When our mind wants to do this...and our heart says...eh...bad idea, grave risk, tsk, tsk...
Sometimes we allow our mind to overrule our Heart, and oops, suffer the consequences.
* It’s a life long practice, to train our mind to listen to our hearts.
My sin: was my flesh being naturally born in sin.
My sin: was corrupting my soul in my natural flesh.
My sin: was my natural spirit (ie my truth in my heart), having unbelief in God.
My SIN was expressly AGAINST God.
God expressly offered me a WAY, according to His Will, His Order, His Way, to receive His forgiveness, sanctification, justification, covering, promises, truth, life and by His POWER, Made wholly Whole and holy and WITH Him forever....and I heartfully Accepted His Offering.
Glory to God,
Taken
