@Behold, would you expound the following:

[justbyfaith]

It's been quite a few days and still, @Behold hasn't exegeted the verses in question.

 

[Stumpmaster]

It's been quite a few days and still, @Behold hasn't exegeted the verses in question.

Still thinking perhaps...meanwhile, may we let meekness reside in our hearts.

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.

 

[justbyfaith]

Still thinking perhaps...meanwhile, may we let meekness reside in our hearts.

I suppose that we can wait a little while longer.

However, I would say that if @Behold does not have an answer, and cannot exegete the verses in question, that it is very likely because his doctrine is contradicted by the verses in question and in order to exegete them he would have to deny what he himself teaches.

 

[justbyfaith]

Still waiting...

 

[marks]

It's been quite a few days and still, @Behold hasn't exegeted the verses in question.

What does that say to you?

 

[justbyfaith]

What does that say to you?

It says to me that @Behold's doctrine is in fact as I have understood it to be...a denial of the verses in question.

 

[marks]

It says to me that @Behold's doctrine is in fact as I have understood it to be...a denial of the verses in question.

That's what I thought.

But it doesn't say that to me, whatever that's worth!

 

[justbyfaith]

That's what I thought.

But it doesn't say that to me, whatever that's worth!

So, do you believe that when @Behold constantly says that confessing and repenting is a negative thing; and also denies indwelling sin; that he is not denying the scriptures in question?

I think that he can clear up the confusion very easily by giving an exegesis of the verses in question...so that we can know what he believes about them, at the very least...and so that we can know whether his belief lines up with them or else is totally against them.

I really want to see his take on what they mean...

Because it seems to me that many of his statements are diametrically opposes to the plain meaning of these verses.

 

[marks]

So, do you believe that when @Behold constantly says that sinning and confessing and repenting is a negative thing; and also denies indwelling sin; that he is not denying the scriptures in question?

I haven't seen @Behold deny indwelling sin, and neither do I, but I'm not that sinner. I'm a child of God, and that which is born of God sins not.

A cycle of sinning and repenting . . . doesn't that even just SOUND wrong?

No amount of Law keeping will solve our sin problem, it only makes it worse. And lawkeeping is rule or ordinance imposed upon you that you have to follow to keep yourself in good standing.

So then, trust in Jesus, complete trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross means abandoning all self-effort at keeping yourself in good standing, not because you've simply given up, although that's often what it takes, but because you reliance is on Jesus and NOTHING else.

If I'm trusting Jesus for me being acceptable to God, then that means I'm not looking to my own good behavior, or pure thoughts, or whatever. Now, that doesn't mean I don't value good behavior, or right thinking, but in point of fact, these things do not matter towards my acceptability to God. All that matters is Jesus' death, and I am reborn in Him.

So letting go completely of this notion that when I act better, God accepts me, and when I don't, He doesn't, and accepting the truth that I am accepted in the Beloved, this frees me from the bondage of lawkeeping.

I'm accepted in Him, and I can't add to that, or take away from it.

Once you've reached that point, and you accept this fully, something wonderful happens. Being released from a mindset of lawkeeping releases us to the freedom of constant relationship with God, and the doors of our faith swing wide open. Now that we realize that God rewards our faith with eternal life. It's not a reward for works. And eternal life is not merely "life without end", it means, knowing God.

When confronted with the tempation to sin, I recognize that it doesn't matter towards my relationship with God whether I commit that sin or not. I know what that sounds like to many, but I can't help that.

It doesn't matter towards whether I am saved, reborn, accepted by God, approved by Him, filled with the Spirit, it doesn't matter whether I falter in my faith and commit a sin. Jesus reconciled me to the Father for even that sin.

Of course it matters tremendously towards what my life will be like today, whether I'm at peace, rejoicing, fruitful, serving others, all good things . . . sin can sink those things. But not my relationship with God, who justifies the ungodly.

Here's the next opportunity for argument . . . "but not to remain ungodly!" Of course!

But in the midst of tempations to sin, when I remember that this won't change my relationship with God, since that is based on what Jesus did, not what I do, when I remember that, suddenly I don't seem to care about that temptation anymore. And I don't commit that sin, because I'm simply enjoying being with my Father, even though my corrupt mind of the flesh comes up with this garbage, wanting to sin.

Temptations to sin lose their power when I remember that nothing can separate me from God's love. It's as if acknowledging that if I sin, it cannot hurt me in my standing with God, that this removes the power of that temptation. When I remember it doesn't matter whether I sin or not, God will still love me, and is still my Father, when I remember this, it simply becomes a non-issue. Grace is sufficient.

Much love!

 

[justbyfaith]

Yes, @marks, I think you have it.

I don't disagree with anything that you have written in the post above (#69).

I will only say that I have indeed seen @Behold deny indwelling sin on not a few occasions.

And also, it is important that we stay transparent before God (by walking in the light and confessing our sins); because through this He is able to cleanse us from all sin/unrighteousness as He pinpoints that sin and we lay our sins at the foot of the Cross to be dealt with by Him as His blood covers them and/or washes them away.

 

[marks]

I will only say that I have indeed seen @Behold deny indwelling sin on not a few occasions.

I think you may have misunderstood, but that would be for him to say.

And also, it is important that we stay transparent before God (by walking in the light and confessing our sins); because through this He is able to cleanse us from all sin/unrighteousness as He pinpoints that sin and we lay our sins at the foot of the Cross to be dealt with by Him as His blood covers them and/or washes them away.

This puts the onus on us to remain saved.

I think the darkness and light which John was writing about was the darkness of being without Christ, and the light of being in Christ.

Much love!

 

[justbyfaith]

I think you may have misunderstood, but that would be for him to say.


This puts the onus on us to remain saved.

I think the darkness and light which John was writing about was the darkness of being without Christ, and the light of being in Christ.

Much love!

It does not put the onus on us to remain saved; for our position in Christ is secure whether we abide or not.

It does put the onus on us to maintain our relationship to Him to a certain extent.

In any good marriage, it is not only the husband who works to make the marriage work. The wife must also take part.

And I think that staying transparent is not a difficult yoke (for His yoke is easy and his burden is light); but is merely the conditions for a good relationship; whether it be between us and the Lord or whether it be between me and my spouse.

 

[justbyfaith]

Still waiting for @Behold's exegesis of the verses in question.

 

[justbyfaith]

@Behold,

We are all still waiting for your exegesis of the verses in question.