BloodBought 1953
Well-Known Member
I consider that the Bible teaches that those who abide in Jesus Christ do not sin (1 John 3:6); for they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit...and as a result the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them (Romans 8:4)...see 1 John 3:4.
But I consider also that if anyone has been made perfect, that they will also consider that they have room to grow and have not attained to perfection (Philippians 3:12-15, esp. v.15). They consider themselves not to have apprehended; and this makes them a candidate for perfection.
Things like that can short-circuit your brain; however, they are biblical truths.
So, what does it mean to be exalted?
If I say that I have no sin, I will be abased. I will be thrust down into sin.
If I humble myself and say, "God, be merciful to me a sinner" I will be exalted. I will be given the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:7, Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6).
As long as I humble myself and call myself a sinner, the Lord will give me the power to have victory over (1 Corinthians 15:57) and freedom from (John 8:31-36) sin.
I am a sinner in that sin indwells me; and I do not deny that.
However, I will also state that it is possible to walk in freedom (John 8:31-36) and victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) over sin.
If you ask me whether that is the general direction of my life, that I am walking no longer in the direction of sin, death, hell, and satan, I will tell you that I did indeed repent and am walking towards righteousness, life, heaven, and God.
Is this pride? Is this exalting myself?
Or, is it merely declaring with accuracy what the Lord has done in my life?
The reality is, that I had an experience like that of the tax collector in the parable; and, as I beat my hands upon my chest, the reality was that I was discontented with a lifestyle of sinning. My iniquity had been found to be hateful (Psalms 36:2). It had taken its toll on my life and I as through with it.
Is it any glory to me therefore that I turned away from my sin?
Have I somehow said that I am better than other people because I don't any longer live the way that I used to live? I say to you verily, the fact that I don't live any longer like I used to is in no way a statement of superiority over those who have not yet repented in this way. We are all sinners, in the sense that we have indwelling sin. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). The only difference in me is that I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ and He has given me the Holy Spirit because I relinquished the control over my own life. I do not any longer live by what I want (the flesh) but by what the Lord wants (the Spirit).
So, my better behaviour in no way makes me a better person than you. I am just as much of a sinner as you are, in my flesh. What changes my behaviour is that I do not walk according to the flesh (Romans 8:4). Because I have accepted Jesus as the Lord of my life.
All Of the above is “Null and Void” if you do not have “ Lucky Repentance”.....( he “ forgot” to mention that—— he does that quite often)
