Morning Veteran,
I believe that is the human part of the flesh reasoning because man is taking the human view point that Christ was perfect and man cannot be as he was.
Christ said:- " Take my yoke because it is light." We know that Christ was not good of himself but rather being born of the Holy Spirit and the power of the most high, he was Holy by nature and by actions.
"My words are Spirit and they are life." it is not I who do the works but rather my Father who is in me does his own work. through me." Isn't that the same for all believers? Is it not how we listen and how we understand that makes the difference?
That still does not mean we become our 'own' Christ, which is actually what the Gnostic style titles are trying to represent. A more modern view of it is contained within books like The Da Vinci Code, and earlier like The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis, considered by many in the Church a spiritual treatise, yet it borders on ideas of Gnosticism and is even recommended reading in some Gnostic New Age circles. Loving our Lord Jesus and obeying Him is one thing, but any idea that assumes we can be just like Him is another.
To put on Christ is to believe what he taught us. To be born of Spirit and Truth as he was through the power of our heavenly Father. Christ was the first born of many of us.
As for being beyond the best God allows us to be how are you measuring that or how can you sustain that belief in scripture?
The answer to that is easy. Galatians 3:22, The Scripture has concluded all... under sin, so the Promise by Faith on Jesus Christ might be to them that believe. Obviously, our Lord Jesus, even in the flesh, was not concluded under sin, for He had no sin. Know anyone else capable of that, literally like Jesus when He was here on earth?
Gnosticism believes it is possible for all in the flesh, which is the idea of self-salvation, not Salvation through the Blood of Jesus Christ by Faith. The eastern pagans added to that idea the concept of reincarnation and release from the wheel of Karma rebirth, becoming literally perfect in the flesh to become a type demi-god. Those kind of ideas do not belong to Christian Doctrine per The Bible, and our Lord Jesus never taught those ideas.
If Christ was without sin and was sacrificed in our place. What is the best we can be in grace and truth?
Surely we will be all that God has ordained us to be in the Spirit?
Not "If Christ was without sin", He was... without sin as written. How can anyone else match that? It's vain to think any of us could ever match that. Otherwise His Sacrifice would no longer be a covering for the sins of those who believe on Him.
So the best we can be during this flesh existence, is to repent to Him of our sins, asking forgiveness, and get back to serving Him and doing the work He set out for us as His stewards. When we do that, then we are
counted... as 'perfect'. That's different than actually being 'perfect' and without sin like He was in the flesh, for we all fall short of the glory of God as written. So being counted as perfect when we stay in Christ is the best we can be today, and that working is... by walking in The Spirit.
Sounds confusing...Faith, hope and love. The greatest is love. If all the law and teachings of the Prophets are summed up in two commandments. And the only way to love Christ is to obey these two commandments. Then how do you stay in his word any other way? Can you really be Christ-like or have a Christ-like outside these things?
We cannot be our own Christ, period. We can be His disciples, His stewards, His servants, "sons of God" which means God's children, but not God ourselves. Gnosticism believes one can become their own God by being 'Christ-like'.
I have never heard of such a thing. Can anything about Christ or being Christ-like come from the world or outside the body of Christ and God the Father and Holy Spirit?
Might want to read up on the subject of 2nd century Gnosticism, and their early attempt to infiltrate the Church. The early Church fathers like Irenaus wrote a whole lot about their ideas, as did others, all as a warning to Christian brethren. That warning is still in effect for the Church today, since the Gnostic movement is still going on today.
A mystery: there's only 2 basic principles involving the idea of Salvation. There's true Salvation only through... Faith on The Saviour Jesus Christ through His Blood shed upon the cross; and then there's the old tempting by Satan for one to think to become their own god. Christian Doctrine is of the first, but pagan doctrine is of the latter. All pagan doctrine of mythology, the ancient 'mystery schools', eastern and western mysticism, etc., are of the latter principle originating from the temptation in God's Garden. Even the orthodox Jews have a branch of this later paganism with the various Kabbalistic movements of history, which goes back to the pagan Canaanites who crept into Israel's stay early per Bible history.
You see to obey the Laws and the Prophets in full in the old covenant resulted in life. To obey Christ in full the two commandments results in life. So what doctrines could you possibly be referring to?
Useless arguments or false thoughts of Christ-like is a deception. There is only one way to God and that is Jesus Christ.
What other doctrines can there be?
We well know Israel under the Old Covenant was not able... to obey, showing the need for The Saviour and His New Covenant.
I think I've made it well clear what false doctrine I've been referring to that goes against The New Covenant Jesus Christ. If you think for one minute this is a useless argument, revealing the Gnosticism movement that still tries to pry it's way into Christian Doctrine then you're mistaken. And by remaining ignorant of the enemy's devices, Gnostic ideas being one them, is to be open to their evil designs against the Church. That the early Church fathers also confirmed.
With respect, I for one have no idea of these things you speak about. Nowhere in the bible the old or new testament does it say that God was made flesh. John clearly makes this clear in his letters.
1 John 4:2
King James Version (KJV)
[sup]2 [/sup]Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Jesus Christ came in the flesh. So where do you get the teaching that God came in the flesh. Rather than God spoke through Christ?
1 Tim 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
(KJV)
I think you might want to try again with that.