Christians and Jews are both anti Acts 2:38.

[Pythagorean12]

I think we're just sort of missing each other, Pythagorean12... not really talking about the same thing. I'm not talking merely about willful sinning. If you want to talk about willfully sinning ~ as in stating that what God has declared and designated as evil/sin as not sin or evil but good (and then acting on it as such) ~ then yes, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, then yes, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries" (10:26).

But I have been and am now talking about sinning in general. As Christians, we know it's wrong, and if we can possibly avoid sin, that's surely our desire as Christians. So we do not willingly sin, as above, but alas, we still sin -- not willfully, but we still sin -- and thus we are sinners. This is the human condition. Now, as Christians, we are redeemed sinners, but alas, in this life, we are still sinners. As John says, "(if) we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." We are still yet sinners. James writes his letter/epistle to Christians, as he addresses us as brothers over and over and over again, right? Almost 20 times, actually. Well, he also addresses us as sinners. James 4:8 is an example, and he even alludes to the dual nature we are now, after having been saved, in possession of:

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."​

Well, agreed, at least sort of... We inherited the natural, sinful nature from Adam and Eve, which they acquired when they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree in Genesis 3. So this sinful nature is inherited by all, and this unrighteousness is imputed. We are unrighteous because of Adam's act in Genesis 3. Our outward sin is the result.


Not so. What he's talking about there is that sin was in the world before the Mosaic law was instituted, but it was not technically reckoned as sin before the time of the law. But even so, Paul does not mean that people were guiltless without the law before God instituted His law through Moses (much less any time since Christ for Christians, which isn't even what he's talking about there). And Paul has already said in Romans 2:12 that those without the written law are still judged by God. As for us today, there is a law; Paul himself, in Romans 8:2, says, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. So there is law for Christians, and Christians transgress that law, and thus there is sin.

​

Okay, fine. I agree. We have the same "demons." That's what Paul is telling us. Surely you don't think Paul would have written that as a part of his personal letter to the Christians in Rome (and by extension to us) if it didn't have any relevance to them (and by extension to us).


This is the now and the not yet of the Gospel. We are saved, and we are being saved. We can get into that if you want...

Grace and peace to you.

And into you.

Christians are no longer sinners.
I'll leave the balance of your exegesis in your hands.

 

[Truther]

Jesus Himself, when He walked the earth as a man, was fully God and fully man.

You're unscriptural statement, that religious commentators like to quote, has it's own error built in.

He could not have been 'fully man', because man was fully sinful, when He came into the world.

The soul is not the body, and the body is not the soul: the 'two natures' are of two different things, one nature is of the soul and one nature is of the body.

The soul is one nature, celestial, and the body is one nature, terrestrial. (1 Cor 15)

We are not our bodies. We are our souls in bodies.

Jesus was fully God, fully in a body of flesh:

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.

He was the Word made flesh, made of a woman: A body was prepared for the God of Israel from the flesh of a woman by the operation of the Spirit, even as Even was made of the flesh of a man. (1 Cor 11:8)

In that He was made a little lower than angels, it was that He was begotten of God into a man's body on earth, not that we was made 'fully man'. He remained fully the God of Israel, yet now in a body made of a woman, after the Spirit

Eve was not the mother of Jesus, neither was He her Son, because Jesus was not the body, but rather the Lord in a body. Eve was not the mother of God, which would have been the case, if the Son had been fully man, not just made of the seed of David according to the flesh, but born of a woman by the seed of man

So it was with the first Adam: The body was made of the dust of the earth, but a living soul was born in that body by the breath of God, and so Scripture calls Adam the son of God. (Luke 3:38)

Man is the soul, not the body. The body returns to the dust, from whence it came, but the soul is God's to judgment.

Adam was made a living soul by the breath of God, not by the body. Jesus was made a quickening Spirit by God in a body prepared for Him, not by the body prepared.

The first Adam was the first living soul in a body made of the dust, and the Second Adam was the Lord Himself in a body made of flesh.

He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, but not made full man, because he was not born of the seed of sinful man, but only His body was made of that seed according to the flesh: the flesh of Mary, who was of the line of David.

Sinful man is a corrupted soul with a sinful nature. Jesus, therefore, was not 'fully man'. He was fully in a body of man.

With the transgression of Adam, the soul which had been of divine nature, became fully sinful in nature. Adam was not part divine and part sinful in nature after His transgression. If so, then all souls born into the world of the seed of Adam, would be partly divine and sinful, partly celestial and partly terrestrial. So, that claiming to have two-natures in one soul is nothing new, nor special to God.

In that we are changed on this earth, our soul is changed from sinful in nature to divine in nature: our soul becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God.

If our souls remain partly sinful in Christ, then all things have not become new and of God, which is contrary to Scripture.

With the transgression of Adam, the soul became sinful, and the body became mortal.

With the reconciliation to God by the Second Adam, the soul becomes divine once again, as in the beginning before transgression, which is no more imputed to that soul, which yet inhabits a mortal body: a son of God born again of the Spirit. A living soul in a sinful body.

That is the truth of the two natures, which Christians have, but not are: We have the divine nature of our soul, and the sinful nature of our body. The unbeliever still has one nature: sinful soul and sinful body, having not the Spirit of God in their souls, with Christ formed in them to become fully and completely new living creatures: A living soul become a son of God on earth in mortal body. (John 1:12)

Neither the Son of God coming in the flesh had two-natures in His soul, one sinful, the other divine, and so neither do the sons of God now made after His likeness and in His image: The old man of sin is the old sinful soul completely dead and buried in the likeness of his resurrection.

That redeemed soul is now of a spiritual nature, the divine nature, and sits in heavenly places, while yet living in a natural body of sinful nature, that is not yet redeemed. The soul is spiritual and divine, being born of the Spirit, and the body is natural and sinful, still made of sinful flesh.

With the resurrection and redemption of the purchased possession, both the soul and the body will be spiritual, divine, and celestial with the Lord forever, even as He is now, and then shall come to pass, that the whole body of Christ yet on earth, and in the earth, shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Not partly divine and partly sinful soul will ever inhabit a wholly spiritually resurrected body.

We are not bodies with souls. We are souls with bodies. And the only people on earth having two different natures are the people of God: the divine nature of the soul walking in the flesh of sinful.

Jesus was made to walk in the likeness of sinful flesh, so that them who believe on Him could become sons of God, born in the likeness of Christ, yet made still to walk in sinful flesh: Christians.

The Second Adam, Jesus Christ, had one nature on earth, even as the first Adam: the divine soul of God, and the uncorrupted flesh of a body, prepared for Him of a woman by the Spirit. Yet without transgression.

Every soul born of Adam thereafter had one nature by transgression: a sinful soul, and a corrupted body of flesh.

The unbelievers on earth continue as such seed of Adam. But believers in Jesus now continue as the Second Adam, howbeit in sinful flesh: two different natures. One for soul, one for body.

At the resurrection, they all shall be of one nature, soul and body, even as the risen God of Israel in the likeness of His resurrection.

If they do not transgress after the similitude of Adam's, which is to neither confess nor repent.

God is human?

Jesus taught that?

Did Jesus describe God as human in John 4:24?

 

[robert derrick]

Any action on your part outside of Faith (a gift of God's grace) for your salvation is a works regardless of what scripture you wish to point to. Evidence of your salvation produces works. When you get to Acts 2:38 keep reading.

True.

Is obeying Acts 2:38 a work of the flesh or Grace?

All obedience to the commandments of the Lord are works with faith by grace: it is called doing the Word and not being a hearer only.

They are works of obedience by faith.

Therefore, water baptism is a work of the believer, in the hands of another believer.

Therefore, salvation by water baptism is by an obedient work with faith, which is the same for circumcision, and if any does so believing that work of faith saves us, then they are fallen from grace, because they believe a lie that God saves us as a debt He owes us for obedience to His faith.

It is not the water that is important, but rather the obedience of faith that fulfills the commandment of baptism.

So, the water does not save. But if the obedience does, then it is not by grace through faith, but of obedient works.

 

[robert derrick]

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Only believers In Jesus can fulfill any commandment of God by obeying it. Without faith, no matter what works we do, including water baptism, will ever please God.

It is the obedient faith that pleases God. Therefore, no man can please Him by water baptism, without faith from the heart in obedience to His Word.

And no man can thus be a doer of the Word of God and not be forgiven of sins and saved, because only the children of God do so by faith from the heart.

Only Christians are water baptized. Because only Christians can please God by the faith of Jesus.

 

[robert derrick]

Confession is a work? Right?

Wrong. Words only do nothing at all. Words are not works. Doing what we say is the work. Words without works are empty, even as faith without works is dead. (James 2)

We are to be doers of the word, not hearers only. Speaking the words of God is as speaking into the air, if the word is not mixed with faith and obeyed.

Even God's words spoken out of His mouth do no work. God did not create heaven and earth by His spoken words.

God spoke the commandment, and the Spirit did the work.

Even as the Father commanded the Son to be born into the world, and by obedience the Son came down from heaven to enter into the body of flesh, which was prepared by the Spirit for Him of the woman, and so Christ was made of a woman.

At the commandment of the Father, both the Son and the Spirit obeyed together to make the Word flesh, by which Jesus would later confess:

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The Son obeyed to come down, and the Spirit obeyed to form the bones to grow in the womb of her that is with child. (Eccles 11:5)

Confessing Jesus as Lord with the mouth, is a commandment of the Lord to them that believe with the heart. When the commandment is obeyed, and the words of the Lord are spoken, then straightway the Spirit obeys the Word to save the soul, sanctify the life, and circumcise the heart.

Even as the Spirit obeyed the Father to prepare a body for the Son, so He also obeys the Son to prepare a new creature for the Son and the Father to dwell in.

That is the power of the spoken word of God, even by faith of a person in natural bodies: it is the spoken commandment of God, out of the mouth of flesh, to His Spirit to do the work.

Now, anyone with faith from the heart, can confess Jesus with the mouth, and shall be saved by the Spirit, Who does the work commanded Him by Christ: to save and sanctify and circumcise His new believer.

The Spirit does not obey the speaker, but the words of the one speaking the faith of Jesus, even as Adam spoke the names of the creatures on earth, and it was so by the Spirit. Jesus Christ on earth, the second Adam, was greater the first, because the Spirit obeyed Him, when He spoke the words of faith.

The words don't do the work, but the Spirit does, when the words are spoken by faith from the heart:

That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

The error is believing that the words spoken do the work, or that the Spirit is obeying the speaker. When we speak by faith from the heart, it is faith in Jesus to command the Spirit to do the work of salvation.

Words are not works. Therefore, confession by mouth is not being saved by works of the believer, but rather by the work of the Spirit.

The error of thinking words are a work, is the same error of thinking works save the soul.

We are not saved by our confession, neither is the work done by our words, but rather we are saved by God the Spirit, who does the work for God the Son, after the words are spoken:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Thou shalt be saved, when the Spirit does the work: confession is made unto salvation.

We are not saved by our confession alone, else we would be saved by ourselves. The confession does not save, but the Spirit after confession is made in obedience to the Lord.

Water baptism is the obedient work of a good answer toward God (1 Peter 3:21), due to salvation with good confession of faith. The Spirit saves the soul by confession of faith, and the saved soul has the body baptized in water by that same faith.

A believer can be saved in baptism of water, but never by water baptism.

Baptism is not for salvation, but for acknowledgment: to welcome the new believer into the fellowship of the saints.

 

[PinSeeker]

Christians are no longer sinners.

Is James mistaken, then, in James 4:8, in addressing Christians as sinners? And remember, this is the Bible, we're talking about, the Word of God, so if James is mistaken, then... God is. So no, James is not mistaken.

I'll say this ~ there is a certain sense in which Christians are no longer sinners. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us by the will of the Father via the work of the Holy Spirit. But there's also a sense in which they very much are sinners.

Again, Pythagorean12, I'm assuming you are a Christian, and given that, do you still sin, at least from time to time? I hope not; I'm sure you're just as aware of John 1:9 as I am, that "(i)f we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Too, I could make a very cogent argument that all we Christians break every single one of the Ten Commandments every single day, many times over. At the very least, we fail to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, the two commandments that Jesus says depend all of Scripture (the Law and the Prophets, Matthew 22:40). So the answer is yes; you, I, we, Christians though we are, still sin. Often. So, then, why? If our nature drives what we do, and our nature is only of God, as you assert, then why do we still sin?

Tongue-in cheek: Exegete that.

Grace and peace to you.

 

[Truther]

True.

Is obeying Acts 2:38 a work of the flesh or Grace?

All obedience to the commandments of the Lord are works with faith by grace: it is called doing the Word and not being a hearer only.

They are works of obedience by faith.

Therefore, water baptism is a work of the believer, in the hands of another believer.

Therefore, salvation by water baptism is by an obedient work with faith, which is the same for circumcision, and if any does so believing that work of faith saves us, then they are fallen from grace, because they believe a lie that God saves us as a debt He owes us for obedience to His faith.

It is not the water that is important, but rather the obedience of faith that fulfills the commandment of baptism.

So, the water does not save. But if the obedience does, then it is not by grace through faith, but of obedient works.

No, it is the name that is spoken(Jesus) while baptism is taking place that is important(to remit one's sins). The water is only symbolic of our faith, but the name spoken, remits.

 

[Truther]

Per Acts 2:38, remission of sins is obtained when a person is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Not a second before this can remission be obtained.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

No, per Acts 2:38, remission of sins is obtained when a person is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Not a second before this can remission be obtained.

What does it matter if a person has in fact been water baptized?
Does God not accept your water baptism if you do not believe that your sins were remitted in the exact moment when you were water baptized?

 

[robert derrick]

No. It is the name that is spoken(Jesus) while baptism is taking place that is important(to remit one's sins). The water is only symbolic of our faith, but the name spoken, remits.

Yes. It is the name of Jesus that is spoken while confessing Him as Lord that is important to to have sins remitted by God, and the Spirit sanctifies and circumcises our hearts.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Then the believer obeys the commandments of God with faith, including water baptism.

Them that believe they are saved by obedience to commandments of Lord are fallen from grace.

Whether by circumcision of the flesh or water baptism of the body or loving one's neighbors.

Some people are so far gone from salvation by grace, that they can't even comprehend the correction of Paul to the Galatians.

That is why Scripture commands Christians to reject admonishing a heretic after the first or second time. It becomes a vain pursuit of correcting someone that refuses to hear Scripture, because they love their special law much more: pride.

 

[robert derrick]

What does it matter if a person has in fact been water baptized?
Does God not accept your water baptism if you do not believe that your sins were remitted in the exact moment when you were water baptized?

Good question.

God would, but the baptism law sect wouldn't.

Totalitarianism doesn't just want active compliance, but demands believing in it.

Even if someone performs it according to their demands, if they find out someone doesn't really believe it the way they do, then they will purge that person from their special ranks.

I was in group much the same. It was all about living made up 'holiness' rules. Even if someone performed them outwardly, they were shunned if there was any hint they did not believe them to be necessary for salvation.

It's just the nature of the proselytizing beast. What they most care about is believers believing their false doctrine, that makes them special from everyone else. It has nothing to do with winning souls to Jesus Christ.

 

[robert derrick]

Is James mistaken, then, in James 4:8, in addressing Christians as sinners? And remember, this is the Bible, we're talking about, the Word of God, so if James is mistaken, then... God is. So no, James is not mistaken.

I'll say this ~ there is a certain sense in which Christians are no longer sinners. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us by the will of the Father via the work of the Holy Spirit. But there's also a sense in which they very much are sinners.

Again, Pythagorean12, I'm assuming you are a Christian, and given that, do you still sin, at least from time to time? I hope not; I'm sure you're just as aware of John 1:9 as I am, that "(i)f we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Too, I could make a very cogent argument that all we Christians break every single one of the Ten Commandments every single day, many times over. At the very least, we fail to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, the two commandments that Jesus says depend all of Scripture (the Law and the Prophets, Matthew 22:40). So the answer is yes; you, I, we, Christians though we are, still sin. Often. So, then, why? If our nature drives what we do, and our nature is only of God, as you assert, then why do we still sin?

Tongue-in cheek: Exegete that.

Grace and peace to you.

I believe what is missing here is the point that NT Scripture does not call God's people sinners, though His people still have power to sin contrary to their divine nature.

I.e. show a Scripture of the NT, where Christians are called sinners, such as Christian sinners, or my beloved sinners...

Scripture calls Christians saints. The elect. The people of God.

The only ones called sinners are the unbelieving. Ungodly sinners, etc...

In Scripture, there is power in the name. What we call ourselves influences our mind and behavior. Calling ourselves sinners only reinforces the attitude of sinning.

The modern penchant for assuring everyone that we are still 'sinners', is a kind of self-castigating effort not to appear 'proud' or holier-than-thou.

Neither Jesus nor the apostles would ever call a Christian believer, a sinner. We know this, because they never do in Scripture.

So, Christians are saints in Christ Jesus, who are not called sinners of the world, and if they do sin, it is against the divine nature of their souls, and yet have an advocate with the Father for forgiveness of sins with confession from the heart.

That is Scripture teaching.

 

[Truther]

What does it matter if a person has in fact been water baptized?
Does God not accept your water baptism if you do not believe that your sins were remitted in the exact moment when you were water baptized?

Our faith in the process does not trump the name of Jesus Christ to remit out sins.....

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Peter did not give them this trump card.

 

[Truther]

Good question.

God would, but the baptism law sect wouldn't.

Totalitarianism doesn't just want active compliance, but demands believing in it.

Even if someone performs it according to their demands, if they find out someone doesn't really believe it the way they do, then they will purge that person from their special ranks.

I was in group much the same. It was all about living made up 'holiness' rules. Even if someone performed them outwardly, they were shunned if there was any hint they did not believe them to be necessary for salvation.

It's just the nature of the proselytizing beast. What they most care about is believers believing their false doctrine, that makes them special from everyone else. It has nothing to do with winning souls to Jesus Christ.

Peter is the founder of the 'baptism law sect"(BLS)?...

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Did Peter win the 3000 souls that day, but we can improve on it?

 

[Truther]

No. It is the name that is spoken(Jesus) while baptism is taking place that is important(to remit one's sins). The water is only symbolic of our faith, but the name spoken, remits.

Yes. It is the name of Jesus that is spoken while confessing Him as Lord that is important to to have sins remitted by God, and the Spirit sanctifies and circumcises our hearts.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Then the believer obeys the commandments of God with faith, including water baptism.

Them that believe they are saved by obedience to commandments of Lord are fallen from grace.

Whether by circumcision of the flesh or water baptism of the body or loving one's neighbors.

Some people are so far gone from salvation by grace, that they can't even comprehend the correction of Paul to the Galatians.

That is why Scripture commands Christians to reject admonishing a heretic after the first or second time. It becomes a vain pursuit of correcting someone that refuses to hear Scripture, because they love their special law much more: pride.

Per Acts 2:38, remission of sins is obtained when a person is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Not a second before this can remission be obtained.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Our faith in the process does not trump the name of Jesus Christ to remit out sins.....

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Peter did not give them this trump card.

What believers this side of the Book of Acts are not baptized in the name of Jesus???

If anything gets neglected in this matter of water baptism it's the matter of the Holy Spirit, not the name of Jesus. And I mean the Holy Spirit in regard to power and infilling, not salvation itself. That is where I would agree that the church has failed in regard to water baptism. But, certainly, the church has not failed in regard to being obedient to Christ to be water baptized. What church doesn't baptize it's members??? I mean, maybe there a couple of rouge denominations who don't, but virtually all denom's baptize their members! We have not failed in this matter of obeying Christ to be water baptized.

 

[robert derrick]

What believers this side of the Book of Acts are not baptized in the name of Jesus???

If anything gets neglected in this matter of water baptism it's the matter of the Holy Spirit, not the name of Jesus. And I mean the Holy Spirit in regard to power and infilling, not salvation itself. That is where I would agree that the church has failed in regard to water baptism. But, certainly, the church has not failed in regard to being obedient to Christ to be water baptized. What church doesn't baptize it's members??? I mean, maybe there a couple of rouge denominations who don't, but virtually all denom's baptize their members! We have not failed in this matter of obeying Christ to be water baptized.

We have not failed in this matter of obeying Christ to be water baptized.

Which is the common sense of it all. But the division makers are never happy with the common faith and practice of the body of Christ.

It's all about being the greatest in the kingdom of God. Really special and superior to the rest. Pride.

They don't argue that believers aren't water baptism, and in the name of Jesus. They argue that we are baptized without the right thinking on it, and not by the right people.

It's not good enough to believe Jesus and be water baptized in obedience to the faith. No, we must believe that until we are water baptized according to their formulae, by them, and in their presence, then it's not really being water baptized at all.

It is truly childish, pernicious, and self-promoting. Authoritarian cultism.

And so no sensible argument of Scripture and common understanding, which you give, will do. The only thing that satisfies their lust for dominion over the faith, is for everyone else to repent, believe them, and come be baptized by them for official remission of sins.

I.e. join their cult.

 

[robert derrick]

It is the name that is spoken(Jesus) while baptism is taking place that is important(to remit one's sins). The water is only symbolic of our faith, but the name spoken, remits.

And so it is agreed after all. It is the confession of the faith from the heart by which we are saved and forgiven of sins.

Not by baptism in water, which is a commanded act of obedience to Christ, in order to be accepted openly into the fellowship of the saints.

Neither the water nor the act of obedience can save the soul, lest it be by works to boast of.

Which is exactly what the 2:38 crowd crows about.

And to say the only confession of faith that counts for remission of sin, is the one right before being dunked, is the deviant teaching of a carnal mind.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. But only if you are about to be dunked.

So we must hold our confession, until we can get down to the river. No confessing Jesus beforehand. That's cheating. It don't count.

Carnal minds are always trying to come up with having a hand in saving someone's soul. They can't just leave it up to God alone getting the glory.

It is a fact, that every time one of these proselytizers actually gets someone to agree with them and go through with it, then their recruiting glory fills their hearts and minds with self-congratulations. All in the name of Jesus, of course.

Truly childish stuff.

 

[Pythagorean12]

Is James mistaken, then, in James 4:8, in addressing Christians as sinners? And remember, this is the Bible, we're talking about, the Word of God, so if James is mistaken, then... God is. So no, James is not mistaken.

James is not mistaken. God is not mistaken. You are mistaken.
James is speaking to the unsaved in that verse. He's spreading the gospel.

Christians who imagine themselves still a dinner are entitled. They aren't saved so it is right their heart expose the nominal fault their soul identifies and their lips reveal.
And given the opportunity, which is daily life, they shall prove it.

While those who are reborn, indwelt, know the dinner they were was left behind in the living water that is Christ. And as they resurrected from baptism, washed clean by the blood.

This is a poor language, mine, and all printed versions as relate God's truth.

However, the words on paper or screen are like a roadmap that points inward and outside of time to eternal God. And his message that pulses like a heartbeat, inate in all creation is there. Always.

When we transcend that illusionary barrier we think separates we the created from our creator, that barrier invented by man who want us to believe our human being mess makes us removed from the power that gave birth to all that exists from itself, as a reflection of its power and presence, we know we are home. And always have been.

I'll say this ~ there is a certain sense in which Christians are no longer sinners. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us by the will of the Father via the work of the Holy Spirit. But there's also a sense in which they very much are sinners.

Again, Pythagorean12, I'm assuming you are a Christian, and given that, do you still sin, at least from time to time? I hope not; I'm sure you're just as aware of John 1:9 as I am, that "(i)f we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Too, I could make a very cogent argument that all we Christians break every single one of the Ten Commandments every single day, many times over. At the very least, we fail to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, the two commandments that Jesus says depend all of Scripture (the Law and the Prophets, Matthew 22:40). So the answer is yes; you, I, we, Christians though we are, still sin. Often. So, then, why? If our nature drives what we do, and our nature is only of God, as you assert, then why do we still sin?

Tongue-in cheek: Exegete that.

Grace and peace to you.

You insist you are a sinner.

Please don't presume to speak for other Christians, or Christ.
Or mar the gospel.

You're the sinner. As you insist.

 

[Truther]

What believers this side of the Book of Acts are not baptized in the name of Jesus???

If anything gets neglected in this matter of water baptism it's the matter of the Holy Spirit, not the name of Jesus. And I mean the Holy Spirit in regard to power and infilling, not salvation itself. That is where I would agree that the church has failed in regard to water baptism. But, certainly, the church has not failed in regard to being obedient to Christ to be water baptized. What church doesn't baptize it's members??? I mean, maybe there a couple of rouge denominations who don't, but virtually all denom's baptize their members! We have not failed in this matter of obeying Christ to be water baptized.

The church has been a massive failure in not baptizing in Jesus name. They have omitted it to their demise.