Grace is NOT unmerited favor!

[CharismaticLady]

This is NOT saying that God's power is given to us as if we earned it. No, it is a gift from Jesus to those who are truly repentant and cry out to Him for Salvation from our sins. He gives us power. The New Covenant is not Law, but the powerful Spirit of Christ.

Paul's teaching on sin and the Law of Moses was 8 chapters long. Taking any of the chapters from the middle and making doctrines out of them and separating them from the conclusion - chapter 8 - will definitely lead to incomprehensible false doctrines. For anyone to think God shuts His eyes to sin and darkness doesn't know anything about the nature of God. I've seen it done with chapters 3, 4, 5 and 7. Oy vey! Chapter 8 is Jesus took away our sin; therefore no need for the law. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ has freed us from the law of sin and death. Grace is NOT unmerited favor and all the covered up practice of sin that goes with that erroneous definition. Grace is the power of God to partake of the divine nature! 2 Peter 1:2-4

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Acts 1:
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

Ephesians 3:
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Reading some of the posts on this site makes me shudder!

Listen to Jesus, NOT the the Reformationists!

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

 

[Enoch111]

Grace is NOT unmerited favor!

BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS!

 

[CharismaticLady]

BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS!

Exactly!!!

What is your definition so I can add it to the vote.

Isaiah 5:20

 

[Enoch111]

What is your definition so I can add it to the vote.

TITUS 2: THE GRACE OF GOD OFFERS SALVATION TO ALL
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 

[justbyfaith]

Romans 4:1-8 isn't really scripture to be believed, is what @CharismaticLady seems to be saying.

There is a place for holiness doctrine, and there is a place for the teachings on grace.

Grace as unmerited favour leads a man into holiness; believe it or not.

This is what it has done in my life.

It wasn't until I fully understood that I am forgiven of past, present, and future sin(s) that I got the victory over besetting sins in Christ.

See Romans 4:7-8, Hebrews 9:12, and Romans 8:38-39. All of these teach that it is not only the sins of the past that are forgiven. Things present nor things to come (including sins) shall not be able to separate us from the love of God. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. He has secured eternal redemption for us.

'nuff said!

 

[CharismaticLady]

Romans 4:1-8 isn't really scripture to be believed, is what @CharismaticLady seems to be saying.

There is a place for holiness doctrine, and there is a place for the teachings on grace.

Grace as unmerited favour leads a man into holiness; believe it or not.

This is what it has done in my life.

It wasn't until I fully understood that I am forgiven of past, present, and future sin(s) that I got the victory over besetting sins in Christ.

See Romans 4:7-8, Hebrews 9:12, and Romans 8:38-39. All of these teach that it is not only the sins of the past that are forgiven. Things present nor things to come (including sins) shall not be able to separate us from the love of God. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. He has secured eternal redemption for us.

'nuff said!

Have you read the post, or just the title?

 

[justbyfaith]

The fact that we are not under the law, are dead to the law, and are delivered from the law (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19; Romans 7:6) means that there is no more condemnation because of the law. Which means that we are forgiven of past, present, and future sins; since the law no longer condemns us in the past, present, or the future regarding sins we have committed, do commit, or will commit.

But another thing that not being under the law, becoming dead to the law, and being delivered from the law does for us is that it can't any longer be utilized by the element of sin to bring about all manner of concupiscence (see Romans 7:8 (kjv)). It is the condemnation of the law that gives sin this power in utilizing the law to make us sin.

Therefore when condemnation is utterly removed, sin no longer has this power because of the law: sin is no longer "forbidden fruit" because of the law and therefore it does not have the same appeal to us.

This is accomplished through the utter forgiveness that is brought to us through the blood of Christ.

Rom 7:8, But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

 

[justbyfaith]

Have you read the post, or just the title?

Have you read my posts?

Because I have indeed read yours.

And I'm not discounting the verses that you have quoted (although the kjv, in Matthew 7:13-14, renders the word "difficult" as "strait" so that it is not in any contradiction to Matthew 11:28-30 (kjv)).

Mat 11:28, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30, For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

[CharismaticLady]

The fact that we are not under the law, are dead to the law, and are delivered from the law (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19; Romans 7:6) means that there is no more condemnation because of the law. Which means that we are forgiven of past, present, and future sins; since the law no longer condemns us in the past, present, or the future regarding sins we have committed, do commit, or will commit.

This is exactly my point. You believe that just because there is no law, there is no means of righteousness given to us to be holy. Our present sins we commit, as well as our future sins we will commit have no condemnation to them. You've taken a chapter in the middle out of context of the whole, especially the conclusion. Thank you for making my point so perfectly.

 

[justbyfaith]

This is exactly my point. You believe that just because there is no law, there is no means of righteousness given to us to be holy. You've taken a chapter in the middle out of context of the whole, especially the conclusion. Thank you for making my point so perfectly.

The things in the middle are indeed scripture; and are therefore profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.

Insight can be gleaned from every verse of scripture; it is there for the taking.

If you want to discount Romans 1-5, 7 and only pay attention to Romans 6 and 8, that is your prerogative.

Maybe it will help you to do better with holiness, I don't know.

But for me, taking in all of what the epistle of Paul to the Romans says to me is conducive to holiness; once I came to understand it well enough.

 

[CharismaticLady]

Therefore when condemnation is utterly removed, sin no longer has this power because of the law: sin is no longer "forbidden fruit" because of the law and therefore it does not have the same appeal to us.

This is almost correct, except for having the cart before the horse.

You believe the removal of the law is the cure for sin.

Romans 8 shows us that it is the removal by Jesus of sin in our nature through the Spirit, that makes us free from having to have a law tell us what to do.

 

[justbyfaith]

As true believers in Christ, the law no longer condemns us from the outside, as tablets written on stone; but it governs us from the inside, as being written on fleshy tables of human hearts.

 

[justbyfaith]

This is almost correct, except for having the cart before the horse.

You believe the removal of the law is the cure for sin.

Romans 8 shows us that it is the removal by Jesus of sin in our nature through the Spirit, that makes us free from having to have a law tell us what to do.

The motions of sins, which are by the law, is what works in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5).

Take away the law as a condemning factor, and there is no more motions of sins.

 

[justbyfaith]

If you add "both" to the poll, I'll vote for that one.

 

[CharismaticLady]

The motions of sins, which are by the law, is what works in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5).

Take away the law as a condemning factor, and there is no more motions of sins.

You are making the law the culprit, when Paul assures us that the law is holy. It is sin in our nature that causes the trouble. Romans 7:12-13. That is what Jesus took away. John 8:34-36. Not the law, just the need for the law.

Good night, brother.

 

[justbyfaith]

You are making the law the culprit, when Paul assures us that the law is holy. It is sin in our nature that causes the trouble. Romans 7:12-13. That is what Jesus took away. John 8:34-36. Not the law, just the need for the law.

Good night, brother.

Good night.

I will only say that it is written that the law is holy, and just, and good, just as the scripture says (in Romans 7:12).

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin might become utterly sinful. (Romans 7:13)

 

[CharismaticLady]

Good night.

I will only say that it is written that the law is holy, and just, and good, just as the scripture says (in Romans 7:12).

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin might become utterly sinful. (Romans 7:13)

Go to the conclusion - chapter 8, and not just the last couple verses.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Good night again. LOL

 

[justbyfaith]

The fact that He condemned sin in the flesh means that He relegated sin to the flesh so that if we walk according to the flesh, we sin; but if we walk according to the Spirit, we live in holiness.

But I would simply say that the verses that you have quoted don't nullify the verses that I have quoted (unless you want to tell us what you are trying to say by them); for the Bible doesn't contradict itself.

Good night again...

 

[justbyfaith]

Wet Paint Principle (Freedom)

 

[CharismaticLady]

The fact that He condemned sin in the flesh means that He relegated sin to the flesh so that if we walk according to the flesh, we sin; but if we walk according to the Spirit, we live in holiness.

That is one way of looking at it, but it is much more than that.

Condemning sin in the flesh means He destroyed sin’s control over us by giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins. "Flesh" here means nature - our drives. Even with the Spirit we now don't have the same sinful nature we had before receiving the Spirit. No, we have been given a new nature entirely; this is called being born again. We have escaped the lusts of the world through the power of Grace, the Divine nature. 2 Peter 1:2-4 This new nature, our saved, immortal spirit, has nothing to do with the destruction of our body of flesh and bone that must also put on immortality, as some believe. That is why Paul followed Romans 8:9 by Romans 8:10. He did not want us making that mistake - but many do. The problem is the confusion about the 2nd definition of "flesh" - inner nature, as opposed to outer body.

1 John 3:5-9 means Jesus took away even our desire to sin, and brought us into a very personal and intimate relationship with Him. He who sins has never had this kind of relationship with Jesus. (They may know all about Jesus, but that is far from abiding in Jesus, which is where many in the Church are today, and for centuries. And much of that is from the perverted definition of grace.)

Good morning!

P. S. I still don't understand in scripture where you get the idea of your present and future sins being automatically forgiven as you commit them? That just boggles the mind where that false doctrine even originated. 2 Peter 1:9 say only our past sins were forgiven. (Our new divine nature doesn't commit present and future sins)