How to Walk in Righteousness

[Patrick1966]

That’s not a thing you hear often…!

I don't know if that's good or bad.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I don't know if that's good or bad.

It’s certainly better than as some say, that they are as righteous and holy as Christ even while sinning!
You are instead truthful about yourself.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I’m with Epi - how on earth did you manage to escape the indoctrination…??

 

[Episkopos]

I am 56 years of age and was raised Catholic and remained that way until I started reading the Bible and then renounced Catholicism 6 years ago.

I believe that I am a sinner and I am a "slave to sin" as Jesus discussed but that I am forgiven and saved because of my faith in Jesus and the sacrifice that he made for ALL people.

I enjoy "flawed" people like myself, perhaps because I can better relate to them. As Jesus said, he came for the sinners and not the righteous.

He did...but He came to call them to repentance. I was also raised Catholic...and renounced it over 40 years ago now.

There is a difference between forgiveness in the past and a constant state of forgiveness. It's the claiming salvation for oneself for what Jesus did for the whole world that creates a new level of sin. Sure, many struggle with sins of many kinds...and looking to God for mercy is fine. But the idea that a race is NOT determined by how we run...but is already fixed in some way...creates a religious covering that is not the covering of Christ. It is another covering...not of His Spirit. It's ok, IOW, to remain humble...non religious...non-Pharisaical.

We are to flee the sins that so easily capture us...making no provision for the flesh. Are you married? Invest more in that relationship...beyond a deeper seeking of God of course.

The one who is justified never claims to be. A weak person claims only to be weak...even as he seeks for the strength to overcome sin.

Rather, HOPE in the Lord for His salvation. Seek the Lord. Look to Him to empower you by His grace to walk as Jesus walked. In Him is no sin. Look to enter into Christ according to the gospel. In the meantime make no claims to righteousness or justification. Judge nothing before the time. Wait on the Lord. And whatever you do...don't accept a religious spirit as you see so much of here.

 

[Patrick1966]

It’s certainly better than as some say, that they are as righteous and holy as Christ even while sinning!
You are instead truthful about yourself.

Oh, thank you. I struggle with all sorts of sin, but nothing that would make the 6 PM news, thankfully.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Oh, thank you. I struggle with all sorts of sin, but nothing that would make the 6 PM news, thankfully.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (NASB)

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
(NLT)

 

[Patrick1966]

He did...but He came to call them to repentance. I was also raised Catholic...and renounced it over 40 years ago now.

There is a difference between forgiveness in the past and a constant state of forgiveness. It's the claiming salvation for oneself for what Jesus did for the whole world that creates a new level of sin. Sure, many struggle with sins of many kinds...and looking to God for mercy is fine. But the idea that a race is NOT determined by how we run...but is already fixed in some way...creates a religious covering that is not the covering of Christ. It is another covering...not of His Spirit. It's ok, IOW, to remain humble...non religious...non-Pharisaical.

We are to flee the sins that so easily capture us...making no provision for the flesh. Are you married? Invest more in that relationship...beyond a deeper seeking of God of course.

The one who is justified never claims to be. A weak person claims only to be weak...even as he seeks for the strength to overcome sin.

Rather, HOPE in the Lord for His salvation. Seek the Lord. Look to Him to empower you by His grace to walk as Jesus walked. In Him is no sin. Look to enter into Christ according to the gospel. In the meantime make no claims to righteousness or justification. Judge nothing before the time. Wait on the Lord. And whatever you do...don't accept a religious spirit as you see so much of here.

Thank you.

I'm a simple person. I don't believe that one needs to have an encyclopedic knowledge of scripture to be a great Christian. There might be people in this world who are largely ignorant of ALL scripture who are nevertheless more filled with the Holy Spirit than those with great understanding.

I think Jesus summed it up in the "Great Commandment". Love and follow God and love one another. That's it.

 

[Patrick1966]

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

Amen and praise and thank God for giving us our gifts of life and love! Amazing!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I am not going to argue every point with dogmatic believers...it is pointless. It would be like trying to argue the bark off a tree.

I do see that there is a purpose in quickly going from point to point. It is to try to draw attention away from where they didn’t have an answer but also to try to catch you with something to accuse you of by rapidly moving from point to point to try to knock you off balance. I don’t really understand why anyone thinks it’s a win to knock another off balance or cause impatience in another man. They think somehow that it’s a win to show that you are an imperfect man…? I don’t really get it…

 

[Patrick1966]

I don’t really understand why anyone thinks it’s a win to knock another off balance or cause impatience in another man. They think somehow that it’s a win to show that you are an imperfect man…? I don’t really get it…

I think pride and ego gets the better of us sometimes. I try to remind myself that I am here in this community to share the good news of God with others while also enjoying the opportunity to enhance my understanding through the gifts of others here. I'm certainly NOT here to "win an argument". Sometimes, we just have to agree to disagree and not let a petty difference in theology drive a wedge between brothers, which saddens God deeply, or so I believe. It's sad to see fellow believers bashing one another.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

It would be like trying to argue the bark off a tree.

Is it OK for dogs to chew on tree bark?


You don't really want your dog to eat any tree bark because it can cause gastrointestinal irritation or, even worse, intestinal blockage.

 

[Patrick1966]

Is it OK for dogs to chew on tree bark?


You don't really want your dog to eat any tree bark because it can cause gastrointestinal irritation or, even worse, intestinal blockage.

I had a German Shepherd that LOVED to rip branches off of trees, although my parents didn't too much care for it when I took him to their house for a visit. LOL!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I think pride and ego gets the better of us sometimes.

When our manipulated flesh gets the better of us enough times that we see we can’t fix it and aren’t getting better as the doctrines say we are, then we will go to God for more grace/power to overcome that enemy of our flesh. It’s desperately poor men who beg.

 

[Patrick1966]

When our manipulated flesh gets the better of us enough times that we see we can’t fix it and aren’t getting better as the doctrines say we are, then we will go to God for more grace/power to overcome that enemy of our flesh. It’s desperately poor men who beg.

I'm better at some things than I am at other things. I'm off the narrow path much of the time, but I'm not entirely too far away from it either, for whatever that is worth. LOL!

 

[Lizbeth]

Religious propaganda. God allows people to get His name wrong. You are confusing God with Rumpelstiltskin.

Is that what you call what God calls idolatry? People getting His name wrong? You must be joking but this is no laughing matter. God says they are worshiping demons. Who should we believe, you or God?

And meanwhile this kind of theology leaves people to remain dead in their sins, without Christ (because apparently according to the gospel of Epi, they don't really need Him after all), without hope, committing what God calls ABOMINATIONS which sadly will lead to perdition.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Is that what you call what God calls idolatry? People getting His name wrong? You must be joking but this is no laughing matter. God says they are worshiping demons. Who should we believe, you or God?

This is a bit ridiculous. I believe he was trying to say if a man reaches out to the Unknown God, He isn’t going to reject the man because he’s not calling Him by any certain name.

 

[Lizbeth]

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law instinctively perform the requirementsof the Law, these, though not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.

So you think the gentiles being spoken of here are believers? You think God doesn’t write His law on any hearts but believers…?

Even unbelievers, by their conscience and the law of God written on their heart, can instinctively know when something is not right or fair or good.

You need to look at the context of Romans 2. And I suggest you further read Jer. 31 to find out whose hearts God writes His laws on. Those who accept the new covenant......which we all were outside the covenant until that happened.....it's like people around here are trying to self-righteously demonize believers over unbelievers. God forgive and help you all.

 

[Patrick1966]

He isn’t going to reject the man because he’s not calling Him by any certain name.

Only God knows what's in one's heart and what are their intentions and only God knows how much knowledge one has attained in this deceptive and evil world. God is the ONLY judge as he is the ONLY one qualified to be the judge.

 

[Lizbeth]

This is a bit ridiculous. I believe he was trying to say if a man reaches out to the Unknown God, He isn’t going to reject the man because he’s not calling Him by any certain name.

Notice that God sent preachers of the gospel to reveal the name of the "unknown God" so that He wouldn't be unknown any longer. To those who would receive Him at least. "There is no other name under heaven by which man can be saved."

 

[stunnedbygrace]

You need to look at the context of Romans 2. And I suggest you further Jer. 31 to find out whose hearts God writes His laws on. Those who accept the new covenant......which we all were outside the covenant until that happened.....it's like people around here are trying to self-righteously demonize believers over unbelievers. God forgive and help you all.

Even unbelievers who haven’t read a Bible can have a sense of something being wrong, unfair, unjust. I have no idea where they would get that sense unless God had written it on their hearts. And that’s exactly what the verse I quoted is saying.