Methodism, Sanctification, and Dangerous Doctrine

[Hidden In Him]

All that matters is faith expressing itself through love.

I heard that somewhere.

Much love!

Lol. I'm not sure it's quite that simple, but it's a great saying.

How are you doing lately Mark. Studying anything good?

 

[marks]

Lol. I'm not sure it's quite that simple, but it's a great saying.

How are you doing lately Mark. Studying anything good?

Well, I've been studying the simplicity of the Gospel. This is my biggest battle in the mind, to accept God's grace.

It's a slight paraphrase of the NIV, though I normally don't quote from the NIV.

Galatians 5:6, NIV: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

What I keep coming back to is this. I struggle and strain and practice self-control and I do and I don't, and as the years go by I get better and better at that.

But then I find that when I simply focus on my Father knowing that all is forgiven, nothing remains, my heart just opens wide to Him, and that struggle and strain, which produces mixed results, evaporates into rest, in which I'm enjoying God, enjoying my life, just freely doing whatever good thing God puts in front of me to be done at that moment.

Living in the moment in communion with God.

Faith expressed through love, to me, speaks of my trust in Jesus' death having reconciled me to God, based on Him, not on me, and He never changes. It speaks to me of this receiving the outpouring of love into my heart, bringing with it joy, and peace, and

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Against such is no law. I have no concern over myself, as I'm trusting in His reconciliation. And in having no concern over myself, well, thinking of Romans 4, I think, "the motions of sin in our members, which were by the Law", or Romans 7, the commandment produced all manner of coveteousness. No Law = No transgression. Reconciliation = no transgression. Being in Christ = not under Law.

Under the Law of Christ, Who has given us 2 commandments,

1 John 3:23 KJV
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

But even here, twice, commandment is singular. To believe on the Name of Jesus Christ IS to love one another.

When we fully believe, we can fully accept what we received. We have received love into our hearts.

Much love!

 

[Hidden In Him]

But then I find that when I simply focus on my Father knowing that all is forgiven, nothing remains, my heart just opens wide to Him, and that struggle and strain, which produces mixed results, evaporates into rest, in which I'm enjoying God, enjoying my life, just freely doing whatever good thing God puts in front of me to be done at that moment.

Living in the moment in communion with God.

Amen! This is good to me. I do think one needs to enter into the Spirit, as it were; i.e. into restful obedience to His Presence rather than to striving in the flesh.

Against such is no law. I have no concern over myself, as I'm trusting in His reconciliation.

You know, this sentence right maybe here explains some things for me about the differences between our perspectives. For better or worse, I have always walked in this belief (maybe even more than I should have sometimes, LoL), so much so that I almost take it for granted that I am doing so. I just walk in the belief that all my sins are covered because I am to busy being cognizant of how much He is speaking to me and teaching and revealing things to me. That's the thing that takes up all my focus, regardless of how nasty I can get sometimes.

1 John 3:23 KJV
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

But even here, twice, commandment is singular. To believe on the Name of Jesus Christ IS to love one another.

Very good verse.

 

[marks]

You know, this sentence right maybe here explains some things for me about the differences between our perspectives. For better or worse, I have always walked in this belief (maybe even more than I should have sometimes, LoL), so much so that I almost take it for granted that I am doing so. I just walk in the belief that all my sins are covered because I am to busy being cognizant of how much He is speaking to me and teaching and revealing things to me. That's the thing that takes up all my focus, regardless of how nasty I can get sometimes.

I expect you are right.

Self condemnation has long been an issue of mine. You mention that sins are covered, this leads into what has really changed my life. I've become very focused on the truth that our sins are not covered, they are removed. I know that's what you mean, but take it to the full perspective.

There is the gift of salvation, and there is the fruit of the Spirit, that is, the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in us.

What I've discovered is that my distraction of myself, in my belief that I was still somehow separated from God, prevented me from enjoying the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit. I've learned that while we do grow into things, yet still when we fully trust we are fully fruitful, in loving, and rejoicing, and self-controlling, and all the other characteristics.

These are all characteristics of the Holy Spirit Himself, AKA the Spirit of Christ, which I find can conform my mind and actions to His in the act of trusting in Him. To make a choice in the current moment, as soon as I realize I've drifted from this, to recenter myself on God.

Communion with Him is the thing I want most in life, and in fact in communion with Him I find everything else of course all falls into place. Situations which used to trigger me don't, and loving someone becomes my response.

See, I got tired of waiting for the growing into it thing. I'm almost 60. I've spent enough time given over to the fleshy things! I'll spend my entire life trying to inch my way better by improving my character. So I'm learning the 1 step process, to trust Him. And He does not disappoint!

Much love!

 

[quietthinker]

I expect you are right.

Self condemnation has long been an issue of mine. You mention that sins are covered, this leads into what has really changed my life. I've become very focused on the truth that our sins are not covered, they are removed. I know that's what you mean, but take it to the full perspective.

There is the gift of salvation, and there is the fruit of the Spirit, that is, the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in us.

What I've discovered is that my distraction of myself, in my belief that I was still somehow separated from God, prevented me from enjoying the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit. I've learned that while we do grow into things, yet still when we fully trust we are fully fruitful, in loving, and rejoicing, and self-controlling, and all the other characteristics.

These are all characteristics of the Holy Spirit Himself, AKA the Spirit of Christ, which I find can conform my mind and actions to His in the act of trusting in Him. To make a choice in the current moment, as soon as I realize I've drifted from this, to recenter myself on God.

Communion with Him is the thing I want most in life, and in fact in communion with Him I find everything else of course all falls into place. Situations which used to trigger me don't, and loving someone becomes my response.

See, I got tired of waiting for the growing into it thing. I'm almost 60. I've spent enough time given over to the fleshy things! I'll spend my entire life trying to inch my way better by improving my character. So I'm learning the 1 step process, to trust Him. And He does not disappoint!

Much love!

thanks for that encouragement marks.

 

[marks]

thanks for that encouragement marks.

You've just encouraged me!

God bless you!