Wet Paint Principle (Freedom)

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Nancy

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Freedom from Sin: Overcoming the Wet Paint Principle

By Victor Jedidiah

A Blood of the Covenant Tract or Booklet

Preface

May the Lord the Holy Spirit impart to you what He wishes to impart to you as you read this; and also give you discernment that you may be a Berean (Acts 17:11) and sift it wisely in order that you may receive the truth alone. Receive it as on a par with the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13); and yet if anything be unworthy, I pray that He will show you by speaking to you, what you ought to receive and what you ought not to receive. Even though I am the one who wrote this, I read it again and again to remind myself of its truths.

Body

1

1 I am not under the law, am dead to the law, and am delivered from the law—I am not obligated to obey the law for my salvation. Romans 6:14, 7:4, 7:6.

2 But because I am saved, I desire to obey the word, including the law of the Old Testament—I desire to obey the law because I am saved.

3 If I fail to obey the law, I am not condemned—but because I am not condemned—because I am born of God—1 John 3:9—I will not fail to obey the law.

4 If I fail to obey the law, the Lord will not impute it to me as sin—Romans 4:8. Now I cannot sin because I am not under the law, am dead to the law, and am delivered from the law—and sin is the transgression of the law. Because where the law does not apply, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15, 5:13.

5 Therefore I am perfect in Christ no matter what I do—and yet this is predicated on a heart that desires to obey the Lord and all of His commandments—and He is the God of the Old and New Testaments.

6 Because I am born of God I don’t want to sin and I don’t have to sin. Therefore I cannot sin, not because I couldn’t go down that path if I wanted to, but because I don’t want to and don’t have to go down that path.

7 I am under the law to Christ in that I willingly subject myself to the law of God because I am spiritually-minded. Romans 8:7.

8 Now the wet paint principle of the law might take effect, if I begin to think that I am justified by the law. If I base my salvation on my performance rather than on the finished work of Christ on the Cross, then sin will take advantage of the law and I will sin in that thing wherein I base my salvation on my own obedience.

9 But when I begin to understand that nothing can ever separate me from the love of God—not even my violation of the principle of the law—

10 When I begin to understand that I am that blessed man to whom the Lord will not impute sin—the wet paint principle is then dealt with because its power lies in the condemnation that the law brings to the one who is not counted as forever perfect in Christ.

11 The wet paint principle has its effect because we begin to think that we are saved through our obedience and the Lord will not allow this to compete with the Cross as our means of salvation. So God will allow us to sin so that we will be driven to the Cross as the only remedy for sin.

12 When we stay on the Cross as the only remedy for sin, then it truly acts as the remedy for sin at every level, and obedience is produced within us because we are born of God and are abiding in Him.

13 As those who are abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are subject in our minds to the law of God for that we are not carnally-minded. Romans 8:7.

14 The wet paint principle might begin to take effect any time our focus is on the law—our key to victory being the understanding that I am not saved through law-keeping but through faith in what Christ has done for me.

15 Therefore I obey the law because I am in love with Jesus Christ—and I love Him because He first loved me.

16 I do not obey the law in order to be justified. If I did that, I would be obligated to obey the whole law and would be fallen from grace.

17 But grace has as its effect in my life deliverance from sin—and sin is the transgression of the law.

18 Therefore because I am delivered from sin by the grace of God, I obey the law because obedience to the law is the antonym of its transgression.

19 I obey the word of God because He has redeemed me and because I love Him, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Because I love Him, I love my neighbor as myself—and on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. And these two are one, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

20 His commandments are not grievous or burdensome—1 John 5:3—and this means they are doable.

21 As one who is born of God, I cannot sin because love is the fulfilling of the law and is also shed abroad in my heart through the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

22 Sin is the transgression of the law, and as long as the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in me, I do not sin.

23 Wherefore if I walk in love I will fulfill the law: for walking in the flesh is the antithesis of love.

24 Therefore I do not sin as long as I am walking according to love.

25 Now I study the law in order that I might learn of the specifics of the love of God. As I read and study, I learn what it means to love the Lord my God with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength—and my neighbor as myself—in more specific ways. I learn the details of how to love God and neighbor by studying the law.

26 And by the law is the knowledge of sin. Therefore when I place my trust in Christ and allow Him to live His life in me and through me, I will walk according to the details of God’s love. But if my trust is not in Christ, the wet paint principle will come into effect, and I will sin against those details of obedience on which I begin to predicate my salvation. And the law will condemn me as a sinner.

27 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John 3:9.

28 Therefore the one who is a saint cannot be a sinner.

29 I am therefore made perfect for ever through faith in Jesus Christ; and this righteousness is not based in the law.

30 I am counted as perfect in Christ because I am born of God; and this means I desire to obey the Lord perfectly.

31 Therefore I obey Jesus because I want to, not because I have to.

32 The law cannot condemn me as long as I place my faith and trust in Christ.

33 Because I am not under the law, am dead to the law, and am delivered from the law, the Father sees me as perfect and I am therefore set free to obey the law to the best of my ability apart from fear of condemnation.

34 The wet paint principle is also stripped of its power because I know that I am accepted in the Beloved.

Lots of good law/grace exegesis! A tad long, but good! :)
 
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justbyfaith

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You missed the point. There is only so much time given to each of us. God is checking closely how we use what we have been given.
But... I my still at some point actually read your OP plus... It depends on how God directs me.


This is what I meant.


What it all needs to be is according to how God directs us at the moment. So the "ears to hear" are quite important.
By all means, go as the Spirit leads. If He leads you to not read what I have written, maybe you are already privy to the spiritual blessing that the document is speaking of. As Jesus said, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If you are full and have need of nothing in the way of spiritual growth, then that is just the way it is. You don't need what the Lord has to offer in the document written. You are "not really a sinner" and do not need the freedom presented by the document. You can better spend your time telling other people how to obtain that freedom since you already have it.
 
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amadeus

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By all means, go as the Spirit leads. If He leads you to not read what I have written, maybe you are already privy to the spiritual blessing that the document is speaking of. As Jesus said, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If you are full and have need of nothing in the way of spiritual growth, then that is just the way it is. You don't need what the Lord has to offer in the document written. You are "not really a sinner" and do not need the freedom presented by the document. You can better spend your time telling other people how to obtain that freedom since you already have it.
My friend who among us has as much time as we need to see to all of the needs of others as well as ourselves?

Did you notice that a regular member here lost his wife in a tragic accident on the 21st day of this month. I suppose you read the all of the prayer requests here daily and pray for all of the needs expressed. But, perhaps you can better spend your time by pressing others to read your important posts.
 
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justbyfaith

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I did not know that regular member, and feel that it would have been inappropriate for someone to whom he had never been introduced to express condolences. I have been held in suspicion, even in the recent past, for expressing love to someone that I had barely even met. I did so because they appeared to be on the brink of suicide and I felt that if they knew that somebody loved them it would take them off the brink. But I learned my lesson from that.

Now apparently I am being judged for doing the opposite.

If you are a born again Christian, then you are ministry-minded in your heart and desire to bless other people with what the Lord has given you. I am sorry if that is not you.
 

justbyfaith

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Also in my prayer life I do not generally pray for specific requests, but I pray for things that apply across the board; according to Ephesians 6:18 I lift up a general prayer for all of the saints and not necessarily specific prayers for specific needs.

But we can all learn from our mistakes. I suppose that I should have gone to that thread (because I only noticed the link briefly) and taken the time to express condolences to someone that I don't even know, when I have been rebuked for doing something similar in the most recent past.

It is like children crying in the marketplaces: We mourned to you and you did not weep; we played the flute for you and you did not dance. But wisdom is justified of all her children.
 
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amadeus

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I did not know that regular member, and feel that it would have been inappropriate for someone to whom he had never been introduced to express condolences. I have been held in suspicion, even in the recent past, for expressing love to someone that I had barely even met. I did so because they appeared to be on the brink of suicide and I felt that if they knew that somebody loved them it would take them off the brink. But I learned my lesson from that.
Jesus also prayed for people where it was not appreciated so don't be so sensitive. Remember he brought Lazarus back the dead and the enemies of Jesus wanted to kill Lazarus as well. Leave no trace of the good, I guess.

Also after sending the legion out of the possessed man into a herd of swine, he was asked to leave the country. He was not welcome.

"Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." John 15:20


Now apparently I am being judged for doing the opposite.
Again you are jumping to conclusions. I did not judge you. I asked you a question to make you consider again what you were asking of me. You wanted me to use my time for your good purposes, but what of your time for those needy here? Now you have provided your reason, but how was I to know. Should everyone suffer because you suffered? Maybe so, for Jesus certainly suffered when he had done nothing to deserve it. Every other man has in his history done something worthy of punishment.

Again, even though your name has never appeared on the prayer forum, you may have been reading and praying without posting anything. I don't know. Some people do that. In the past I have certainly done that. I pray for my family and my friends, but I also pray for those who oppose me. Is that not as it should be?

If you are a born again Christian, then you are ministry-minded in your heart and desire to bless other people with what the Lord has given you. I am sorry if that is not you.
I apologize if what I did or said was unfair to you, but you should consider carefully before criticizing anyone too harshly because they don't do what you believe they should when you think they should. Only God knows the hearts of all of us. We all make mistakes and will continue to do so until we have overcome completely anything that stands between us and God.

Let us move forward together toward God instead of toward more ill feelings.
 

Helen

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My friend who among us has as much time as we need to see to all of the needs of others as well as ourselves?

Did you notice that a regular member here lost his wife in a tragic accident on the 21st day of this month. I suppose you read the all of the prayer requests here daily and pray for all of the needs expressed. But, perhaps you can better spend your time by pressing others to read your important posts.

It really troubled me Amadeus, that even though a few of us mentioned Triumph1300 tragic loss...and other put up a link to his sad post...so few on here took time out read any of them...and only a handful said they would pray with him.

And I stupidly thought that we were a 'community' here and cared for each others well being...but I guess not...our desire to be " right" in proving our posting point is much more important....sadly. :oops:
 

amadeus

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It really troubled me Amadeus, that even though a few of us mentioned Triumph1300 tragic loss...and other put up a link to his sad post...so few on here took time out read any of them...and only a handful said they would pray with him.

And I stupidly thought that we were a 'community' here and cared for each others well being...but I guess not...our desire to be " right" in proving our posting point is much more important....sadly. :oops:
Perhaps the saddest thing is that these people are probably among the most faithful. Most people who carry the label of Christian may even get on the Internet regularly but would never even think about visiting a Christian forum such as this. They are I would guess too busy with whatever they really consider most important to them, be it games or sports or whatever...

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" Luke 13:34

With Jesus there in the flesh they would not. Now today the Holy Ghost is in us or could be or should be and still we are so much like the Jerusalem to whom Jesus spoke.
 

justbyfaith

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My friend who among us has as much time as we need to see to all of the needs of others as well as ourselves?

Did you notice that a regular member here lost his wife in a tragic accident on the 21st day of this month. I suppose you read the all of the prayer requests here daily and pray for all of the needs expressed. But, perhaps you can better spend your time by pressing others to read your important posts.
And if the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 1 Corinthians 12:15-21.

So yes I can see that you have to choose wisely how you use your time. You must choose to use your time wisely according to your spiritual gifts and not spend valuable time attempting to operate in things that are not your forte. If you are a hand, then your purpose in the body is to scratch the itch represented by the need of @Triumph1300's loss. But if you are an eye, your function isn't to scratch an itch even though you hurt with that other member of the body and feel for them; because you are of the same body, however your function is to see for the body and therefore scratching an itch is not something that you are called to do (and it might be something very difficult for me to reach down with my head and scratch an itch with my eye that is on my leg. Perhaps not impossible; but not expedient, especially when the hand is doing a sufficient job of doing so).

And I also feel like you are trying to dissuade people from reading what I wrote for some reason, without having read it yourself. I can't understand why you would do this without some kind of disliking for me and the things that I have said in the past.

People who would follow your example in not reading what I have posted in this thread will be missing out on some keys to victory over sin and I don't think you want to be held accountable for that. People continuing to be held in bondage to sin because your encouragement was that they have better things to do with their time than to read the postings of someone who "only just wants to be right all of the time"...which is a mischaracterization of me.

I do not post out of a desire to "be right" but because I believe in what I am writing and that the things I say are important to salvation in Christ. I do not come in the spirit of arguing or debate; but rather I seek to meekly correct those who would...oppose themselves by disagreeing with statements that are essential for their faith if they are going to be saved. It is not an "I am right, you are wrong" mentality that I am here with at all. The fact that I am right and others are wrong is beside the point. I am not posting what I post just so I can be right about something. I post what I post because I know something is the truth and that the truths that I post will be salvational to all who believe them.

I am certain that you are quite aware of Jesus' statements about Judge ye not, lest ye be judged. You seem to be of the type who in former years might have even quoted that verse (Matthew 7:1) to people who preach the truth (though you are older now and perhaps would not do so in your present maturity of being able to deal with things differently than when you were younger). So take His words to heart and obey them if you are going to use them against the Lord's people (and I am not saying that you have done so; only that you strike me as being the type that may have done so in times past).
 

amadeus

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And if the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 1 Corinthians 12:15-21.

So yes I can see that you have to choose wisely how you use your time. You must choose to use your time wisely according to your spiritual gifts and not spend valuable time attempting to operate in things that are not your forte. If you are a hand, then your purpose in the body is to scratch the itch represented by the need of @Triumph1300's loss. But if you are an eye, your function isn't to scratch an itch even though you hurt with that other member of the body and feel for them; because you are of the same body, however your function is to see for the body and therefore scratching an itch is not something that you are called to do (and it might be something very difficult for me to reach down with my head and scratch an itch with my eye that is on my leg. Perhaps not impossible; but not expedient, especially when the hand is doing a sufficient job of doing so).

And I also feel like you are trying to dissuade people from reading what I wrote for some reason, without having read it yourself. I can't understand why you would do this without some kind of disliking for me and the things that I have said in the past.

People who would follow your example in not reading what I have posted in this thread will be missing out on some keys to victory over sin and I don't think you want to be held accountable for that. People continuing to be held in bondage to sin because your encouragement was that they have better things to do with their time than to read the postings of someone who "only just wants to be right all of the time"...which is a mischaracterization of me.

I do not post out of a desire to "be right" but because I believe in what I am writing and that the things I say are important to salvation in Christ. I do not come in the spirit of arguing or debate; but rather I seek to meekly correct those who would...oppose themselves by disagreeing with statements that are essential for their faith if they are going to be saved. It is not an "I am right, you are wrong" mentality that I am here with at all. The fact that I am right and others are wrong is beside the point. I am not posting what I post just so I can be right about something. I post what I post because I know something is the truth and that the truths that I post will be salvational to all who believe them.

I am certain that you are quite aware of Jesus' statements about Judge ye not, lest ye be judged. You seem to be of the type who in former years might have even quoted that verse (Matthew 7:1) to people who preach the truth (though you are older now and perhaps would not do so in your present maturity of being able to deal with things differently than when you were younger). So take His words to heart and obey them if you are going to use them against the Lord's people (and I am not saying that you have done so; only that you strike me as being the type that may have done so in times past).
Why did you go back and respond to my earlier post again? I responded you and even apologized to you in post #27. Did you not even read that post?
 

justbyfaith

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It was not a response only to what you posted, but to what I feel is judgment coming from people because of what you posted.
 

justbyfaith

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btw, it was a lousy apology. I pray that the Holy Spirit convicts you and also holds you accountable for the people who will not be set free because they took your advice to spend their time doing something other than read the information that would have set them free if they had become privy to it.

Because it appears to me that your motivation is to keep people from reading it. So, if indeed that is even what you wanted, then may God also take that into account when He judges you over the souls that may not be in heaven because they did what you wanted and neglected to read what might have set them free if they had indeed read it.

But if you never intended for people to neglect to read my work (following your example), I pray that you will be able to in all honesty testify to that before your Judge in order that you might be held innocent by Him of malicious intent. And that you will also be able to testify to Him honestly as to the reason why you did not just keep the information to yourself (that you yourself were choosing not to read what I have set forth as a document/tract/booklet: thus setting an example for the spiritually blind).

Your behaviour from henceforth will also testify to the reality of what this is (what is in your heart, whether it be positive or negative).

However I am also confident that your attempts at subverting my ministry by trying to discourage people from reading Freedom will not be sufficient to keep people from being blessed and set free through the reading of Freedom and in understanding its principles.

So don't worry...you will not be condemned for people neglecting to read it even though it seems to me that it was your intent to discourage people from reading it...because anyone with a sound mind will realize that your attempts to subvert the document did not originate from you but from the principality or power that was behind your attempt. And understanding that it is the devil who does not want them to read it will help them to make the decision to take the time to read it; because they do indeed understand that the devil is the enemy of their soul because his name does indeed mean "adversary". And therefore your attempts to subvert the document by discouraging people from reading it will not be successful: so that what you might have been held accountable for (people not being saved) will never come to pass. However you must still stand before the Lord concerning what was your intent. And He most certainly knows what that was.
 
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justbyfaith

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Now in my most recent devotional time, the Lord spoke to me Philippians 2:3 that I come short of His glory concerning this scripture:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

I have always had difficulty with this scripture since becoming a Christian; because I know what I was before and I know what I am now (2 Corinthians 5:17) and so when I come across other people I have to consider them all redeemed if I am going to obey this scripture and consider them to be better than me; but sometimes they show themselves to be less than redeemed.

Also I am not sure that the Lord wants me to fall for the false doctrines that others preach for that I consider them to be better than me (if in knowledge). I'm not sure how we defend against being gullible and believing every word of a false teacher for that we consider him to be better than ourselves. On the one hand love believes all things (1 Corinthians 13:7); but on the other hand we are not to be simple but prudent in light of Proverbs 14:15. And I believe that striking a balance is essential. Perhaps the best course of action is to give every man the benefit of the doubt and believe everything that they are saying until they prove themselves to be a liar by contradicting the clear teaching of the Lord's word. In order to do this we need to be avid students of the word so that we know what it says in light of what people are saying to us (of whom we are to esteem them better than us). We need to study to show ourselves approved and be certain that what we believe is the truth so that we do not get deceived by false teachers for that we esteem other people highly. If someone tells us a lie contrary to scripture, perhaps we should entreat them as though they are a father (1 Timothy 5:1). In doing this we would be esteeming them better while at the same time expressing to them our concern over the lie that we have heard from them.

I'm not sure what the Lord would have us do when someone whom we are to esteem better seems bent on making our ministry less fruitful. I suppose this is where we need to proverbially grin and bear it; simply suffer it as persecution (1 Corinthians 4:11-13) and pray that what we have ministered reaches the souls that the Lord intends for it to reach in spite of the opposition.
 

amadeus

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Now in my most recent devotional time, the Lord spoke to me Philippians 2:3 that I come short of His glory concerning this scripture:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
That is a good verse and one that Jesus certainly exemplified during his time walking planet Earth as a man. We, each of us, begin as very selfish. Jesus showed us the way we are supposed to be as described by the verse you quote. This another one of those things that for any man alone is impossible. We need help and God is always willing to provide what He sees is needed.

Since I read your post #35 yesterday and earlier this AM your later posts, I have been praying on this situation. Both of us want to do the right thing. I thought well maybe if I just took the time and read your posts #1, #2 and #3 and give you my input on them we could walk on toward the Lord together. So I read it and I read it again and a third time and a fourth time. I really do have a short memory to read any new and even slightly complicated much less as long as this. You wanted me to read and so finally at the Lord's prompting I did. Please don't jump on me because you don't like what I have to say on it. You surely want me to honest.

I understood individual parts of it because it was in a large part based on or quoting or paraphrasing scriptures which I have been reading for years. In the first parts you kept mentioning this "wet paint principle" without ever explaining what that was supposed to be. I was glad to see you finally explain it in the last part. Whatever else you do with it, I would include that explanation at the beginning if you want anyone read it all although you still never clearly expressed why that was supposed to be your theme... If it is supposed to be the main theme, making that clear would certainly be helpful.

I still am unable to wrap my mind around the writing as a whole. For me there is no single point... not even the "wet paint principle" you finally explained, that I see as being the main point. Because of my own deficiencies in reading with understanding without a lot of re-reading the problem could be mine. But for me there it is. So go ahead and condemn me again for not giving you a whole lot of praise for the final result. You apparently did a lot of work on it and for that I will give you credit...

Years ago when I would see tracts in laundromats or other places where I had time while waiting I would pick them up and read them. I would be dishonest if I said yours pleased me as a whole or held my attention for more than a moment although I certainly I did see a few good things. There were some things about which, if I had the time and the inclination, I would add my own understanding. But often I would be guessing as to what your understanding was...

Someone not walking on precisely the same pathway as you, or close to it, would have a hard time understanding why you wrote it in the first place other than as something with which you yourself might review your own beliefs and understandings. Your preface indicates that that is what you do. There may be nothing wrong with that but I hope that you write things like this in addition to, rather than instead of, reading the scriptures themselves.