Posted on 04/05/2005 8:31:44 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day
Hebrews 12:14-- 14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Tozer mentions that scripture in his sermon. It's pretty sobering. Sometimes it's just hard to "live in peace" with fellow FReepers on the Religion Forum.
:o)
yes it is sobering. the Lord is coming back soon. Jesus told us to be watchful and ready.
OK. You attemp to be holy. I'll plead the Blood of Christ.
But that does not negate the slew of commandments throughout the scriptures that I am to strive to be like Christ and strive to become holy. Not for my salvation, of course, but so that I don't feel out of place in His Kingdom. And so that I don't waste my days in mortality. And so I show my love and gratitude to Christ for His mercy and forgiveness. It is silly to say that, just because Christ's blood atoned for our sins, we are not supposed to draw nearer to Him, and that we are under no further obligation to Him. We are to be His disciples. Disciples follow their Master, and strive to emulate.
Dallas Willard said it well:
This 'heresy' has created the impression that it is quite reasonable to be a "vampire Christian." One in effect says to Jesus: "I'd like a little of your blood, please. But I don't care to be your student or have your character. In fact, won't you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I'll see you in heaven." But can we really imagine that this is an approach that Jesus finds acceptable?
And when you stop to think of it, how could one actually trust him for forgiveness of sins while not trusting him for much more than that. You can't trust him without believing that he was right about everything, and that he alone has the key to every aspect of our lives here on earth. But if you believe that, you will naturally want to stay just as close to him as you can, in every aspect of your life. --Dallas Willard
I don't hear a saying about Heaven as much as I did when I was young, but I still believe it: "We're going to be surprised by who's there - and who's not there."
Considering my misspent youth, I imagine I'll hear more than once, "Hey! Who let YOU in here?"
He knows every heart. And he loves some cigar-chomping, whiskey drinking types more than some of the prigs and phonies. Stuff you did and stuff I did are as far away as the East is from the West - "and there ain't no East and West poles."
My experience is that the Power of Christ has transformed me in many ways. I'm not nearly the sinner I once was. But my sin nature is intact and vibrant. The old man never disappears. I've been around Christians trying to be holy and I don't like it. I'd rather be alone.
I advise Christians to have faith in the Power of Jesus Christ and that it is in you. He WILL change you and give you strength. You don't have to do it by your own strength.
I believe it is a man's revelation of his sin nature that makes him willing to come to Christ. If you then turn round and tell him he has to be good ... you set him up to fail. He knows he isn't good. He knows it all too well. If he is told he has to be holy he would laugh in your face if of the confrontive sort ... or just arrange to stay out of your way from then on. Or ... actually try it and fail.
This is a difficult subject. I'm so leery of anything that smacks of a 'works doctrine' I cannot abide telling fallen human beings that they are to be holy.
Peter was always spouting some silliness.
This site is getting better every day. Tozer, Francis A. Schaeffer , and Dallas Willard, it is almost as good as the first cup of coffee and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons".
Oh, don't get me started on Vivaldi. God's gift to music.
Thank you for posting this!
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
Christian integrity comes from being not "trying to be." God is Holy, we are to be holy.
Romans 12:1,2: I beseech you therefore, brethen, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
I also think we discount the notion of grace. Some think grace only has to do with God's forgiveness of our sins that ultimately lets us in heaven despite our imperfection.
Yet God tells us repeatedly we are to be holy and obedient while in this life. Problem: we all sin, we all fall short of God's glory. We are still expected to strive, to do our best to emulate Christ, and Christ rewards our eforts with His grace. His grace makes up what we lack and helps us be holy.
Of course we can't do everything by ourselves. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do ANYTHING. We do what we can, and Crist lifts us up and helps us along. Why else would we have the gifts of the spirit?
Amen.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
What does Paul mean?
Look at 1 Corinthians 9:24, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it."
What does Paul mean?
We really don't do anything by ourselves, we only do what we should be doing when we are obedient, and to live a life of integrity brings reward.
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