That sounds very Gnostic. Knowing good and striving to do it.
I think we might agree that not all sin all the time. My question doesn't require partiality, just whether someone other than a saved Christian could choose to do a single good thing.
Sin isn't a state that one is in and out of. It is a condition. As long as you're in that condition, you cannot please God.
Is it your view that a non-saved Christian is incapable of make a single good choice?
Our Lord Jesus made the observation to some Jews:
Clearly non-saved Christians can do good things. However, note their condition that our Lord stated. They were still viewed by God as being "evil". Unless they come to Christ, they can never please God.
That sounds very Gnostic. Knowing good and striving to do it.
It's the formation of conscience. Dunno about the gnostic view, but I don't think it violates Christianity. On the contrary it is: "the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness."
Sin isn't a state that one is in and out of. It is a condition.
It's also an action. This is the sense of the word I was using.
Clearly non-saved Christians can do good things.
I think that's a 'yes' of what I was so ineptly trying to ask.
However, note their condition…
I wasn't referring to their sum or condition or salvation, just whether only non-saved Christians could choose to do good.
thanks very much for your reply. I feel like I overly drew out the discussion and took more of you time than necessary by not communicating as clearly as I needed to. For that, my apologies..
The "good things" you speak of are humanistic actions of this world; they are not spiritually-beneficial nor God-pleasing, as you further explained.
Anything that is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)