Mark: And by extension, nothing is forbidden.
Ah, a tempting idea indeed. However, we thank God that He addressed that very issue through Paul:
Rom 6:1-10 : 1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So, as you can see, since we claim to be Bible-believing Christians, we could not possibly hold to the view that you project onto us. The old self, which might do those horrible things you listed earlier, was CRUCIFIED with Christ and he no longer lives, but Christ lives within us. The death Christ died, He died to sin once and for all, and the elect along with Him.
Therefore, there is no extension, as you suggest. Paul covers it exactly and completely, and we believe that Paul was correct.
Poor St. Paul. How can he possibly handle being so badly misinterpreted.
***So, as you can see, since we claim to be Bible-believing Christians, we could not possibly hold to the view that you project onto us. The old self, which might do those horrible things you listed earlier, was CRUCIFIED with Christ and he no longer lives, but Christ lives within us. The death Christ died, He died to sin once and for all, and the elect along with Him.***
But even the self-described elect does do these things. It is admitted even by the most die hard Calvinist. Your personal old self was not crucified with Christ. It wasn’t even around for nearly 2000 years.
Everyone sins. With that fact in mind, how can you rationalize your statement?