The seal doens't prevent anhyone from sinning. The baptized still sin! As far as Adam and Eve are concerned, they were under Grace. When we are baptized, we are restored to grace and, just as Adam and Eve could fall away, so can we.
Scripture is clear. Do you suppose that God gives us a whole big list of good things He wants us to do, but preaching HIS WORD is not on that list?
Yes it is. There were eleven and He spoke only to them. It applies to their successors, by their choice.
Good Dr. E brought up two verses (John 14:26, 2:27) which couldn't be clearer that preaching and teaching is not necessary for the believers. The HS does all the work of teaching and preaching.
Yes, Christ did give us a list of things to follow and do, in Beatitudes for example, and Matthew 5 is full of them. He even told us how we should pray, how we should treat our enemies, never return evil for evil, etc. In fact, the Beatitudes tell us what is required to get into heaven and there is not a trace of any faith mentioned in them! (Paul didn't invent that yet)
Yeah, we should be like Christ in our hearts, pure, and we shall see God. Is your heart pure?
I continue to love the irony of Apostolics saying on the one have that God loves all people and wants all people to be saved, yet in the same breath preaching that Christianity is an EXCLUSIVE faith that should only be shared by the tiniest minority of elites in the faith
You do not even see that you are ridiculing the Reformed cult with these words. Nothing could be a bigger irony than to preach that God predestined everyone and nothing can be done to change that and yet to preach the Bible to everyone, falsely giving hope to those preordained to hell.
And speaking of minority elites, what are the "elect" if not the minority elite who get a limo ride to heaven just because. Talk about exclusive faith!
And thus we see that the RCC and EO believe in an elite hierarchy of believers rather than a priesthood of all believers as a community who worships God in truth and love (1 Peter 2).
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." -- 1 Peter 2:24-25"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Our only Bishop.
It really is a pity that Rome and the EO deny the work of the Holy Spirit in each individual life of those who are members of Christ's flock.
Your middlemen are just that -- stumbling-blocks.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" -- John 17:17-20"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
The seal doens't prevent anyone from sinning. The baptized still sin! As far as Adam and Eve are concerned, they were under Grace. When we are baptized, we are restored to grace and, just as Adam and Eve could fall away, so can we.
I said that man cannot break God's seal. You said that Adam and Eve did just that. I asked for an explanation of what seal they were under, and I still don't know. We are not told that Holy Spirit indwelt them when created. And if anything, wouldn't you say they were under law instead of under grace?
In fact, the Beatitudes tell us what is required to get into heaven and there is not a trace of any faith mentioned in them! (Paul didn't invent that yet)
This is a good description of someone who lives under the Law and not under grace. Paul spoke often of this:
Rom 6:14-15 : 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace ? By no means!
Gal 2:21 : I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Gal 3:18 : For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
Gal 5:4 : You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Wow! I guess for your sake you had better hope that Paul was making all this stuff up too! :)
Yeah, we should be like Christ in our hearts, pure, and we shall see God. Is your heart pure?
Sure, Matt. 5:8 says that those who will see God (the elect) are blessed and given a pure heart.
And speaking of minority elites, what are the "elect" if not the minority elite who get a limo ride to heaven just because. Talk about exclusive faith!
I admit that it does sound ridiculous that God might get to choose His own elect. I mean, who does He think He is, anyway? Everyone knows that man is autonomous and self-determined. Only he has the power to control his own destiny. And this view isn't elitist at all! :)