Posted on 03/11/2012 6:07:39 PM PDT by ReformationFan
Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord"' and do not do what I say? — Jesus (Luke 6:46, NASB)
In this series I've said that our lawless government is at least partly the fault of lawless churches — social clubs, really, that exercise no discernment, enforce no standards, and teach more pop psychology than timeless truth. Naturally, lawless churches are populated with lawless Christians, the greatest absurdity of them all. "What fellowship have righteousness and lawlessness?" asked Paul (1 Corinthians 6:14). How can I walk North and South at the same time?
No, I'm not expecting "sinless perfection" of anyone. Christians certainly can and do sin. "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) What a Christian cannot do is indulge in sin as a lifestyle, and justify it — perhaps even going so far as to assert that God delights in it.
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6)
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you;
(Excerpt) Read more at renewamerica.com ...
I thank God I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
I love two things about the law in particular:
1. It is the wisdom of God and forms the foundation for society, family, government, business and all other disciplines.
2. Christ kept it perfectly on our behalf. Having this now done we are seeking to keep the law not to obtain salvation but as the only act of worship that makes sense in light of the grace poured out on us.
Antinomianism is a curse and the ruin of the church. Thanks for the article.
Like the two wings of a bird, both Grace and effort are needed.
One without the other will not fly.
LOL, we're talking about heaven here. Exactly how are you going to talk about it without analogy? Even Jesus used analogies!
“Good article on the antinomianism that has ravaged the contemporary church.”
Not antinomian, just necronomian...
A very good site! Thanks for posting! I bookmarked it to read daily!
It's not like Peter and Paul didn't warn us. When one reads 2 Timothy or 2 Peter chapter 2 it's like they could have been written last week regarding the contemporary Church in America.
To what degree and ALSO, with how much justification. A lawless Christian sins and ACCEPTS that it is going to happen, so it is OK. A Christian sins and it hurts, its not OK, it will eat your lunch until you confess it and repent.
We are NOT perfect, but we are to strive to be Christlike. Failing is inevitable, but it should not be acceptable.
When one comes to Him with a sincere heart and truly places their trust in Him, it is in that very instance a person is saved. The blood of Christ is applied to one's account. The price of death for sin has been paid in full by Jesus Christ, who became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. Our sins are washed away and The Holy Spirit enters into our being and we become the temple of The Living God. We are born into His family. He is now our Father and we have become His child.
Being born again is coming into sanity. A mad man who is delivered from insanity doesn't find it appealing to go back to being insane. A person who is choking on smoke doesn't, once they breathe fresh air, desire to run back into the thick smoke.
When one is truly saved they know it, as the Bible clearly says. Something very powerful has happened, which cannot be denied. God has become Father and you have become His child. He punishes His child when you do wrong. He gives His pleasure when His you please Him, just like a good earthly father does, but perfectly. When did a child have to remain good, doing good works to remain their father's child? A good parent teaches their child, because they are their child, not to stay or become their child, someday, if they prevail enough in their obedience.
I feel very sorry for those who think that they must keep doing good works, being approved, in order to stay or ultimately become God's child. It is like the relationship that many have with their earthly fathers, never feeling like they are really loved because they haven't done or been enough to earn their father's approval. This is not the love of our Heavenly Father. He loves us purely and perfectly every minute of our lives. He can do this because He gave His only begotten Son for the forgiveness of our sins.
It is the knowledge of His indescribable grace and love for us that puts His fire of love into our hearts, and it is this that the Apostle Paul and other New Testament writers fervently attempt to describe to us, and thereby convince us of. They know that understanding this kind of grace and love cannot be denied, but must and will be answered with undying love, trust and obedience back to The LORD who loves us so passionately, so completely, whose love never fails and is forever and ever.
John 3:16, 1 John 5:13, Galatians 4:6, Hebrew 12:6, 1 Corinthians 3:15, Titus 3:5-8, Galatians 2:16.
Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
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