Brother, 'believers who sin on occasion' What is this? Are we sinners or Saints?
Though you've ignored the scripture I gave to show that we cannot sin AT ALL, I will talk about the scripture you just used.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1Jn 2:1)
John makes it extremely clear in the very begining of the verse, that the whole purpose of his writing is that the readers do not sin. Just because he makes it clear that all is not lost because Christ can always forgive a sinner, we ought not make this an excuse to sin, to think it is okay to have sin in our lives. We know that Christ has power over all sin, but we are also told all the way through even this chapter that any who wilfully sin against Him are not IN Him.
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.(Jn 2:18,19)
This is talking about the last days, now, about all those false teachers who don't even talk about sin and repentence, who teach only that Christ is there to give us all we desire in this present life. Many of these teachers know the majority of gospel message very very well simply because they used to be of Christ, but as john explains they 'went out from us'. Now they use a counterfiet gospel which is like rat poison (99.99% food + 00.01% poison). Though actually the percentages probably don't have to be quite so diverse.
It is very dangerous to excuse sin Brother, sin is wicked and is of satan, if we for a second excuse sin in the life of a believer, we open the floodgates, one sin excuses another and another and before we know it we are falling right back into the world.
And this is not works, if we cannot make a differentiation between working to earn your salvation because you believe that only by your own works you can be saved AND pleasing and holy service to your God and creator because He commanded that you ought to be Holy as He is Holy, then there is a grave problem!
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and SIN NO MORE. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, but shall have the light of life. (Jn 8:11,12)
There is no room for sin as a follower of Jesus Brother, a person is either a sinner of a saint. I thank God for he has cleansed my former sins and made me a saint. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.(Ga 2:20)
The Light has no part with the darkness (Jn 1:5) and any that are doing wickedness will have no part with the light (Jn 3:19-21)
I am convicted by the Holy Spirit and am told in no uncertain way by the Word of God that;
...if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.(1Co 5:11)
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.(1Co 6:9,10)
As a saint of God I am thankful that he has put these sins of which I was once guilty as far from himself as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12). And I heed His Word in Ro 6, and sin no longer. Lest I crucify Jesus again by becoming a child of satan, I repeat, the light has no communion with the darkness (Ge 1:4, Is 5:20, Jn 8:12, Ro 13:12)
Thank you Brother, I completely agree. I actually think one needs more faith to believe in evolution as the mechanism for the origin of species than to believe in God as the mechanism.
Your logic is sound though and there are plenty more arguments against evolution which I could point out if anyone on here 'believes' in it.
I am touched by your story, you are right that the main and absolutely overriding feature of any service ought to be to plainly worship God. If the church you attend is indeed more interested in pandering to its couples, then perhaps you should consider finding a different church as this is certainly not common to all churches.
In the mean time though, commit this matter in prayer to the Lord, the prayer of a righteous man (woman) availeth much and it may be that you are pleasantly surprised when you next attend.
I pray that the Lord our God gives you strength and joins you to your husband in the quickness of time in Jesus's mighty name. Amen.
I pray that the Lord our God sends us an increased infilling of His Spirit, our helper in order that we may know His mind for is anew. Amen.
2Tim 3:5
This verse comes as part of a discourse by Paul to Timothy concerning more widely the last days, and how men and women will act generally toward one another. We do indeed see easily much more evil on today's society. But Paul was not merely referring to the 'world's but also, unfortunately, to the Church.
When he says "having a form of godliness" what he means is that people will outwardly appear godly, but their intentions will show different.
See how the NLV translates it
They will do things to make it look as if they are Christians. But they will not receive the power that is for a Christian. Keep away from such people.
Other verses;
Lk 8:13
2Pe 2:13
Mt 15:8,9 (Is 29:13)
The question though is, how do we ensure that we don't become like this?
Tim 4:2-5
We need to keep studying the scriptures edifying each other with them.
Col 3:10
We need to always be mindful of the 'new man' we have become in Christ.
Ep 6:18
We need to pray in all manner of ways, unceasingly asking God to help us mortify the flesh.
Ac 10:30
We need to fast so that God knows how much we are willing to wait on Him for His Kingdom and for His blessings and grace to strengthen us.
Ep 4:14
We need to 'grow up' spiritually and stand firm on the rock, lest we be blown over by any false doctrines or worldly pursuits.
2Co 3:3
Let us be living epistles, holding firm in the face of wickedness and shining the light of Christ wherever we are and whoever we are with.
May Jesus help us to overcome all of our struggles as we live blameless lives before Him.
I could keep my peace I suppose but this is a matter that is close to my heart. Sci fi was pretty much my world before I was saved, now I've no hunger for it, there is likely a good reason for that. Also this is an open forum after all and if you disagree with me, simply ignore me!
I have decided to completely remove all traces of (what I dis-affectionately call) "Hellywood" from my diet, as well as the vast majority of mainstream TV and pretty much all secular music.
Some of this is a sacrifice, I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't enjoy in my flesh watching/listening to some of it. But Christ has taught me that I need to take up my cross and that in order to receive life I must let it go.
I have given to understand that a majority of output from these secular sources is highly inspired by demons, there is much material on this on YouTube. I wish no longer to be entertained by demons, that gives me great strength. Also that many of this media, being produced by those in league with occult influence, put incantations/spells/covenants into them to which I do not want to be subjected.
Lk 5:11; Lk 21:34; Mk 10:28,29;
Lk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the Cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lk 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ep 4:24 and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Ga 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
He 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I pray that God opens your eyes to this, in Jesus' name.
May the Lord Jesus help us to understand His Word and give us the wisdom and guidance to truly live in the Spirit in Him. Amen.
Mt 25:1-13
This parable concerns ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. All of them know the bridgroom (Jesus) because they are all gong forth to meet Him. Clearly we can infer that both 'sets' make up the Church. But there is an important difference between them, five ensure that they have enough oil while the other five do not. What is the oil referring to?
Isiah 62:1
Ex27:20
God needs us to always have a lamp burning for Him. So the five who neglected to be prepared truly were foolish, but when the Bridegroom finally came He was mercifull and let them in anyway because they were already saved and believed in Him...NO, He didn't let them in because thier lamps had gone out!
2Sam 3:33
Ezekiel 33:31
God needs us to be ever faithful.
This parable which Jesus uses to illustrate the Kingdom of Heaven comes just after his end times prophcies in Mt 24 and precedes another parable about Heaven and a discourse about the sheep and the goats. I believe that the Lord is very concerned about the welfare of His Church and is using these last few moments of His earthly ministry (the Last Supper appears in Mt 26) to fervently warn the Church against complacency.
Mt 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Amen Brother, satan isn't content to merely fight God outside the Church, but in it as well. We all need to open our eyes to the spiritual battle we are in (Ep 4:12). The enemy is out to destroy us in any way he can and if he can pervert the Gospel, all the better.
Look at false teachers like Joel Olsteen even having the chance to boldly proclaim Jesus (Ro 1:16) as the only way on national TV, but copping out with "It's up to God". Wicked!
Be blessed Bro, and may Jesus increase in you daily as you increase in Him.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Clearly the Lord intends us to be, in some ways at least, like children, It's definitely a good thing for us to humble ourselves, as children so naturally and necessarily do. Especially when it comes to asking about the reasons God has taken us through the path from our own personal Egypt. Sometimes we can make the mistake of simply assuming that God wanted us to learn something in particular and end up missing something else.
I think prayer and fasting helps, also perhaps accepting that we just cannot know all the whys and wherefores all the time and that God will let us know in his own time.
Again, thank you for sharing Brother, may Gods continued blessing and grace be upon you and yours.
