It all boils down to your belief that sin is sin, period. You keep claiming to be a sinner, and out of the other side of your mouth you quote
1 John 5:18 that Christians don't sin, which if you claim to be a sinner, then how can you believe you are born again?
How can I believe I'm born again? No. That's not what I'm saying. The thing of it is, IF what you say were true, then in no wise am I, or pretty much anyone, is born again. Your beliefs exclude any who admits that there yet remains sin in their life from actually being born again.
You're views prohibit the notion that I've ever met God. So why do you even discuss this stuff we me the "unregenerate"?
I'm trying to help you love yourself.
Wow!
OK. Even after all this, I don't think you have any concept about me or my life. I suppose it's my fault, for not being more self-revelatory.
But I feel that to tell my story will make some people lump me together with those to believe differently.
I just don't think you are understanding what I'm saying.
I know by both instruction from God through the Bible, and the experience of my life that by faith in Jesus we overcome everything that is against us, and that we do not sin, and that we walk with a clean conscience - however - I do not teach or believe that this is the criteria that we know we are born again, that we are trusting in Jesus.
This is a learning curve in believers, and we are all different.
Loving myself is a far away an issue as can be with me. That's got nothing to do with anything. I have a Comforter beyond any other. What is love for self when we can know God's amazing love for us?
Do all have the same gift? No. It's no different than saying, if you don't speak in tongues you aren't saved. Think a moment, why is there even a gift of faith? Gifts of teaching and helps and all that? So we can transcend where we are.
I keep claiming to be a child of God. What you hear as "the other side of my mouth" is the recognition that while we are dead to the flesh, yet we remain in those flesh bodies, and dealing with their hostility towards us.
If God gives you faith to overcome in an instant, wonderful, but if He doesn't, you may find that you come to understand how to trust Jesus over a course of time. And is this the person we trumpet to that "you aren't saved, you told a lie! Better get born again!" Why, I never sin!!
I marvel that you preceive I'm trying to fill some lack in myself!
You will, I expect, continue to teach like
@Episkopos I suppose, that we are justified, reborn, but that's not enough, we've got to finish it ourselves.
I will oppose that fully, knowing the truth of faith and grace, that ALL who are born again, the only lack that needs to be filled is to trust more completely in what Jesus has done for us.
When we will allow ourselves to the freedom of not having to make things better ourselves, that's when we receive everything from Him.
Loving ourselves is the very least, everyone does that. They just don't always know how very well.
No, loving God, that's what is needed, and love for His is found in His love for us, that He gave Himself for us.
We don't forgive to purchase His forgiveness. That's OT. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
Much Love!