Filthy Rags versus Fine Linen Bright and Clean

[GracePeace]

Do you believe we can stop sinning in this lifetime?
Not sure I understand the above.

The more a person sees Jesus the more holy they are because His Name is "God Is Our Righteousness" (Jer 23:6).
The Moon has no light, but it can reflect the light of the Sun.
"When we see Him as He is we will be as He is".

 

[GracePeace]

Great post Soyeong!!
Nothing to add....
You've touched on The Kingdom, The New Covenant, and the Law of Christ.
Perfect.

Soyeong believes Christians are supposed to serve God by the Law of Moses LOL--that we're under Law, not under Grace.

 

[Wynona]

Even John sinned (you can see this in the Book of Revelation), so I think glorifying God by righteousness gets more and more perfect over time--if John wasn't 100% perfect, we won't reach perfection, either. We will be as He is when we see Him at His return (1 Jn 3).

Its always possible to sin but not inevitable.

(2 Peter 1:1-11, 1 Peter 4:1, Galatians 5:16)

I think we put early disciples on too high a pedestal sometimes.

 

[Wynona]

Do you believe we can stop sinning in this lifetime?
Not sure I understand the above.

Yes

 

[GracePeace]

Its always possible to sin but not inevitable.

(2 Peter 1:1-11, 1 Peter 4:1, Galatians 5:16)

I think we put early disciples on too high a pedestal sometimes.

I'll say this : it's easier said than done.
You can say it, but have you done it?
If you haven't done it (lived sinlessly), you probably oughtn't say it (we can live sinlessly).
It is an indication that it is not true.

 

[Wynona]

I'll say this : it's easier said than done.
You can say it, but have you done it?
If you haven't done it (lived sinlessly), you probably oughtn't say it (we can live sinlessly).
It is an indication that it is not true.

It's not an indication for or against a belief if I personally do not practice it. If Jesus said it, I have faith it's doable.

Personally I think we conflate just existing with sinning. As if just sleeping or eating or typing forum responses is somehow sinful.

Any Christian can stop sinning. Jesus said whoever sins is a slave to sin and that the truth would set us free from being in bondage to sin.

By the time Im learning to walk in love through practically meeting the needs of my family, giving as Im able to those who ask, speaking edifying words, keeping busy with my hands, etc...I don't really have time to sin.

I sinned on this forum a few days ago. I lost my temper. But I don't have to stay at that level. I don't see why we can't stop sinning by abiding in Christ, or why we shouldn't say that.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Thanks, and yes, yes I do!

I think you are doing a way better job than I can and Im really grateful!

The explanation I got was that Christians should be growing in their faith and getting more obedient gradually but that we can never stop sinning in this lifetime. I don't believe this anymore, but people would use 1 John 1:8 as a proof text for this. (I think you covered that too?)

I like clear thinking because I think I get clouded by frustration at times.

Be careful. While I believe we can be sinless for a time I do not think we can be sinless

I think the big issue is people do
Not know what sin is. They look at the overt sins like don’t drink cuss or smoke. But sin is much deeper than this.

If we look to the law of love I think we can start to get a grasp. But still many fall short and think they are good people. But deep
Inside they are not

 

[Eternally Grateful]

The more a person sees Jesus the more holy they are because His Name is "God Is Our Righteousness" (Jer 23:6).
The Moon has no light, but it can reflect the light of the Sun.
"When we see Him as He is we will be as He is".

I see it different

The more we see Jesus for who he is the more sinful we realize we really are. Because he is perfect love. We have not reached that state yet. It will be a lifetime goal.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Yes

How does this happen? When do we reach the perfect state of agape love for all people?

 

[Wynona]

Be careful. While I believe we can be sinless for a time I do not think we can be sinless

I think the big issue is people do
Not know what sin is. They look at the overt sins like don’t drink cuss or smoke. But sin is much deeper than this.

If we look to the law of love I think we can start to get a grasp. But still many fall short and think they are good people. But deep
Inside they are not

How do you define sin?

I feel like people are unclear about what it is. And if Im confused, Im open to being corrected, provided it's with Scripture in good context.

 

[Wynona]

How does this happen? When do we reach the perfect state of agape love for all people?

Sorry if these are rhetorical questions but here goes...

We stop sinning by continuing in the Word until it sets us free, and walking in love. We transform our minds by setting our minds on things above at all times. We can also just think about positive things like Phillipians 4:8 says.


Love is not a feeling we drum up. We know we arrived when we are willing to meet the practical needs of those we come across. Hungry? Thirsty? Am I able to help? I help.

(1 John 3)

There's a verse I want to post about us having confidence when Christ appears because we love the way he does in this wirld but my phone is acting up and switching tabs often causes me to lose all my content. I think its 1 John 3 though.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

How do you define sin?

I feel like people are unclear about what it is. And if Im confused, Im open to being corrected, provided it's with Scripture in good context.

Perfect love is fulfilling g the law. Anything short is sin

I ask myself do I live my wife perfectly. Of course my answer is no. So if I do not love her perfectly. How do I live my enemy perfectly?

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Sorry if these are rhetorical questions but here goes...

We stop sinning by continuing in the Word until it sets us free, and walking in love. We transform our minds by setting our minds on things above at all times. We can also just think about positive things like Phillipians 4:8 says.


Love is not a feeling we drum up. We know we arrived when we are willing to meet the practical needs of those we come across. Hungry? Thirsty? Am I able to help? I help.

(1 John 3)

There's a verse I want to post about us having confidence when Christ appears because we love the way he does in this wirld but my phone is acting up and switching tabs often causes me to lose all my content. I think its 1 John 3 though.

I see

I just do not think we do this perfectly. Which is what it would require

 

[GracePeace]

It's not an indication for or against a belief if I personally do not practice it. If Jesus said it, I have faith it's doable.

Personally I think we conflate just existing with sinning. As if just sleeping or eating or typing forum responses is somehow sinful.

Any Christian can stop sinning. Jesus said whoever sins is a slave to sin and that the truth would set us free from being in bondage to sin.

By the time Im learning to walk in love through practically meeting the needs of my family, giving as Im able to those who ask, speaking edifying words, keeping busy with my hands, etc...I don't really have time to sin.

I sinned on this forum a few days ago. I lost my temper. But I don't have to stay at that level. I don't see why we can't stop sinning by abiding in Christ, or why we shouldn't say that.

Yeah, Peter says those who have suffered in the flesh have ceased sinning--as Paul says, "we will be glorified together with Christ if we suffer with Him"--but, still, even John the Apostle sinned (he says so in Revelation), so, at the same time that a person strives to please God, they should not lose hope if they sin.

 

[GracePeace]

Sorry if these are rhetorical questions but here goes...

We stop sinning by continuing in the Word until it sets us free, and walking in love. We transform our minds by setting our minds on things above at all times. We can also just think about positive things like Phillipians 4:8 says.


Love is not a feeling we drum up. We know we arrived when we are willing to meet the practical needs of those we come across. Hungry? Thirsty? Am I able to help? I help.

(1 John 3)

There's a verse I want to post about us having confidence when Christ appears because we love the way he does in this wirld but my phone is acting up and switching tabs often causes me to lose all my content. I think its 1 John 3 though.

1 John 4
17By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

But don't forget...

1 John 3
2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears,a we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

When He returns He will conform our lowly bodies to be as His, but it seems this means imperfection, though we strive, until then.

 

[GracePeace]

Sorry if these are rhetorical questions but here goes...

We stop sinning by continuing in the Word until it sets us free, and walking in love. We transform our minds by setting our minds on things above at all times. We can also just think about positive things like Phillipians 4:8 says.


Love is not a feeling we drum up. We know we arrived when we are willing to meet the practical needs of those we come across. Hungry? Thirsty? Am I able to help? I help.

(1 John 3)

There's a verse I want to post about us having confidence when Christ appears because we love the way he does in this wirld but my phone is acting up and switching tabs often causes me to lose all my content. I think its 1 John 3 though.

We are under Grace, and it seems this means the means of sanctification is knowing Jesus, "looking away unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith". "If they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of the truth"--so if we began by knowing Christ, we proceed to perfection by the same knowledge of Christ by walking in faith.

2 Corinthians 3
17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

So, when we are under Grace, we are walking by faith authored by Christ, which means we are looking to Christ, and we are being transformed into the same Image. That is sanctification, it seems.

 

[Wynona]

I see

I just do not think we do this perfectly. Which is what it would require

I think, if we make our decisions with the clear conscience from faith, were walking in the light and the blood of Jesus does cleanse us from all sin. (1 John 1 maybe?)

I don't believe we can go without making mistakes or misjudging. But if we do our actions from faith---we are then justified. I just believe that you can walk with this clear conscience in faith all the time.

What I don't believe is that we can have real repentance if we just think we'll do the same things over and over again. If we fall seven times, we get back up, determined not to fall again.

I also don't think were covered by the blood if we do wrong, and know it's wrong, but just want to use "grace" as a cop out from resisting temptation.

 

[Wynona]

1 John 4
17By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

But don't forget...

1 John 3
2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears,a we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

When He returns He will conform our lowly bodies to be as His, but it seems this means imperfection, though we strive, until then.

I don't see imperfect and sinful as the same. We do have lowly bodies. But that does not mean we are sinners by default till the resurrection.

I define sin as transgression of the law.

 

[GracePeace]

I don't see imperfect and sinful as the same. We do have lowly bodies. But that does not mean we are sinners by default till the resurrection.

I define sin as transgression of the law.

OK I just wanted to clarify because some people believe in sinless perfectionism.

 

[GracePeace]

I define sin as transgression of the law.

When actual sin occurs in the heart, the Law detects it, but didn't cause it.
However, not all breaking of the Law occurs as a result of sinful desires, which it condemns-the Priests break the Sabbath while working in the Temple and are not guilty.
The Law can detect and condemn sinful desire, but not all breaking of the Law is a result of sinful desire.
Righteousness is the same way--God's righteousness is revealed apart from the Law, and when there's righteousness occurring in our hearts, the Law detects it, but it didn't cause it.

1 Ti 1:9