So, now we agree that there are some who abide in Christ who cease to abide, and that it's because they go away to chase sin?
I believe that once a person is genuinely being saved they are always in fellowship with God. Their sins are forgiven, and they remain in a permanent relationship with Him.
You believe that sin can disrupt fellowship with God. When a believer sins, they need to confess and seek forgiveness to restore that fellowship.
If you insist that "abiding in Christ" involves a dynamic relationship where sin can disrupt fellowship, then we don't share common ground on which to progress in our discussion. Everything I have said so far is predicated on the idea that "abiding in Christ" is a steady state. Even those who sin, John says, are in fellowship with God because they confess their sins and place their trust in their advocate.
2. I never said every instance of not remaining was equal to "falling away from Christ" ("'My soul will have no pleasure in him'... unto destruction").
Well, that wasn't very clear to me because I don't know anyone who believes that sin can disrupt fellowship, who hasn't given up on Christianity altogether, or hasn't committed suicide. Eventually, they all figure out that "Christianity" doesn't work. It is virtually impossible to maintain a relationship with God if it requires ongoing repentance and confession. How can one know for certain if one has confessed all their sins? What if they forgot one or two? Your theology doesn't work in real life.
There is no "principle" being spoken of--Paul is juxtaposing Sin against God, and both rulers issue decrees.
I think you may not understand Paul's terminology again.
In the following passage, Paul uses the same Greek word three times, which the translator has translated as "Law."
Romans 8:2-3
For the law [ νόμος ]
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law [ νόμου ]
of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law [ νόμου ]
could not do, weak as it was through the flesh . . .
In verse 3, Paul refers to the Jewish Law, which is the
Torah. The English meaning of the word
Torah is "instruction." Thus, our understanding of verse 2 comes from Paul's reference to "the instruction" in verse 3. In these two verses, Paul identifies a new and different source of teaching and education: the Spirit of God. In Paul's words, "The Torah of the Spirit of God has set us free from the Torah of sin and death."
In other words, those in Christ are being instructed by the Holy Spirit now, which has freed us from being taught by a system of sin and death. Those in Christ have found pardon and forgiveness, and if a follower of Christ should "misstep" the follower has an advocate with the Father.
The point is, sinning does not indicate that a person in Christ has left Christ.
Paul literally uses those words.
Okay, but my point was concerning Peter's betrayal of Jesus. I suppose one could argue that Peter wasn't in fellowship with Christ when he betrayed him. But Christ knew what would happen and prayed to the Father that Peter wouldn't fall. And Peter didn't fall.
Romans 3:27 literally uses those words.
You are right. I forgot about that passage because I don't think Paul was speaking about a "law of faith" in the literal sense. In that context the "νόμου πίστεως" refers to the new covenant (law) which is based on belief in the Son of God.
How could faith be counted as righteousness unless it was the fulfillment of what God wanted, thus commanded (eg, "God commands all men everywhere repent...") which is also called a "law".
Please remember the following text:
"Our translations read, 'Abraham was accounted as righteous in light of his faith.' (or something like that.) In that context, the talk is not about being virtuous, honorable, or morally right. Instead, Abraham was accounted as justified, which refers to his having a right standing before God. Abraham was declared 'in the right' concerning his belief in what God promised."
