Brother Chris said:Spyder, these people in this verse are condemned because they are not Christians. They are not saved. How do we know? The last part of the last verse is the key: you evildoers or you who practice lawlessness. Read 1 John 3:
verse 4: Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
verse 9: No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
These people in Matthew 7:21-23 were never saved or born again. It's not because they didn't do enough good works or obey the bible enough, they were never saved by the grace of God. They continued to rely on religion and external works which does nothing to cure someone's sin problem. When Jesus said, "you must be born again" that's what He meant. Are you born again Spyder? Did you repent of your sins and believe and trust and in God's only Son to forgive you, save you and change you?
Chris, I want to comment on this because I've lived a saved life since age six. I've experienced lost years of things I am ashamed of. Like fornication, lasciviousness and living a prodigal backslider's life. I'm 47 now and I've recognized that when I try to stop sinning like lusting, I do it more. The more I try and stop sinning the more sinning I commit -wth? We are no longer slaves to sin so how do we stop with the carnality? Answer - by becoming slaves to righteousness and that is only possible because God has given each believer at least one spiritual gift. We are to find out what gift we have and use it. It may be evangelism or knowledge which can be used on forums like this. Or teaching and pastoring gifts used at church. Whatever it is, when it becomes important enough for us to know - spider, we can begin a victorious walk in Him. Don't think that you can stop sinning on your own brother spider. What you and I can do is humble ourselves and serve each other with our gifts and learn to become servants of the most high God. Christ is calling you closer to him.
Thanks Chris
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