Does God want us to "sin less" in this life or to "stop sinning?"

Gregory Thompson

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Notice the word "should" in there. This does not suggest a guarantee.
For example: That would be like me saying, "I should be over your house tomorrow, but I have a lot of work to do." Would you take this as a promise or guarantee that I was coming over? No. Of course not. So why would you read a guarantee into the words in John 6? Because of your preconceived beliefs.
The quote said "you said" I don't recall writing anything on that passage today. Just in case it was addressed to someone else.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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No. Your not thinking like a detective. If I needed a detective to do detective work for me, I would not hire you. There is no rational explanation to a Christian being in fear if they know their brethren were saved. Sad? Yes. Fear? No. For Paul says to live is Christ and to die is gain. Jesus says fear not the one who can destroy the body, but fear the One who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (i.e. the Lake of Fire). So the reason why we are to fear God (Christ) is because He has the power to throw us into the Lake of Fire.
It's funny though, Jesus entrusted the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven to children ... should I be trying to be a detective?
 
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Dear Jason0047. God is Love, and we are all sinners. With the Love of God we can be the sons and daughters which God wants. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy hearts, with all thy souls and thy with all thy minds. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself." In verse 40 we are told: on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. God wants us to stop sinning. In Matthew 7: verse 7-10, we are told: " Ask and you shall receive. We ask God for Love and Compassion, for kindness and always a helping hand. Love is very catching, and we only have to ask and then thank God and be the men and women which God wants us to be. Always loving and caring, always kind and considerate.
The Bible tells us: " ask and you shall receive, we ask and then we receive, then thank God and start loving and caring, always be kind and forgiving, helpful and LOVING. Why not try it Jason? God is Love and God wants loving sons and daughters, straightforward and easy to understand and follow. God wants us to give up sinning, and start loving and caring. I say this with love, and send greetings. From Emmy, your sister in Christ.

Your falsely assuming I don't believe these commands and do not put them into practice. I am very well of these commands in the New Testament and their meaning. I have been doing a deep study on God's commands in the New Testament for a long time. Most Christians don't even care about God's commands. They say...Oh, just love. But how are we to love? Our way? Or God's way according to His Word? Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments. You do realize that there are close to 1,000 commands in the New Testament alone, right? Do you want to do you own thing in this life or follow God's will according to His Word?
 
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It's funny though, Jesus entrusted the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven to children ... should I be trying to be a detective?

We are to have the heart of a child that does not mean we are to act like children. Paul says he put away childish things. So you cannot force the idea of being a child upon every aspect of your life. That would be unbiblical.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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We are to have the heart of a child that does not mean we are to act like children. Paul says he put away childish things. So you cannot force that idea upon every aspect of your life. That would be unbiblical.
I tend to draw a distinction between childish and child like.
 
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I tend to draw a distinction between childish and child like.

Paul also said we have to move onto the meat of the Word (i.e. obedience to God's Word) and not just feed off of the milk of the Word (i.e. belief only in His Word).
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Paul also said we have to move onto the meat of the Word (i.e. obedience to God's Word) and not just feed off of the milk of the Word (i.e. belief only in His Word).
I tend to look at the milk of the word of God to be understanding the kindness of Jesus and how to emulate that in your life. The meat is about how to love your enemies and do all the hard stuff.
 
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A_Thinker

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Notice the word "should" in there. This does not suggest a guarantee.

For example: That would be like me saying, "I should be over your house tomorrow, but I have a lot of work to do." Would you take this as a promise or guarantee that I was coming over? No. Of course not. So why would you read a guarantee into the words in John 6? Because of your preconceived beliefs.

I am paying more attention to these words ...

John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out
 
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Soyeong

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Also, there is no difference between between doing a little bit of evil vs. a lot of evil. One is a murderer even if they murdered once. Adam and Eve fell by just one sin. Ananais and Sapphira died and were condemned because of their one sin because a great fear fell upon the whole church.

While there is a sense that all sin is the same in that it separates us from God, there is also the sense that some sins are worse than others. In Exodus 32:30, the golden calf was described as a great sin, in Ezekiel 23:11, she became more corrupt, in 2 Samuel 24:10, David said that he sinned greatly, in 1 John 5:16, it distinguishes between sins that do and do not lead to death, in Matthew 11:23-24, Jesus said that it would be more bearable in Sodom than in Capernaum on the day of judgement, according to Luke 12:47-48, some will receive a severe beating, while others will receive a light beating, in John 19:11, Jesus said that those who delivered him had the greater sin, in 2 Peter 2:20-21, it is better for someone to not have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn away from it, and in Mark 3:28-30, Jesus describe blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as being an unforgivable sin. God prescribed different penalties for different sins, which also indicates that they are not all the same, and stealing a loaf of bread is not the same as committing mass murder. There is also the issue of whether sin is intentional or unintentional and whether the sinner knows better or is in the public eye.

The Bible clearly teaches that you can overcome sin by God's power as long as you believe and follow His instructions within His Word. See 2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Peter 4:1, Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:14.

Indeed, grace is the power of God to overcome sin in our lives, and we have been given grace, but we do not yet always act in accordance with the grace that we have been given.
 
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A_Thinker

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You are going to do works regardless. One is either saved by ...

Option 1. God's grace + good works or
Option 2. God's grace + evil works.

Neither of these statements is correct.

Paul clearly says that salvation is ... NOT OF WORKS ...

For by grace you have been saved, through FAITH, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.

NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast.
 
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Aseyesee

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Well, there are several passages that tell us that you cannot be out of fellowship (or a relationship) with God and still be saved.

#1. 1 John 5:12 says He that has the Son has life and He that does not have the Son does not have life. Life is associated with eternal life or salvation.

#2. John 17:3 says eternal life is in knowing the one true God, Jesus Christ. Knowing implies a fellowship. So if you don't know Jesus, then you don't have life (Salvation).

#3. Romans 8:9 says if he a man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.

#4. Psalms 73:27 says God will destroy all those who abandon Him (or go a whoring from Him).

#5. John 15:6 says if a man does not abide in Him, he is cast forth and burned.

#6. 1 John 1:7 says if we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

#7. Romans 11:21-22 says if you do not continue in his goodness you will be cut off. For if God spared not the natural branches (i.e. the Jews), take heed that he can do the same to you (i.e. Gentile believers). The analogy here is that you are branch and Christ is the tree. We need to continue in Christ's righteousness or goodness, not our own righteousness or goodness, or we will be cut off because of unbelief.

The very premise of this brings into question whether God can finish what he started.

Both those who are forgiven much, and those who are forgiven little are the same as to what they are forgiven of, but one who loves much has much knowledge of what is forgiven, as the one who has little has little knowledge.

Whose sins we hold are held, though God had taken it all away; reconciling the world unto himself.

Can you add to yourself by taking thought? Jesus did not believe this possible ...
 
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disciple1

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Oh, good; So if you are not justified by keeping any Law then you are not justified by obeying the following law (i.e. commandment) then, right?

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ,..."
(1 John 3:23).

Are you also not under the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus?

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus says there is no condemnation to those who walk after the Spirit in Christ Jesus.

1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
(Romans 8:1-2).



The two greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor.

But what about Paul's condemnation of the "Law"? Well, Paul is talking about the Old Covenant Written Law that was for Israel (i.e. the Law of Moses). In Romans 3:1, Paul says, "what profit is there in circumcision?" In Galatians 5:2, Paul says, "if you seek to be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." Circumcision was a part of the Old Law given to Israel and not the New Law given to us by Jesus and His followers.

In fact, what is helpful to understand about God's laws is that there are Eternal Moral Laws given to man after the Fall (Like: "Do not murder," "Do not covet," "Do not steal," etc.). They existed before the written Law. The written Law merely repeated them, but they did not go away. They continue on into the New Testament. For why do you think the world perished by a global flood? It was because of their wickedness or sin. What law could they have broke before the written Law came into existence? It would have to be God's Eternal Laws for man. So when the Old Law was done away with, it was the laws that were more exclusive to the nation of Israel. The ceremonial laws like the Sabbath, circumcision, dietary laws, farming laws, etc. are no more because they were for Israel. But God's Eternal Moral Laws are unchanging. Jesus, Paul, and John all warn us about the consequences of what will happen to anyone who breaks God's Eternal Moral Laws. Jesus said one is in danger of hell fire, and Paul said one will not inherit the Kingdom of God, and John said they will have their part in the Lake of Fire.
The two greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor
But if you try to obey those laws you will fail, and have to keep trying.
How can you say you love your neighbor as yourself, when there's a billion people in the world without clean water, do you buy anything other than food.


Matthew chapter 25 verses 31-46
When the Son of Man comes" in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and got visit you? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
 
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Blade

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"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

She was caught in sin. She was not Christian (were none yet) on and on. Yet.. Jesus can not lie nor would He tell someone to do something they could not. We don't have to sin for no one controls us. Yet we all sin have sin "if we say we have no sin we deceive our selfs and the truth is not in us". Anything that is not faith is sin.

All sin is ..is missing the mark. And then it gives Satan the right to effect our lifes in some bad way. It keeps GOD from us. Sin hurts us..keeps us from God. So.. I see it as we need to stop sinning.
 
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Monk Brendan

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Does God want us to "sin less" or to "stop sinning?"

Please use Scripture to justify your answer;
Thank you and may God's love shine upon you.

Matt 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
 
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I am paying more attention to these words ...

John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out

But you can't do that. We cannot pick and choose what we like and disgard things that we don't like in the Bible.
 
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