- Oct 17, 2013
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Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable because God is Good. In fact He is all-good. God cannot do evil and He cannot tempt any person to do evil. To command someone to do what is impossible and then punish him for not doing as He commanded is evil. God cannot do evil. God desires that all mankind choose to obey and thereby be saved and that is why He sent His Son to be the ransom for all mankind. 1 Timothy 2:3-6, 2 Peter 3:9It is true that God demands a person to be "pure of heart" and "made perfect" before he may see God's face but it is also true that He knows that many persons will still not be perfected at the time of their death. Jesus commands us to "strive to enter by the narrow door because many will not be able" and this ability to enter by the narrow door is dependent upon each person's own free will choices. Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable.
One thing at a time. If it were to depend upon the choosing ability of any man......NONE of us could stand. Those who have been converted by His grace still have a propensity to sin so great that we must depend on 1 John 1:9 to maintain the status of the "righteousness of God" as we are washed clean through repentance. We are not perfected by our acts or upon any good "work". In fact, the apostle Paul claims that the very best that he, as a dedicated Jew, could offer to God was as filthy rags. Romans 8 makes it clear that the only thing that lays claim to perfection is the indwelling Spirit that is given as a gift from God. The second chapter of Ephesians makes clear that those who were enemies of God are DEAD in their sins. But it is GOD, and God alone that revives this dead person unto life. Why? Read God's word through the pen of Paul......
"so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
Read Paul's description of man's total depravity and God's monergistic act to save His people. Tell me what man does to receive this gift?
When we speak of a term found nowhere from Genesis to Revelation, namely "free will", we are applying this concept in two manners. Pre-justification and Post-justification. My previous post was dealing with Pre-justification only. That is, "does any man have the ability to make a decision to turn the will of His life over to something that is virtually undetectable by humans senses?" I think the scriptures are clear on this subject. All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The wages of sin is death. Any man who commits even one sin has committed them all. And the list goes on....and on.....and on...….
But you have chosen to stand on the directives given by God to man. Your whole argument stands or falls on this:
Jesus would not command us to strive for something that is unattainable.
My question to you is......WHY NOT????
Mark 10:18
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. rsv
What Christ is asking him is, "Do you believe that I am God?"
James 1:13
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; rsv
3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God. rsv
Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed. rsv
Purity was not attainable by Abraham. Purity was not attainable by Joshua. Purity was not attainable by Moses. Purity was attainable by Jesus, the Christ. This is the gospel message and the very reason that we know that man CANNOT obey God. We NEED Christ because He is perfect and He stands in our place. If fallen man is capable of obedience to God then Christ died in vain for that person. I will not inundate you with scripture verses. But I will say that the myriad of scripture verses that contain directed commands by God does not come close to proving that man is capable of adhering to them.
Jesus does not "stand in our place". We stand in our own place which we have chosen by our own actions. Joshua 24:15
If we choose to repent and believe and are baptized using the formula commanded by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, His Holy Spirit immediately sanctifies us through the water and words of baptism Ephesians 5:26 and so then He dwells within our soul/heart/mind. Acts 5:32
His presence is what keeps us sanctified and makes us righteous/worthy/approved to inherit eternal life. It is His indwelling presence at the time of our death which guarantees us that we will be approved/worthy to inherit eternal life. Revelation 2:10, James 1:12
If we have not continued in our obedience to God's commandments and as a consequence of our disobedience, God's Holy Spirit of Grace is not abiding/dwelling within us at the time of our death, Jesus will not recognize/know us as one of His own and so then we will not be approved worthy to inherit eternal life. Luke 13:23-28, Matthew 7:18-23
Mark 16:16
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. rsv
The person who does not believe does not choose to repent and be baptized and so he will not be saved.
Baptism:
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. rsv
Ephesians 1:13-14
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. rsv
You claim that man cannot obey God. This is what the Scripture states:
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. rsv
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things in him who strengthens me. rsv
2 Peter 1:3-10
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. rsv
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