HOLY AND BLAMELESS IN GOD'S EYES

fhansen

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I read a commentary recently on Colossians 1:21-23 here:
Holy And Blameless - 5 Ways To Know What It Means In God's Eyes!

But the gist of it was summed up at the end where it stated:
You are holy and blameless in God’s eyes. The Word of God tells you so.

Now all you need is to…

“continue to believe this truth AND STAND FIRMLY IN IT.”

I’m wondering how everyone views this matter. The above appears to make our righteousness or state of justification dependent on us, in the sense that I am holy and blameless so long as I maintain the belief that I’m holy and blameless. As if my resolving to believe will justify me -or keep me that way -and without any regard to my actually being holy and blameless to whatever degree God might otherwise expect from us. It’s kind of like believing in my belief.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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I read a commentary recently on Colossians 1:21-23 here:
Holy And Blameless - 5 Ways To Know What It Means In God's Eyes!

But the gist of it was summed up at the end where it stated:
You are holy and blameless in God’s eyes. The Word of God tells you so.

Now all you need is to…

“continue to believe this truth AND STAND FIRMLY IN IT.”

I’m wondering how everyone views this matter. The above appears to make our righteousness or state of justification dependent on us, in the sense that I am holy and blameless so long as I maintain the belief that I’m holy and blameless. As if my resolving to believe will justify me -or keep me that way -and without any regard to my actually being holy and blameless to whatever degree God might otherwise expect from us. It’s kind of like believing in my belief.
The only way to be holy and blameless is not to quench the Holy Spirit. Many receive the seed of His Spirit yet the soil and surroundings that support that seed does not allow it to grow. To be a true Christian is to avoid being stagnant. There are so many parables by our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth that point to those who do not grow in The Faith. Be blessed.
 
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fhansen

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The only way to be holy and blameless is not to quench the Holy Spirit. Many receive the seed of His Spirit yet the soil and surroundings that support that seed does not allow it to grow. To be a true Christian is to avoid being stagnant. There are so many parables by our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth that point to those who do not grow in The Faith. Be blessed.
I agree with this. And the Trinity indwelling man is the basis of our righteousness-and the font from which our righteousness flows due to the love that underlies and defines that relationship. And that relationship is entered into via faith. But the doctrine of Sola Fide seems to open the door for some to believe that perhaps no personal righteousness is possible? -or at any rate necessary-for man to enter heaven, as long as they believe.
 
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disciple Clint

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I read a commentary recently on Colossians 1:21-23 here:
Holy And Blameless - 5 Ways To Know What It Means In God's Eyes!

But the gist of it was summed up at the end where it stated:
You are holy and blameless in God’s eyes. The Word of God tells you so.

Now all you need is to…

“continue to believe this truth AND STAND FIRMLY IN IT.”

I’m wondering how everyone views this matter. The above appears to make our righteousness or state of justification dependent on us, in the sense that I am holy and blameless so long as I maintain the belief that I’m holy and blameless. As if my resolving to believe will justify me -or keep me that way -and without any regard to my actually being holy and blameless to whatever degree God might otherwise expect from us. It’s kind of like believing in my belief.
You are because of what Jesus did not because of anything you or I can do. Faith in Jesus is not a work.
 
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fhansen

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You are because of what Jesus did not because of anything you or I can do. Faith in Jesus is not a work.
Ok. Jesus did everything. We cannot be saved without Him; we cannot be saved apart from God. But isn't faith a response to what He did? Some believe and are justified while others do not believe. Heck, we don't even exist to begin with apart from Him-but we don't have to acknowledge that He even exists. So it appears that we have a choice in that matter, a choice in responding to His gift of faith.

But the question becomes, are we holy and blameless in His eyes by the sheer fact of believing-without becoming personally holy and blameless- or are we holy and blameless in His eyes because, as a result of believing, He actually makes us personally holy and blameless, writing His law on our hearts to put it another way?
 
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disciple Clint

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Ok. Jesus did everything. We cannot be saved without Him; we cannot be saved apart from God. But isn't faith a response to what He did? Some believe and are justified while others do not believe. Heck, we don't even exist to begin with apart from Him-but we don't have to acknowledge that He even exists. So it appears that we have a choice in that matter, a choice in responding to His gift of faith.

But the question becomes, are we holy and blameless in His eyes by the sheer fact of believing-without becoming personally holy and blameless- or are we holy and blameless in His eyes because, as a result of believing, He actually makes us personally holy and blameless, writing His law on our hearts to put it another way?
3 Truths to Know about the Righteousness of God
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then this moment, right now, you are righteous in God's sight. All the guilty stains are gone. Paid for by the blood of Jesus and applied to your account so that your sinful account is now paid in full. There is nothing more required.
 
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fhansen

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3 Truths to Know about the Righteousness of God
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then this moment, right now, you are righteous in God's sight. All the guilty stains are gone. Paid for by the blood of Jesus and applied to your account so that your sinful account is now paid in full. There is nothing more required.
I understand that we’re forgiven of sin, of course. But does receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior also mean that we can and must now live and walk like we’re a member of His fold? Or do we just need to continue relying on our believing instead? Or is, perhaps, having once believed sufficient, even?
 
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Butterball1

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But if we walk (present tense) in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth (present tense) us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

IF (condition) one continues (present tense) walk in the light (be in Christ) then Christ' blood continues (present tense) to cleanse away all sins. Remaining in Christ where there is the continual cleansing away of all sins keeps the Christian holy and blameless in God's eyes.
 
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fhansen

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But if we walk (present tense) in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth (present tense) us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

IF (condition) one continues (present tense) walk in the light (be in Christ) then Christ' blood continues (present tense) to cleanse away all sins. Remaining in Christ where there is the continual cleansing away of all sins keeps the Christian holy and blameless in God's eyes.
Yes, thank you. John's first letter is very helpful in our understanding the obligation for man to actually be righteous in order to be considered holy and blameless in God's eyes. And so, as I see it this denies the concept that being holy and blameless in God's eyes is only a matter of believing that we're holy and blameless in His eyes.
 
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disciple Clint

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I understand that we’re forgiven of sin, of course. But does receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior also mean that we can and must now live and walk like we’re a member of His fold? Or do we just need to continue relying on our believing instead? Or is, perhaps, having once believed sufficient, even?
If you accept Jesus you are part of His fold, why would you want to walk any other way?
 
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fhansen

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If you accept Jesus you are part of His fold, why would you want to walk any other way?
No one can predict their own perseverance, which is why we're admonished to persevere, strive, be vigilant, remain in Christ, be holy, do good, put to death the deeds of the flesh, etc. God's absolutely trustworthy and true while we're the wildcard. So we have passages such as:

If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”
and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” 2 Pet 2:20-22
 
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CleanSoul

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I read a commentary recently on Colossians 1:21-23 here:
The author sure got a lot out of two verses. As has been brought up, how does sin play into this equation?

Also, I know little about Messianic Jews, it could be that the author's view of Christianity is skewed?

This is why I stay away from some books, articles.
 
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fhansen

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The author sure got a lot out of two verses. As has been brought up, how does sin play into this equation?

Also, I know little about Messianic Jews, it could be that the author's view of Christianity is skewed?

This is why I stay away from some books, articles.
And yet it's consistent with the understanding of many-some on these forums-of Sola Fide.
 
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disciple Clint

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No one can predict their own perseverance, which is why we're admonished to persevere, strive, be vigilant, remain in Christ, be holy, do good, put to death the deeds of the flesh, etc. God's absolutely trustworthy and true while we're the wildcard. So we have passages such as:

If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”
and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” 2 Pet 2:20-22
You might want to look up the meaning of that passage in a good commentary.
 
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GOD Shines Forth!

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You are because of what Jesus did not because of anything you or I can do. Faith in Jesus is not a work.

Yes! It’s the way you describe or it’s "the man who does these things shall live by them" (which Paul says is not of faith, ROM. 10:5 and Gal. 3:12).
 
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fhansen

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You might want to look up the meaning of that passage in a good commentary.
Would “good commentary” mean one that agrees with your opinion? Or are you saying that you have no opinion on the matter? As it is the passage pretty well stands on its own, agreeing with the general theme in the rest of Scripture along with the historic teachings of the Christian Church in all parts of the world.
 
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disciple Clint

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Would “good commentary” mean one that agrees with your opinion? Or are you saying that you have no opinion on the matter? As it is the passage pretty well stands on its own, agreeing with the general theme in the rest of Scripture along with the historic teachings of the Christian Church in all parts of the world.
No it means a valid generally accepted by scholars commentary. If you are going to use Scripture you should ensure you do not rely on your own understanding.
 
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fhansen

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No it means a valid generally accepted by scholars commentary. If you are going to use Scripture you should ensure you do not rely on your own understanding.
Nor should you, and you haven’t provided an understanding either way. But scholars disagree on these matters all day long, and often hold interpretations filtered through the lens of distorted theologies. And readers tend to search out commentaries that support their own preferred positions. So which scholars does one choose? Who should make the distinction between a commentary being valid and generally accepted and one that is not? Generally accepted by who?
 
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disciple Clint

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Nor should you, and you haven’t provided an understanding either way. But scholars disagree on these matters all day long, and often hold interpretations filtered through the lens of distorted theologies. So which scholars does one choose? Who should make the distinction between a commentary being valid and generally accepted and one that is not?
Pick one lets see if it validates your post
 
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