Who said anything about them "not applying"?
As I've said before, we've been over this. We don't see "trust" the same way.
I didn't say not to ask God for forgiveness, now did I? Nor did I say we shouldn't try our best to refrain from sinning. Such is our "good and reasonable service." The point is, we know from Scripture, that our "righteous deeds are as filthy rags" and cannot and will not save us. We are saved by the obedience of One, Jesus Christ.
If we are looking to ourselves even a tiny bit to be saved, then we are indeed "prideful", in that we have made salvation a matter of our own obedience and good works, and not Christ and His finished work, the one time and all sufficient sacrifice He made for the sins of the world. As it is written, "let him who boasts, boast only in the Lord."
Apparently it's not easy, as many cannot simply "rest" in Christ, our Sabbath, but instead "go about to establish their own righteousness." It does seem natural to mankind that we must do good to receive salvation, but Scripture is abundantly clear, salvation is a gift, not a reward for the good things we have done.
Anyone whose reaction to the Gospel is some form of "thank you Jesus for giving me freedom to go murder, rape and steal all I want", does not understand that Gospel at all. And no one who truly does understand it and receives God's gift of salvation by grace through faith, just wants to go on loving their sin. So, that suggestion is absurd. When we understand the price Jesus Christ paid for us, we will hate the sin He died to save us from. I have yet to hear anyone who is truly resting in Christ's finished work say that they love sin and just want to go around doing as much evil as they possibly can.
Absolutely not. So we had better be sure we don't trample the Son of God underfoot and consider His blood an "unclean thing." (Insufficient to save).
You don't get to say whether or not someone is living a "blatantly sinful" life. How do you know they aren't growing in God's grace and that He isn't working with them in their "flesh"? Can you see a person's heart as God can? We only see outward behaviour. Another thing to remember is that if you have sinned, even once, since being saved, you are no better than they are. Have you been unjustly angry with someone? Have you given into fear and worry? Have you envied anyone? Have you been lazy and under productive? Have you failed to help someone in need? We all fall short of the glory of God, and in our flesh dwells no good thing. The flesh wars against the Spirit.
No true believer ever wants to do such things. They will hate sin, but they will still realize that their flesh "serves the law of sin." (Romans 7)
And remember, Jesus made it clear that hate is murder and lust is adultery. That's how High God's standards for absolute righteousness are. He who offends in one point, offends in all.
No one has lived a perfect, sinless, blameless life, but Christ Jesus.
There is no longer any condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, who have passed from death to life, been born again and sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Satan's lie is "hath God really said?" Only Satan would want anyone to doubt their salvation, not God.
We can trust that Jesus does not fail and that He is able to save "to the uttermost" all who believe. He is our Great High Priest and Intercessor, we can "rest" in Him.
God bless.
