Quote Lillan: "As a sidenote; if it is possible to be without sin, i pray to God that he will make me without sin!!!"
God did make you without sin. If anyone is in Christ he (she) is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold all things have become new.
Paul counsels us to consider that if Christ died for all, then all died.
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I have noted how so many (myself included) can blur the distiction between the flesh and the spirit. We easily find ourselves comparing the one against the backdrop of the other. But Christ said, Now the
ruler of this world is judged. There is a decisive severing between the flesh and the spirit - the Word of God is living and powerful to the dividing of soul and spirit.
A servant is not above his Master. Since Christ was condemned on the cross and died because of sin, then that is our lot. Since Christ was raised from the dead because of God's mercy, then that is also our lot. Whether I have 20 sins (arbitrary number) or 20,000 sins, I am judged along with the ruler of this world to die. And whether I have 20 or 20,000 good deeds, I am still judged along with the ruler of this world to die because Christ, on the cross, condemned sin in the flesh.
What Christ has provided us through His death and resurrection is the opportunity to die now, as opposed to waiting for old age, illness or accident. To believe that we have also died with Him, and to
believe that we have been raised with Him, is our choice for righteousness (Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness) - and our faith becomes what we do based upon that belief.
Whatever is not of faith, is sin. If I deliberately lie to achieve a self-serving end because I think God would say no, then my action does not reflect that belief. And since my belief then is not the
foundation of my action, then I am not in Christ. I am still in my sin.
If I misrepresnt because I consider there is wisdom in discretion for a specific situation (Abraham half-truthed about his wife being his sister), then my faith might be questionable, but it is sincere and
based on my belief ... though it is the hay and stubble that will be burned up and I will suffer loss, but my foundation (Christ) remains and I am without sin before God because I remain in Christ.
And if I tell the entire truth and it costs me greatly, but I do so because I think it is what God wants, then this is the gold and silver that will be tested and purified ... and one of His rewards for my deeds in the flesh. And because my foundation (Christ) remains, I am still without sin before God because I remain in Christ.
When we speak of being saved - what are we saved from? It's not saved from dying, or the explosiveness of wrath, or some abstract concept of sinfulness. We all must die, and then the judgement ... but we are saved from the permanence of death by dying today, and being raised today. We pass from death into life where mercy triumphs over judgement. And the life we now live, we live by faith. Because whatever is not of faith is sin. And because without faith it is impossible to please God.
So what is faith?
I set my alarm last night because I believed that the morning would come and I would have my job to go to. By faith, I set my alarm. And though I might thrash about in my sleep and hit the off button so that the alarm doesn't go off and I'm late for work ... I'm still blameless.
Or, I didn't set my alarm because though I've experienced each morning and have been to work each day, I chose to not prepare for the morning. And though I might still wake up in time and get to work a few minutes early and all looks well in everyone else's eyes ... I'm still with blame because I did not act in faith.
Paul says, Do you have faith? Have it between you and God. Happy is he (she) who does not condemn himself (herself) in that which they allow.
John says if we are in Christ we cannot sin, because His seed remains in us, and in Him is no sin.
One esteems one day above another, another esteems every day the same - let each be convinced in his (her) own mind ... To him (her) who eats with the feeling of giving offense, to him (her) it is sin.
Lillian, God made you without sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus. You believe that, and your actions from that point on is your faith (strong and/or weak). And your faith is an issue between you and your Father, God.
If you build gold and silver on that foundation - you are blameless.
If you build hay and stubble you'll suffer loss - but you are still blameless.
- but if you choose to not believe what Christ has accomplished, then you would have blame. One of the greater deceptions we subdue is the idea our actions can be more powerful than Christ's death and life.
I choose to believe in what Jesus has established, and that influences all my choices. I do well, and I do awful, but in all I'm without sin for one single reason: God said so.
