The narrow way?

[jrlinz]

<B>

1 John 3:9
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
​

"But if you say you don't sin, then you're a liar."

That's not quite what it says;

1 John 1:10
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
​

Yes, I have sinned (past tense), but now that I have confessed my sins, He is faithful and just and has forgiven me.

</B>If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us".
Sorry, but I am certain this IS in the present tense (the words highlighted).
​

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Absolutely we are. But the Bible tells us that we can dominate the flesh, and we don't have to give into it. I think that's what Dods and Quaff and charity are saying. We can overcome this flesh, here and now. God would never have told us to do something that was impossible for us to do.

Well, that's true.

 

[probinson]

<B>

</B>If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us".
Sorry, but I am certain this IS in the present tense (the words highlighted).
​

1 John 1:8-10 (Amp)
8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
​

I have admitted that I was a sinner, but I am not a sinner anymore. Neither are you. We are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. We battle with our flesh, but we can overcome it.

 

[probinson]

This is deep, and hasn't got through to me yet. But, I"m sure in time, it will. I don't have a full understanding of those scriptures, yet.

I don't have a full understanding of this yet either. But this is what I've seen so far.

We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us. We are not downtrodden, no-good-for-nuthin' sinners anymore. We are His righteousness!

 

[probinson]

I understand where you and Pete are coming from... but is this going to make ppl think... well I can do whatever I want, and then tell God, "I'm not sinning. It's my flesh doing the sin." That is a great concern to me as a preacher.

This is a valid concern, and why Paul said;

Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
​

 

[TheGloryisHere]

I really like this!

I thought of Peter, walking on the water. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was fine, but as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to look at his circumstances, he began to sink. But what's even cooler to me is that Jesus didn't say, "Peter, you dummy! You should've kept your eyes on me! Now you're gonna drown!" No, He pulled him up, even though his eyes were in the wrong place.

I believe when we are focusing on our sin, our eyes are in the wrong place, and that is when we begin to sink.



My pastor always says, it's hard to run in a race when you're always looking behind you.

Philippians 3:13​

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,​

[this is a great thread!]

When I was overcoming an addiction which took 11 months, I kept seeing myself as a small child walking on the water to Jesus. As long as I kept my eyes on Jesus, instead of the sin I was working on overcoming, I was fine. But, when I took my eyes off Jesus, and looked at the winds and the high waves that were all around me, threatening to swollow me up, (the sin/addiction) I would fall. Then, I saw myself run to Jesus, jump into His arms and wrap my arms and legs around Him, holding on for dear life, like a two or three year old would do to a parent.

 

[jrlinz]

1 John 1:8-10 (Amp)
8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
​

I have admitted that I was a sinner, but I am not a sinner anymore. Neither are you. We are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. We battle with our flesh, but we can overcome it.

Define sinner? Is an adulterer a sinner? Is someone who briefly has thoughts of adultery in their mind, a sinner? If you or I have those thoughts, are we not, in fact, sinners? This man who was just sentenced for all of the child molesting crimes, if he had recieved Christ before this all happened, Jesus would be perfectly cool with it?

 

[Tamara224]

I understand where you and Pete are coming from... but is this going to make ppl think... well I can do whatever I want, and then tell God, "I'm not sinning. It's my flesh doing the sin." That is a great concern to me as a preacher.

I don't see how someone could think that if they have their eyes on Christ...

 

[probinson]

I am sorry, Prob, can you point me to the part that says: I don't see this in the scripture at all. I think it very plainly says that if you recieve Christ as your saviour,and are then entangled again in sin, it will be worse for you than if you had never known the truth. Please show me where my interpretation goes afoul?

I have answered many of your questions, and I will be happy to answer this one as well when you address this scripture;

1 John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
​

The scripture plainly says that because God's (incorruptible) seed remains in us that we CANNOT sin. Show me where my interpretation goes afoul.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

<B>

</B>If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us".
Sorry, but I am certain this IS in the present tense (the words highlighted).
​

I agree.

 

[jrlinz]

I have answered many of your questions, and I will be happy to answer this one as well when you address this scripture;

1 John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
​

The scripture plainly says that because God's (incorruptible) seed remains in us that we CANNOT sin. Show me where my interpretation goes afoul.

It says we cannot [continue to] commit sin and remain followers of Christ. It's pretty plain.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

I don't have a full understanding of this yet either. But this is what I've seen so far.

We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us. We are not downtrodden, no-good-for-nuthin' sinners anymore. We are His righteousness!

That part I understand.

 

[probinson]

Define sinner? Is an adulterer a sinner? Is someone who briefly has thoughts of adultery in their mind, a sinner? If you or I have those thoughts, are we not, in fact, sinners? This man who was just sentenced for all of the child molesting crimes, if he had recieved Christ before this all happened, Jesus would be perfectly cool with it?

Jesus, speaking to a woman caught in adultery;

John 8:10-11
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
​

It's particularly interesting to note that this woman didn't even ask for forgiveness, yet Jesus said He did not condemn her.

Seems like Jesus was "cool with it" to me. Or at the very least, not nearly as worked up as we seem to get when someone is caught in sin.

 

[probinson]

It says we cannot [continue to] commit sin and remain followers of Christ. It's pretty plain.

Actually, it says that anyone born of God DOES not sin.

Our spirit can not sin.

 

[luv4HIM]

1 John 1:8-10 (Amp)
8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
​

I have admitted that I was a sinner, but I am not a sinner anymore. Neither are you. We are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. We battle with our flesh, but we can overcome it.

amen

 

[TheGloryisHere]

This is a valid concern, and why Paul said;

Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
​

Yes, that's the scripture that keeps rising up in me. We have to balance both thoughts together, without compromising either thought.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Define sinner? Is an adulterer a sinner? Is someone who briefly has thoughts of adultery in their mind, a sinner? If you or I have those thoughts, are we not, in fact, sinners? This man who was just sentenced for all of the child molesting crimes, if he had recieved Christ before this all happened, Jesus would be perfectly cool with it?

A sinner is some one who hasn't acknowledge Jesus as taking his place in sin on the cross, and hasn't accepted that sacrifice and hasn't accepted Jesus as LORD over his life.

A Christian who has accepted Jesus as his or her LORD and is working on becoming more and more the image of Jesus, but falls into sin from time to time, but mostly what we mortals call small sins, is not a sinner. We are the righteousness of God in Christ. We are the obediant, called, saints, holy ones of Christ.

 

[Tamara224]

Define sinner? Is an adulterer a sinner? Is someone who briefly has thoughts of adultery in their mind, a sinner? If you or I have those thoughts, are we not, in fact, sinners? This man who was just sentenced for all of the child molesting crimes, if he had recieved Christ before this all happened, Jesus would be perfectly cool with it?

Think about it this way... is there any instance in the Bible where someone who has accepted Christ is called a "sinner"?

There's actually a different word used to describe Christians in the Bible... We are Saints.

That's because we are sanctified (set apart) because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. We are no longer of the world. We are not the same as the people who have not accepted Christ (sinners). We've been set apart and God has placed His seal on us.

We still battle with the flesh and we are capable of doing things that "miss the mark" (even adultry, etc). But when we do, because of the Righteousness of Christ, we are not 'charged' with that sin.

For example... say you live in a small town and the Judge has a son. That son is usually a pretty good kid but one day he messes up big time and gets in an accident while driving drunk. That son is guilty of driving drunk. But the judge, because He loves his son, and because his son is different than the regular hoodlums he sees, refuses to allow the prosecutor to bring charges against the son. He doesn't "see" the guilt of his son. The son realizes he messed up big time and gratefully accepts his father's mercy and grace and goes on to college and being a good man.

That's a loose analogy, but it's the way it is with us and God. We are His children. Factor into it that really, Christ has already served the sentence for our guilt... God isn't going to charge us with that sin.

No, God doesn't "wink" at it. He takes it seriously and He will discipline us when we need it. But He doesn't treat us the same way He treats the other "hoodlums" that are not His children.

We are set apart (sanctified), we're different now that we have Christ. Christ is what makes us different, let's not forget...it's not by our own effort.

 

[jrlinz]

Jesus, speaking to a woman caught in adultery;

John 8:10-11​

10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."​

It's particularly interesting to note that this woman didn't even ask for forgiveness, yet Jesus said He did not condemn her.

Seems like Jesus was "cool with it" to me. Or at the very least, not nearly as worked up as we seem to get when someone is caught in sin.

Does Jesus, maybe, see the heart? Is it possible she was terrified, so wishing she had never sinned before God, and taking full responsibility for her sin in her heart?

 

[TheGloryisHere]

I don't see how someone could think that if they have their eyes on Christ...

But, not all think that way. Some are looking for a loop hole so they can continue in their sin. Some only want to be Christians so they can have a ticket to Heaven but still continue being the lord over their own life. Not all seek the will of God who call themselves Christians. That is my concern. I don't want to give them a out to continue in their sin, and cause them to think, ah, a loop hole!

I know you know what a loop hole means in law.