The narrow way?

[TheGloryisHere]

My life is hidden in Christ Jesus......it is no longer I who live, but Christ that lives in me!

Christina asked what those words meant to ME. I am thankful that Jesus did a perfect complete work at the cross and I don't have to work for my salvation. I am supposed to enter His rest.......that's what being in Christ means.....resting in His finished work of the New Covenant. I couldn't get myself saved with all my goody-goody works and I sure can't keep myself saved by them. Only the shed blood of Jesus can keep me saved. That is what the new covenant means. I am resting in His finished work. God want's to be the one who does for me.

Heb 4:11 Let us do our best to enter that place of rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall. (NLT)

Heb 4:11 Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell]. (AMP)

Heb 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (NKJV)

Heb 4:11 Let us labour (work) therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (KJV)

 

[TheGloryisHere]

HOW DARE YOU ATTACK MY OPINION!!!!

Oh sorry, I see you're talking to someone else, my bad.

LOL!

 

[TheGloryisHere]

No, I don't believe that. I do think some people take it that far. But my purpose in saying things is not to judge you or your beliefs or to try to undermine your theology. It's discussion about particular verses.

I actually don't really know for sure if it is 100% OSAS. Although, I have hope and trust in God that He is "able to keep [me] from stumbling" and that I "will stand, for the Lord is able to make [me] stand."

and:

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
​

Since my salvation was not dependant on me, but rather on God, I trust that He is able to keep me His as well as make me His.

1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: KJ

1Co 3:9 For we are God's fellow workers; NKJV

1Co 3:9 For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. (AMP)

We are co-labors with God. God doesn't do it all and we sit in our ways and make no effort, but neither can we by our own efforts alone walk the correct way. We walk WITH God. He doesnt' carry us in His arms. He leads us across the street or any dangerous path, holding our hand. We have to walk with Him. He won't do our walking for us while we rest in His arms. We rest while our hand is being held by His big Fatherly hand, knowing because He is right there with us we wont' get killed, and we walk beside Him. We walk together.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Do we really ALWAYS submit to the fruits of the spirit as spirit-filled Christians? The Holy Spirit HELPS you to do something. If you don't submit to the Holy Spirit, you are disobeying God if you sit back and do nothing. We are spiritual with spiritual attitudes of our hearts. If the people are submitting to the Holy Spirit, who will give them fruit. Let the Holy Spirit do what He will through you.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Christians are no longer "in the flesh": "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Rom 8:9). The Greek word for "dwells" is okv (oike), which means "I inhabit." Galatians 5:25 Remember, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts with all the power and gifts of God, necessary to enable us to walk the noble, spiritual, Son-like life with God. Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (spiritually).

I did not say that my flesh ALWAYS cooperates.

I agree with much of what you've said, however, I do not feel we are in bondage to our flesh. I believe the enemy would like us to believe we are but when Paul states "we are free from the law of sin and death" to me it is clear that we are NOT.

Anyway, at the end of Romans 7 Paul makes a pretty clear distinction regarding the law of the flesh and the law of the mind. Verse 24 Paul asks the question: "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" In verse 25 he answers the question: "I thank God --- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

Two key words there are "I myself". 2 Corinthians 5:17 states "Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

"I myself" and "in Chirst" are two opposite ends of the spectrum. We can do NOTHING of ourselves. However, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13).

At the end of Romans 7 Paul makes it clear that he himself is helpless but his deliverance comes through Jesus our Lord who gives him strength to do all things ... and that would include overcoming the flesh. It's a battle that our Saviour helps us win not succumb to because we are still in our flesh home.

 

[Questioning Christian]

My flesh ALWAYS cooperates. I'm never, ever fleshly.

 

[jrlinz]

My flesh ALWAYS cooperates. I'm never, ever fleshly.

That's Questionable, Christian.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Very good. But, salvation was free. We have to do our part, and die to our flesh, now that we are His. I am pretty sure all of those instructions on behavior and warnings against sin, and who can and can not enter the Kingdom were not for those who did not claim to receive Christ.

I agree. Those warnings are for those who claim to have Jesus as their Savior. But, is He our Lord? He can't just be our Redeemer (Saviour) but not be our Lord. Lord means Owner and Boss. That means He gets to tell us when we're going down the wrong path. Right?

Saviour means Redeemer. Redeemer is someone who buys a slave from another owner, or buys a item from another owner. So, the person who did the redeeming or the buying, now becomes the owner of that person, slave, or item. The difference between Jesus and a human owner is, Jesus leaves our free will intact. He doesn't boss us around, though He is legally allowed to. He desires us to come to Him and obey Him out of our love for Him, not because we feel we have no choice because He would punish us or something, like a natural owner would do. Jesus is like no man we have ever known and does things totally different.

He still expects obediance, but He desires obediance out of our love for Him, not out of our fear of being punished.

He isn't the One Who punishes us. When we get out of the will of God and we run around out in the street without Him holding our hand, SIN comes along and bites us on the bottom, and we get hurt. God isn't the One doing the hurting. We were playing out in the street where all the cars are. We're bound to get run over.

I didn't mean to say all that. I was trying to keep it short and to the point....

 

[TheGloryisHere]

By the way, I believe the path is this side of the gate. We are running the race. There will be a point when we end the race (enter the gate).

When horses run a race, the gate is opened and then they run to the finish line. The Bible doesn't say anything about the finish line being a gate. The gate is at the beginning of a race; the finish line is at the end.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Wasn't Paul quoted as saying: "Where's my King James bible at?"

LOLL I sure don't recall Him asking that. *scratches head*

 

[TheGloryisHere]

That's the Authorized King James Bible to you, buddy.

authorized means who authored it. Authored by KIng James. LOL

 

[TheGloryisHere]

In fact, no. Let me give you some insight into what I believe. I believe that we all sin. I believe that when I do sin, I turn to God, get on myh knees, raise my hands in surrender, and let my voice ring with the pain and agony that I feel. I say "Jesus, burn this fleshy, festering unrighteousness from my soul. I will not run from the pain. Help me to be more like You. I can't do it on my own." I never give up hope. I have seen what the world is like, what I am like, without God. I am not perfected, but much more perfected than I was 20 years ago.
When I read scripture,I trry to take it in context with the surrounding scripture, with the Bible as a whole, and as if it were pointed directly at me. My flesh sometimes makes excuses. Comes up with things like "The writer was talking to a specific person or group in a certain specific situation. This scripture doesn't apply to me or to my situation." But, I remember that God is writing to me. I have to apply it. So, our intelect is important, but more so, the spirit. It would be difficult to find much scripture, particularly beyond the four Gospels, that is not pointed at a certain person or group in a certain situation. They are letters to churches, etc.., but also letters to me personally, and from God directly. More later,I have to go.

*laughs* Do you really say "Jesus, burn this fleshy, festering unrighteousness from my soul." ?? That's funny!

 

[TheGloryisHere]

We covered this in a disipleship class. I'm gooing to see if I can find the blog write up I did about it

But yoke, as mentioned in that above verse, wasnt refering to an animals yoke

Yeah, because Jesus said the yoke that was on us that satan put on us is destroyed by the anointing. Destroyed just doesn't mean broken. It means that there is nothing left; the yoke or collar of ownership to satan is totally dissolved.

 

[jrlinz]

When horses run a race, the gate is opened and then they run to the finish line. The Bible doesn't say anything about the finish line being a gate. The gate is at the beginning of a race; the finish line is at the end.

After the finish line, the horses go back through a gate to their stalls for a good rubdown. If I were to take a journey to say, Jerusalem, in days of old, I might take a path that would lead me to the gate of that city. Would the gate come first, or the path? Anyway, I am sure I do not have all scripture right. Some I definately do. never attended a bible college, very little formal bible study. But, I do know Jesus. And seek after truth.
I always saw it as starting the journey by accepting the message of the Gospel, and Jesus. From there, it is a journey, a life-long migration, back to full communion with God.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Well gluttoney is a sin, and if you're fat you must obviously live a lifestyle of gluttony, ie sin and how repentent can you be if you refuse to stop overeating?

If you weight 200 300 pounds didn't you fall off that narrow road long ago?

You can't go to hell because you have an addiction. All addiction is sin, not just the ones that everyone can see. Worry is just as much sin as overeating. Judging others and being rude is just as much sin as overeating. Slapping your spouse is just as much sin as overeating, and the list goes on.

An no, I'm not fat. Just making a point.

 

[jrlinz]

*laughs* Do you really say "Jesus, burn this fleshy, festering unrighteousness from my soul." ?? That's funny!

Not those exact words, exactly. I would sound like a broken record to God. but, something to that effect, yes
Don't you ever get desperate to stop, like, getting mad at people who are rude, or something. Glad I gave you a chuckle, Ma'am.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

The Bible says "All HAVE sinned", not all "do" sin. Jesus overcame sin. We are called to overcome...therefore, we can. I am not bound to this flesh to do it's bidding. I AM FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. I AM FREE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT NOT WHAT IS WRONG. Yes, my will at times may give in to my flesh but it does not HAVE to.

 

[jrlinz]

As long as you are not redefining sin, just to justify it, sure. I guess.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

Not those exact words, exactly. I would sound like a broken record to God. but, something to that effect, yes
Don't you ever get desperate to stop, like, getting mad at people who are rude, or something. Glad I gave you a chuckle, Ma'am.

Yes, I get desperate when I cant' stop a sin. I cry and cry and beg God to remove this horrid thing from my flesh; so yes I can relate to what you said. I absolutly hate it when something is winning over my life instead of the word. I so want to walk just like Jesus, that I can't stand it when it doesn't happen 100% of the time. But, I guess no one will ever attain perfection no matter how much we die to the flesh. But, one can hope and keep on trying anyway.

 

[TheGloryisHere]

The Bible says "All HAVE sinned", not all "do" sin. Jesus overcame sin. We are called to overcome...therefore, we can. I am not bound to this flesh to do it's bidding. I AM FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. I AM FREE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT NOT WHAT IS WRONG. Yes, my will at times may give in to my flesh but it does not HAVE to.

agreed.

 

[~RENEE~]

Yes, I get desperate when I cant' stop a sin. I cry and cry and beg God to remove this horrid thing from my flesh, so I can relate to what you said. I absolutly hate it when something is winning over my life instead of the word. I so want to walk just like Jesus, that I can't stand it when it doesn't happen 100% of the time. But, I guess no one will ever attain perfection no matter how much we die to the flesh. But, one can hope and keep on trying anyway.

yes we are to strive for perfection. true perfection cannot be obtained till we reach the other side of our journey. But we are to strive.