What's the heart of Christianity?

[aiki]

Paul says we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Did Jesus ever have a mind that justified the idea that He could sin and be in God's favor? No.
Yet, that is what we see in Christinaity today and it is sad.

Yes, it is sad. Sadder still are those who think holiness is an end in itself rather than just the avenue to joyful fellowship with the God of the universe. They have focused on the commands and lost sight of the Commander.

 

[aiki]

I'd appreciate it if this thread did not turn into a debate about eternal security and works salvation. Thanks.

 

[Isilwen]

And what point would that be? Does your point line up with the truth of 1 John 2:3-4?
If so, I would like to hear your thoughts on how you interpret 1 John 2:3-4. But my guess is that such a thing is not going to happen.

Go back and read my reply to you once again. Read exactly what I said. Then read again what aiki wrote in his posts. Then you will see what I said about you missing that he is saying what you are saying about keeping his commandments.

IOW, he is saying what you are saying, he just didn't say those words exactly.

You need to dial back your need to be right all the time. You miss key points in what people write.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yes, it is sad. Sadder still are those who think holiness is an end in itself rather than just the avenue to joyful fellowship with the God of the universe. They have focused on the commands and lost sight of the Commander.

Is that what Jesus said?

Jesus said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:10).

What is the end goal as to the reason why Christ gave Himself for us?

It is written:

“...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27).

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14).

 

[Neogaia777]

@aiki

Oh and I did read your other posts, and they were very good, but I don't if @Bible Highlighter read them very clearly or not, or he would know that your not in any way promoting disobedience, or saying that sin is just fine or OK, etc...

If anything, I think your just trying to show how you found a higher and better way, which I believe is the real true way, a way that is obedience out of Love and not fear, by which some seek to try and obey, out of fear I mean, etc, cause out of fear is a way that I think is only very counterproductive to any kind of true obedience, trying really hard to obey because your very afraid, kind of thing, etc, only produces a very wicked heart on the inside only, etc, which is how I think some like maybe @Bible Highlighter might be trying to go about obeying maybe, and so they are jealous and/or envious of those who have found the better way maybe, etc, cause they maybe don't have it yet, etc, and want to find fault with those who maybe have found that much better way maybe, etc...

I mean how dare you rest and have and find joy and peace in obeying God, etc, right...?

Cause if that's truly the case, then you must be a sinner trying to justify your sin, right...?

Cause you'd just "have to be" in that case then, right...?

They work way too hard for any of the rest of us to be having any of that peacefully after all, etc...

Anyway,

God Bless!

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Go back and read my reply to you once again. Read exactly what I said. Then read again what aiki wrote in his posts. Then you will see what I said about you missing that he is saying what you are saying about keeping his commandments.

IOW, he is saying what you are saying, he just didn't say those words exactly.

You need to dial back your need to be right all the time. You miss key points in what people write.

If the roles were reversed, I would be wiling to explain to you what was going on because I really care about people understanding the truth of God's Word. But you just want people to figure out what you mean by what little words you provide. In any event, you both appear to not be in agreement with 1 John 2:3-4. Hence, why neither of you have provided an explanation on it so far.

 

[Isilwen]

If the roles were reversed, I would be wiling to explain to you what was going on. But you just want people to figure out what you mean by what little words you provide. In any event, you both appear to not be in agreement with 1 John 2:3-4. Hencei, why neither of you have provided an explanation on it so far.

Why do I have to explain what aiki already has explained? Can you not read it for yourself? There is another who is agreeing with aiki and saying that maybe you missed the forest for the trees.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

What does God's grace teach us?

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” (Titus 2:11-12).

According to this above passage, God's grace teaches us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. But the OP does not appear to agree with this line of thinking, though. If I am wrong, then someone needs to explain to me the difference in what was posted in the OP vs. what this passage says.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Why do I have to explain what aiki already has explained? Can you not read it for yourself? There is another who is agreeing with aiki and saying that maybe you missed the forest for the trees.

Why are you not explaining anything and being all mysterious with your words?
That doesn't help anyone.
Again, what is your view on 1 John 2:3-4?
Do you even know what it means?

 

[mlepfitjw]

I'm not sure what you mean by "the spirit." If you mean the Holy Spirit, I don't see anywhere in Scripture where we're told he "grows" within us. Do you?

Anyway, I totally agree that "feeding" on God's word is vital to a stable, healthy Christian life. Is it really, though, "the only thing that can help"? I know atheists who read the Bible quite a lot but they aren't helped spiritually at all by doing so...



Okay. So, how do synthesize Romans 10:17 with Romans 12:3?



Does God want from us our ignorant, sin-fouled, selfish, human love? Or, maybe, what He wants from us is His own, perfect, holy agape love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit... (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22) What do you think?



Amen!



Thanks! Glad to be of help. That was my goal.

It's all perception friend. Some people are spiritually weak while others are spiritually strong because of the spirit inside of us. What I mean by building the spirit up is the spiritual body that is going from this life unto the next which is produced by the feeding of Gods word through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's people choice to do that or not. To be renewed in their mind through Christ Jesus our Lord who changes us by the spiritual body that is given and the holy spirit from God. Some people remain babes in christ, while others become sons and daughters of God. They are all measures of faith.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yes, it is sad. Sadder still are those who think holiness is an end in itself rather than just the avenue to joyful fellowship with the God of the universe. They have focused on the commands and lost sight of the Commander.

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3).

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:5-6).

 

[Isilwen]

Why are you not explaining anything and being all mysterious with your words?

Why are you not reading what aiki said over again? In your zeal to always be right, are you afraid that you will be wrong?

Again, what is your view on 1 John 2:3-4?

Read what aiki said, you'll have your answer.

Do you even know what it means?

Apparently, better than you do since I can read what aiki is saying and see that he is talking about keeping His commandments.

 

[Isilwen]

@aiki I'm sorry for my part in maybe derailing this thread. I was just trying to help out and show BH that what you have said is the same thing, just with different words.

 

[mlepfitjw]

Lol @Isilwen, bible hightlighter is just how he is, no need in correcting him, just let him be.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

@aiki I'm sorry for my part in maybe derailing this thread. I was just trying to help out and show BH that what you have said is the same thing, just with different words.

He is not saying the same thing. He thinks holiness is not the end goal. I have proven him wrong by quoting Ephesians 5:25-27 and Titus 2:14.

Yes, holy living cannot be attempted by human effort. Only God can help us to live holy. But his first post gives a wrong impression of how one can know God and yet not worry about obeying God. This is in direct contradiction to 1 John 2:3-4. His second post attempts to do damage control to the first post but they are not in agreement with the truth of the Bible.

 

[Neogaia777]

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3).

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:5-6).

Do you obey out of fear, or Love...?

Cause if it's out of fear, it's only going to make things very, very hard on you and for you, you'll see wickedness everywhere you go and everywhere you turn, and when you go around almost every and any corner, you'll "jump" at your own shadow, cause your so very afraid of it, etc, and that's no way to be living your life, nor what Jesus came to truly give us either, etc... And that (what I just mentioned) (that fear, etc) is only due to the very, very wicked heart that that fear has produced within you as well only, etc, or as well and/or also as well only, etc...

And then also, if your also that so very much afraid of them, etc, then how are you truly loving them, or how are you able to truly show them love truly also, etc...?

Which the most highest number one and greatest commandment there is also, etc...?

Anyway,

God Bless!

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Lol @Isilwen, bible hightlighter is just how he is, no need in correcting him, just let him be.

The problem is that Aiki's first post does not really align with his second post. He is saying in his first post that the end goal is not living holy. He even repeats this point in the thread. This fies in direct contradiction to Ephesians 5:25-27, Titus 2:14. He says you can know God and not worry so much about keeping His commandments but this contradicts 1 John 2:3-4. Aiki's second post appears to do damage control to his first post in that obedience will come as a result of knowing God. But Jesus says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23).

 

[Isilwen]

He is not saying the same thing. He thinks holiness is not the end goal. I have proven him wrong by quoting Ephesians 5:25 and Titus 2:14.

Yes, holy living cannot be attempted by human effort. Only God can help us to live holy. But his first post gives a wrong impression of how one can know God and yet not worry about obeying God. This is in direct contradiction to 1 John 2:3-4. His second post attempts to do damage control to the first post but they are not in agreement with the truth of the Bible.

I'm done trying to explain it to you.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

To all:

It is written:

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6).

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in thefear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” (Acts of the Apostles 9:31).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I'm done trying to explain it to you.

Good day to you in the Lord.