Hi Fran,
Sorry if I conveyed what you think I was saying.
That was not my intention.
What I am trying to say is that focus in our lives can be wrong.
You would be surprised at how many beleivers focus inwardly on the sins they commit and is their focus.
This then leads to sin management.
Now I have come along many beleivers who focus is this
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
and this
The 10 commandments (won't post them)
they spend their lives trying not to be rather than being.
This can then lead whether it be intentional or not to pride.
We come before God and say "bless me cause I didn't do this today or that"
This can then lead to looking at others and raising eyebrows at others who are struggling with stuff they are not.
As I said the focus can be on doing rather than being.
Being what?
A child of God, secure in the knowledge he loves us and that he will work in us to conform us to the image of Jesus.
To me that does not mean we are to sit back and do nothing. We do have a part to play which is allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and as he reveals the stuff in our life that needs dealing with.
As he does the stuff mentioned above will decrease as a result of this
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
All of this we cannot do in our own strength.
That is why Jesus said
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
So to finish
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
These two commandments encompass the 10 commandments
and Jesus took it further
Matthew 5:43-44
Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
So to me our focus should always be on Jesus, we say I want to be like you.
He will say, you can be and that's why I had to go back to heaven so the Holy Spirit must come to help you and guide you.
Sorry if I conveyed what you think I was saying.
That was not my intention.
What I am trying to say is that focus in our lives can be wrong.
You would be surprised at how many beleivers focus inwardly on the sins they commit and is their focus.
This then leads to sin management.
Now I have come along many beleivers who focus is this
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
and this
The 10 commandments (won't post them)
they spend their lives trying not to be rather than being.
This can then lead whether it be intentional or not to pride.
We come before God and say "bless me cause I didn't do this today or that"
This can then lead to looking at others and raising eyebrows at others who are struggling with stuff they are not.
As I said the focus can be on doing rather than being.
Being what?
A child of God, secure in the knowledge he loves us and that he will work in us to conform us to the image of Jesus.
To me that does not mean we are to sit back and do nothing. We do have a part to play which is allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and as he reveals the stuff in our life that needs dealing with.
As he does the stuff mentioned above will decrease as a result of this
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
All of this we cannot do in our own strength.
That is why Jesus said
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
So to finish
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
These two commandments encompass the 10 commandments
and Jesus took it further
Matthew 5:43-44
Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
So to me our focus should always be on Jesus, we say I want to be like you.
He will say, you can be and that's why I had to go back to heaven so the Holy Spirit must come to help you and guide you.
What you describe above is Law and not Grace.
It's the mosaic covenant and not the New covenant.
Maybe you just have a better way of explaining it.
I've said all of the above at one time or another.