Not By Works
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E
eternally-gratefull
Guest
Imitating christ to me would be doing what Christ did
What did he do? He acted like the father, Yet he did nothing by his own power. But by the of his father. As he said over and over, I do nothing of my will, but what the father tells me to do. And the spirit gives him the power to do them.
That is what we should do. Do what the father tells us to do. Through christ, who gives us the power to do them.
It is not of our own power or will. Jesus did non of those two. So doing them would NOT be imitating christ.
it's hard to sneak in some biblical truth here
it's all one big personal grudge match
people do not seem able to understand that Christians can have a problem with sin and still be righteous in God's eyes BECAUSE they are in need of help...as per your post
they will argue that we are sinners and yet that is not scriptural
of course, there is always the Bible, but that does take some effort
To be honest it is difficult to comprehend.
The trouble is "What are we Christ?
Church teaching tells us that we are born sinners or in sin, which is true. The bible tells us so.
We cant be unborn from this state by our own means, we need to be reborn as such.
Thtats why Jesus had to come to earth.
To rebirth us through believe in him.
To me in the eyes of God a sinner is someone who has not received Christ yet someone who has received Christ is now a saint.
If a person is in Christ, God sees the righteousness of God and therefore a believers identity should be in Christ.
The problem is that as a saint(Christian) when we sin what is our focus?
A sinner. When we sin or struggle with an issue what do we think?
If I really loved God I wouldn't be doing this and if God really loved me why isn't he helping me?
Emotions take precedence over the reality.
When we allow emotions to run wild it ensnares us but when we allow the reality to run wild it releases us.
Releases us into freedom, the freedom we have in Jesus.
I had a severe gambling problem.
My default was "I am gambler and a sinner"
Someone said to me "Your a child of God with a gambling problem"
See the difference?
I did and when I did then God dealt with issues that caused me to gamble.
Was ensnared by gambling for 28 years and been free for the last 7 years. Not had an urge to gamble at all.
God is good, he is true and just to himself and us.
Jesus prayed "Father may they know you love them as much as you love me"
If we get this wow what a release.
Romans 8
1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded isdeath; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind isenmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
That is what I receive from the above.. what do you receive?
Based upon verbiage thinly veiled it seems as if he is not the only one.....see....certain people use certain words....no matter how they try to change their approach particular words will eventually come out....a dead give away....just saying....
I'm a child of God with a speeding problem - guess I'll have to buy a radar detector...
Is that you going at my post above?
AMEN and the particular verbiage used eerily reminds me of another........just saying
I personally view it as "fitting out" such as....adding to your faith virtue, add to virtue knowledge etc......just like a Roman soldier would fit out for combat....as believers who have been saved we are to fit out our salvation with those things that make us profitable....not to gain, keep and or maintain salvation which is eternal, but rather added to make us profitable and usable....
This depends on what the addiction is and what form of ministry she wants to be part of. There are many other factors to consider here, Biblical ones as well. Just because someone wants to be in ministry does not qualify them to be in certain aspects of ministry nor should it disqualify them from other aspects of ministry. A smoking addiction is vastly different than a drug addiction, booze, overeating or porn addiction. It is really difficult to give a complete answer without more details. A big consideration is this. Is the addicted person spiritually mature enough to minister to others with the same issue or others. A sick and terminal Doctor cannot be a Doctor to others.
7
7seasrekeyed
Guest
exactly!
identifying who we are in Christ is what totally changed how I saw myself as well
thank God for men and women of God who see the answer to a universal problem
what should really be discussed in this thread, is not works vs no works, because the Bible is so simple and plain and that if you are saved, you WILL do works
for some reason people confuse this with needing works. yet, the Bible does not say this
all these objections to works are actually strange IMO...I don't get it when scripture says we have been created to do them:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:1
instead of just accepting that, people go off in all directions trying to avoid just agreeing and say works do not save or works do not keep you saved
I fear for the comprehension level of some and for others arguing over and over and over when they are in disagreement with scripture...not regarding salvation, but in the fact that works are what we should be doing as Jesus hands and feet on earth as He has ascended.
what is lacking is honesty with self and with God. there is absolutely nothing, zilch, zero, nada...I would not bring to my heavenly Father because He knows it ALL anyway
He has the solution to our sin problems and along the way we enter deeper into fellowship with Him
Ahh. That's amazing. Must be heaven everyday lol. There is a Thai store near my office that I go to but only on workdays. I'm not into spicy stuff but Thai food is an exception.
My wife's favorite places to shop locally here in the High Desert are, 1 Thai Market and Seafood, 2 Exceptionally well stocked Philippine Markets, friendly personnel, and a Philippine SeaFood Market in LA. Fresh crab, and ocean fish, cleaned and fry. I can eat spicy Thai flavors but no longer can I tolerate Thai Dragon Chile's, way, way to hot for me.
God bless
A great ministry team for a person getting sober from drugs or alcohol is the hospitality team. The ones that help serve food, greet people and the like. It will serve a dual purpose. She gets to serve in a ministry function and it teaches her she can be around people and events and can perform well without needs to get a drink to take a pill, etc.
What do you receive from this:
Matthew 5
17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Where does the Messiah's Testimony place in your belief system?
We have been created to do good works
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
To me the above scripture encompasses all in us.