GOD'S ULTIMATE PURPOSE FOR BELIEVERS

Post 151, you resonded to my answer as being wrong, when I said the same thing as you did. Which is cool, because I seldom hear anyone give that answer.

Much love!

No.

Paul was very clear that he still sinned. I’m not sure why you can’t see that. The reason Christians sin is not because we need an excuse, it is because of our sin nature.

1 Corinthians 4:3-5 KJV
3) But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4) For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Paul wrote that even though his conscience was clear, that didn't by itself mean that he was innocent. He recognized that we don't know ourselves well enough to be fit judges of ourselves. So if anyone thinks they have completely erradicated sin in their life, I'm wondering how they can be so sure.

Much love!

Ok lets go with what you first said yet later said it again "to be a forgiven sinner is an insult to God's grace and His eternal intention for His people that are called by His name." Now I am sure most here understand what your tying to say but lets make one thing perfectly clear no one here speaks for the great I am. How you personally feel is not how He feels for He is not man nor thinks like one. You said not God for it is not written anywhere in the Torah/Bible "to be a forgiven sinner is a insult to Gods grace".

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. "

Do we fully understand what why he said that? Anyway its not worth going in if were going to speak things talk about things as IF they are true yet nothing more then a personal feeling belief. Some believe sorry I have to lol if it quacks like a duck its a duck. I fully understand how they see themselves redeemed set free the righteousness of God yet in the same breath say "save sinners, of whom I am the chief". This flesh has not been redeemed it still loves to sin. No one is insulting their Father nor Christ their friend their best friend, their brother, their savior. For me it comes of as offending those HE did die for that are not yours nor mine but HIS Children. Just becuase we LOVE JESUS.. He will defend His kids even from His own.

Paul wrote that even though his conscience was clear, that didn't by itself mean that he was innocent. He recognized that we don't know ourselves well enough to be fit judges of ourselves. So if anyone thinks they have completely erradicated sin in their life, I'm wondering how they can be so sure.

I never once said anything about being sinless. Paul was a righteous man by faith, he was a holy man by faith, he was devoted to Christ with a passion that few have demonstrated through the centuries. His love for Christ moved him to eradicate all known sins in his life, yet he was not sinless, and neither could anyone be sinless except Christ alone. However, known sin should not be part of our lives because we are a new creation in Christ (2Cor. 5:17).

Sorry, but a believer who is a new creation in Christ (2Cor. 5:17) can no longer have a sinful nature (although that term does not appear in the scriptures). You are probably referring to the flesh which we must conquer with the help of the Holy Spirit who is our teacher, our advocate, and the One who transforms us into the image of Christ. This does not take place without our willingness to say yes to Him while turning our backs to known sin. Once the Holy Spirit shows us a hidden sin that we were not aware of, it is our responsibility to toss it out of us as garbage is thrown out into the dumpster.

The Lord does not want us to continue to live the way we used to. If we are not growing, we are stuck in the mud of our own iniquities (Ps. 40:1-2). The Lord showed me all this in a dream therefore I seriously consider anything that is not of Him and with all my heart I violently throw it away from me. How? By first admitting my sin, second, changing my mind about this hidden sin, and totally depending on the Holy Spirit to evict it from my life, even if it takes all my strength to do it.

Christ must be our passion just like He was to Paul the great apostle of grace.

Anyway, I'm glad someone else sees the same that I do!

Much love!

We will never know Christ's liberating power unless we are first willing to say "no" to our sin. And afterward, hold our course.

Much love!

Not saying we're forgiven sinners sounds a lot like the Word of Faith practice of positive confession. That is, saying things we want to create in our lives and not saying things we don't. For example, if the words "I'm a sinner" come out of my mouth enough times that's what I'll create—someone who is a sinner.

I can see it possibly if someone goes around constantly proclaiming they're a sinner, but saying you're a forgiven sinner is something else entirely. When we say we're a forgiven sinner we're giving God the glory and praise for His grace. We should always proclaim the truth of the gospel, not wishful thinking.

Our flesh IS our sin nature. The "old man." We should all be working to put off the old man and put on the new. But nobody is 100% successful at it, including Paul. Rom 7.

Generally agree.

I do believe that Paul suffered from guilt even though he knew that his sins were forgiven. In some instances, it appears to me that he was in torment from what he did in the past before he saw the light.

Chapter and verse please.

Acts 10:15
“And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”

Gladly:

Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love."

Ephesians 5:27 "that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless."

Colossians 1:22 "but now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—"

James 4:8–10 (LSB) "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Let me know if you need more you sinner! 😁

To be fair, this is talking about clean and unclean food.

Maybe you meant to say "To be a sinner and only forgiven is a disgrace to God's grace" instead of...
"To be a forgiven sinner is an insult to God's grace and His eternal intention for His people that are called by His name."?

The "flesh" is our sin nature. We all have it, including you.

When Adam sinned, his nature changed. His nature became sinful. He was afraid of God, he blamed-shifted, he became "crafty." We inherit that nature from Adam. Call it flesh if you like...

No, I said, to call yourself (or someone else) a forgiven sinner is an insult to God's grace

Scriptures call it flesh, we have this "sinful" flesh that Jesus Himself inherited when He became Man (born without sin yet had our fleshly nature bent to sin, yet He didn't sin) which is a thread I'm going to write about. Let's see how many Christianese people come out of the woods to call me a "heretic." 😁