It's been a while since I checked on this site but from reading the last page it still seems that folks are talking last one another..
Ariel - Good to see you back again.
Honestly I do not believe people are talking past one another, it is different frames of reference.
One group accept the Lord is their King and He empowers them to walk in His ways.
The other group believe God has done everything, they are secure, and the rest will follow under
His grace. They believe in principles and ideas but not in a binding way, because security for
them is their hightest ethic. Sin is denying this ethic, the only sin now unforgiven of unbelief.
This ethic shows itself in various exchanges, but in essence, as soon as you show breaking the
security belief, you are an unbeliever, in their eyes unsaved.
So the language is the same but not ethics involved. In a real sense this is a religion within a
religion.
The problem with this ethic, is it overrides and distorts everything else. Why deal with sin as it
is already forgiven. We rebuke another, because they are already safe in God. You could argue
this is total relief and freedom or actually insanity where responsibility has been removed over ones
actions and one is a slave to whatever you fancy.
Why this ethic is wrong is because of the above effects. It is a denial of the impact in peoples
lives of reality. How can they ever wake up or start getting real about anything, because it is
all just a matter of doing what you regard right in your own eyes. The preaching becomes dealing
with guilt and shame not resolving the heart, purifying the soul, walking in the Spirit.
So dc will say we believe something without the power and truth of the gospel, because in their
mind putting on the new self and dying to the old self is legalism, self righteousness and evil empty
trying to prove to God you are worthy.
From our perspective, not carrying the cross, struggling with the impulses of the flesh, setting ones
mind on things above and not on the earth is part of the Kingdoms walk. It is not proving to God
we are worthy or self righteous, but walking the walk He has called us to because He has washed
us clean and made us righteous, so we can walk it.
In a sense EG was right about not believing the same things.
Context is everything. But it means in essence the gospel of Christ to them is death and judgement.
No wonder they get angry, frustrated, want to rip people apart. They have already reached their
heaven, worldliness put in the Kingdom.
Their world view is very destructive. Sin, guilt, shame, confession, repentance are all dead things,
because they just want to dwell in acceptance without boundaries, because they believe, and
that is enough, no matter how they behave.
So in summary, nothing is going to change their behaviour because in their ethic we are
commiting the sin of unbelief and doomed to hell.
To accept their view, I would have to ignore scripture and Christ and appease the guilt
of sin, by denial and not resolution through walking in love and Christs forgiveness and cleansing.