Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple
This is true. Nonetheless without a lifestyle of righteousness to back what we believe about Christs work the enemy will cut right through us.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:
This is part of the whole armor. |
I don't entirely disagree. However, I think we see extremes in the Apostolic movement. Here's the passage in it's entirety...
I John 3:4-10 (ESV)
4 Everyone w4-ho makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Notice that this is about habitual sin and rebellion. And notice that this states that no one born of God (born again) makes a practice of sinning, because "God's seed" abides in him. Here's the Strong's on that word "seed"...
4690 // sperma // sperma // sper'-mah //
from 4687 ; TDNT - 7:536,1065; n n
AV - seed 43, issue 1; 44
1) from which a plant germinates
1a) the seed i.e. the grain or kernel which contains within itself
the germ of the future plants
1a1) of the grains or kernels sown
1b) metaph. a seed i.e. a residue, or a few survivors reserved as
the germ of the next generation (just as seed is kept from the
harvest for the sowing)
2) the semen virile
2a) the product of this semen, seed, children, offspring, progeny
2b) family, tribe, posterity
2c) whatever possesses vital force or life giving power
2c1) of divine energy of the Holy Spirit operating within the
soul by which we are regenerated
This goes back to what I've shared before. When we receive the Holy Ghost, the very Spirit of God resides in our spirit man, our inner being, our spirits. The mind still needs renewal... the body still needs to be glorified. It's our spirit that is regenerated through spiritual union with God's own Spirit. And because of this... when we sin... we feel guilt, shame, remorse, conviction, etc. because our actions were NOT in alignment with our inner nature. Thus, this "seed" of God residing in our spirits brings conviction, that if heeded, will cause us not to be able to continue in sin... because it brings shame, emotional discomfort, emotional unrest.
Now... if we refuse to heed these convictions from the Spirit within... we can find ourselves facing the judgment of God. The ultimate fate could be... being cut off from God entirely.
John 15:5-6 (ESV)
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
We must continually seek to abide in Christ, through faith, allowing Christ's own life, power, and righteousness to flow through us as the very life and vitality of the vine flows through it's branches. If we cut that flow off through continual sin and rebellion... we can loose our peace, our blessing, and ultimately... our salvation.