False Doctrine Part 1 - How To Stop Sinning

[LUKE2447]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Are you the author of that news site Dan just posted??

Back to the same ol' "you are reformed, you are reformed, you are reformed."

YAWN. Let me know when you care to engage. I can call a man a sinner, but I haven't done squat until I've helped Him see Jesus. Not only is your diagnosis wrong, but you have nothing else to say. It may be good for the conversation if I just gave in and told you I was "reformed." Then what would you say?

sorry don't own a site...

[Socialite]

Your primary point/paadigm is your view makes you secure. That is the most important impact on you mentally. You focus on it the whole time. We are secure in him if we follow him. Which is clearly the consistent teaching of the Word of God. It is called faithfulness and no it is not a forensic faithfulness.

Actually, I've left the days of anxiety and rarely focus on my place before God. Every now and then I go back to those old days (many years of hard-wiring). But more and more I've learned to trust in His work (doing otherwise is sin). My security is not based on if I get it right or screw up. That's ludicrous. My security is based on Him being Lord and Savior, faithful until the end.

Faithful are we who have been granted grace when we didn't deserve it; faithful are we who walk without carrying our own burdens, but have given them to Jesus; faithful are we who realize we weren't the primary performer anymore, Jesus did it all; faithful are we who have learned to trust God's good grace, and have seen it transform our lives; faithful are we who heed the call to be a disciple of Jesus -- not working for Jesus, but Jesus working through us; faithful are we to believe that because He loved me when I was still a sinner, he called me friend when I was still in chain, that He loves me even now --- and that God's love for me is seen through the suffering of His son, not my own performance.

I am sanctified, made Holy by the Spirit -- not for salvation, but because of God's saving work in me.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by LUKE2447

sorry don't own a site...

Neither does this editor. He just contributes or manages hmmmm...

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Neither does this editor. He just contributes or manages hmmmm...

MIA after that comment? Makes one suspicious.

[LUKE2447]

Originally Posted by Socialite

MIA after that comment? Makes one suspicious.

??? What are you talking about? Nothing to discuss, so....

[Sabby]

Socialite,

Christians, pentecostals included, need to revisit what it means to be a child of God. The story of the Prodigal wasn't just an allegory, but an actual story of real relationship that MIRRORS our relationship as prodigals - and every one of us is one - to our Father. That prodigal never(with good reason) said to himself, "I think I'll go to my older brother's house". No, he wanted to go back to where it all started for him, with a loving father/son relationship . He wanted to go back to his father's house.
Some might infer from the actions in the story that the older brother had a more sinless life...and was somehow justified in his position. R U kidding me? His self-righteous attitude and black heart is obvious. Neither he OR the prodigal son were "right" in their relationship to their Father, and NEITHER better than the other. Those that believe in eternal security are no better than those that don't believe it, and vica verca.

Back to the prodigal...the theme of the story is not to illustrate the hearts of the kids. Nor was it to show the fact that they were BOTH children of their father. The story was to show the father's love for his wayward child that had "found" his way home and his absolute acceptance and forgiveness with no strings attached. IOW, unconditional agape.
To say our walk with God isn't about relationship is ridiculous.
It is more about relationship than requirements.

If and when we sin does God turn His back on us or do we "get on His bad side"? I think the preachers that use that terminology have it all wrong. They that preach that "side" of God are the ones that have the bad side, bad spirit, bad attitude. EVERY Christian has stumbled to a degree or are in a spiritual wilderness. When these same Christians act as if they are in a position to judge without a spirit of "meekness" about it all and when they take on airs as did the older brother, their own righteousness is as filthy, dirty, nasty rags.



Sosh,
You asked a great question. Since everything needs to be qualified, let's just say that since John said it and it's in the Bible that if we say we have no sin, we're lying. Even Holy Ghost-filled people. If we are "sealed" with the Holy Ghost", how does one sin momentarily unseal us? Wouldn't being unsealed mean that we are not saved? Or by some twisted theology we are still "sealed" yet need the blood applied in order to be efficaciously saved? How about this for a concept: sealed is sealed. Born again is born again. Some people toss around the word "reformer" as if it's an epithet.

It's high time that pentecostals looked at the arms of mercy and truth and righteousness and peace of the Lord Jesus and allow themselves to be embraced by them.