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Originally Posted by Chateau d'If
I think it all funnels down to trust. Am I trusting Him to save me, or am I trusting my own efforts?
If I trust in myself I make a mockery of the cross and am fallen from grace. I am as lost as the sinner who has never responded to the Gospel.
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I think we come to realize that we just can't live the wonderful crucified life that Christ has called us to without his help. No matter how hard we try or want to, we always fail if we don't seek God and rely on his strength by trying to do it on our own without his help. The flesh is simply too weak and succumbs too easily if we don't rely on God through prayer.
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I think all of the things you just mentioned are because of salvation and not for. When we truly trust Him those things occur. Not for salvation, but because of it.
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I don't think those are things that "naturally" occur as a result of salvation. I think when we are saved our hearts have been changed by the grace of God through repentance and we want to follow Christ, we want to please God and obey his commandments but it takes responsibility on our part to seek God diligently and consistently. The "wanting/desiring" is one thing but the "doing" is another. It's a growing, maturing process of learning to trust in God through everything that comes our way. Christ paid the price to redeem us from our sins and showed us how to live a life pleasing to God, and then it is up to us to obey. God gives us grace to obey. He helps us to crucify the flesh, leads us in the path that we should go, strengthens our hearts when we want to give up, but he doesn't force us to walk with him. What I'm saying is that "those things" don't just occur out of thin air. They occur because by God's grace we seek after them. I think our sanctification is part of the salvation process which ends at the throne of Christ when we are given eternal life.
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It's much like the fruit of the Spirit. We do not make the fruit, we just allow it to grow. It is the fruit OF THE Spirit. It comes from God. And when we are born again the seed of His Spirit is placed in us. It's only natural that it would grow.
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Good fruit only grows if we tend the garden and pull up the weeds, move out the rocks, dig around the plants and put in fertilizer, and keep the birds from eating the seeds. Same thing with the fruit of the Spirit. Nothing will grow if we don't tend the garden of our souls. God does not force us to study his word, to meditate on his word, to worship him, to thank him, to walk with him. Those are some of the things that cause God to draw closer to us and to grow the character of Christ in us...we have to abide in him. It's not a passive growing process but there is labor involved just like in the natural world. It natural that the fruit of the Spirit will grow in those believers who are filled with the Spirit and actively seeking the face of God through prayer, study, meditation, worship, and fasting.
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However, it is possible to quench the Spirit. We can choose to stop loving God, and trusting God, and believing in God. I do not believe OSAS, but I think God doesn't let us go as easily and quickly as most Protestants believe.
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I don't think that God lets us go as easily and as quickly as most Pentecostals believe either. He is a very patient and loving Father as is evident in the life of Peter and in my life as well.
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His banner over me is LOVE....
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart
fervently.
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
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