LAW and GRACE

[Todd]

Are they really Christians though? I know the ones you're talking about. They were former friends. One said she had Christ at the center of her relationship...with a married man. Now we all know that isn't true. Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger say they do, yet they're living together. See what I mean? People say a lot of things.

If you 100% embrace salvation by faith alone, apart from works, then why couldn't somebody be a Christian while having a relationship with a married man? Of course I don't agree with faith alone apart from works so I am not defending that claim. The absurdity of the contention is proof enough that salvation by faith alone apart from works when taken to its full extent is simply not even worthy of consideration.

 

[Douglas Summers]

Again I agree....but no matter how times you repeat it, if you can't explain to someone what it means or what the implications are, what is the point?

I did explain it....you do not have the ears that hear.

 

[Todd]

I did explain it....you do not have the ears that hear.

Then you are wasting your breath constantly replying to my post with "You must be born again" aren't you?

For the record I am born again. My spirit has been made alive by faith in the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since my spirit has been made alive I have entered the process of salvation, defined as the process of deliverance from the power of sin in my life. It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me. As Christ did when he walked in the flesh, as he is living in me he is walking according to the perfect guidance and instruction of God. The more I decrease and the more he increases, the more I become like him. This is the definition of being a Christian...being Christ like.

Without faith, this process can not occur. By submitting to the will of God and his perfect guidance and instruction, I grow in my faith and my deeds. When I am obedient to God, it facilitates spiritual growth. The more I make a conscious effort to follow God's guidance and instruction, the greater the rate of growth. Again it is the spirit of Christ living in me, and not my own carnal efforts, that faciliate this process.

 

[Dalit]

If you 100% embrace salvation by faith alone, apart from works, then why couldn't somebody be a Christian while having a relationship with a married man? Of course I don't agree with faith alone apart from works so I am not defending that claim. The absurdity of the contention is proof enough that salvation by faith alone apart from works when taken to its full extent is simply not even worthy of consideration.

I've been thinking of a good response to this, but I'm not sure I have one.

I really think it's a false American gospel of "Come to Jesus and have your best life now! Just say a prayer after me and boom! you're saved!" There's no teaching about holiness anymore, at least not in the big name churches. Chris and Katherine go to Hillsong. Not that I don't like them; they seem like nice people, but they're doing things all wrong. He was dating her before he was divorced yet his ex-wife already had a boyfriend so might as well move on? My friend who had the affair with the married man and is now married to that man went to a big megachurch type church where you can hide among the large number of people and not really have relationships nor accountability with other Christians if you choose not to. I see this a lot in those "large enough to remain anonymous" spectator style churches. Discipleship? What's that? No, just pray a prayer after me and go live your life, just be discreet about it.

So I don't think the Bible is promoting this. The culture is promoting this because people don't want to have to change. If there's not a real encounter with the living God, and real repentance, all we have is false converts who live maybe a little better than the rest of the world, but not by much.

 

[Douglas Summers]

Then you are wasting your breath constantly replying to my post with "You must be born again" aren't you?

It is never a waste of my time to preach The truth. You are going to have to come to Jesus to understand the Truth, and I will always preach Christ's teaching...That You must be born again,...……. because, You must be born again. Really.

 

[Todd]

It is never a waste of my time to preach The truth. You are going to have to come to Jesus to understand the Truth, and I will always preach Christ's teaching...That You must be born again,...……. because, You must be born again. Really.

Seriously? You respond only to the tongue in cheek portion of my post, but totally ignore the meat of my post that explains that I agree about being born again and what I think that really means. The art of discussion is being lost in this generation...

 

[Douglas Summers]

Seriously? You respond only to the tongue in cheek portion of my post, but totally ignore the meat of my post that explains that I agree about being born again and what I think that really means. The art of discussion is being lost in this generation...

Todd, It is down to this, You (we) need the Lord in your (our) life. There is no debate about your theology. It is self centered to justify your religion, but the simplicity is in Christ. You have rejected all the Truths I have given you over your own belief. So therefor we will never agree.

 

[bible_student]

Isaiah 42:21 The "I AM" is well pleased for His Righteousness' sake; He will magnify The Law, and make [it] honourable (Deut. 33:21).

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy The Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.