Left Behind For Bad Behavior?

[Chris]

Left Behind For Bad Behavior?

Left Behind For Bad Behavior?
By Jack Kelley

One of the most telling indicators that the rapture is near is the number of people who write fearing that because of their behavior they’re going to be left behind. People didn’t worry so much about that when they thought the rapture was off in the distant future.

I’m sure some of this is due to the normal conviction of the Holy Spirit and in that case it’s not a rapture issue because as we’ll see born again believers can’t be excluded from the Rapture for any reason.

No, I think most of the fear of missing the rapture comes from the false “partial-rapture” teaching. There are several variations on this theme but they all claim that just being saved is either not enough to put you in the rapture, or it’s not enough to get you into the Kingdom after you are raptured. They say you also have to be worthy in some additional way. In my opinion none of this can be reconciled with Scripture.

I want to approach the subject the way the US Treasury department trains bank employees to recognize counterfeit money. Instead of showing them all the fakes and pointing out what makes them fake, they focus on what legitimate bills look like. That way when bank tellers spot a bill that doesn’t look like what they have learned to recognize, they know it has to be a fake.

Let’s use that same principle to focus on what the Bible says about who qualifies for the rapture. Then we’ll know whether what we hear matches that. If it doesn’t it’s a false teaching.
How Do We Qualify?

In order to exist in the presence of God, we have to be as righteous as He is. In the Lord’s time the Pharisees were thought to be the most righteous men in Israel. They were absolutely compulsive about keeping the Law, even straining their water before drinking it to avoid accidentally swallowing a tiny bug.

They come off badly in the Bible because of their resistance to the Gospel, but they were held in high esteem by the people as role models of righteousness.

Their problems with Jesus began in the early days of His ministry. Speaking to a large group on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 5:20). They didn’t like hearing that they would be excluded from the Kingdom.

Then He explained that righteousness is not just a matter of outward behavior, but also includes inner motivation. Anger is as bad as murder, lustful thoughts are as bad as adultery. He went on to teach them things that were utterly amazing to them, even saying they must “Be perfect therefore, as your Father in Heaven is perfect”(Matt. 5:40) in order to qualify for the Kingdom . By the time He was finished it was clear that no human on Earth could ever achieve this high standard.

Then He said if they asked Him for this righteousness He would give it to them. All of them. He said, “Everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds, and to Him who knocks the door will be opened (Matt. 7:7-8).

He compared depending on Him to a narrow road with a small gate (Matt. 7:13-14). The name on the gate is faith. The temptation to do things in our own strength in an effort to secure our own righteousness is hard to resist, but if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves on the wrong road, the one with the gate named works. Read Two Roads, Two Gates One Goal

We must watch out for false teachers who will try to take us off the narrow road with a combination of faith and works. It doesn’t matter what kind of good work we do, even if we do it in His name, only those who do the will of our Father in Heaven will enter the Kingdom (Matt. 7:13-23). And what is our Father’s will?

Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38-40)

And what kind of work does He require of us? When they asked Him this a few verses earlier, He replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29) There’s nothing you can add to your faith in what the Lord has done. No good works of yours will either earn or hold your place in the rapture. It’s based totally on what you believe and not on how you behave.

Paul had a lot to say about this, and some of it has been misinterpreted too.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. (Romans 3:21-22)

Our righteousness is imputed to us by faith because of our belief that when Jesus went to the cross He took all the sins of our life and paid the full penalty for them there (Colossians 2:13-14). If all the penalty for all your sins has already been paid, what more can you do?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)

From God’s perspective, the old sinner no longer exists. He’s been replaced by the new righteous saint. How could this be?

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:14)

Because of our faith in the sufficiency of the cross, God is able to see us not as we are but as we will become when we’re perfected in the rapture. The sins we still commit are viewed as if it’s no longer us doing the sinning but the sin nature that still temporarily dwells within us. Here’s Paul again.

I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:18-20)

Those who want to deny this call our attention to passages like 1 Cor. 6:8-10 as if Paul, writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit could contradict himself.

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

But they stop too soon because in verse 11 Paul explained, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11)

Notice he said, “And that is what some of you were.” Because we’re a new creation, God no longer sees us the way we used to be. We’ve been washed, sanctified and justified. In other words, all our sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus, we’ve been made holy by Him, and He has rendered us righteous. As righteous as He is. Please understand that all this was done by Him. We might have been part of the group described in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 sometime in the past, but because we accepted the Lord’s sacrifice on our behalf we no longer are.

Some folks can’t get past the idea that being good has to count for something and it does, but it’s not what they think. Once again we’ll get Paul’s input.

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. (2 Cor. 10:23-24)

Although we’re encouraged in the strongest possible way to behave in a manner pleasing to the Lord, no where in the New Testament are we told that our behavior will endanger our salvation, nor will it jeopardize our place in the rapture. So while we can theoretically do whatever we want, some behavior is just not good. First of all, our bad behavior can have a negative impact others. We should always be aware of how our actions are being viewed, and we should never knowingly behave in a manner that causes a weaker brother to stumble.

Second, and more important, living up to what we have already attained (as Paul put it in Phil. 3:16) is how the Lord wants us to express our gratitude to Him for what we’ve been given. Not to earn or keep anything, but to give thanks for what we already have. It’s something He want us to want to do.

You see, we didn’t get where we are because of any merit or worthiness on our part. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:4-9) It’s the best gift ever given, it’s free, and it’s worthy of our gratitude.

So the bottom line is your ticket to the rapture came with your membership in the Church. It’s part of the inheritance you were guaranteed when you first believed (Ephes. 1:13-14). And your membership in the Church came as a result of your belief that Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty for all your sins and rose again to show that His payment was sufficient (Romans 10:9). As soon as you believed that you became as righteous as He is. There’s nothing you can do for good or bad that will ever change that (Romans 8:38-39). So if we’re all as righteous as God is, how can some deserve to go in the rapture or gain entry into the Kingdom while others don’t? They can’t.

As an expression of your gratitude you can choose to behave in a manner that’s more pleasing to God. That’s what He wants you to do. But you’d better hurry because soon you won’t even be able to do that. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thes. 4:16-17) You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 04-09-11

[Elijah's Mantle]

all I can say after reading that is WHEEEEEEWH!!
Its good news for me cause Lord knows Ive had bad behavior in my past
Its something I had worried myself sick over at times
yet I know in my heart Jesus has forgiven my past behavior
trouble is I have to forgive myself and not frustrate grace

[Marcie]

Yes! Thank you so much for posting this! It is so comforting.
The good news can`t get any better!
Thank you Lord Jesus!

[Kris762]

And what of the believer who continues to sin? The believer who knows his actions or deeds are a sin but commits them anyway, what of him?

Many people believe in the Lord but sin daily, weekly or monthly.

[Keeplookinup]

And what of the believer who continues to sin? The believer who knows his actions or deeds are a sin but commits them anyway, what of him?

Many people believe in the Lord but sin daily, weekly or monthly.

My friend, if our entrance into Heaven was based on our ability to NEVER sin, either intentionally or unintentionally, then Jesus' death would be meaningless. No matter how hard we try or don't try, we are NEVER going to get it perfectly right. Ever. Praise God for His unmerited grace!! I would say this person has a "heart problem" perhaps, and needs to spend some serious time with God to determine where the trouble is, but as a matter of salvation, Jesus died for ALL our sins; past, present and future. "Our righteousness is as fithly rags". Paul explains this so well in Romans 6: 1-14. Only God knows that persons heart and can judge accordingly. We are to seek God's face and we want to DO better because we love Him so much, not so He'll love US more! We can only DO better through Christ who strengthens us! Never on our own power. Praise His name that saved a wretch like me!

[mattfivefour]

And what of the believer who continues to sin? The believer who knows his actions or deeds are a sin but commits them anyway, what of him?

Many people believe in the Lord but sin daily, weekly or monthly.

My friend, if our entrance into Heaven was based on our ability to NEVER sin, either intentionally or unintentionally, then Jesus' death would be meaningless. No matter how hard we try or don't try, we are NEVER going to get it perfectly right. Ever. Praise God for His unmerited grace!! I would say this person has a "heart problem" perhaps, and needs to spend some serious time with God to determine where the trouble is, but as a matter of salvation, Jesus died for ALL our sins; past, present and future. "Our righteousness is as fithly rags". Paul explains this so well in Romans 6: 1-14. Only God knows that persons heart and can judge accordingly. We are to seek God's face and we want to DO better because we love Him so much, not so He'll love US more! We can only DO better through Christ who strengthens us! Never on our own power. Praise His name that saved a wretch like me!

Exactly, sis! You posted your reply as I was writing mine.

If a believer sins, the Bible (1 John 1:8) tells us that he is to confess that sin and God is faithful and righteous to forgive that sin and cleanse (Greek aorist active subjunctive, which is durative and thus means "cleanses" with no reference to any singular point in time but is an ongoing state) us from all unrighteousness. How? Because Christ paid the penalty for our sins. If we live in the light—in other words have been truly born again faith through in Christ and His all-sufficient finished work at Calvary—then His blood cleanses (Greek present active indicative which is not punctiliar bu is a present ongoing action and thus means "is continually cleansing") us from all sin.

The problem with requiring some form of holiness on our part out of our own efforts means that Christ's sacrifice was only partially effective. It says that while He made it possible for us to be saved by His sacrifice, we need to live a certain way to apply that to ourselves and be sure of being saved. But, as Paul wrote to Titus: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5) And then because some in Galatia were stating that Christians must by their efforts keep the spiritual laws in order to maintain that salvation, he wrote to the Church there and called them "Foolish Galatians!" (Galatians 3:1) And then he asked them to tell him, "did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" Galatians 3:1-5.

BTW, I love the fact that passage is five verses long since five is the number of God's grace and mercy in Scripture. And it truly is by His grace (Ephesians 2:5,8) and His mercy (Titus 3:5) ALONE that we are saved.

So then, what part does earnestly desiring to walk a sinless walk play in a Christian's life? It plays the most crucial part— for it is evidence of true salvation. Now notice I did not say walking sinlessly is evidence of salvation. For if that were the case, then none of us would be saved. As long as we are in this flesh, we will be subject to the weaknesses of the flesh and the tricks of the Devil. But that doesn't mean we have to fall. Our victory over sin was won by Christ on the Cross and it is as we more and more appropriate that victory to ourselves by daily dying to self and yielding to Him that the Holy Spirit will reproduce the nature of Christ within us. It is HIS job to produce the fruit, not ours. The flesh can never defeat the flesh. Romans 8:13 tells us that it is THROUGH THE SPIRIT that we put to death the works of the flesh. And Paul, after describing in Romans 7 how his efforts to please God by trying to gain victory over sin in his flesh all seemed to end in failure although with his mind he wanted to serve God, he then tells us in Romans 8: 2 that "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me (some manuscripts read 'you'; regardless it applies to ALL of us) free from the law of sin and of death." No, what I wrote was earnestly DESIRING to walk sinlessly is evidence of salvation."

If anyone sins continually and thinks nothing of it ... if anyone figures that a little sinning won't hurt ... then, respectfully, they do not know God. He is holy and can never wink at sin. It cost the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And if they do not know God, then they are not born again, regardless of what they may claim. No child of God sins without feeling a terrible conviction, a hatred of self, a pain for having hurt his or her wonderful Savior. God is not mocked. He is holy and He demands we be holy. Now we are made holy in Christ. We are pure, righteous, and unblameable before the Father because we are in Christ. (Romans 3:21-22; Galatians 2:16) In fact it is His work that presents us in such holy fashion (Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:22-23). It is our new nature to be holy; yet the old nature still pulls at us. In fact we are drawn by three enemies of our new nature: the world the flesh and the Devil. Yet we never—if we are truly born again—we never just shrug and sin as though it does not matter. The new nature in us will not permit that. Those who have no conviction of sin when they fall and those who figure "I'm saved, I have my 'fire insurance', so I can just live like I want and I am going to heaven" are deceived. They are not. Their very attitude proves that they have not bee reborn and have not received new life in Christ. But those who sin and mourn their sin give proof that they have a new nature, a nature that desires to be holy, and they can claim the promises contained in 1 John 1:5-1 John 2:2 and rest in the assurance of Jude 1:24-25.

I pray this both answers your question and helps some who are struggling. Let those of us who are mature in the faith in gentleness help lift those who are overtaken in a fault (Galatians 6:1) "In gentleness" for we love each member of the body as we love ourselves, and are filled with compassion for a weak brother or sister for we are saved just like them and (as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:13) are prey to exactly the same temptations.

Matt

[Kris762]

[QUOTE=Keeplookinup;269584]My friend, if our entrance into Heaven was based on our ability to NEVER sin, either intentionally or unintentionally, then Jesus' death would be meaningless. No matter how hard we try or don't try, we are NEVER going to get it perfectly right.

I understand your point, however I do not believe that someone who believes in the Lord but continues to sin for example continues to visit prostitutes or something of the like will be raptured.

I'm no expert, I have so much to learn and I could be wrong but I just cant comprehend that believing and having faith while at the same time sinning regularly ... comitting adultery, perjury, thieving etc will get you a pass.

[mattfivefour]

Respectfully, bro, I think you are making the mistake of putting the cart in place of the horse. Hating sin and trying to walk sinlessly is the product of salvation not the cause of it and is the goal to which we who are saved aspire not the means of achieving the goal. We desire to walk sinlessly because we are saved. We are not saved because we walk sinlessly. It is all in the heart attitude.

Now God deals with this in two ways in the New Testament. To us ourselves he says "Examine yourselves!" (2 Corinthians 13:5) We need to know whether we are indeed in the faith and we do that by examining ourselves against the image of Christ portrayed in Scripture and by what the Holy Spirit reveals to us of our heart. We do not walk along cockily thinking we're "all that". Like the sinner we beat our breasts yet rejoice in the knowledge and the security that Christ has indeed paid the FULL price and guarantees HE (not we, but He) is able to present us faultless before the Throne.

But to the Church He says not to attempt to examine one another. (Romans 14:4) It is God who judges and He does that to each true blood-bought, born-again believer through the Holy Spirit. Yes, there may be (in fact I would wager there is no doubt that there are) tares among the wheat. Jesus told us there were and told of the servants who saw what appeared to be tares in the wheat field and came to the Master and said "Someone has sowed tares among the wheat. Let us go in and root out the tares." What did Jesus say? He said that the Master forbade them. Why? Because they might make a mistake and leave some tares behind? No. Because they might make a mistake and root out some good wheat with the tares." (Matthew 13:24-30)

Perhaps the Christian who—even repeatedly—falls into sin mourns his or her weakness and continually beats him or herself up over it. We don't know. We cannot see into another's heart. Only God can. Rather, we are to look into our own hearts. There is enough there with which to occupy us.

God knows who are His. Some are bruised reeds and some are dimly smoking wicks. And some cannot be told apart from the tares. But He knows and in the final day will separate the false from the true and will deal with them as He has promised.

I hope this helps.

Matt

[king'sbloomingrose]

Kris, brother, you are not sinless either. None of us are and we will never be until the day we stand perfect before Jesus in His presence clothed in His righteousness. Otherwise, John would not have to write to the believers in 1st John 2:1

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" Apparently John just admitted that we have the capacity for sinning. He first says that we aren't supposed to sin, but then says but if you do, we have an advocate with the Father. So there is that capacity there for sin. Peter was saved and denied Jesus 3 times. Jesus came back to him and placed him back in fellowship and forgave him. Hope that helps somewhat!

[Caelestis]

One of Satan's favorite endeavors seems to be placing doubt in the true believer's heart.

Like people have already said: we were sinful when we were saved in the first place, and so "He who began a good work will surely finish it." God doesn't change, like we do. If he wants to buy a plane ticked for someone, He's going to make sure they arrive to Heaven, even if they might happen to steal some M&M's from the terminal's snack bar.

Now I'm in no way making an excuse for sin. I can tell you that I'm full of sin, and still, to my shame, am very disobedient to God. But God knows I make absolutely no excuse for these actions, and have only myself to blame for them.

But the difference between me and an unsaved person is that my sins - past, present and future - have been forgiven by the finished work of Jesus Christ.

So whenever the evil forces try to screw with my head and sow doubt, and bring to memory all my sins, unfaithfulness and disobedience, I just tell them: "Oh, trust me, you don't even know the half of it!"

There's nothing the evil forces can do to a Christian when they're in this state of mind, and relying on the finished work of Jesus to bring them to Heaven. But when you have a Christian who's trusting in their own ability to get them to Heaven, Satan's mouth waters because he knows they're vulnerable to his attacks.

[Robert]

[QUOTE=Kris762;269587]

My friend, if our entrance into Heaven was based on our ability to NEVER sin, either intentionally or unintentionally, then Jesus' death would be meaningless. No matter how hard we try or don't try, we are NEVER going to get it perfectly right.

I understand your point, however I do not believe that someone who believes in the Lord but continues to sin for example continues to visit prostitutes or something of the like will be raptured.

I'm no expert, I have so much to learn and I could be wrong but I just cant comprehend that believing and having faith while at the same time sinning regularly ... comitting adultery, perjury, thieving etc will get you a pass.

Kris,

I suggest reading Romans chapters 5-8. That clears up a majority of confusion about sin and the believer.

[mattfivefour]

Now I'm in no way making an excuse for sin. I can tell you that I'm full of sin, and still, to my shame, am very disobedient to God. But God knows I make absolutely no excuse for these actions, and have only myself to blame for them.

But the difference between me and an unsaved person is that my sins - past, present and future - have been forgiven by the finished work of Jesus Christ.

If I may, bro, there is one other difference— you feel terrible for your sin and desire to stop it. The new nature in you can never allow you to be happy with satisfying Satan rather than God. It may take a long, long time in some people but God will always eventually clean up the worst things. I am so glad that one day we will be without sin at all ... once we have been glorified and received our eternal perfect bodies!

So whenever the evil forces try to screw with my head and sow doubt, and bring to memory all my sins, unfaithfulness and disobedience, I just tell them: "Oh, trust me, you don't even know the half of it!"

You said it, bro! We all have the same testimony to one extent or another. And isn't it wonderful that when Satan accuses us to the Father we have an advocate who is far greater than our accuser. He simply points to the nail scars in His hands and the wound in His side and the Father says, "Not guilty!"

There's nothing the evil forces can do to a Christian when they're in this state of mind, and relying on the finished work of Jesus to bring them to Heaven. But when you have a Christian who's trusting in their own ability to get them to Heaven, Satan's mouth waters because he knows they're vulnerable to his attacks.

Amen.

BTW, Oswald Chambers had a very good exhortation on the subject of sin and a Christian. I saw KBR posted here on RF today: Daily Bible Devotions by Oswald Chambers

[2010&Saved]

This post and the discussions in it were very nice and encouraging! I myself am quite the sinner, and sometimes it doesn't bother me..but then it bothers me because it sometimes doesn't bother me that I sin. Hopefully someone understand what I mean. I know what I just said seems a little confusing haha.

[WazOz]

Great Post and feedback from others, Sin is with us 24/7, no one is free from sin, all we can do is try and make Christs sacrifice not a waste, it was that sacrifice that washed away all my sins, even though I was totally unworthy, still feel unworthy of such a sacrifice. What did Christ say to the adulturous woman to be stoned after Christ said he who has no Sin cast the first stone, when he was talking to the woman he said, go and Sin no more, we can choose to honour him by trying to do our best at sinning no more.

[Caelestis]

If I may, bro, there is one other difference— you feel terrible for your sin and desire to stop it. The new nature in you can never allow you to be happy with satisfying Satan rather than God. It may take a long, long time in some people but God will always eventually clean up the worst things. I am so glad that one day we will be without sin at all ... once we have been glorified and received our eternal perfect bodies!

You're spot-on my friend.

[LauraLovesTheLORD]

It may take a long, long time in some people but God will always eventually clean up the worst things.

Amen!!!

[melanie]

If I may, bro, there is one other difference— you feel terrible for your sin and desire to stop it. The new nature in you can never allow you to be happy with satisfying Satan rather than God. It may take a long, long time in some people but God will always eventually clean up the worst things. I am so glad that one day we will be without sin at all ... once we have been glorified and received our eternal perfect bodies!

Beautifully said. Once you have the Holy Spirit in you by accepting Jesus as your savior, you try harder to please God. Since I've been saved I'm much more careful about what I say and do. Where as before I didn't think about pleasing God. Back then, although I thought about right vs. wrong, if I did something wrong so be it. Pleasing God is much more powerful than simply satisfying your conscience or choosing right from wrong.

[Kris762]

Wow, theres so much knowledge here I'm dumfounded! Truly awesome people here, the Lord must be smiling from ear to ear! I've browsed the net for years looking for a site that felt right, I stumbled upon this one about 6 months ago and began reading and have never left it or been let down by what I've read, everything I have read here just seems and feels right, I am a very cynical and suspicious person, one has to be these days with all the false doctrine everywhere we turn...I need to know that I am on the right path and have felt that being here is where I need to be to learn, its the place I've been searching for, finally!

I dont hide the fact that my knowledge of the bible is very limited, I was raised by Christian parents and have always been a believer, and have never doubted the fact that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. It's just that I genuinely thought I would never have even been considered to be raptured, I sin too often which leads me to feelings of guilt, its left me at times thinking how on earth can I lead the life that I need to in order to be saved, in fact I would be telling a lie if I still did not have some doubt that if I continue to sin I wont be raptured.

Your posts have explained alot, at first I was dubious but now I understand, it's clear. I think I still have some way to go before being right in his eyes, but I'm on the right path, of that I have "no doubt whatsoever"

Thankyou

[Kris762]

Respectfully, bro, I think you are making the mistake of putting the cart in place of the horse. Hating sin and trying to walk sinlessly is the product of salvation not the cause of it and is the goal to which we who are saved aspire not the means of achieving the goal. We desire to walk sinlessly because we are saved. We are not saved because we walk sinlessly. It is all in the heart attitude.

Now God deals with this in two ways in the New Testament. To us ourselves he says "Examine yourselves!" (2 Corinthians 13:5) We need to know whether we are indeed in the faith and we do that by examining ourselves against the image of Christ portrayed in Scripture and by what the Holy Spirit reveals to us of our heart. We do not walk along cockily thinking we're "all that". Like the sinner we beat our breasts yet rejoice in the knowledge and the security that Christ has indeed paid the FULL price and guarantees HE (not we, but He) is able to present us faultless before the Throne.

But to the Church He says not to attempt to examine one another. (Romans 14:4) It is God who judges and He does that to each true blood-bought, born-again believer through the Holy Spirit. Yes, there may be (in fact I would wager there is no doubt that there are) tares among the wheat. Jesus told us there were and told of the servants who saw what appeared to be tares in the wheat field and came to the Master and said "Someone has sowed tares among the wheat. Let us go in and root out the tares." What did Jesus say? He said that the Master forbade them. Why? Because they might make a mistake and leave some tares behind? No. Because they might make a mistake and root out some good wheat with the tares." (Matthew 13:24-30)

Perhaps the Christian who—even repeatedly—falls into sin mourns his or her weakness and continually beats him or herself up over it. We don't know. We cannot see into another's heart. Only God can. Rather, we are to look into our own hearts. There is enough there with which to occupy us.

God knows who are His. Some are bruised reeds and some are dimly smoking wicks. And some cannot be told apart from the tares. But He knows and in the final day will separate the false from the true and will deal with them as He has promised.

I hope this helps.

Matt

Crystal clear! Thanks Matt.

[GlennO]

Where is my sin?

notes inside the back cover in my bible......
Psa 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions (sin) from us.

Jer 31:34(b) for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.


1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.


Isa 43:25 "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
Mic 7:19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.