allofgrace

You asked if this Righteousness is just handed to believers from day one, where does the Righteousness come from that brings salvation, and is it there from day one or does salvation comes later? When is the person sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of Redemption, from day one or is it something that comes later if you are diligent in the things of God. Which would make it depend on works if its not there in the beginning, wouldn't it? Whose righteousness gives the sinner the righteousness of God?

Rom 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; This answers that question, just like 1Cor1:30-31 also said, the righteousness of the God is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ, He is the believers only righteousness according to God. I only quoted the 1 Cor 1:30-31 verses, it was the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write them. I let them stand on their own merit, I have no righteousness apart from the imputed righteousness of Christ through faith in Him. But as your explanation of the Rom 4:12 verse shows you try to put the cart before the horse. One cannot walk in the faith until after they have exercised faith in Jesus Christ and received His righteousness through the forgiveness which salvation brings. No one has any righteousness before conversion so there can be no good works prior to salvation, good works are evidence of salvation, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works(Eph 2:10). And this statement from you:( But the question is about how God sees us, not about imputed righteousness) As both passages I quoted state, He is the one that answered that for you Himself, 1Cor1:28-31 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” If one is in Christ this verse applies to them and is the only reason they have the righteousness of God in them, its because of who gave it to them by faith in His Son, the Lord our Righteousness. Jer 23:6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jer 33:16, You hinted that I gave the 1 Cor 1:30-31 passage wrong, but as usual you did not say how it should be explained. You only give your standard reply and jump to another verse which doesn't even show how the person is declared righteous in the first place. I have shown you how God declares one righteous and it is never because of their good works, it is always by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ which frees them from the law of sin and death and being sealed with the Holy Spirit then they can produce good works and that because it is God working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. Phil 2:13.

Just for the record, I am not advocating that obedience is not the goal of a believer otherwise you are the servant of the one you obey. But regardless of how obedient a believer is, they add nothing to the righteousness of Christ. The question for you to answer is whose righteousness gets the person to heaven, the imputed righteousness of Christ or the person's obedience. Does the believer have the righteousness of Christ for the forgiveness of sin and being sealed with the Holy Spirit. That will answer your question. Is 1 Cor 1:30-31 correct?

Doing righteous acts are expected from believers but are done by faith in Jesus Christ being led by the Holy Spirit and they do not add any righteousness to the perfect righteousness which believers have in Christ Jesus. He gets all the glory, Phil 2:13 it is God working in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. You cannot add any thing to Christ Jesus, He is already perfect in every way. Those verses posted do nothing to show that mans good deeds add anything to their imputed righteousness. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set them free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:1 and 2. And blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin(Rom 4:8) if the man is in Christ Jesus their sins are not imputed to them or is this scripture in error?

What I find odd is that you never post the scripture to show that polygamy is not the same as marriage or adultery or where it says it was never a sin. Is that not adding to the word of God? Showing polygamy is a sin is not adding to word of God, it is supported the word of God. Sexual acts outside of marriage is a sin, you said it yourself, polygamy is not marriage and then you defend it in the next line by saying it is ok with God. But no scripture to support your belief, now that is what I call strange.

That is all well and good, but why was polygamy allowed in the law of Moses? Why was it regulated? Why not just forbid the practice? It the same answer that has been shown before which you have been shown. You have shown none that says that polygamy is not sinful. You have shown it was allowed and Jesus told those trying to trap Him about divorce. The principle is still the same as given in Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. This has never changed from God view point, if so where? The Lord's answer would apply to any man having more than one wife and sexual relations outside of that one woman would be sinful otherwise why would one wife be the norm for a bishop or deacon? This sounds a lot like your question doesn't it? Matt 19:7-9 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” As the blind man ask those who did not believe him when he told him them the same answer concerning who healed him, will you believe it now?

1 Cor 1:27-31 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” There are others but this passage shows that no flesh can glory in God's presence. Only those in Christ Jesus who is the believer's wisdom from God, their righteousness, sanctification and redemption is always in Christ Jesus only and the believers by grace through faith. No acts of the believer ever makes them any more righteous nor any less righteous because all their righteousness is imputed by being in Christ. Once this is realized then one can see that Christ Jesus is their wisdom from God, and their righteousness, sanctification and redemption forevermore.

That goes out the window when the government violates God's laws. When the government sanctions homosexual marriage, and at the same time tells us polygamy is illegal, why should anyone take that serious? Are we to accept any definition of marriage the government comes up with? What if they tell us marriage between two people with the same hair color can't marry? Marriage is a religious institution, so I have come to the conclusion that I don't care about having a license from the government. Not to mention, they have already made fornication legal and adultery too for that matter, in nearly every state in the union, meaning that you could have 10 wives and not be breaking the law, so long as their is no government license involved. Nearly every church group in America does not say polygamy is a sin. I have been surprised how many admit that it is not a sin, when you actually ask the question to someone. Bottom line is that if it is legal to be in fornication, and it is legal to commit adultery, you can't be breaking the law to be in a common law marriage with more than one woman. The bigger question is whether it is a wise thing to have more than one wife at a time? From what I have seen in the Bible, the answer is probably not? You were talking about not being subject to government in scriptural marriage not homosexuals or lesbians. Anything contrary to scripture, we obey God but that does not stop from obeying government otherwise. I guess you are going to tell me that Rome was not corrupt when Jesus said to obey government, or when the Holy Spirit inspired Romans 13. We must travel in different company, I have never heard anyone say that polygamy was not a sin, nor ever heard of anyone going to a church that taught it was not a sin. Even the Mormons have condemned it. And no that scripture did not say that David ever took any of that Kings wives as his own. The kings did at that time do that, but it is never said that David took them as his wives. And God strictly said the Kings of Israel were not to multiply wives so it would have been a sin to do so. Solomon sinned in that manner. One looking for a reason will always convinced themselves that they are right.

The ones who care about submitting to the government are those who want to obey the Lord's commands, render to Caesar that which is Caesar is a command just as having one wife or one husband and sexual relations outside of that is sin, so is not yielding to the authority of government. And the government does say it is against the law to have two wives at the same time. As does every church group in America. You may get a few to agree with you on here, but the two will be one cannot be true if there are three, four or more trying to be one and no scripture authorizes more than one wife no matter how you try to wiggle around it. Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

It would be good to show the scripture to back up this statement or one might assume it to be heresy. Statement like this are the real reason that error is spread, people hear things without scriptural proof and before long they are the only Holy Spirit group. The only part of the body of Christ that had to be instructed in the proper use of tongues in service was the one that said they had it and were abusing the use of it. I guess all the other churches that had letters written to them were not of the Spirit filled group because tongues is not mentioned in any other letter to a church body. Like the OP verse, let the scripture speak in context for itself and it must walk hand in hand with the whole of scripture.

1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 1 Tim 3:12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. If the qualification to be blameless for a bishop or a deacon is to be the husband of one wife then that is the qualification for every saint to have only one spouse. To wiggle from the principle is not scriptural because there is no scripture that says that one can have two wives and still be blameless on this issue. Each is accountable for their own actions.

Gen 17:3-8 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” The covenant that God makes with Abraham is that he will be a father of many nations. This we know as you acknowledge is in his Seed which is Christ Jesus. As Galatians says in 3:7-9 and 29 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. The blessings of God are to those who like Abraham are declared righteous by believing God. The land is given to his descendants and there the kingdom of the Lord will be set up on earth during the 1000 years reign as shown in Revelations. Circumcision was a part of the covenant given to his fleshly descendants but not his descendants which are a part of the number that is more than the stars, those who come through the promised Seed, Christ Jesus, through whom the Jewish descendants also must come. Just as the Galatians passages state, only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. Those are the children of promise, not of the flesh as Ismael, but through the promised seed such as Isaac. They were types of the flesh and the promise seed. That is why Abraham knew that if he killed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead because he believed God when God told him he would be the father of many nations through Isaac. Heb 11:17-20 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Here Paul speaks of those circumcised and those not in Romans 4:9-12 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. This is where I see your confusion, the unbelieving Jew is not Abraham's descendant in the covenant that God made with him. Only those who are children of faith like Abraham had are sons of Abraham. That is why Jesus told them several times that were they Abraham's seed they would believe in Him. John 8:37-47 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Very strong words here from the Lord Himself to those who claimed to be God's children by their birthright, but they were not children of Abraham by faith in the promised Seed, Christ Jesus. But in the latter time as Paul says in Rom 11:25 the Jews will come to the Lord as a nation, I believe during the tribulation and they will turn to Jesus in faith and go into the kingdom which they were looking for while Jesus walked on earth, but the kingdom then was in those of faith as Jesus said in Luke.

James 4:7-8a Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. This is what the believer is do, submit to God's authority because greater is He who is in us than who is in the world(1Joh4:4) and victory is certain. Some teach to have long discussions telling the devil his place, but scripture says to submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee. Jude 8 and 9 give the example of how Michael spoke to the devil and that is to be our example, 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” And Paul having been in the ministry at this time about 20 years or a little more and having had numerous visions and revelations from the Lord personally and for you to say Paul just went in with a bunch of head knowledge needs no reply from me. The passage clearly says he was not healed. The scriptures are clear on the principle that Christians can expect to suffer for Christ sake, Phil 1:29 -30 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. But the Lord has promised that it will work to our good when done in His purpose, Rom 8:28, and we will be able to bear it, not to always escape from it as many proclaim, 1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; " v12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. Mark 10:4-9 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.” 5 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Just like the issue of divorce, Jesus said it was not that way from the beginning and quotes from Genesis, and notice the be joined to his wife, not his wives. And the other two references mention the office of the bishop and the deacons and they were to be blameless and the husband of one wife. No church that I know of would consider a preacher or any lay person to be faithful who came in with two wives, one on each arm and allow either to be even members of their church much less leaders. Just like all doctrine, his servant you are to whom you obey. And just like Abraham who was righteous by faith, not by his actions, he obeyed the flesh and Ishmael was of the flesh, but Abraham was thankful that his righteousness was by grace in Christ. We are to do as Paul said, the things you see me do in Christ, these you are to do. Follow the good, reject the deeds of the flesh.

I believe what Paul was talking about was when the Lord revealed to him His purpose for Paul's ministry and to give Paul knowledge of His truth's. I believe that Paul was saying whether he went in his spirit or his hold body and spirit he could not tell as he states. The same means had happen many times to the prophets in the OT. Num12:6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Eze 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. And there are examples when visions were given to Ananias about Paul in Acts 9:10-17; and Paul receiving visions in Acts 18:9; 22:17-21; 23:11. But this when Paul was speaking to Agrippa I believe leads to Paul's first vision from the Lord and the vision or dream which is the subject of this OP. Acts 26:12-18 “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ And I believe this is what Paul was referring to in Gal 1:11-12 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. And Eph 3:3-7 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. Of course, these revelations could have been several different ones as well.

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith Do we grow in faith? We prophesy in proportion to our faith. Sometimes we can step out and take a risk, but not have enough faith to complete the task for example Peter stepping on the water, or the demon the disciples couldn't cast out because of their measure of faith in Mark 9. Same when we prophesy. I would agree with growing in faith and in the sharing of the written word according to our growing knowledge of that word. It just doesn't seem like from your post I responded to that you were talking about witnessing to the gospel but were talking about receiving new prophesy from the Lord. If you are not talking about new prophesy I would be more inclined to agree.

I would be interested in where it says the 3000 that were saved in Acts 2 spoke in tongues. I have not followed all your post but where is the scripture to support your view on prophets today can be in error and they get better by practice. I don't recall ever reading any thing that comes close to that in scripture.

While water baptism does not save as I mentioned before and as all commands from the Lord it is expected to be obeyed. It is the blood of Christ and being placed in Him by faith that saves. John 14:15 If you love Me, keep my commandments. And as Paul said, his servant you are to whom you obey. Matt 3:2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, Matt 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I love this point, well mainly hearing the point. "If Baptism is essential, then why didn't Jesus baptized anyone?" Romans 6:4 says that we are "baptized into his death" .. How could anyone be baptized into his death if he was still alive? The above reply I mentioned about being baptized into His death. The believer is baptized into His death at Calvary where He paid the penalty for our sin debt and not only ours John says, but for the sins of the world. The whosoever that will believe on His name and turn to Him in repentance as scripture says. As a result of dying to self the believer is told they are new creations in Christ and are to reckon themselves dead to their old sin nature and walk in newness of life that has been given them. Rom 6:9-11 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Another of the many that demonstrate the principle teaching of imputed righteousness and other spiritual blessings for the saints. Because He died and rose, the saints penalty He paid in full, they will never die again because He will never die again and they are in Him positionally. The saints are seated in heaven just as He is in heaven, He in us, we in Him and as chapter 17 of John says, we will behold His glory with the Father.

As I see this passage, Peter is saying that the Lord preached to the lost souls during the days of Noah. The Holy Spirit speaking through Noah proclaimed God's message for those 120 years that the Ark was being built. But only the 8 came into the Ark. The water of the flood brought the judgment on those who were continually wicked in their minds. And v21 says it is a like figure that baptism does save the believer, not the cause of it just a like figure of it. And I believe this is talking of the baptism of the Holy Spirit who places us into the body of Christ. 1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. He took the judgment and we by faith in Christ Jesus are imputed His righteousness. Rom 1:3-4 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Rom 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. The glory should always go to what Jesus Christ did for the believer as scripture says, 1 Cor 1:30-31 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Remembering without Him we can do nothing, therefore He is entitled to all the praise and glory. At least this is how I understand that passage.

The OP clearly stated why and almost everyone knows that some people believe it is necessary before your sins are cleansed and many do not and the poster wanted to get peoples answers to their questions. It is a doctrinal question. That is what the forum is about, right?

To fulfill part of all that is righteous as Jesus said to John the Baptist prior to His baptism. This act and all acts of obedience demonstrate the desire which the Lord puts in the believer's heart to obey and to do(Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.) John the Apostle said in 1 John 2:28-29 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. Obedience should be the desire of the heart for all Christians and is why Paul and others kept telling us to examine ourselves that we be in the faith. This passage here in 1 John tells us why it is important, that we be not ashamed at Jesus coming. No, but if one willfully reject the first thing a believer should do without very good cause, that is no demonstration of a surrender heart. We can see in the NT days it was done speedily to new converts but I believe scripture plainly teaches that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness(remission). It says nothing of water baptism being a requirement. This is as good an example as any of which there are several which tells us how saints are cleansed: Rev 7:13-14 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The answers above state my convictions.

Yes, with an emphasis on it being by faith in the righteousness of Christ on which I stand. I do not believe in the sinless walk by the actions of a believer. The believer is perfect in Christ. 2 Cor 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. So in our position and trust in Christ, we are perfect, but in our walk it is a growing process. Maturity comes into focus as we put off the deeds of the flesh by following the Holy Spirit's leading as Paul says in this Phil 3 passage; Phil 3:12-16 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. John puts it this way in 1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. And as I stated, faith plays an important part always in the life of a believer, those that fear dropping away or losing their salvation have a fear that is not necessary for the saint. 1 John 4!7-19 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. The more our faith in Christ becomes a reality, fear vanishes. This perfect here I believe is more complete in love, we are already perfect in every way in Christ and that is why we must please toward the mark of being holy in our walk and that will be accomplished in glory.

I can whole heartly say amen to this statement, except for the I can do that myself part.

The Word in John is used as a title of the Son of God.