Speks

Scripture teaches us that Christ fully deals with sin at 4 levels: (1) When we repent and place our faith in Him, He removes the sinful condition that caused us to be spiritually dead. We are made spiritually alive in Christ and are saved from God's wrath. By His perfect sacrifice Christ has saved us from God's righteous anger that was directed against the corrupted nature we inherited in Adam. By Christ's blood, and in response to our true faith, He has cancelled out God's penalty for Sin and appeased His holy judgement against us. "By nature" we were "children of wrath", but now in Him we have been brought from death to life (see Ephesians 2). (2) In Christ, at the moment of true faith and repentance, we also have forgiveness for every wrong thing we have done—without exception our past sins are forgiven and forgotten: "... the Lord Jesus Christ... gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father" (Galatians 1:3, 4, ESV); "And you, who were dead in your trespasses... God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross" Colossians 2:13, 14, ESV); "’...their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more’" (Hebrews 10:17, NKJV). "For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]"(Hebrews 10:14 Amplified Bible). (3) Christ had dealt with our sinful nature and our many past sins, but in Him we also continue to find forgiveness when we fall into sin: "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1st John 1:7-9, NASB). (4) To help us defeat sin in our walk, He goes further and provides a way for us to resist the power of sin. When we abide in Him and walk in the Spirit we will be equipped to rise above the destructive impulses of our fallen character. When we live like this, walking with Him, our godless characteristics will weaken and fail. Instead of getting tangled up in the inclinations of our old ways—your fallen nature—we will be able to enjoy the “fruit of the Spirit”. These fruit are the characteristics Christ longs to see in our lives: love, gladness, peace, patience, an even temper, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, humility, self-control and self-restraint, not getting drunk, having moral backbone. There is another way in which we can be strengthened to resist and overcome sinful behaviour. We can fellowship with one another and offer encouragement and warnings based on Scripture. Those with clean hands and a pure heart can pray for those who are struggling. The battle against sin and our human nature is ongoing. In this life we will never be totally detached from the nature of sin we inherited. But in Christ we can claim all that He has provided. By the Spirit we can continually put to death the corrupting impulses of the flesh. "...for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13, NASB).

For me it's the difference between willfully sinning habitually/continually, and committing sin occasionally but repenting from the heart and asking for forgiveness. There are those who are spiritually dead in sin as we once were, and there are those who believe the truth, have tasted God's gift of salvation, but are rebellious and trample underfoot the Son of God, profane His blood and insult the Holy Spirit.

It's very hard to hate what you get a fix from. In some ways that's the nature of addiction. A lack of discipline makes it too easy to enjoy what God hates. Sharing your struggle with someone who is walking with God in purity will certainly help. It should be a comfort too to know that the same righteous person is praying for you. There is nothing coming between that person and God. They have bold confidence. It will also help to think often about how holy and pure God is, and why purity is so badly needed in our world. It may also help to think about the damage impurity causes in people's lives and sometimes in the lives of others who spend time with addicts. Escaping sexual addiction is a process. It helps to understand that the perversion of porn is the enemy of God's people. Our spiritual enemy is responsible for it. Porn damages loving relationships by distorting natural affection and indirectly weakens churches. Remember too that God disciplines those He loves so that they will be encouraged to be grounded in Christ. You won't then be easily led away from Him by temptations of any kind. You have to get real about what God hates. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. Don't face your battle alone. https://handtotheploughblog.wordpress.com/resisting-sexual-immorality/ .

There's so much truth in that. I'm reminded just now of the lyrics of an old Keith Green song:

Maybe you could link to a chapter or 2 of your work? Is it Christian-based? Fictional? Maybe you could try publishing through a 'blog' or website of some kind that includes a downloadable .pdf file? A proper standard of English and carefully researched content that is informative or keeps the reader hooked is a great start. I've had a go at writing myself over the years and for a time self-published a 100-page book through Amazon. I've learned with my own writing that few were interested, but it didn't stop me! I enjoy it and it's a kind of hobby too. Maybe, like me, you're not too interested in the official side of writing and publishing, but check out this website: https://www.writersdigest.com/resources/about-us .

This is a wonderful verse that takes us to Psalm 37:11: "People who are not proud [who are humble and meek], will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant peace and posterity." God wants us to be kind-hearted and gentle, meek but not weak, humble rather than being arrogant and mean-spirited.

Jayne is SO right! I don't think, Mantis, you are making God sick and He is rejecting you because you can't find anyone who is interested in listening to you sharing God's truths. Remember that your quiet, pure lifestyle in itself can be a witness for Christ when you are walking with Him day to day. Be open and ready to share, and if the opportunity doesn't arrive don't condemn yourself and feel down. Lots of believers have introverted personalities, but God can use them in the right contexts. We are not all the same, although there are times when we may need to take a stand. And don't forget that God can change us too, step by step, if necessary. It may take time! Try not to get too hung up thinking about being lukewarm rather than hot. This context belongs to Revelation 3 and is often applied to individual Christians, which is understandable of course. But Christ is here telling an entire wealthy church at Laodicea that He is rejecting them collectively because He is disgusted (sickened) by their condition. Laodicea was an upmarket wealthy place and the church there had been distracted by prosperity—and that must have included the spiritual leaders in the church who were supposed to watching out for people like you and me. Sometimes we find ourselves struggling to abide in Christ as we should. There are times when we are distracted by the influence of the world or with the cares of daily life. Rather than thinking we are like the church in Laodicea, making Christ disgusted and sick, and causing Him to reject us, consider instead these words in 1st John 3:21: "...if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God" (NET Bible). And if we do have sin, we can repent and find forgiveness.

We all go through tough times in our lives when we need help and encouragement. And there are times when we want to turn to God's Word to learn more about Christ. Something that has been a help to me personally over the years is the publication Daily Light on the Daily Path. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. It's available online for free, and in a digital book format too. The background story is told here: http://www.dailylight.co.uk/background.html Here's an example of this morning's reading which was just what I needed to hear after a few 'trials': The hope laid up for you in heaven.—If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.—Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.—“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”—That no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.—may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.—Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.—Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.—Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Recently in another thread the issue of "in" or "of" in particular scripture verses has been mentioned. The KJV has popularised "of". It has even been suggested here, if I understand correctly, that replacing "of" with "in" in "modern" translations has been a deliberate choice intended to undermine scriptural authority by masking the meaning God intended. When thinking about why this issue should matter generally (rather than in defence of the AV, or a preference for its text), and looking into it in more detail I came on the following essay online, dating from 2011. I thought it was well explained and worth a look, although I can't personally vouch for the author. You can read it below, or here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/faith-in-christ-or-faithfulness-of-christ/ In the thinking of some, concensus among more recent biblical scholars and translators is usually suspect—even automatically suspect! However, to those without bias it will be significant that, as far as I can tell, a majority of bible translators choose "in" rather than "of" when expressing Greek construction in English in the verses under consideration. It's interesting too that "faithfulness" is discussed rather than "faith". --- "Pistis christou" — "in" or "of"? By TREVIN WAX In recent years, New Testament theologians have discussed and debated the meaning of pistis christou. There is no doubt that the Bible calls us to put our faith in Christ’s faithfulness for our salvation. Still, when it comes to specific passages, the phrase pistis christou is ambiguous. Should this phrase be translated as “faith in Christ” or the “faithfulness of Christ”? The discussion was reignited thirty years ago with Richard Hays proposing that the translation “faithfulness of Christ” best represents the Apostle Paul’s doctrine of “participation in Christ”. To believe in Christ is to share in his faithfulness. Those who disagree with Hays worry that pressing the “faithfulness of Christ” interpretation could downplay Paul’s emphasis on the necessity of human faith as the response to the gospel. The debate transcends denominational categories and theological camps. New Perspective proponent N.T. Wright prefers “faithfulness of Christ” while Wright’s NP counterpart, James D.G. Dunn chooses “faith in Christ.” There is a spectrum of opinion on the subject from all different directions. For several years now, I’ve been mulling over this discussion, seeking clarity as to what Paul intended to communicate. Though I was never 100% sure of either option, I was initially attracted to the “faithfulness of Christ” translation for several reasons that I found compelling: 1. Translating pistis christou as “faithfulness of Christ” avoids repetition in key passages. Romans 3:21-22 sounds odd if translated as “- that is, God’s righteousness through trust in Jesus Christ, to all who trust.” Could it be that Paul’s intention was “God’s righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, to all who believe”?Here’s a similar occurrence in Galatians 2:16: “And we have trusted in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by trust in Christ and not by works of the law.” The repetition is avoided if understood as “And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by works of the law.” 2. Translating pistis christou as “faithfulness of Christ” is theologically attractive. The theme of “union with Christ” is a powerful one in Pauline theology, and it makes good sense of a number of passages. For example, the KJV translates Galatians 2:20 with the subjective genitive: “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”When incorporated into Reformation categories of theology, “faithfulness of Christ” bolsters support for the doctrine of imputation. “We are justified by the faithfulness of Christ (his perfect obedience to the Father’s will, his faithfulness unto death on behalf of his covenant people).”Philippians 3:9 seems to put more emphasis on Christ’s faithfulness, rather than our faith, as the means of supplying our needed righteousness. “Not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through the faithfulness of Christ – the righteousness from God based on faith.” Anything that appears to give more glory to Christ is attractive to me. 3. The juxtaposition of Israel’s unfaithfulness (works of the law) and Christ’s faithfulness (through his death) provides a compelling interpretation of the key passages in Galatians. Ardel Caneday writes: “In Galatians, Paul’s argument features Christ Jesus over against Torah, with Torah in a servant role to Christ, as preparatory for Christ who has now come. Paul’s antithetical placement of pistis christouwith “works of the law” / “law” placards the faithfulness of Christ Jesus who accomplishes what the Law could not.” For a while, I leaned toward the “faithfulness of Christ” view, primarily because the reasons listed above. Still, despite the attraction of that translation, I have recently shifted in the other direction. Today, I am convinced that the New Testament authors intended pistis christou to refer to “faith in Christ” rather than the faithfulness of Christ. Here are the reasons that swayed me the other way: 1. None of the early church fathers or early Greek readers give a subjective genitive reading of pistis christou. In fact, the discussion doesn’t even come up. This reason is the most compelling to me. As a fluent Romanian speaker, I’ve observed quirky grammatical constructions that could possibly mean two or more things within the flow of the language. If Romanians, however, hear those grammatical constructions in only one way, then I know that I’m correct in translating the ambiguous phrase according to its unambiguous meaning in its original language and the receptor language. The same principle applies to native Greek speakers.Barry Matlock writes: “It is not that the subjective genitive reading is explicitly rejected among early Greek readers… but rather that no awareness is shown of this option nor indeed of any problem, and so the objective is read without polemic or apology. Silence can be very eloquent, and here it fairly sings.” 2. The “repetition” problem isn’t as big a problem as it first appears. In Rom. 3:21-22, Paul probably intends to place the emphasis on the “all”: -that is, God’s righteousness through trust in Jesus Christ, to all who trust.It is also likely that Paul uses repetition intentionally. In an oral culture, this is a common technique at getting across one’s point. 3. Grammatically, there are other places where the genitive refers to Christ as the object. In Philippians 3:8, Jesus Christ is described as the object of knowledge. In 1 Thessalonians, he is described as the object of hope. In both these cases, it is clear from the context that Paul is not talking about Christ’s knowledge or Christ’s hope. There is no grammatical reason why the same can’t be true of pistis christou. 4. We should not do exegesis with a bias toward “what is theologically attractive.” Though I love the emphasis the “faithfulness of Christ” view places on Christ’s obedience, I can’t let my exegesis be driven by what appears to support my theological position. The key issue is “what did the author intend to communicate?”, not “how does this boost what I already believe?”Regarding my thoughts above on Christ’s faithfulness to the covenant, I should reiterate that Paul’s emphasis on “faith in Christ” does not undermine the truth that God is the One doing the saving.Michael Bird writes: “Faith in Christ means entrusting ourselves to the event of the gospel, which includes the theocentric act of deliverance wrought by God in Jesus which includes his coming, faithfulness, death, and resurrection. Thus, I would say that Jesus’ faithfulness is implied not in the noun pistis but in christos.” The more I study, the more I am convinced that pistis christou should be translated “faith in Christ.” What about you? Have you considered this debate? Which way do you lean?

Being in the dark place you've described tears us apart. Wrong choices and sinful behaviour drag us down and make us bitter and miserable. Hypocrisy torments us with guilt at all hours of the day and can cause depression. Think about what you have in your life that is unhelpful, and that includes people who hold you back. Decide on changes you must make. Always remember, you have an enemy who is a liar and a destroyer, but in Christ there is victory over him. Think about life being fragile. The future is uncertain and life quickly passes us by. Think about giving an account, as we all will have to do. Think about being in debt to God. Tell Him directly why your life is wrong and messed up. Tell Him you want to be clean, even if you've told Him before, over and over. Believe that He will forgive you. Come to terms with the fact that you are called to live your life with Him in a way that He would approve of. If you can, contact those who are walking with Christ. They will have clean hands and pure hearts and will pray to God for you. And always remember that you can be who Christ wants you to be. Believe He can protect you and strengthen you for these dreadful battles. It helps to know that many have been in dark places too and escaped to a much better place. You can too. https://handtotheploughblog.wordpress.com/into-his-likeness/ .

We are indeed body, soul and spirit, and in our overall context here Hebrews 4:12 is particularly significant. We all have many points-of-view on many subjects, but there is wisdom in putting the balance of Scripture before any particular teacher, especially one as independently vocal as Mr Bullinger was throughout his life. It's all to easy to adopt some of the characteristics and quirks of others which in turn may obscure what Christ Himself would reveal to you in other ways. Anyway, thanks for your reply.

Hello Peter. Bullinger certainly did write plenty and had very strong views about the theories of Dispensationalism. He believed the earth is flat, although we can cut him some slack there back in the day. He also expressed striking views about the Holy Spirit and holy spirit (based around pneuma hagion: "power from on high"). It should be significant that major translations of the NT dont share his views. In his writing (his work I have so far examined) he does capitalise: "Holy Spirit" and refers to God's Spirit as "He", etc. But your reply above doesn't address your comment, "This spirit is indeed a life form".

May I enquire why you haven't capitalised the word "spirit" in the above post? There are those who believe God's Spirit (God is Spirit) is a force and not the Personality of God and Christ. But that may not be your position. I'm curious too about your phrase "This spirit is indeed a life form" which seems at odds with the balance of biblical teaching. Forgive me if I'm barking up a tree that doesn't exist!

Hello Omegaman. I hope you're keeping well? This is my opinion on this, but I'm not a Greek scholar! So if I'm in error please let me know. The uniformly authoritative scholarly approach to translating NT Greek into English in the relevant verses above, is to include "in" to best complete the sense of the original. As I understand it, the accepted sense here in Greek construction requires quality translations to include "in". ("Of" is unhelpful.) For example, a literal translation of Galatians 2:16a might read, "not is justified a man by works of law if not through faith Christ from Jesus". The best qualified teams of translators will here choose to include the word "in" to complete the sense in English. But it's interesting that "by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ" is one alternative reading that carries less weight (see link below). My question was really to do with the legitimacy of drawing attention to "of" — which doesn't complete the overall contextual sense in modern English — when "in" does. https://www.worthychristianforums.com/topic/257479-pistis-christou-—-in-or-of/

Why "of" rather than "in"?

If I may share... We are actively dead to sin when we walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit we won't (indeed, can't) fulfill the desires of the flesh (the sinful outworking of our fallen nature). This is what is happening when we see struggling Christians. And we can remember our own problems from time to time. Not deliberately, consciously and actively abiding in Christ causes spiritual weaknesses and an indifference that can quickly lead to very serious ongoing problems. In this state genuine believers will grieve and "be unresponsive to the working and guidance of" the Holy Spirit" (1st Thessalonians 5:19, Amplified Bible). These Christians are not to be confused with those who have tasted of the heavenly gift but have deliberately rebelled and trampled underfoot the precious blood of Christ. So, continually dying to self by denying the ways of our sinful nature is a discipline that allows Christ's Life to shape our worldview and daily lifestyle. It keeps the flesh in check, enables us to resist our spiritual enemies, and allows us to grow patiently in Him. Scripture plays a very important role here because it divides us (soul) from our spirit life (and Spirit Life). Fellowship matters a lot too because we can lovingly support and warn one another, and build one another up in Christ. Our own weaknesses stop us being too judgemental. Encouragement beats harsh criticism! Christ's provision for sin is astonishing and all-inclusive. The Sin we inherit in Adam, our sins before our salvation and the sins we commit after salvation are all dealt with through Christ.

R Hartono, those who abide in Christ are led by Him to care for others. This is why Paul sought help for those in Jerusalem (1st Corinthians 16:1-4). This is just one way God takes care of us — His love and care is shown through others in good deeds and selfless acts of kindness. (Those who don't know Him, but who are created in His likeness show selfless love too.) There are indeed other very trying circumstances and tragic events where we must trust Him.