Perfection?

[larryt]

Oh I'm not saying we're capable of being sinless. I'm wondering why He tells us not to sin, to be holy like He is, etc.....if it's not possible for us to do.

Tess,

I think we ARE capable. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm not there by any stretch, you can agree if you want. But I see the means and I have the desire and I believe it is possible to say "I have finished the race" instead KAY CERA, CERA.(sic)

LT

[BobTriez]

Oh I'm not saying we're capable of being sinless. I'm wondering why He tells us not to sin, to be holy like He is, etc.....if it's not possible for us to do.

Tess,

I think we ARE capable. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm not there by any stretch, you can agree if you want. But I see the means and I have the desire and I believe it is possible to say "I have finished the race" instead KAY CERA, CERA.(sic)

LT

Surely you are not serious Larry....you believe you can live sin-free ? You DO know that you are calling God a liar when you say that - right ? I'm not gonna call you out on it ( whether or not you think you are sinless ) - it's between you and God....but I'd ask that you abstain from espouseing and teaching false and unBiblical doctrines here.

God bless,

Bob

[larryt]

Oh I'm not saying we're capable of being sinless. I'm wondering why He tells us not to sin, to be holy like He is, etc.....if it's not possible for us to do.

Tess,

I think we ARE capable. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm not there by any stretch, you can agree if you want. But I see the means and I have the desire and I believe it is possible to say "I have finished the race" instead KAY CERA, CERA.(sic)

LT

Surely you are not serious Larry....you believe you can live sin-free ? You DO know that you are calling God a liar when you say that - right ? I'm not gonna call you out on it ( whether or not you think you are sinless ) - it's between you and God....but I'd ask that you abstain from espouseing and teaching false and unBiblical doctrines here.

God bless,

Bob

Bob

Please do not rephrase my statement to mean something I did not say. I did not say we could lead a sinless life. I said we are capable of being sinless.(period) There is a big difference as I see it. You don't see "be ye holy for I am holy" as a direct cammand? Here is the whole passage.

14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man

[BobTriez]

I did not say we could lead a sinless life. I said we are capable of being sinless.(period) There is a big difference as I see it.

Explain it to me please....I'm a dolt.

[Jon The Jew]

Man is inherently sinful; it is his nature. Therefore being inherently sinful means sin controls us until we are saved. We are not capable of being sinless.

[Kabowd]

After salvation, what are we capable of and what does He expect?

[His son]

Oh I'm not saying we're capable of being sinless. I'm wondering why He tells us not to sin, to be holy like He is, etc.....if it's not possible for us to do.

I guess I don't see it as a command Tess....BUT, how could a perfect and holy God expect anything less from us ?

Tess,

You read and believe what The Bible says.

2 Tim 3:16-17

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

John 17:18

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

John 17:23

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

(KJV)

There are many more Scriptures throughout The Bible that tell us we can be perfect.

God has given us The Holy Spirit because we can't do it on our own, so He comes to lead us along the path of righteousness that leads to the Kingdom. Believe it accept it, and keep working on your personal relationship with Him, and He will keep working on your perfection process. When men deny this possibility they are in fact denying the power of The Holy Spirit to create in us a clean Heart, to renew in us a right Spirit, to put the mind of Christ in us. Believe God not men.

[larryt]

I did not say we could lead a sinless life.  I said we are capable of being sinless.(period)  There is a big difference as I see it.

Explain it to me please....I'm a dolt.

Bob,

Your not a dolt. We all know and experience things that can help each other.

Jesus said that the devil has NO part in Him.

Joh 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

I was reading a testimony of a chinese brother who had been kept awake by the communists for 70 days and at last died. Amazingly he was alowed to have visitors and his son talked with him often. Shortly before he died he testified to his son the same thing above. "The prince of this world has nothing in me." He died a day or two later. I was ssaying to myself "wouldn't that be great, to be free from all ungodly influence." I prayed "Lord, is it possible?" As it was I read Acts 6-7 that evening. And this vesrse jumped out at me.

Ac 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Notice what happens at this point - ch. 7.

LT

[Matthitjah]

Tess,

Oh I'm not saying we're capable of being sinless. I'm wondering why He tells us not to sin, to be holy like He is, etc.....if it's not possible for us to do.

He is saying because He is Holy we should strive to be like He. We are to adopt the Nature of our God. By procurring His Grace to do so.

Will we achieve this in this Flesh? No! That is why the whole need for Christ to atone for our sins. We could not live by the Law. We were incapable. It only pointed up our weakness and the need for a Savior. Ah' but in our weakness? In our lives of submission? We can be Holy like God. Submitted to His Will and not the Will of the Flesh.

When we are submitted? We do not do as we would do. Rather we do as our Father Wills. Therefore we live the submitted life by the Spirit and not in the Flesh. So we can be Holy in the Spirit living not under the Law but by Faith in every Word of God. That is why we are Free so that we can Strive to be like our God. Against the Spirit the Flesh has not a chance. For the Spirit leads as God does Will.

One small problem. We are not in the Spirit 24/7. We live in this Flesh. Even as Paul admitted wretched man that he was.

Now by the atoning Blood of Christ we are set Free from the Law and this Flesh and are enabled to obey God's Commands. Do we always? Nope. Will we be held accountable for not always obeying God's Commands? You betcha. Thanks be to God for Grace! Thanks be to God that my sins have been atoned for. That I can approach the Throne of Grace and repent and my Father hears it. Looks to Jesus and pass's me over. Thanks be to God that I am not held under that bondage of guilt. So out of gratitude and the Love born of a sinner set Free. The condemned who was forgiven. :il: I gladly strive to obey my Lords commands. Maybe strive is the wrong Word? It is my Joy to obey my Lords commands. Why? If I Love Him? I will.

It isn't burdensome for me to obey my Lords commands. Rather it is my Joy! For I am Free.

1Jo

[seraph]

I think we are to make the effort to