People are basically good, right?

[brakelite]

On 2/19/2018 at 11:07 AM, Blood Bought 1953 said:

True.....but going from murderer to non- murderer did not save them. They were still sinners that needed a Savior.....what is “ good “ in man’s eye is filthy rags In the eyes of God....there is no one good,no not one.God is not in the business of saving good men to make them better....He is looking for dead men in order to make them alive.

They stopped their murdering. Could they have faith and yet continue in sin? God forbid. Their faith in the righteousness of Christ changed them. Their relationship with Him changed them. The (creative) power of the word in them changed them. By beholding (Christ) they were changed. They did not enter glory as sinners...murderers. Without that change...without the righteousness of Christ....without become new creatures...without the word of God (Christ in them, the hope of glory) they would still be sinners, sinning, and not be saved. No sinner receives eternal life. Sinners receive power to become children of God, and the children are the heirs, but first is that rebirth, the new creature must rise demonstrating the power and the glory of the almighty working in them. 

I agree that God isn't in the business of making good men better....He is in the business of making sinners into the image of Christ.

Edited February 24, 2018 by brakelite

[Blood Bought 1953]

On 2/18/2018 at 5:49 PM, brakelite said:

Correct. But not being good keeps people out.

 

Lack of faith in the only “ good “ One keeps people out.God credits you with the goodness of His Son if you believe the Gospel.....we should thank God that He is not looking at my goodness or your goodness in regard to salvation....unless one insists on presenting their “ dirty menstrual rags” . I hope we have none of those here.

[brakelite]

37 minutes ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

Lack of faith in the only “ good “ One keeps people out.God credits you with the goodness of His Son if you believe the Gospel.....we should thank God that He is not looking at my goodness or your goodness in regard to salvation....unless one insists on presenting their “ dirty menstrual rags” . I hope we have none of those here.

I agree. We personally, as an inherent virtue, are not good. But we can be, through the virtue of the Son of God, and are predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son. As we abide in the Vine, we cannot help but produce those good fruit of righteousness that is reflected in our character and lifestyles. If our lives are not conformed into the image of Christ, then that is stark evidence that we are not in Him. Thus if we are not in Him, we are not changed, we are still sinners, we are lost. That is how the angels know and recognise who are His when they harvest the ripe fruit of the earth. It is by their works. Their characters. Are they living in harmony with the laws of God or is their testimony merely empty words and a lie? 

We are not basically good, no. Not one of us. But by faith in the grace and power of God we most assuredly can be, and must be according to the light which we have been given, and living up to that light, in order to enter eternity. 

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

I think the life of any true Believer will show fruit over time.....there will be ups and downs but the overall trend should be a change for the better.......the New Man in the saved individual is internal and will be revealed on the outside as good works that come natural....any change brought about by brow- beating won’t count for anything..it is all God’s handiwork......without Him, “we can do NOTHING “

[Leonardo Von]

On 8/19/2015 at 8:07 PM, OldSchool2 said:

People are basically good, right?

No. Everybody is under sin:

• Rom 3:9 -> "What then? Do we excel? No, in no way; for we have before charged both Jews and Greeks all with being under sin, as it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God." "They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one." "Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips;  whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;"   "their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their way, and the way of peace they did not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes.""