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Why Do Christians Try To Fix Sin With Human Wisdom?
- Thread starter iLOVE
- Start date
I think for me it's not understanding, which leads to refusal because that which I do not understand I tend to refuse, no matter how good it may be for me.
I grew up Catholic, met my soon to be ex-wife, went to her church which was non-denominational but heavily Pentecostal leaning, then went to other non-denominational churches, throw in some Lutheran churches and I have heard a hodge podge of varying beliefs. Then you come onto forums such as this and are exposed to what other people believe. It's dizzying.
It's also another reason why I don't attend church much. I haven't found a church home. I haven't found that church that calls to me each week. The church that cuts through the clutter and reaches that part of me that wants to learn and understand. Yearns to have the Christian life that I have only read about, but never experienced.
That is why I don't understand. Yes, I have read about the cross in the Bible, but I still do understand it.
I grew up Catholic, met my soon to be ex-wife, went to her church which was non-denominational but heavily Pentecostal leaning, then went to other non-denominational churches, throw in some Lutheran churches and I have heard a hodge podge of varying beliefs. Then you come onto forums such as this and are exposed to what other people believe. It's dizzying.
It's also another reason why I don't attend church much. I haven't found a church home. I haven't found that church that calls to me each week. The church that cuts through the clutter and reaches that part of me that wants to learn and understand. Yearns to have the Christian life that I have only read about, but never experienced.
That is why I don't understand. Yes, I have read about the cross in the Bible, but I still do understand it.
Malachi
Member
1. First of all, one cannot generalize as you have in your title.
2. Secondly there is no such thing as "fixing" sin.
3. Thirdly there have always been two kinds of Christians -- the spiritual and the carnal.
4. Fourthly, there is generally an absence of proper discipleship on a one-on-one basis.
5. Fifthly, there is frequently a lack of proper teaching regarding the finished work of Christ and how it applies to the believer.
The best thing for you (or anyone ) is focus on your own growth, and then help others without pointing fingers.
[QUOTE="Malachi, post: 1167344, member: 7498"
4. Fourthly, there is generally an absence of proper discipleship on a one-on-one basis.
5. Fifthly, there is frequently a lack of proper teaching regarding the finished work of Christ and how it applies to the believer.
[/QUOTE]
I think these two things also apply to me as well.
When I became a Christian, I was told good choice, read your Bible, pray, try not to sin, if you do repent, and go and make disciples yourself.
Not exactly proper discipleship at all.
4. Fourthly, there is generally an absence of proper discipleship on a one-on-one basis.
5. Fifthly, there is frequently a lack of proper teaching regarding the finished work of Christ and how it applies to the believer.
[/QUOTE]
I think these two things also apply to me as well.
When I became a Christian, I was told good choice, read your Bible, pray, try not to sin, if you do repent, and go and make disciples yourself.
Not exactly proper discipleship at all.
ezrider
Member
What do you mean when you say they refuse to 'live under the cross?"
Most Christians will lead you to the cross, but can they lead you beyond the cross? To me, to "live under the cross" means to live by the death of Christ, for the cross is representative of His death and crucifixion. But we die under the cross. We live according to His resurrection, not His death.
Roro1972
Member
for me it must be your first choice. can you expound?
We die under the Law. The law used lawfully brings us to repentance.
His death / cross keeps the flesh till the last trump (when the corruptible puts on incorruption).
The mind depends on the Holy Spirit being sent by Jesus going to heaven.
Romans 7:25
Dual nature is not a popular discussion.
eddif
iLOVE
Member
From the study notes of Pastor Jimmy Swaggart
The only solution for sin, the only answer to sin, is the Cross of Christ. If such a person doesn’t understand the Cross as it regards Sanctification, works of the flesh will definitely manifest themselves in some way in such a person’s life and living. It is inevitable!
Paul tells us this in the 5th Chapter of Galatians. The entire Book of Galatians, but especially the 5th Chapter, is a warning from Paul to the Church at Galatia, which is also meant for us. The warning is that if they place their faith in anything except “Christ and Him Crucified,” that “Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2).
The Apostle goes on to say that if the Believer doesn’t adhere to the Way of the Spirit, which is the Way of the Cross, then works of the flesh will manifest themselves. He said:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
Now let me say it again, because it is so very important:
If the Believer doesn’t understand the Cross of Christ, as it regards Sanctification, then, in some way, one or more of these “works of the flesh” are going to manifest themselves in his life. As stated, such is inevitable! The first four, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness,” are obvious and easily understood. But the modern Christian quickly dismisses “idolatry, witchcraft, and heresies,” thinking they do not really apply today.
con't...
The only solution for sin, the only answer to sin, is the Cross of Christ. If such a person doesn’t understand the Cross as it regards Sanctification, works of the flesh will definitely manifest themselves in some way in such a person’s life and living. It is inevitable!
Paul tells us this in the 5th Chapter of Galatians. The entire Book of Galatians, but especially the 5th Chapter, is a warning from Paul to the Church at Galatia, which is also meant for us. The warning is that if they place their faith in anything except “Christ and Him Crucified,” that “Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2).
The Apostle goes on to say that if the Believer doesn’t adhere to the Way of the Spirit, which is the Way of the Cross, then works of the flesh will manifest themselves. He said:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
Now let me say it again, because it is so very important:
If the Believer doesn’t understand the Cross of Christ, as it regards Sanctification, then, in some way, one or more of these “works of the flesh” are going to manifest themselves in his life. As stated, such is inevitable! The first four, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness,” are obvious and easily understood. But the modern Christian quickly dismisses “idolatry, witchcraft, and heresies,” thinking they do not really apply today.
con't...
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iLOVE
Member
Let me address that:
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the “Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
Let me say it more clearly:
Any doctrine, way, scheme, or direction made up by men, which means it is devised by men and not by God, is constituted by the Lord as “heresy,” which is a “work of the flesh.” Let me say it again, and because it is so very, very important! Any way other than “Christ and Him Crucified” is, in the eyes of God, “heresy.” Once one begins to understand these “works of the flesh,” these things become more obvious.
From the study notes of Pastor Jimmy Swaggart
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the “Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
Let me say it more clearly:
Any doctrine, way, scheme, or direction made up by men, which means it is devised by men and not by God, is constituted by the Lord as “heresy,” which is a “work of the flesh.” Let me say it again, and because it is so very, very important! Any way other than “Christ and Him Crucified” is, in the eyes of God, “heresy.” Once one begins to understand these “works of the flesh,” these things become more obvious.
From the study notes of Pastor Jimmy Swaggart
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Let us address that:
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the“Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
And of Jimmy Swaggarts writings ...
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the“Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
And of Jimmy Swaggarts writings ...
iLOVE
Member
Do you believe it is true?
iLOVE
Member
From the study notes of Pastor Jimmy Swaggart
Paul said: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin (the sin nature), that Grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, who are dead to sin (dead to the sin nature), live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-2).
These Passages let us know that sin, i.e., “the sin nature,” is the problem. While Preachers might try to say that this, or that, or something else is the problem, the Holy Spirit tells us that “sin” is the problem. It might be a sin of commission or a sin of omission, but, to be sure, sin is the problem.
He then tells us that the only remedy for sin, the only solution for sin, the only answer to sin, is the Cross of Christ. In other words, the Holy Spirit through Paul takes the Believer straight to the Cross. Remember, Paul is not speaking here to unbelievers, but rather to Believers. As we attempt to live for God, and I mean live for God properly, this tells us that we must ever understand that it is the Cross of Christ where we must begin, and where we must end. There is nothing after the Cross of Christ, because there needs to be nothing after the Cross of Christ.
Paul said, “Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection” (Rom. 6:3-5).
Now let’s examine these same Passages from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE.
“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (plainly says that this Baptism is into Christ and not water [I Cor. 1:17; 12:13; Gal. 3:28-29; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:11-13]) were baptized into His Death? (When Christ died on the Cross, in the Mind of God, we died with Him; in other words, He became our Substitute, and our identification with Him in His Death gives us all the benefits for which He died; the idea is that He did it all for us!)
“Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death (not only did we die with Him, but we were buried with Him as well, which means that all the sin and transgression of the past were buried; when they put Him in the Tomb, they put all of our sins into that Tomb as well): that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (we died with Him, we were buried with Him, and His Resurrection was our Resurrection to a “Newness of Life”).
“For if we have been planted together (with Christ) in the likeness of His death (Paul proclaims the Cross as the instrument through which all Blessings come; consequently, the Cross must ever be the object of our Faith, which gives the Holy Spirit latitude to work within our lives), we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection.” (We can have the “likeness of His Resurrection,” i.e., “live this Resurrection Life,” only as long as we understand the “likeness of His Death,” which refers to the Cross as the means by which all of this is done.)