Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness

[chessman]

Can a believer practice the works of the flesh?

Evidently, a believer in Satan can.

The one doing sin is of the devil, because the devil is sinning from the beginning. ...​

1 John 3:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:8&version=DLNT

On the otherhand, “everyone”, and I mean “everyone”, born of God is not able to be sinning (doing sin, practice the works of the flesh). John even tells us how that’s evidently possible; because he has been born from God.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.​

1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT

 

[chessman]

The other choice would then be

Believers stay righteous by practicing unrighteousness.

Umm, maybe it’s because it’s His seed abiding in us and because we have been born from God.

I’m with John on the reason everyone born of God stays righteous.

 

[Senior]

Not a single verse mentioned works righteousness being required for salvation.
Rather, they are talking about salvation being required for works righteousness.

Truly, one who practices righteousness is PROVING his/her righteousness,
i.e. that he/she is righteous in the eyes of the Lord.

IMO, practicing righteousness ENSURES that one is indeed righteous!

Of course, this may be perceived as "works".
But, it is NOT works of the flesh ... It is works of obedience!
Perhaps, it is works of the Spirit because it is the Spirit who leads us to do them.

 

[JLB]

Umm, maybe it’s because it’s His seed abiding in us and because we have been born from God.

I’m with John on the reason everyone born of God stays righteous.

I’m with John.

Here’s the principle that John gave us for righteousness.


Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7



JLB

 

[Tessa]

We must remember that Satan and his angels all believe, but are not saved. I love that hymn
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey.

I love it because it's true. You feel so close to Him when you trust and obey it gives you great happiness. I love God so I want to obey Him and I do trust Him.
I want to feel the spirit work through me and strengthen my faith. I love God so I want to please Him. When I fail I have to repent, pick myself up and move onward, always looking up to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

I think that's part of belief. Jesus suffered greatly and we owe Him tremendously. Righteousness is a gift, if we don't use it, we have thrown it away.

 

[JLB]

On the otherhand, “everyone”, and I mean “everyone”, born of God is not able to be sinning (doing sin, practice the works of the flesh). John even tells us how that’s evidently possible; because he has been born from God.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.

Yes the born of God new nature does not sin, we know that.

The born of God new nature is of righteousness and holiness and has God’s law imprinted upon it.


It’s the flesh that has sin, which desires to gratify its lustful cravings.


We must exercise our dominion over it, and make it submit to our innner man.


If we don’t, we will become its slave again, having returned to the proverbial vomit we were once delivered from.


Surely you understand this by now.


Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7



JLB

 

[Senior]

I love God so that I want to obey Him and I do trust Him.
I want to feel the spirit work through me and strengthen my faith.
I love God so that I want to please Him.
When I fail I have to repent, pick myself up and move onward,
always looking up to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I think that's part of belief. Jesus suffered greatly and we owe Him tremendously.
Righteousness is a gift ... if we don't use it, we have thrown it away.

This should be hanging on the walls of all believers as a great teaching and reminder!

Yes, Spirit-filled believers have deduced that the NT use of "pisteou" (believe)
actually means (because of ALL of the rest of the NT) ...
believe, have faith in, trust, and obey.

 

[chessman]

Yes the born of God new nature does not sin, we know that.

Umm, the verse doesn’t say the “new nature” does not sin. It says “everyone having been born from God”.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.​

1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7

Amen. “Just as He is righteous.”

Do you have confidence that we are also righteous as that One is?

​

 

[JLB]

Umm, the verse doesn’t say the “new nature” does not sin. It says “everyone having been born from God”.

Is your flesh born again; born of God?



JLB

 

[JLB]

because His seed is abiding in him,

Where does His seed abide?


In our inner man or in our flesh?



JLB

 

[JLB]

Umm, the verse doesn’t say the “new nature” does not sin. It says “everyone having been born from God”.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.​

1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT



Amen. “Just as He is righteous.”

Do you have confidence that we are also righteous as that One is?

​

Those who practice righteousness are.


JLB

 

[chessman]

Where does His seed abide?


In our inner man or in our flesh?

Inside me, not outside of me. Which is why I am not able to be sinning.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.​

1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT

Those who practice righteousness are.

I asked you; “if you have confidence that we are also righteous as that One is?” By saying “those”, your indication is the you do not. Otherwise, you could have answered yes, or us.

Is your flesh born again; born of God?

No. It’s from the world.

Because everything in the world— the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the boastful-pride of life — is not from the Father, but is from the world.​

1 John 2:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 2:16&version=DLNT

 

[JLB]

Inside me, not outside of me. Which is why I am not able to be sinning.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT

Not Doing - The idea is not practicing sin.

Not able - we are not enabled to practice sin because of the nature of Christ, the Seed is indwelling our inner man.


You will need to reconcile what John says here with what John says in 1 John 3:7 as well as what the doctrine of Christ teaches us.


When you try and make one verse override the rest of the New Testament, you should know that your on your way to a shipwreck doctrine of disaster.


Here are some other scriptures from John that we can reconcile with your verse.


Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15


He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4


For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3


This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. 2 John 6


Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9



JLB

 

[chessman]

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

I know. There’s no conflict with everyone having been born from God is not doing sin. And I mean everyone.

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4

See Murderers are liars if they say “I know him”.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

Amen, it’s not burdensome at all for everyone (and I mean everyone) having been born from God to not be doing sin. Now that’s love.

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. 2 John 6

Amen, it’s entirely loving of God that everyone (and I mean everyone) having been born from God to walk in His commandments. Good thing the truth is, He dwells inside of us as we (He and I) walk together “forever”.

because-of the truth abiding in us. And it will be with us forever.​

2 John 1:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2 John 1:2&version=DLNT

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9

Amen brother. Can you believe there’s actually people out there that somehow believe transgressers have God abiding in them??? Odd, give what John says here. Have they not understood that because-of the true righteousness abiding in us (God Himself), He will be with us forever.

 

[Senior]

Can you believe there’s actually people out there that somehow believe transgressers have God abiding in them???

I believe I have several NT verses which say the Holy Spirit can (or will) leave a person.
That would be a BAC, right?
Guaranteed ...
The Holy Spirit comes INSIDE -- when one first receives the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes UPON --- when one receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
For the latter case, ONLY 7 verses are in the NT (try and find more).
Quite often, a person receives BOTH at the same time.

 

[JLB]

I know. There’s no conflict with everyone having been born from God is not doing sin. And I mean everyone.

Ok. So your doctrine teaches that Born again Christian’s don’t sin.


Have fun with that.



JLB

 

[JLB]

Amen, it’s not burdensome at all for everyone (and I mean everyone) having been born from God to not be doing sin. Now that’s love.

Yes the love of God is to keep His Commandments.


For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3


Do all born again Christian’s keep His commandments?


The answer is of course no.



JLB

 

[JLB]

Amen, it’s entirely loving of God that everyone (and I mean everyone) having been born from God to walk in His commandments. Good thing the truth is, He dwells inside of us as we (He and I) walk together “forever”.

because-of the truth abiding in us. And it will be with us forever.2 John 1:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2 John 1:2&version=DLNT

John actually says this -

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15


Does your doctrine (OSAS) teach that a brother can hate his brother yet still have eternal life remaining in him?



JLB

 

[chessman]

Have fun with that.

Fun? Please post the Scripture that says or (even implies) that not doing sin is “fun”.

And you know that that One appeared in order that He might take-away sins. And there is no sin in Him.​

1 John 3:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:5&version=DLNT

There is only One that takes away sin. And Lord knows it wasn’t “fun”.

 

[chessman]

Do all born again Christian’s keep His commandments?


The answer is of course no.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God.​

1 John 3:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9&version=DLNT