Imputation of sin

[Eccl12and13]

Until someone finds another defintion of SIN in the bible other that the one given to us by the Holy Spirit, which is this; [4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.1John3 Sin can only mean (1) thing and (1) thing ONLY; the breaking of Gods Laws. And how was that first sin commited? By doing something that God said not to do:

Rom.5
[19] For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Romans 6:12-14
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. NASU

SIN has dominion, it 'reigns' in the mortal body
SIN is a KING....this KING is the MASTER of unrighteousness.

This dominion of sin, was slain at calvary, so that it does not 'reign' in the kingdom of 'grace'!

When we talk about sin, we are talking about the kingdom of unrighteousness.

When we talk about grace, we are talking about the kingdom of righteousness.

First:
NEVER saw the word sin referred to as a 'king' anywhere in the bible!

Next:

If the 'domimion of sin' was slain at calvary, why does Paul make the following statement:

1 Cor.9
[27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Looks like Paul had a constant struggle with keeping his body from sinning. Because if he didn't, he himself would not make it into the kingdom of God.

 

[mondar]

Romans 6:12-14
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. NASU

SIN has dominion, it 'reigns' in the mortal body
SIN is a KING....this KING is the MASTER of unrighteousness.

Good observation about the text. Can I ask, an you read Greek? Your comment is appropriate in verse 12 more then verse 14. In verse 12 the word for "reign" is βαÃιλεÅεÄÉ. The root of that word is relates to a king and his kingdom.

Verse 14 is close, the word for "master" is κÃ…ÃÂιεÅÃε. The root of that words relates to a Lord or Master. Sin is not our kurios (Master). The passage is actually filled with the imagery of slavery. I will highlight all the times the word slave occurs. Some times it will be a noun, sometimes a verb.

Rom 6:16 οá½Âκ οἴδαÄε ὅÄι ᾧ ÀαÃÂιÃĀάνεÄε ἑαÅÄοὺ δοÃÂλοÅ εἰ ὑÀακοήν, δοῦλοί á¼ÂÃĀε ᾧ ὑÀακοÃÂεÄε, ἤÄοι á¼ÂμαÃÂÄία εἰ θάναÄον á¼¢ ὑÀακοῆ εἰ δικαιοÃÆ’ÃÂνην;
Rom 6:17 ÇάÃÂι δὲ Äῷ Θεῷ, ὅÄι ἦÄε δοῦλοι Äῆ á¼ÂμαÃÂÄίαÂ, ὑÀηκοÃÂÃαÄε δὲ á¼Âκ καÃÂδία εἰ ὃν ÀαÃÂεδÌθηÄε ÄÃÂÀον διδαÇῆÂ,
Rom 6:18 á¼ÂλεÃ…θεÃÂÉθένÄε δὲ ἀÀὸ Äῆ á¼ÂμαÃÂÄία á¼ÂδοÃ…λÎθηÄε Äῇ δικαιοÃÆ’ÃÂνῃ.
Rom 6:19 ἀνθÃÂÎÀινον λέγÉ διὰ Äὴν ἀÃθένειαν Äῆ ÃαÃÂκὸ ὑμῶν. ὥÃÀεàγὰàÀαÃÂεÃĀήÃαÄε Äὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα Äῇ ἀκαθαÃÂÃίᾳ καὶ Äῇ ἀνομίᾳ εἰ Äὴν ἀνομίαν, οὕÄÉ νῦν ÀαÃÂαÃĀήÃαÄε Äὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα Äῇ δικαιοÃÆ’ÃÂνῃ εἰ á¼ÂγιαÃμÌν.
Rom 6:20 ὅÄε γὰàδοῦλοι ἦÄε Äῆ á¼ÂμαÃÂÄίαÂ, á¼ÂλεÃÂθεÃÂοι ἦÄε Äῇ δικαιοÃÆ’ÃÂνῃ.
Rom 6:21 Äίνα οὖν καÃÂÀὸν εἴÇεÄε ÄÃ΀ε á¼ÂÆ᾿ οἷ νῦν á¼ÂÀαιÃĂÃÂνεÃθε; Äὸ γὰàÄέλο á¼ÂκείνÉν θάναÄοÂ.
Rom 6:22 νÃ…νὶ δέ á¼ÂλεÃ…θεÃÂÉθένÃâ Äῆ á¼ÂμαÃÂÄία δοÃ…λÉθένÄε δὲ Äῷ Θεῷ á¼â€Ã‡ÎµÃ„ε Äὸν καÃÂÀὸν ὑμῶν εἰ á¼ÂγιαÃμÌν, Äὸ δὲ Äέλο ζÉὴν αἰÎνιον.

Now in English...
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;
Rom 6:18 and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

The word I highlighted has its root as doulos---a slave in bondage.

This dominion of sin, was slain at calvary, so that it does not 'reign' in the kingdom of 'grace'!

When we talk about sin, we are talking about the kingdom of unrighteousness.

When we talk about grace, we are talking about the kingdom of righteousness.

I think you did well to use such superlative language. It came strait out of the Kingship, Lordship, bond slavery language of the passage.

I thank God he sent Christ to shed his blood and set us free from the bondage of sin to follow him as our new master and king. Good post Ret.

 

[Ret]

Romans 6:12-14
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. NASU

SIN has dominion, it 'reigns' in the mortal body
SIN is a KING....this KING is the MASTER of unrighteousness.

This dominion of sin, was slain at calvary, so that it does not 'reign' in the kingdom of 'grace'!
When we talk about sin, we are talking about the kingdom of unrighteousness.
When we talk about grace, we are talking about the kingdom of righteousness.

First: NEVER saw the word sin referred to as a 'king' anywhere in the bible!

Next: If the 'domimion of sin' was slain at calvary, why does Paul make the following statement:

1 Cor.9:[27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Looks like Paul had a constant struggle with keeping his body from sinning. Because if he didn't, he himself would not make it into the kingdom of God.

RE: 'king' ...if you like use the word 'master' as used in text above or the term 'ruler' provided in Jn 14:30 and Jn 16:11 shown below, either will serve the purpose.

John 14:30... the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; NASU
John 16:11 ....because the ruler of this world has been judged. NASU

RE: 'dominion of sin'..... In Christ, the dominion/kingdom of the ruler of this world is judged/condemned. (the sentenced is pronounced but has not been carried out yet). The 'ruler' of this world and his 'dominion' remains but he cannot 'reign' in those who are 'IN CHRIST.

Eccl, the battle continues as you stated above in 1 Corinthians 9:27 For now, the 'ruler of this world' continues to wrestle for what he thinks belongs to him and his kingdom.....Ret

Mondar....appreciate your comments. No, I do not know 'greek', but your comments were good. I do think the words 'servant' and 'slave' are quite appropriate for our condition in this earthly life, and more clearly defines both the kingdom of 'grace' [righteousness] and the kingdom of 'sin' [unrighteousness]. Though, in my younger years, it was hard to see these terms relating to 'dominion' or 'kingdom'. Also, it was hard to see myself as 'slave' or 'servant'. ...Thanks..Ret

 

[sonlite101]

Was sin imputed to Abraham? Where there is no law sin is not imputed. The law came 400+ years after God promised the inheritance to Abram. Yet sin was in the world by Adam. What does it mean that something is but it is not imputed?

I hope your replies will be concise so that readers may be able to chew on the simplicity of Christ.
Joe

Sin, as a violation of law, could not be imputed to Abraham because there was no law during the time of Abraham. Nevertheless, the eventual death of Abraham demonstrated that he was a sinner. Abraham sinned in Adam and committed other non-law individual sins.

Mondar is correct Joe in saying that there was no law during Abraham's time, therefore Abraham could not be charged with law-breaking.

However, Abraham's eventual death did not demonstrate he was a sinner though. What proved that Abraham was a sinner was the fact that he had inherited Adam's sinful nature.

Abraham was born in "the image of Adam", and therefore, could do no more than what his father Adam had done--challenge God's authority and sovereignty--if God had given him, or any other man, a set of laws. Something that God actually did later on with the Mosaic law to prove to men that they couldn't keep the law. God already knew this, but we had to be shown.

Therefore, when Adam's sin proved that he had a sinful nature, God, at that very moment, placed all those that would come from Adam's loins under condemnation and judgment of spiritual death.

This is why Paul could say in Rom 5:16-17

16 ........... The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, ...... NIV


17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man ......NIV

Therefore, spiritual death reigned over all men (because of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam) up until the time Christ came and took that punishment/penalty for us on the Cross.

sonlite101

 

[Bubba]

16 ........... The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, ...... NIV


17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man ......NIV

Therefore, spiritual death reigned over all men (because of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam) up until the time Christ came and took that punishment/penalty for us on the Cross.

Sonlite101,
It is interesting how this simple transaction stops at Adam bringing spiritual death to all men and yet the Second Adam only brings life to those who are able to say yes to His salvation. What happen to the "all" in the latter part of verse 18?
"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."
Grace, Bubba

 

[sonlite101]

16 ........... The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, ...... NIV


17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man ......NIV

Therefore, spiritual death reigned over all men (because of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam) up until the time Christ came and took that punishment/penalty for us on the Cross.

Sonlite101,
It is interesting how this simple transaction stops at Adam bringing spiritual death to all men and yet the Second Adam only brings life to those who are able to say yes to His salvation. What happen to the "all" in the latter part of verse 18?
"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."
Grace, Bubba

Excellent question Bubba. I stopped where I did in quoting Romans because I wanted to stay within the topic of this thread.

What I'm going to say belongs in another thread that would cover the extent and efficacy of Christ's atonement.

The "all" in the latter part of verse 18 does refer to "all men." And the justification that brought life to "all men" was given by God to all as a result of Christ 1 ) washing all of us clean with His
blood, thereby gaining forgiveness from sin for all of us, and 2) paying the penalty for sin--suffering spiritual death on the Cross==for all of us.

This justification brought life for us in the sense that once Christ declared "It is finished," God's justice was completely satisfied and man was no longer alienated from Him.

This justification did not make man alive in the sense of receiving eternal life by receiving the Spirit of Christ. This only comes by faith in the Son of God.

sonlite101

 

[sonlite101]

Before God gave the first negative commandment to Adam we were without death. Was sin present with us at the time of the first commandment, but in a dormancy/inactive? ..............The first command was a permissive, "You may freely eat..." No reward of punitive or gain. The second command was of restraint with only a negative reward. Through which of these "communications" did sin come alive?

First Joe, we have to define what "sin" is by God's standards. Sin is anything done by man that challenges God's authority or His sovereignty. Sin is man going against God's "expressed" will (a command or law)and instead man choosing to do as he wills.

Therefore, Adam was without sin until the command--God's expressed will AND consequence if His will was challenged-- came and he disobeyed it. This command and its consequences was the first covenant of law between God and man.

In order for God to remain God, He has to destroy anyone challenging His authority and sovereignty with the penalty of death--spiritual death; complete separation from God.

Was Adam created with a nature that possessed a dormant affinity toward sin? Joe

Yes. I would put it this way: God created Adam with an inclination or ability or potential to challenge God's commands when He created Adam with the following disadvantages or hindrances:

1) a carnal nature; the flesh with all its lusts

2) no knowledge of the difference between good and evil

3) and last but not least, a will, or actually, limited choice. God is the only Who has free will.

Paul put it this way in Rom 11:32

32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. (NIV)

sonlite101

 

[Joe67]

Before God gave the first negative commandment to Adam we were without death. Was sin present with us at the time of the first commandment, but in a dormancy/inactive? ..............The first command was a permissive, "You may freely eat..." No reward of punitive or gain. The second command was of restraint with only a negative reward. Through which of these "communications" did sin come alive?

First Joe, we have to define what "sin" is by God's standards. Sin is anything done by man that challenges God's authority or His sovereignty. Sin is man going against God's "expressed" will (a command or law)and instead man choosing to do as he wills.

Therefore, Adam was without sin until the command--God's expressed will AND consequence if His will was challenged-- came and he disobeyed it. This command and its consequences was the first covenant of law between God and man.

In order for God to remain God, He has to destroy anyone challenging His authority and sovereignty with the penalty of death--spiritual death; complete separation from God.

Was Adam created with a nature that possessed a dormant affinity toward sin? Joe

Yes. I would put it this way: God created Adam with an inclination or ability or potential to challenge God's commands when He created Adam with the following disadvantages or hindrances:

1) a carnal nature; the flesh with all its lusts

2) no knowledge of the difference between good and evil

3) and last but not least, a will, or actually, limited choice. God is the only Who has free will.

Paul put it this way in Rom 11:32

32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. (NIV)

sonlite101

sonlite101,

I am glad for your post.

In the first part of your post you are speaking of sin in its active mode which takes a law to stimulate sin to action. Romans 7:5. As a parent I noticed that many times my children disobeyed without any rebelliousness and when it came to their attention that they had come short then they were very sorry and desired reinstatement which came to them freely in their state of repentance. In the latter years of adolescence it took on a different character at times.

In the second part of your post you are speaking of a state of being in which Adam was created; wherein you stated 3 different possible modes of defining his nature as possessing inclination, ability, or potential to challenge God's authority.

As God has revealed my sin(s) to my heart and mind and watching the development of my children it now comes to me that it begins with potential (just like potential in electricity); which when brought into contact with load the current flows and the only restraint being in the resistor and its weakness; otherwise it is full meltdown. Faith is the only shield from the load, like the insulator. Faith is a shield to something else.

How to go on from faith without falling into the dark pit of free will is only accomplished through the wisdom of the cross of Christ. You spoke of this in your post.

It appears that God has moved our thoughts into a similar understanding. I will be looking for further posts.

Your brother in Jesus our Lord,
Joe

 

[sonlite101]

Before God gave the first negative commandment to Adam we were without death. Was sin present with us at the time of the first commandment, but in a dormancy/inactive? ..............The first command was a permissive, "You may freely eat..." No reward of punitive or gain. The second command was of restraint with only a negative reward. Through which of these "communications" did sin come alive?

First Joe, we have to define what "sin" is by God's standards. Sin is anything done by man that challenges God's authority or His sovereignty. Sin is man going against God's "expressed" will (a command or law)and instead man choosing to do as he wills.

Therefore, Adam was without sin until the command--God's expressed will AND consequence if His will was challenged-- came and he disobeyed it. This command and its consequences was the first covenant of law between God and man.

In order for God to remain God, He has to destroy anyone challenging His authority and sovereignty with the penalty of death--spiritual death; complete separation from God.

Was Adam created with a nature that possessed a dormant affinity toward sin? Joe

Yes. I would put it this way: God created Adam with an inclination or ability or potential to challenge God's commands when He created Adam with the following disadvantages or hindrances:

1) a carnal nature; the flesh with all its lusts

2) no knowledge of the difference between good and evil

3) and last but not least, a will, or actually, limited choice. God is the only Who has free will.

Paul put it this way in Rom 11:32

32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. (NIV)

sonlite101

sonlite101,

I am glad for your post.

In the first part of your post you are speaking of sin in its active mode which takes a law to stimulate sin to action. Romans 7:5. As a parent I noticed that many times my children disobeyed without any rebelliousness and when it came to their attention that they had come short then they were very sorry and desired reinstatement which came to them freely in their state of repentance. In the latter years of adolescence it took on a different character at times.

In the second part of your post you are speaking of a state of being in which Adam was created; wherein you stated 3 different possible modes of defining his nature as possessing inclination, ability, or potential to challenge God's authority.

As God has revealed my sin(s) to my heart and mind and watching the development of my children it now comes to me that it begins with potential (just like potential in electricity); which when brought into contact with load the current flows and the only restraint being in the resistor and its weakness; otherwise it is full meltdown. Faith is the only shield from the load, like the insulator. Faith is a shield to something else.

How to go on from faith without falling into the dark pit of free will is only accomplished through the wisdom of the cross of Christ. You spoke of this in your post.

It appears that God has moved our thoughts into a similar understanding. I will be looking for further posts.

Your brother in Jesus our Lord,
Joe

Thanks Joe.

And yes, I see our Lord is leading us to think along the same lines in understanding the topic you have brought up on this thread.

You mentioned Romans 7:5, and I believe all of Chap 7 is very applicable to what we are discussing here. In this chapter Paul is addressing the condition of man in general, rather than just his, as most commentators think.

But the conclusion that he arrives at in verse 25 is certainly good news to all of us.

Rom 7:24-25
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! ………….. (NIV)

Blessings to you in Him,

sonlite101

 

[Joe67]

Sonlite,

Truly, Romans 7, the entire chapter, is for all mankind, and is applicable for all ages, from the beginning with Adam.

Adam was thinking to do good for Eve; but evil was present with him. So we all are infected with the spirit of this reasoning. Are you familiar with Numbers 30?

Consider King Saul and his bringing home Agag and the sheep from the battle with the Amalekites.

Joe

 

[Tomlane]

I want to say I have seen the maturity and wisdom in Eccl12and13 and Sonlite's posts on here and I also see some real growth in a few others as well. I for one am the richer for what I have read on this thread and blessed by it and thank the Lord for such faithful servants. It is also a great encroachment to me to know God's people are still around abounding in God's word. Only one little thing I can add to all the truth I have read on this thread is that wither God's word is in writing though rightly dividing or directly spoken to man, the Lord's word is law and if we want to be a faithful servant we have no room or freedom of choice what we do for service to the Lord, but do God's will only. God gives us His freedom not what we want to do to go about about pleasing Him in our own way; but our freedom is given us from the Lord when we do His will. Example, we are free not only from sin {Col. 3;3} but free from any and all ceremonial or shadow laws completely when do His will. Our Freedom is within the heart and we not burdened with man's so called yoke of bondage found in man's counterfeit Christianity.

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:20 (KJV)

Tomlane

 

[sonlite101]

Sonlite,

Truly, Romans 7, the entire chapter, is for all mankind, and is applicable for all ages, from the beginning with Adam.

Adam was thinking to do good for Eve; but evil was present with him. So we all are infected with the spirit of this reasoning. Are you familiar with Numbers 30?

Consider King Saul and his bringing home Agag and the sheep from the battle with the Amalekites.

Joe

I read Numbers 30 Joe. But can you tell me why you asked if I was familiar with it?

I have read about King Saul and his battle with the Amalekites but that is in 1 Samuel. Saul there did not follow God's instructions but instead acted according to his own will.

sonlite101

 

[sonlite101]

I want to say I have seen the maturity and wisdom in Eccl12and13 and Sonlite's posts on here and I also see some real growth in a few others as well. I for one am the richer for what I have read on this thread and blessed by it and thank the Lord for such faithful servants. It is also a great encroachment to me to know God's people are still around abounding in God's word. Only one little thing I can add to all the truth I have read on this thread is that wither God's word is in writing though rightly dividing or directly spoken to man, the Lord's word is law and if we want to be a faithful servant we have no room or freedom of choice what we do for service to the Lord, but do God's will only. God gives us His freedom not what we want to do to go about about pleasing Him in our own way; but our freedom is given us from the Lord when we do His will. Example, we are free not only from sin {Col. 3;3} but free from any and all ceremonial or shadow laws completely when do His will. Our Freedom is within the heart and we not burdened with man's so called yoke of bondage found in man's counterfeit Christianity.

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:20 (KJV)

Tomlane

I appreciate your comments Tomlane. To our Lord be the glory!

sonlite101

 

[Joe67]

Sonlite,

Truly, Romans 7, the entire chapter, is for all mankind, and is applicable for all ages, from the beginning with Adam.

Adam was thinking to do good for Eve; but evil was present with him. So we all are infected with the spirit of this reasoning. Are you familiar with Numbers 30?

Consider King Saul and his bringing home Agag and the sheep from the battle with the Amalekites.

Joe

I read Numbers 30 Joe. But can you tell me why you asked if I was familiar with it?

I have read about King Saul and his battle with the Amalekites but that is in 1 Samuel. Saul there did not follow God's instructions but instead acted according to his own will.

sonlite101

sonlite,

In Numbers 30 the daughter/wife thought to do good when she made a vow and bound her soul; just like Israel at Mt.Sinai; "All that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient." Only her father or husband could deliver her from her vow, which she could not perfectly keep.

King Saul thought he was doing good. He said to Samuel that he had done the will of the Lord.
Saul only found rest when he fell on his sword. Saul was deceived by the good intentions that come to us all in will-worship and voluntary humility.

This deceitfulness of the heart is an element that we have to battle against all the days of our life.
It comes to us in different guises, but always the same basic character, to think well of me, that I have done good. When I would do good, evil is present flying in the tree.

God does not impute it against us. We ought to be zealous of good works. He gives us repentance. Praise the Lord through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Joe

 

[sonlite101]

I read Numbers 30 Joe. But can you tell me why you asked if I was familiar with it?

I have read about King Saul and his battle with the Amalekites but that is in 1 Samuel. Saul there did not follow God's instructions but instead acted according to his own will.

sonlite101

sonlite,

In Numbers 30 the daughter/wife thought to do good when she made a vow and bound her soul; just like Israel at Mt.Sinai; "All that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient." Only her father or husband could deliver her from her vow, which she could not perfectly keep.

King Saul thought he was doing good. He said to Samuel that he had done the will of the Lord.
Saul only found rest when he fell on his sword. Saul was deceived by the good intentions that come to us all in will-worship and voluntary humility.

This deceitfulness of the heart is an element that we have to battle against all the days of our life.
It comes to us in different guises, but always the same basic character, to think well of me, that I have done good. When I would do good, evil is present flying in the tree.

God does not impute it against us. We ought to be zealous of good works. He gives us repentance. Praise the Lord through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Joe

Yes, you brought up a good point Joe. We are to set aside our will and do His regardless of how well intentioned we might be. It reminds me of this verse, well actually two:

Prov 14:12
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (NIV)

Isa 55:9
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)

sonlite101

 

[Joe67]

Yes, you brought up a good point Joe. We are to set aside our will and do His regardless of how well intentioned we might be. It reminds me of this verse, well actually two:

Prov 14:12
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (NIV)

Isa 55:9
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)

sonlite101

sonlite,

Praise the Lord for those testimonies that guide us in the path of righteousness by His Spirit.

Another that has helped me is:

Luke 17:10
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"

This is a hard saying to us when we are in our middle years.
We think it is only applicable to those legalistic works.
This is for us when we have done all we were told to do. Our duty through the voice of the Lord is the charitable works of the workings of grace in us, which are against our will.

We are still unworthy, our bodies are still dead because of sin. It is still the free gift of justification unto life. Our crown of righteousness is counted from Jesus' sufferings. Our sufferings are not worthy to compared with his glory which shall be revealed in us. Our reward is reckoned from the fullness of Him; not the measure which works in us; though Jesus' fullness and the measure that works in us is of One Spirit.

Joe

 

[mutzrein]

Was sin imputed to Abraham? Where there is no law sin is not imputed. The law came 400+ years after God promised the inheritance to Abram. Yet sin was in the world by Adam. What does it mean that something is but it is not imputed?

I hope your replies will be concise so that readers may be able to chew on the simplicity of Christ.
Joe

Abraham was born into sin just as every other mortal has been born into sin since Adam. The consequence of Adam’s sin of course is death, and not even Abraham could escape it. So death was not imputed to Abraham because of anything he had done – or not done. What was imputed to Abraham was righteousness. Why? Because he had faith. He ‘believed’ God.

Now we know of course, that the law was given 400 years after the promise made to Abraham. Why was it given? Because God’s people no longer believed God. They had turned to their own devices and had to be shown what was required in order to please God. But the dilemma is this. While the law was given so they would know what sin is, keeping the commandments could not make one righteous.

The truth is, faith has only ever been the thing through which man could be made righteous. Scripture plainly tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God and ‘everything that does not come from faith is sin’.

So while some believe that keeping the commandments should be the focus of a Christian, I don’t. Why? Because no-one is made righteous by it. What is required is faith and that hasn’t changed – ever.

But what has changed is Christ. He came that we might have life. Christ defeated sin and death - which enabled man to receive the gift of life. So now, as his children we live in this ‘newness’ of life. We have passed from death to life. The consequence of Adam’s sin no longer applies to those who are God’s children.

However, even though we have been escaped the eternal consequence of Adams sin, we cannot escape the corrupt nature of our flesh (until we meet him face to face) and we need to be vigilant lest we fall into sin by not continuing to walk by faith.

Blessings

 

[shad]

[quote matzrein]and we need to be vigilant lest we fall into sin by not continuing to walk by faith.[/quote]

vigilant doing what?

thanks

 

[mutzrein]

[quote matzrein]and we need to be vigilant lest we fall into sin by not continuing to walk by faith.

vigilant doing what?

thanks [/quote]

1 Corinthians 10

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them didâ€â€and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them didâ€â€and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them didâ€â€and were killed by the destroying angel.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Blessings

 

[shad]

Mutzren,

You quoted Scirpture but how do you interpret it in a nutshell? What kind of tempations are you talking about?

thanks.