On why being a good person is not enough

[humble soul]

Schizophrenia is sort of like a death sentence for one's social identity. Church is no exception.

I would forget you had a mental Illness. But you keep reminding us.

 

[humble soul]

Here's a really cynical thought. The Catholic Church bean counters/accounting department got on to Bishop Barron's case.
"Bishop. Get them back to Mass. We are losing millions. The tithing is down 90%!"

 

[Christ_empowered]

Churches do need income. Scripture is correct to encourage people to support their churches. Many churches abuse their people and scripture by demanding that which they have no right to be entitled to, biblically.

 

[humble soul]

Look I'm being totally loving. I'm just pointing out your shopping list of faults, for your benefit. So just copy the list, put it on the fridge door and focus on becoming a less sinful person. Lucky you've got me actually. Because my awesome insights into your defective personality, will no doubt help you become the better person, that God and I think you can become. Yeah God and I was just talking about you the other day. We came to the conclusion that I had to lay it on the line and give you some truth telling. Truth telling. Guess it's my forte.

 

[humble soul]

I'm really doing God's work by telling others where they are below par.
Fortunately, I have few faults. So no one needs to point out my flaws. Guess my worst flaw is I am too honest.
Look. You can try to point out some of my flaws if you really want to. good luck with that. I'm pretty close to blemish free so there you go. Anyway. Whenever people want to find fault with me, they are just being sinful, not loving. It's their problem .Not mine. They are hurting I guess and need to lash out. But when I find fault in others, it's always out of love and truth telling.

 

[Who Me]

Sorry to see you identify with verses 8 and 10 but not 5 and 7.
Walk in the light, and you can have fellowship with God, and you can be free from sinning.
John is illustrating two very different paths.
One is in God-the light and the other in sin-darkness.
Which will you choose?

John was speaking in the whole chapter to Christians. There is no choice we follow Jesus, but as fallible humans we will sin and need to return for forgiveness.

Please note John points out if you believe you do not sin not only are you decieving yourself but it is likely that you are not a Christian.

 

[Who Me]

I didn't say that. Nor did Bishop Barron. There is nothing sinful in trying to live a moral life.

If that life is not being lived as a person who has been saved by Jesus's death and resurrection there is nothing moral about how they live.
One is either a slave of Jesus or a slave of the devil. There is nothing in between.

 

[humble soul]

If that life is not being lived as a person who has been saved by Jesus's death and resurrection there is nothing moral about how they live

That's extremely narrow thinking to my mind. You've got one paradigm for the meaning of life, but I feel it's making you close minded.

 

[Who Me]

That's extremely narrow thinking to my mind. You've got one paradigm for the meaning of life, but I feel it's making you close minded.

Yes it is narrow, but it is also honest, look that those people who asked Jesus what they had to do to be saved?
They were all very moral people but had not accepted Jesus as there Saviour, ditto the scribes and Pharisees, all very moral, very religious but not Christian.
They like all of us fall under the Roman 3:23 statement that all have sinned.
They also fall under the John 3:18 condition that those who have not believed in his name are condemned already.

Being moral is not how one becomes Christian, it is a result of being Christian.

 

[humble soul]

the scribes and Pharisees, all very moral

No. They were mostly hypocrites. The opposite of moral.

 

[humble soul]

Being moral is not wanting to appear moral.
Being Christian is not wanting to appear Christian. The Pharisees were more interested in appearance and reputation.

 

[Hopeful]

John was speaking in the whole chapter to Christians. There is no choice we follow Jesus, but as fallible humans we will sin and need to return for forgiveness.

[/QUOTE]
Your version of a fallible Christian is one who is still bringing forth the fruit of the devil, right?
Doesn't that mean they were not reborn of God's seed?
(1 John 3:9-10)

Please note John points out if you believe you do not sin not only are you decieving yourself but it is likely that you are not a Christian.

You have cited one of the verses addressed to those who walk in darkness-sin.
The others are verses 6 and 10.
If one is a sinner they can't say they have no sin.
The verses that apply to those walking in the light-God are verse 5, 7, and 9.
They are mutually exclusive.
There is no sin in God, who is the light, so those walking in Him cannot have sin on them.
As 1 John 1:7 says..."But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL sin."
If all the past sin was washed away, there is no reason we can't say we have no sin.
It is, however, incumbent on us to remain in that light for the entirety of our live's length.
That is possible...thanks be to God.

 

[Hopeful]

Being moral is not wanting to appear moral.
Being Christian is not wanting to appear Christian. The Pharisees were more interested in appearance and reputation.

Do you have any scripture to back that up?
I feel that Christians cant help but appear moral.

 

[humble soul]

feel that Christians cant help but appear moral.

But Jesus is only interested in our interior. Our heart.

 

[Hopeful]

But Jesus is only interested in our interior. Our heart.

As we can't "see" the heart. it is up to the rest of our "members" to illustrate the grace of God on earth now.
It certainly can't be hidden.

 

[humble soul]

As we can't "see" the heart. it is up to the rest of our "members" to illustrate the grace of God on earth now.
It certainly can't be hidden.

Your surface doesn't look that shiny either.

 

[Who Me]

No. They were mostly hypocrites. The opposite of moral.

Yes some were hypocrites not all, there were those sincerely seeking to obey the laws. And sample was Saul.

 

[Who Me]

But Jesus is only interested in our interior. Our heart.

Jesus said ' If you Love me, you will obey my commands'. John 14:15. Plus the sermon on the mount which taught it wasn't just physical obedience but mental obedience.

 

[Who Me]

there is no reason we can't say we have no sin.

You have not understood the sermon on the Mount, where Jesus taught that it wasn't just physical obedience but what we were thinking that was sinful.

You may pretend to me that you do not sin, do you pretend to Jesus that your thoughts aren't sinful?

The Bible makes one think very clear everyone is a sinner.

 

[humble soul]

Jesus said ' If you Love me, you will obey my commands'. John 14:15. Plus the sermon on the mount which taught it wasn't just physical obedience but mental obedience.

God is more interested in our intention than the consequence of our intention.
He doesn't care if we win or not. its how we play the game.