Anyway, I was just thinking about this the other day. We're born wretched, wicked, and frail, and unless God intervenes, we just get worse. The problem I have with my own walk, and I think a problem I share with others, is that we're never free of sin on this Earth.
Was Paul lying here?
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 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.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For
he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For
sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those 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 holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We can be self-righteous, cruel, covetous, hypocritical even after accepting Christ. And that's not even including more serious lapses in judgment and morality, such as sexual immorality, drug and/or alcohol use, idolatry and self-love, etc.
That is the problem right there. Simply "Accepting Christ" is found nowhere in the Bible. If that is your gospel then no wonder you are still in bondage to sin, it has no power. Dig deep into the word, don't believe the wolves out there who teach you are to remain in sin till the day you die. Satan is behind that message and so many are deceived by it.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
This is what is going on today...
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And
many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words
make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and
that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19 While
they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
People need to stop listening to all these celebrity preachers and teachers and even the pastors at the local church who teach the same thing. Dig deep into the Scripture and believe what it plainly says.
You have to forsake all known sin or you will perish. Jesus used the examples of Nineveh and the Prodigal Son as clear examples of repentance. Paul spoke of how godly sorrow works a genuine repentance. We must have that crisis on conviction in our soul before God whereby the outcome is a genuine change of mind and action.
Those sins you listed will put your soul into perdition. Don't be deceived. The soul that sins shall die. The Bible is very clear. It is Satan who says "ye shall not surely die."
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman,
Ye shall not surely die:
Eze 18:20
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Eze 18:21 But
if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 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.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that
the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Rev 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Part of Christ's appeal to me is that He lets us see life more as it really is, so full of flaws, falling so short of how it should be. This applies to everything and everyone on this planet. Christianity isn't about achieving sinless perfection; its about admitting, on a regular basis, your imperfection and wickedness and inborn need for redemption and guidance. Although I agree that Christians should push sin out of our lives and that we should pursue righteousness, I don't think we ever get there. I also don't think there's much point in legalism or self-loathing when we don't get there, because we're really not supposed to be working towards our own limited concept of perfection. We are called to live differently and according to God's Laws. He makes us better on this earth, but He doesn't make us sinless superhumans.
Christianity is about being freed from the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is about coming to God through repentance and faith and being reconciled by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is about walking in purity and holiness and being a shining light in a dark world.
Sinless perfection is a strawman that people use. It is not about never making a mistake and being absolutely perfect. It is about the heart. God looks at the heart. It is about having no guile in the heart. We walk by a faith that works by love, we love God and our fellow man, we are benevolent to all. It is a simple message, it is the simplicity that is in Christ. The doctrine according to Godliness.
