Danus said:
RichardBurger said:
If they worry about their sin of the flesh then are they set free and if you say yes then why do they worry and if they say no then how are they set free.
If they worry about their sins of the flesh then where do they put their faith, trust, confidence and hope? Is it in what Jesus did on the cross (his shed blood on the cross) or their ability to chose not to sin in the flesh?
I can't speak for all Christians, but I can say I keep a guarded outlook on my nature. I stay close to Christ daily for the things you mentioned; Hope, faith and trust. In doing that; in walking with God daily I find my strength and power. "Give us this day or daily bread...."
In this way I am stronger to be mindful of willful sin than if I where to simply say I believe in Christ and I go to church most Sundays, but other than that I don't give it much more thought.
Do I think the later definition of a Christian is saved? Yes I do and I'm not going to get into a debate about that, but I also believe that without Christ; without being close to Christ and in the word daily; I am left more to my sinful nature than if I keep a daily communion with Christ. In other words, any good work within me is of Christ, not me.
I give the Power I have over sin to Christ alone at the very moment I stand and not of my own doing what so ever. In fact I give my conscious decision to follow Christ to Christ. I draw a clear distinction between myself alone and myself with Christ. Alone I am just a physical being of flesh and water; dust and ashes housing my sole if you will. My time here is but a moment to the eternity I will have with God later. I am nothing in this time without Jesus Christ.
Some might say I am down on myself, not at all. I just see me for what I truly am, but I also see the love of God who made me and who molds me to be what he wants me to be. I submit to that process. More over, I see the love he has for me to accept me despite me. How could I not repay that? Truth is I can't totally other than to return that love with all my strength and will ALL my heart. In my efforts I still fail, but I know that I am still accepted in in the blood of Christ , so again, how can I repay that to God? All my strength and all my heart.
When I say I still fail, that does not mean that I go off the deep end of sin, but It does mean that I still sin, however it it also means that because of the Love I have for God I repent and and follow him. That love is in return for the love I know he has for me that is even grater than the love I have for him. It's like a circle that grows larger and spins faster with it's own momentum. I can't out love God and I can't out give God but it's so much fun trying.
A very good reply and all the children of God can agree with it. I, personally, no longer worry about my sinful condition in the flesh. As Paul said "it is no longer I that do it but sin that dwells in me."
Romans 7:14-8:3
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin
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Free from Indwelling Sin 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
NKJV
When a person places faith, trust, confidence in the work of Jesus on the cross, that person also condemns sin in his/her flesh by acknowledging, to God, that they are in a sinful condition and are trusting Him to take care of it Continuosly. They have been set free and should rejoice in Christ who made it possible.
