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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2022 6:35:12 GMT -8
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Post by Parker on Sept 17, 2022 7:22:07 GMT -8
I love how Paul puts it. "I press on"
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12
Why is Paul passionately pursuing Jesus? Why should we continue to pursue Him, even after our conversion? Because we are broken people. We are really broken.
It is so helpful here that Paul says, “Not that I’ve already obtained this.” It’s comforting, in an odd way, for him to say, “Not that I’m already perfect.” Instead, he acknowledges that he still struggles, needs to grow in some areas, and must continue to follow Jesus, and he says this: “I press on.”
“Whose I am, and whom I serve.” That brief motto has got in it all the essentials of Christian faith and practise.
1. “Whose I am!” He used to consider himself his own. And of all the masters that Paul served, his own proud, pharisaic self was chief. Now, self is uncrowned, every other rule is broken and Paul takes God for his Master. The Word of God is the rule of his life.
2. “Whom I serve!” Hand to do — Foot to go — tongue to speak — heart to beat — brain to think — all His; for him to live was Christ.
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e v e
Full Member
Posts: 214
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Post by e v e on Sept 18, 2022 15:12:36 GMT -8
10- The depravity of man from the fall 10- at the fall we were separated from His nature and acquired the Foreign nature (which is depraved) of the satanic realm. as such man on this earth (corrupted nature) is not the same meaning as a man in eden (his nature). we live in a chimera situation.., a soul of His yet imprisoned a sin nature (hence foreign) fleshbody. this body is not the temple of Him. |
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Post by hansen on Sept 19, 2022 9:47:16 GMT -8
10- The depravity of man from the fall 10- at the fall we were separated from His nature and acquired the Foreign nature (which is depraved) of the satanic realm. as such man on this earth (corrupted nature) is not the same meaning as a man in eden (his nature). we live in a chimera situation.., a soul of His yet imprisoned a sin nature (hence foreign) fleshbody. this body is not the temple of Him. Man's depravity as a result of the Fall, the state of injustice sometimes called "original sin", is "simply" a lack of union with God, a union that he was made for and a union that Adam dismissed and forfeited with his act of disobedience, with his bid for autonomy in order to play at being his own "god". As a result, humankind is born broken from God, alienated from Him, lacking the "knowledge of God" that we're here to gain now as Jesus reveals Him. Man is sick, lost, dead, existing in a state of injustice or disorder if apart from God. "Apart from Me you can do nothing", John 15:5. Will we reunite with Him by turnng to Him in faith, or will we carry on the family tradition of remaining distant in our pride and sin? Will God become our God again, as He is meant to be? Either way that unjust state of being, separation from God, will guarantee unjust or unrighteous behavior, i.e. sin. Man didn't gain anything at the Fall, as in a "sin nature", rather he lost something that he was created for: communion with God, ultimately in a relationship of subjugation, of creature to Creator, based on love. |
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Post by Theophilus on Sept 19, 2022 10:32:14 GMT -8
hansen We were created perfect health, sinless and not subject to death. With the fall of mankind because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, that aspect of our likeness to God ended. Sin entered the world and along with it, sickness, disease and death. The Noetic Effects of Sin
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Post by Redeemed on Sept 19, 2022 11:00:58 GMT -8
hansen We were created perfect health, sinless and not subject to death. With the fall of mankind because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, that aspect of our likeness to God ended. Sin entered the world and along with it, sickness, disease and death. The Noetic Effects of Sin The power of God frees us from the control of sin; God frees us from the meaninglessness of despair and guilt. This power and righteousness is available to us, the apostle says, "by faith." That means the gospel can reach anyone, anywhere, at any time. Now that is the good news, that is the startling message that the church of Jesus Christ has for the world. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world, there is no rival to it. There is nothing that remotely approaches it in its possibilities in human affairs; therefore, we can say with Paul, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ." |
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Post by hansen on Sept 21, 2022 5:42:52 GMT -8
hansen We were created perfect health, sinless and not subject to death. With the fall of mankind because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, that aspect of our likeness to God ended. Sin entered the world and along with it, sickness, disease and death. The Noetic Effects of Sin And the point is that we lack something due to the Fall, as in health, life, justice, all stemming from union with God, rather than gaining something new, such as a “sin nature”. That alienation from God, itself, constitutes fallen man’s injustice, his “falleness”, and guarantees that sin will flourish. And that separation is exactly what Jesus came to reconcile. |
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Post by Theophilus on Sept 26, 2022 9:33:16 GMT -8
hansen We were created perfect health, sinless and not subject to death. With the fall of mankind because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, that aspect of our likeness to God ended. Sin entered the world and along with it, sickness, disease and death. The Noetic Effects of Sin And the point is that we lack something due to the Fall, as in health, life, justice, all stemming from union with God, rather than gaining something new, such as a “sin nature”. That alienation from God, itself, constitutes fallen man’s injustice, his “falleness”, and guarantees that sin will flourish. And that separation is exactly what Jesus came to reconcile. Original sin is a very difficult subject that virtually every Christian denomination has had to face. The fall of man is so clearly taught in Scripture that we cannot construct a view of man without taking it into consideration. There are few, if any, Christians who argue that man is not fallen. Without acknowledging that we are fallen, we cannot acknowledge that we are sinners. If we do not acknowledge that we are sinners, we will not come to Christ as our Savior. Admitting our fallenness is a prerequisite for coming to Christ. |
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Post by hansen on Sept 26, 2022 15:26:29 GMT -8
And the point is that we lack something due to the Fall, as in health, life, justice, all stemming from union with God, rather than gaining something new, such as a “sin nature”. That alienation from God, itself, constitutes fallen man’s injustice, his “falleness”, and guarantees that sin will flourish. And that separation is exactly what Jesus came to reconcile. Original sin is a very difficult subject that virtually every Christian denomination has had to face. The fall of man is so clearly taught in Scripture that we cannot construct a view of man without taking it into consideration. There are few, if any, Christians who argue that man is not fallen. Without acknowledging that we are fallen, we cannot acknowledge that we are sinners. If we do not acknowledge that we are sinners, we will not come to Christ as our Savior. Admitting our fallenness is a prerequisite for coming to Christ. Yes, I agree completely. And to further explain the concept I presented, many Christians over the years have come to this understanding, to the extent that it's been a historical teaching. Spiritual separation from God, lacking the "knowledge of God", is something we're all born with even though this is an anomaly, a state which is "not meant to be", a state of chaos, injustice. Man is made for communion with God and is lost, sick, disordered, dead, etc apart from Him. This state is sometimes referred to as the "death of the soul" and is the reason we must be born again, which is to reenter union with God. We have no life apart from Him. We're here to learn that fact, and so to open the door when he knocks. And He must predispose and move us towards even that. |
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Post by bloodbought1953 on Sept 27, 2022 17:42:10 GMT -8
did you get things figured out ? not really....I just try to write shorter posts so that if they do vanish for some unknown reason, I did not waste so much of my time......Th fact that my posts will be shorter will be great news to many here....lol..... |
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