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Sins here on Earth come with a price tag,if we steal something minor we will pay differently than say somebody who committed a murder,however on a Heavenly basis if we repent of our sins and believe in Him,whether it be the aforementioned crimes and turn our life to the Lord, we will be forgiven and will attain the Kingdom of Heaven.
Without getting into a scripture pingpong match, I don't believe it is that simple.
My sins will echo in eternity. Repentance and amends are closley connected in my belief.
If I were to steal from you then go ask for Christ's forgiveness, I'm sure he'd want me to pay you back.
I've harmed both my relationship with God, and with you. Both need repair.
There is a big difference between being robbed of $1.00 or shot in the head.
Well, yes, in terms of reaping what we sow on earth or paying a penalty under the laws of the land. I meant in God's eyes there were no degrees of sin. God forgives each sin equally and hell isn't any hotter for a murderer than a person who did not believe in Jesus as their Savior.
Without getting into a scripture pingpong match, I don't believe it is that simple.
My sins will echo in eternity. Repentance and amends are closley connected in my belief.
If I were to steal from you then go ask for Christ's forgiveness, I'm sure he'd want me to pay you back.
I've harmed both my relationship with God, and with you. Both need repair.
I am beginning to think the same. God will forgive all who come to him and repent, part of repentance is keeping his commandments. Sin is the violation of his commandments. Repentance is not only acknowledging the sin/violation of law, it is also keeping the law.
I am beginning to think the same. God will forgive all who come to him and repent, part of repentance is keeping his commandments. Sin is the violation of his commandments. Repentance is not only acknowledging the sin/violation of law, it is also keeping the law.
But who can keep the law? That is why Jesus came, no one could keep the law. He is the only one that ever upheld the law, all the rest of us have fallen short.
Holiness is something that is of God alone. His work in us is to make us more like Him, but when we start getting out a measuring stick to see how well we have kept the law, then we dilute the power of the cross.
Or work is to repent, forgive, repent, forgive and look to the cross and the one who went there. All else is dead works, religious busyness and is no better than any other religion out there.
But who can keep the law? That is why Jesus came, no one could keep the law. He is the only one that ever upheld the law, all the rest of us have fallen short.
Holiness is something that is of God alone. His work in us is to make us more like Him, but when we start getting out a measuring stick to see how well we have kept the law, then we dilute the power of the cross.
Or work is to repent, forgive, repent, forgive and look to the cross and the one who went there. All else is dead works, religious busyness and is no better than any other religion out there.
Scripture says there is more to it than that.
Hbr 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Well, yes, in terms of reaping what we sow on earth or paying a penalty under the laws of the land. I meant in God's eyes there were no degrees of sin. God forgives each sin equally and hell isn't any hotter for a murderer than a person who did not believe in Jesus as their Savior.
That's true. But Jesus did say about those who reject the word will be more punished greatly than those who didn't have the opportunity
Matthew 10:14-16
"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."
Matthew 11:21-23
"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Luke 12:48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Hbr 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
godspeed,
freedom
Being law minded never perfected anyone. Let me quote the same guy you just quoted and his view of perfection:
Phil 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
It was a post calling us to keep the law that I responded to. We couldn't before, we can't as Christians. It is Christ and his blood that perfects us, not keeping the law. It is him and him alone who has done the work in us to perfect us, it is looking unto Him that we are matured and perfected, not looking at the law.
I agree with you when you say that we need to repent and forgive. God gave the law so that we have a yard stick, when we transgress we ask for forgiveness. I don't say that any of us can keep it 100% of the time perfectly and that is why we need forgiveness and a mediator - Christ.
When you say repent what are you actually repenting for if you are not looking at the law to see where you have transgressed? When you say look to the cross are you just trusting that Jesus is doing everything for you?
Being law minded never perfected anyone. Let me quote the same guy you just quoted and his view of perfection:
Phil 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
It was a post calling us to keep the law that I responded to. We couldn't before, we can't as Christians. It is Christ and his blood that perfects us, not keeping the law. It is him and him alone who has done the work in us to perfect us, it is looking unto Him that we are matured and perfected, not looking at the law.
There is a law to love the lord thy God with all your heart mind soul and strength.
Do we follow it?
There is a law that says to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Do we live it?
When i hear someone say that the blood of Christ perfects us, it tells me that we have no part in our growth and progression into perfection, that Jesus did it all and we need do nothing.
There is a law to love the lord thy God with all your heart mind soul and strength.
Do we follow it?
There is a law that says to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Do we live it?
When i hear someone say that the blood of Christ perfects us, it tells me that we have no part in our growth and progression into perfection, that Jesus did it all and we need do nothing.
Is this what you are saying?
godspeed,
freedom
I am sure we are pretty much on the same page and this is just semantics separating us. My point is this: being law conscious does nothing to perfect me. The law is good, as Paul says, to let me know I am a sinner. It lets me know that I have fallen short. But the law cannot help me bridge that gap. Even when you narrow it down to Jesus' nutshell version of the law (love God first, love neighbor as self) I fall short, cause I can point to something everyday of my life where within 10 minutes of getting out of bed I loved myself first above God and neighbor.
I say the answer to sin that remains evident in my life is not to look at the law and try and measure up and do better, but to look at the law as a reminder that I am nothing on my own, that every good and perfect thing about me has its source in God alone. The law has nothing within it to perfect me, so why keep going to it as a source? The source for my perfection (most translations I have looked at use the term 'maturity' interchangeably with perfection, I like that term better) is Christ and Christ alone.
So to me it is semantics on one hand, but it is a huge differnce on another. When I fall short, I find that the quicker I come to Christ and repent and ask Him to change me from the inside out and KNOW that he loves me and receives me with open arms every time I come to Him, the more I stay on that path that Christ has called me to that Paul refers to in Phillipians ...pressing on toward the goal....
So, yes, I have a part in this. But I see my part as coming to Jesus warts and all, "just as I am" and not a mindset of going to the law to clean myself up and make myself presentable before I come into his presence.
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