Theological Differences
Today I recieved this anonymous letter questioning my faith:
Anonymous said…
obedientone,
I read your comments on another blog and wanted to ask you some questions. You can delete this comment if you don’t approve of it being here.
I find it interesting that you would degrade others for claiming to live free from sin yet your user name is “obedientone”.
Do you not realize that committing sin is disobedience?
Can you not believe that there are people who “go and sin no more” and “who need NO repentance”?
When the Bible promises that NO temptation will be too hard (I Cor. 10:13) and that we can do all things through Christ (Phil 4:13) what do you think that really means?
Do you think it means we can do everything except live holy?
Do you think that Jesus came and died that awful death just so the world would continue to sin just like they always had?
If so, his sacrifice was no better than the sacrifice of bulls and goats.
You might think this is a preposterous idea but Jesus didn’t give his life just so we could be forgiven every day for the rest of our lives.
No, Jesus will save you FROM sin. But only if you let him.
Anonymous —
Please note that I posted on your blog with my name and profile in full view. Why did you post anonymously? Are you ashamed of your beliefs in the Lord?
Your statement in your blog was that you and the other members of your congregation were sin free and had not committed any sins in years. I still stand convinced that as living people on earth that is a physical impossibility.
God did say to “Go and sin no more.” However, if we were capable of refraining from all sin, it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die for us in the first place. I did not denegrate anyone for claiming to be free of sin. I just asked them how they managed to stay so holy and still be among the living.
I make mistakes. I say inappropriate things. I hurt people’s feelings. I make foolish, thoughtless decisions. I let people down. I am certain I disappoint God on a daily basis — like I must have disappointed Him when I didn’t make myself clear on your blog. Yes, I call myself obedientone — but it is to remind myself what I strive for. In no way do I consider myself holy and above sin. I have been adopted into the family of God through Jesus, but I am not divine.
I do consider myself saved. I consider myself washed in the blood of Jesus, my Savior and God’s Son and Sacrifical Lamb. I am sanctified by and through Christ Jesus only. I do not and will never claim salvation by my own works or deeds, and I have Biblical cause to fear for the soul of anyone who does.
Charlene <-- a disciple of Christ, but not his equal.
This entry was posted on Friday, June 30th, 2006 at 7:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
June 30th, 2006 at 8:32 am
The blog you are referring to was not mine and I choose to remain anonymous because I don’t want to unleash a firestorm in my own blog’s comments section.
I don’t want to unleash a firestorm on your blog either (which is why I don’t mind if you delete the comments) but I also don’t mind responding.
I think most Christians would agree that temptation is the devil’s way of enticing us to do wrong. Without temptation you will not sin. You cannot sin unknowingly and you cannot sin without making a conscious decision to do so.
Every man is tempted when he drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then lust when it is finished bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.
As I stated before, the Bible clearly teaches that we will be able to resist every temptation (I Cor 10:13), this fact does not change simply because you believe it to be a “physical impossibility”. Furthermore, the Bible says if you resist the devil he will flee.
You said this:
“God did say to “Go and sin no more.” However, if we were capable of refraining from all sin, it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die for us in the first place.”
Jesus’ death is what makes it possible to refrain from all sin.
I John 5:18 says “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”
God wants you to obey, always. God sent Jesus as a means to that end. God will do that hardest part but he expects you to do your part also.
If you let God’s power control your life and you also keep yourself, the wicked (Satan) won’t be able to touch you and you will be able to refrain from all sin too.
Please don’t think that I am trying to say these things in an arrogant or prideful way. I want to help as many people as I can to see that God has a better way than having to give into Satan on a regular basis. You can live a life of complete obedience to God.
June 30th, 2006 at 8:56 am
Thank you for correcting myself and my readers from the belief that the blog in question was yours.
Your comments are respectful, which is why I am not deleting them. I hear and understand what you are saying, but it still does not convince me that any one — as was stated in said blog — managed 30 years without irritation, anger, pride, etc –.
Yes, God gave us the ability to resist sin. Yes, as Christians we need to exercise that ability. Yes, by exercising that ability it becomes easier to resist sin, but on this mortal plain I do not believe we can ever wholly succeed.
Further, I think it irressponsibe to attempt evangelism — which is supposed to be an inherent part of sharing our Christian faith — while telling people that you are perfect. Please go back and read the post we are refuring to again — it smacked very loudly of self-righteousness and pride. Both of which are sins (not said to condemn, but to point out how eqasily we slip).
C.
June 30th, 2006 at 12:11 pm
C:
I may be out of line here but thought I might comment on this. Just my opinion, so take it for what it’s worth.
Mr./Mrs. Anonymous
1) NO, I do not believe there are people who “go and sin no more” and “who need NO repentance”. I think we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
2) What 1 Cor. 10:13 actually says is: ‘No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.’ In my judgment that means that God knows we will sin and He will not abandon us when we do. I think Phil 4:13 is reminding us to turn to Christ for all things which, again, we all fall short of doing 100% of the time.
3) I think Jesus died for our sins and I think he died knowing we were human, not gods. He knew we would need continual forgiveness that is why he said to his Disciples “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.†1 Corinthians 11:24-26 Jesus made a NEW covenant with us and told us to remember him and his sacrifice ‘whenever’ we eat and drink. Why do you think we take communion? It’s not a one-time get-out-of-jail-free card. We must continually strive to live as Christ-like as possible, asking God’s forgiveness and seeking His will for our lives when we fall short.
4) I disagree with you about his sacrifice was no better than the sacrifice of bulls and goats. When bulls and goats were sacrificed only a priest could go to God and ask for forgiveness for his people. Now, through the gift of His Son, I am allowed to approach God and ask for the forgiveness of my sins. I don’t have to depend on another person to ask for my forgiveness, I depend on Jesus to be my Counselor.
5) I think Jesus did die for us to be forgiven everyday for the rest of our lives. We are not perfect, just forgiven – everyday. Through the Grace of God I am able to go to Him through His only Son and say I messed up. I did something I’m not proud of; I thought an ugly thought about someone, I was envious of my neighbor, I was lazy, I was prideful, etc. Thank God I can mess up and still be loved by Him.
C., I agree with you and your thoughts on this subject. I just don’t see how anyone could live ‘sin-free’ and still be human. There was only one person ever to walk the Earth that was sin-free, he happened to be the Son of God.
Donna
July 1st, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Thank you. Donna for your eloquence.
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:11 pm
I’ve had a thought about christianity and I wanted to run it by you to have your insight… is it wrong to say that you do not want to use another mans blood to gain entrence to heaven. to say that even though christ may have died for our sins.. that I would rather make it on my own or fail trying than accept such a sacrifice.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Lost crow — The sacrafice has already been made. It is up to you to accept or reject it. Rejecting it will not change the fact that Jesus died, or how he died — or that, even though you weren’t born the sacrafice was made willingly — for you — if you wanted it.
Jesus is the door. The only pathway to heaven. If we could get to heaven without the blood of Jesus, then there would have been no purpose in his sacrifice.
My email link on this blod works.
July 4th, 2006 at 10:35 am
Good response, Charlene, and thanks for visiting my blog!
I would only add the words the Holy Spirit spoken through the Apostle John (1 Jn 1:8-2:1).
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (2:1) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Note that John directs this wonderful promise of grace to those that are already known as God’s children (“My little children”).
Note also that the keeping of God’s commandments referenced later in chapter two does not mean “to keep perfectly.” If it meant that we could keep the Law perfectly, it would contradict the verses that immediately preceed it.
More accurately, “keep” in this context means to hold fast to, to cherish, to keep as the guiding focus of one’s life.
Blessings!
July 5th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
lost crow – you/we cannot make it on y/our own – we need Jesus.