You are not logged in.
Pages: 1
Question: Will the latter rain to be poured upon "Christians" that believe they are saved but still live every day with unrepented sin in their life?
Asked a different way,
Question: Is the "Righteousness of Christ" just a covering for sin or does the righteousness of Jesus permeate the entire soul,
actually making us "Righteous" from the inside-out?
What Doctrines keep us from understanding and experiencing the real Baptism and the transforming power of "The Holy Spirit"?
Are we actually made "Righteous" by God's grace???
I have more questions than answers, and am not seeking to make a point just wanting to understand God's word and His will more clearly.
Things I do know from personal experience.
1.) My past will forever in this world keep me from seeing myself as anything but a sinner, however, when I look in the mirror
should I not also be looking for the new creation in God, the one He refers to as His child.
2.) If Jesus calls or declares me "Righteous" it is because he is abiding IN me, and where He is His kingdom of Grace reigns.
3.) I can be "more than a conquer" Romans 8:37, over all the works of the enemy if Christ is MY Lord & Savior.
4.) The Holy Spirit fills my heart with a hunger for God's word, God's will, and Prayer.
Offline
Question: Will the latter rain to be poured upon "Christians" that believe they are saved but still live every day with unrepented sin in their life?
Just as the Apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we, when we accept Jesus and believe in Him, receive the promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes our guide and convicts us when we fall short of perfection Jesus would have us be. Jesus blood covers past, present and future sin and presents us white as snow before the Father. What a beautiful promise. Are we expected then to stop all of what we are doing to pray for forgiveness every time we realize or don't realize sin happens? In other word are we in and out of Grace? Is God some demon just waiting to say "I got ya" if we don't stop and ask forgiveness. Ellen White says yes, scaring the flock to wonder if they can ever make it to eternal life. We sin constantly and don't even realize it. We all then have "unrepentant sin" and if it is true that because of what Ellen White wrote then no one will inherit eternal life. I say she didn't realize what she was saying. Salvation is not a moment by moment experience. God knows the heart and the beginning from the end. I am a sinner saved by grace. Thank the Lord for His word.
Asked a different way,
Question: Is the "Righteousness of Christ" just a covering for sin or does the righteousness of Jesus permeate the entire soul,
actually making us "Righteous" from the inside-out?
What Doctrines keep us from understanding and experiencing the real Baptism and the transforming power of "The Holy Spirit"?
Ever hear people say "I hope I am saved"? They say they believe, but because doubt raises its ugly head they can't grasp fully the promises Jesus proclaimed such as Jn 3:16 and Jn 5:24. Most who I talk to who have the "I hope" syndrome think they are not doing enough. Well, it is not about doing, it is about what Jesus has done already for each of us. SDAs are taught to never proclaim salvation. Jesus sure didn't teach that theory. SDAs have so much more to overcome than mainline Christians, but with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit it is happening. I think there are some SDA doctrines that keep Adventists from experiencing true grace. As you might have already sensed I am not a fan of Mrs White. She has put many stumbling blocks in the way of her flock. One is conforming too SDA standards before one can be baptized. We have to stop smoking, stop using any alcohol, take of our wedding rings etc all of which probably do not change the heart, but only our outward appearance. The influence of Ellen White takes precedence to the Holy Spirit. It is not what others think we are, it is our inner selves knowing and feeling the transforming when we submit to Jesus. Sure Jesus would rather we would not smoke or drink to excess. He would rather we wouldn't be over weight too, but since many Adventists are on the hefty side no one mentions that before they can be baptized. If we wait until we are perfect before being baptized then we wouldn't need it. Jesus didn't come to save perfect man.
Are we actually made "Righteous" by God's grace???
Absolutely yes
I have more questions than answers, and am not seeking to make a point just wanting to understand God's word and His will more clearly.
I believe we all do. We can get caught up in theological issues and loose sight of the simple plan of salvation. SDAs get caught up in keeping Sabbath and loose sight of the most important part of scripture, our relationship with Jesus.
Things I do know from personal experience.
1.) My past will forever in this world keep me from seeing myself as anything but a sinner, however, when I look in the mirror
should I not also be looking for the new creation in God, the one He refers to as His child.
2.) If Jesus calls or declares me "Righteous" it is because he is abiding IN me, and where He is His kingdom of Grace reigns.
3.) I can be "more than a conquer" Romans 8:37, over all the works of the enemy if Christ is MY Lord & Savior.
4.) The Holy Spirit fills my heart with a hunger for God's word, God's will, and Prayer.
Because you believe your heart will, without prodding, produce the desire to love your fellow man. In fact this is what John tells us in 1Jn 3:19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Notice how John answers what Gods commands are for us Christians. "And this is his command" Believe and love one another as He commanded us. No rituals or no smoking or get all our ducks in a row, just believe and love. Oh how hard "religion" makes our lives. Do we need all the doctrines, do we need to read 40 books and be in lock step with Ellen White? If we allow and practice, as you so eloquently stated: "The Holy Spirit fills my heart with a hunger for God's word, God's will, and Prayer." How can we go wrong?
Offline
Pages: 1