Perhaps the biggest frustration for a legalistic or laboring Christian is that while he is wired and designed to be the ongoing receiver of the grace and righteousness of God, his promise and dedication to moral excellence forces him into failure. The only time he actually enjoys Jesus is after an assumed and confessed falling-out with Him, after which he is “magically” restored to his design (receiver) and he reigns in life. All is well. Trouble resumes when, newly filled by the Spirit of life, he re-dedicates himself to moral excellence.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
To “reign in life” means, “to have a time in power,” or “to have a period of influence.” It means that, having been made new creations for our days in this world, we assume our role as receivers of grace—God’s life. We offer ourselves to God not to demonstrate our faithfulness or to pledge our obedience. We look to Him however and whenever we like to receive what He is and has for anything and everything He likes. The result is that He enjoys a person through which to demonstrate Himself—His power and influence—and we know and enjoy God as we fit into Him, reigning in life.
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One of the hardest things to do is let go of the steering wheel Ralph. Once we do it even just once, we see that our great God and King is actually quite an excellent driver...Amen
ReplyDeleteI like that!
ReplyDeleteI also wrote about the dilemma legalists present themselves today, Ralph, albeit from a slightly different perspective. What a team the three of us are! :-)
ReplyDeleteIn agreement with George Lisa Miller's comment.
ReplyDeleteDo we really trust our Autopilot?
When we first believed and received the Holy Spirit He completely reprogrammed our system to its original design. Now our faith flips the switch to autopilot and the Holy Spirit steers us out of danger and onto a flight path of peace, joy and love. We never have to take the wheel of our own lives again! I personally have no faith whatsoever that I know where to go or what to do next that will lead me to peace and joy. Yet sometimes we are tricked into taking the wheel (which automatically overrides the Autopilot) but thank God the Holy Spirit also lets us know when we have done so. And it's as easy as flicking that switch, sitting back and enjoying the ride. :)
Everyone...please bear with me as I learn. Just wondering what the following verses from 1 John mean. " 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." I'm taking it that where many people err in this is not that we do not sin - and not that we do not confess our sin to Our Lord. But that we then, instead of thanking Him for His forgiveness and the way He has called it to our attention...and even that we are entrusting Him to cleanse us...that we instead grovel, try doing penance, and get into a 'woe is me' mode instead of a 'thankful for Grace' mode? Thanx for any light you might be willing to shed on this for me.
ReplyDeleteDottie, John is writing to a group of believers who had been plagued by the false doctrine of the Gnostics. His first chapter addresses each of their false claims using the rhetoric of reassurance. Verses 8 and 9 might be better understood like this:
ReplyDeleteThe gnostics claim that we are without sin (even that sin does not exsist). But this is deception and far from the truth. Yet if we agree that we have sinned Jesus washes us clean with His blood because He took our sin on the cross. But if we say that we never sinned at all we are calling Him a liar and His truth has not been revealed in us.
I hope that makes sense.
P.S. Once we have agreed He washes us completely, once and for all. Then we only need for him to wash our feet.
ReplyDeleteAmen Melita...Dottie..Here is what Paul had to say when he realized he was stuck with indwelling sin..Notice he did not plead with God or ask for forgiveness, he rather thanked God, and placed the shortcomings of this dead body squarely where they belong..under the blood..Romans 7:24-8:2..The apostle Paul wrote 3/4 of the new testament, and you will find nothing that even remotely resembles a 1 John 1:9 confession the way it is presented to us in the institutional church. Do you think maybe the apostle Paul knew something more than these teachers we so highly esteem? No groveling, only gratitude.
ReplyDeleteThank you Melita and George ...O so much! Makes perfect sense! thank you Lord for giving me the courage to ask this. Bless you all!
ReplyDeleteDottie- It also says in 1 John that you do not need anyone to teach you because the Holy Spirit will do that, so when your brothers and sister tell you something that is true, the Holy spirit will say yes that is true or no ask more questions. He will guide you and lead you into all truth. We get to all learn together...unity of the faith....:-)Lisa
ReplyDeleteMelita, like Jesus told Peter,...You've already been cleansed...I need only wash your feet. What would that look like for a believer? In other words, if the Holy Spirit convicts/convinces me of a sin I just committed, how do I get "my feet washed?"
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord Lisa (sorry about calling you George). He has been teaching me, one of the ways being through Ralph's postings - his book - and saints like you and Melita. Thank you again. I am so blessed. Now I'm going to go read 1 John again with different ears. :)
ReplyDeleteIts ok Dottie..it was George that wrote that other piece..:-)
ReplyDeleteThe Holy Spirit never convicts us of sin but of righteousness. I believe the "feet washing" refers to our thinking being cleansed of wrong thoughts, ie if we sin we have to do something to be cleansed or even if things go wrong in our lives (failing health etc) that it is a consequence of something we did. The Holy Spirit then washes us with assurance that we are still righteous, holy and accepted in the beloved. The more we accept His righteousness in our lives and walk in it the more frequently our thoughts are renewed to who He says we are. I recommend listening to Ps Joseph Princes teachings. the Holy Spirit is using this man to "wash believers feet" with the gospel of grace as I have never heard it preached before. Be blessed. :)
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