"The light of the glory of God is given us in the face of Jesus Christ," whom to see is to see the Father's face in spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6). NB: Jonathan Edwards said that the main business of the Christian life is seeking God! We are told to seek His face ("My heart says this about You, "You are to seek My face," LORD, I will seek Your face. Do not hide Your face from me..." (Psalm 27:8-9, HCSB). God is not hiding or playing some game of cosmic hide and seek, He's waiting to be found and will reveal and authenticate Himself to all sincere seekers, but not triflers. God hides Himself that we may earnestly seek Him. ("If only I knew where I might find Him" per Job 23:3) God's whereabouts are as near as the mention of His name!
This search for God never ends but begins at salvation and will end at the beatific vision in glory when we do see His face. We don't know Christ after the flesh but should recognize His Spirit at work and moving in the body, as it bears witness with our spirit (cf. Romans 8:16). God as the Hound of Heaven seeks us who are the lost sheep: "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isaiah 65:1, NIV).
When Christians say, "I found it!" what they really mean is that God found them and revealed Himself to them as the hymn Amazing Grace goes, "I was lost but now am found." Pascal also mused: "I would not have found God had He not first sought out me." God wants to make His face shine upon us in blessing us, and this is His commitment to us as believers. Blessing and seeing God's face are correlated.
The inauguration of Christ's ministry (the official initiation ceremony) at His baptism included the Father's stamp of approval and official blessing, and He knew His mission and that God was with Him--that's His name: God is with us! You could say Jesus was coming of age and His rite of passage. "... [I]f only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus..." (Acts 20:24, ESV). We are to embark on our mission with God's blessing also and know that God is with us too. We are blessed in the Beloved by association. Having this ministry from God or ordination to His service we've also been commissioned), we can anticipate the continual blessing and prosperity of God in whatever we do to His glory and in His name.
As we get to know Christ, we grow in likeness, for we are all works in progress and Christ wants to show Himself in our witness. Remember, God isn't finished with us yet and always finishes what He starts (cf. Phil. 1:6). You might think of us as a slab of marble that the divine Sculptor is attempting to make into a statue of Christ, and what he does is take away everything that doesn't resemble Christ! We all have some rough edges to get smoothed out and that's why we are put through the crucible because our faith is more precious than silver or gold and must be tested for our sake.
To receive God's blessing, we must have faith and make the commitment to go on in self-denial to "follow Him [in lordship to salvation] more nearly, ]getting] to know Him more clearly, and to love Him more dearly," as quoted from Richard of Chichester. Moses came to know God face to face, like a friend and his face, was hid with a veil to hide the glory. There is something about a person having spent time in fellowship with the Lord. It was obvious the disciples had been with the Lord after the resurrection appearances.
Receiving God's blessing gives us a new outlook on life and new hope, purpose, and meaning in life. With God we have dignity! Without God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless, according to atheist Bertrand Russell. The more we are assured of His blessing and approval of us, the more confident we get to attempt more in God's name and to venture out in even greater things expecting even greater blessings. It is true that the greater blesses the lesser, and also that we also ought to bless one another!
But we are saved to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13). God wants our cups to run over! One function of the body of Christ is to be a blessing to the community in mission (cf. Jer. 29:7) and to bless the members of the body in ministry to one another. We all can bless each other with our spiritual gifts and teach one another in discipleship or mentoring. May we pray God's blessings on each other.
The more we become like Christ, the more blessings we receive in Him to share. We are blessed to pass it on. "But He gives more grace..." (cf. James 4:6)! There is more to salvation than being forgiven: to seek the Lord's sanction and blessing in all our labors. We should see God at work in us. And we are to ever seek God's blessings in our work for temporal as well as spiritual things. He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3) and the promises to Abraham that God will bless those who bless us is ours to claim, for all who have faith in Christ are children of Abraham (cf. Gal. 3:7,29) and we are joint-heirs of Christ.
In prayer, we can access or gain entree into the throne room of God for prayer in boldness (cf. Heb. 4:16), as Moses spoke to God face to face as to a friend, and to whom no prophet ever did again. What unrealized, untapped potential there is in prayer there is when we have faith in Jesus' name.
The antithesis of seeking God's face is to be hiding from God or the truth. Sooner or later we may meet our "burning bush" and confront God and have a moment of truth with Him. Then we are sanctified by the truth (cf. John 17:17) and realize its power over us. We are to "contend for the faith" or the truth delivered to the saints. The polar opposite of truth is apostasy and this is not the final lot of the believer.
If God were to withhold His grace from us for any length of time, we'd be without hope and God in the world, just as George Whitefield said of a man going to the gallows: "There but for the grace of God go I." God can harden the heart of a person who rejects Him in judgment much like He did to Pharaoh when he didn't believe the miracles Moses performed with the "finger of God." For God hardens whom He will and has mercy on whom He will (cf. Romans 9:18); it's His prerogative to do as He reserves the right to do with His ultimate free will. Soli Deo Gloria!
To bridge the gap between so-called theologians and regular "students" of the Word and make polemics palatable. Contact me @ bloggerbro@outlook.com To search title keywords: title:example or label as label:example; or enter a keyword in search engine ATTN: SITE USING COOKIES!
About Me
- Karl Broberg
- I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.
Showing posts with label works in progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label works in progress. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Do You Really Love God?...
"Jesus answered, ... AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH" (Mark 12:29-30, NASB).
You don't have to do this to get saved, it is just a template of your agenda for life and to see what direction you are going. In other words, as Jesus commanded us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, the test is the direction we are going, not the measure of our achievement. Faith is never static (staying in one place) or stagnant (not growing or wasting away) either, you are either losing ground and backsliding or you are growing in the faith by an obedient life and moving ahead in becoming more Christlike and increasing in reflecting His glory and partaking of the divine essence (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 3:18). We can't stand still in our relationship and just be complacent to be saved and nonchalant about what rewards we get; you are either a first-class and world-class Christian or a worldly and carnal Christian losing ground spiritually--no one treads water!
What does this command mean when it says to love God? Everyone has a strong suit or forte that they feel they can trump others on and compare themselves with themselves (2 Cor. 12:12 says this is unwise) and feel a cut above others in this category or department. You can say: "I can see why you like to sing, you're so good at it." And to answer: "I can see why you like to write, you're so good at it." We are all different! One brother may say: "I think you need to show more feeling." In reply, the other says: "I think you need to use your mind more and get your thinking straightened out!" It is vain to judge one another because we are all works in progress and under the auspices of God. All love is sacrificial as the supreme example of God so loving the world that He gave His only Son: You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. We give of our minds, hearts, wills, and strength as we have the opportunity and responsibility for the same. Bear in mind: We are all merely stewards of the blessings of God and will be held accountable for what we did in the body.
For instance, loving with all your mind means to learn how to think and to think with discernment and wisdom and devote it to God's will, and not be foolish like the Proverbs warn against; we are not to go by feeling but to think before we speak and act. We should also do our best to achieve whatever intellectual capacity we are called to fulfill or to complete our calling (apathy and ignorance are taboo). To think with a divine rather than human viewpoint and worldview is part of this mindset. Focus your mind on Christ: "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3, ESV); "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." Do you just settle for a job halfway and being "good enough" to your low standards?
Feelings, affections, or the heart come after obedience and faith and is not the engine but the caboose of the metaphorical train. They used to say in the '60's that if it feels good, do it! This is a recipe for disaster. Don't go by feelings, but the facts of the Word of God, because they come and go and are like a see-saw with its ups and downs--you must keep the faith! Christians on fire for the Lord are contagious--get to know some! We love God with our affections or heart by going with our feelings and not inhibiting them but feeling what God feels about tragedy and evil in the world. You must seek God with all your heart to find Him, and believe with your heart to be saved (in other words, you will fall in love with Jesus).
Do you have compassion for the things of God and feel what God feels and love the things God loves, as well as hate the things God hates? Do you enjoy the emotional lift of worship as the Holy Spirit stirs your spirit and delight in heavenly things (some people would not like heaven because that's what will happen there!)? Psalm 16:11 comes to mind: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Nehemiah 8:10 says that the "joy of the LORD is your strength." Don't ever lose that joy--Jesus says no man can take it from you (cf. Phil. 4:4). Don't be discouraged that you aren't as excited, ecstatic, or euphoric as other more mature believers who have fallen in love with Jesus, because they don't have more of the Spirit, the Spirit just has more of them!
We must also surrender all of our soul or all of our being (intellect, affection, and will) to be saved. This equates obedience with faith (Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes--they are correlated and the flip side of each other and cannot be separated, though we do distinguish them--they go hand in hand. "Do not be foolish, but understand the will of the Lord" (Ephesians 5:7). We must be willing to pick up our cross and follow Him to the death, if need be, and make His will our will in a constant prayer of relinquishment ("Thy will be done," which is the greatest of prayers, that even Jesus prayed). Being ignorant of the will of God is a sign you are not willing to do it, because God will reveal it to you as you are ready for it and can handle it, but never more than we need to know--no one knows the will of God for their whole life as a laid-out plan, because we don't know what God is going to end up doing with us.
The problem most believers have is that they know the right thing to do and God's will, but don't have the will power or discipline to do it, (Ovid said, "I see the better things, and I approve them, but I follow the worse"). Paul realized in Romans 7:24 that he couldn't please God in his own power ("Who will deliver me from the body of this death?"), but thanked Christ for giving him the power--we cannot complete the yoke of the Law of Moses as the Jews couldn't either, but the yoke of the will of God is what we have in the New Covenant and Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." God gives us tasks according to our ability and the place we are at and the level of maturity and we prove to have--we must grow up and take on the task given us and not remain infants in Christ forever living a carnal life and not as spiritual.
Finally, we must also surrender our strength to God and love with all our natural ability and physical stamina and athletic or coordinated prowess. We are not to exalt our body, thinking it is the most important thing to center our life around and become fitness or health freaks living an unbalanced life at the expense of other areas and faculties. On the other hand, we are not to despise our body and misuse it, but see it as a temple of the Holy Spirit and a trust or responsibility to maintain. Ignoring health issues is a bad sign and a violation of our responsibility and duty to God as His creatures and children. We are endowed by God and should be faithful to fulfill our individual gift or gifts. Some are stronger and better endowed as they say by nature, and just like other talents or gifts, are more responsible to complete that calling.
Let me clear up something: No one can say they have obeyed this command! We aren't saved by loving Jesus, but by faith in Christ: We are saved solely by grace (no merit of our own) through the gift of faith that is God's gift, but our act, and we must do something with it and take the leap of faith, and it must be directed in Christ alone as the object (it is the object of faith that saves, not the amount of faith or just faith per se, which would be faith in faith). We can be sincerely wrong, (sincerity is necessary, but not sufficient) sincerity is vital but it only opens the door to an opportunity to respond and answer the call of God and believe in our hearts. The whole person must be involved to be saved: Intellect with the right knowledge or doctrine, emotions or affections of our heart, and the will as we endeavor and resolve to obey God and follow on to know the Lord and to be a disciple or learner of Christ. No one has ever followed the Greatest Commandment to love God with their whole personhood and being; we must accept the gift of salvation by faith and realize our utter bankruptcy before God that we aren't good enough to be saved, but that we are bad enough to need salvation.
In summation, no one can brag before God that he has complied with this commandment but must rely on the grace of God for salvation, and strive to complete as loving children who want to do God's will as our duty as creatures and children. Just because you are good at one aspect of loving God doesn't mean you can pull rank and start forcing compliance to your standards or rules and be in your image--Christ is the only image of God and we are all works in progress and none of us can say that the have "arrived" or is perfect or God is finished with them. "I do not claim to have laid a hold of it yet," as Paul said to the Philippians 3:12-13. But rest assured: God finishes what He starts as Philippians 1:6 (ESV) proclaims: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Soli Deo Gloria!
You don't have to do this to get saved, it is just a template of your agenda for life and to see what direction you are going. In other words, as Jesus commanded us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, the test is the direction we are going, not the measure of our achievement. Faith is never static (staying in one place) or stagnant (not growing or wasting away) either, you are either losing ground and backsliding or you are growing in the faith by an obedient life and moving ahead in becoming more Christlike and increasing in reflecting His glory and partaking of the divine essence (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 3:18). We can't stand still in our relationship and just be complacent to be saved and nonchalant about what rewards we get; you are either a first-class and world-class Christian or a worldly and carnal Christian losing ground spiritually--no one treads water!
What does this command mean when it says to love God? Everyone has a strong suit or forte that they feel they can trump others on and compare themselves with themselves (2 Cor. 12:12 says this is unwise) and feel a cut above others in this category or department. You can say: "I can see why you like to sing, you're so good at it." And to answer: "I can see why you like to write, you're so good at it." We are all different! One brother may say: "I think you need to show more feeling." In reply, the other says: "I think you need to use your mind more and get your thinking straightened out!" It is vain to judge one another because we are all works in progress and under the auspices of God. All love is sacrificial as the supreme example of God so loving the world that He gave His only Son: You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. We give of our minds, hearts, wills, and strength as we have the opportunity and responsibility for the same. Bear in mind: We are all merely stewards of the blessings of God and will be held accountable for what we did in the body.
For instance, loving with all your mind means to learn how to think and to think with discernment and wisdom and devote it to God's will, and not be foolish like the Proverbs warn against; we are not to go by feeling but to think before we speak and act. We should also do our best to achieve whatever intellectual capacity we are called to fulfill or to complete our calling (apathy and ignorance are taboo). To think with a divine rather than human viewpoint and worldview is part of this mindset. Focus your mind on Christ: "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3, ESV); "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." Do you just settle for a job halfway and being "good enough" to your low standards?
Feelings, affections, or the heart come after obedience and faith and is not the engine but the caboose of the metaphorical train. They used to say in the '60's that if it feels good, do it! This is a recipe for disaster. Don't go by feelings, but the facts of the Word of God, because they come and go and are like a see-saw with its ups and downs--you must keep the faith! Christians on fire for the Lord are contagious--get to know some! We love God with our affections or heart by going with our feelings and not inhibiting them but feeling what God feels about tragedy and evil in the world. You must seek God with all your heart to find Him, and believe with your heart to be saved (in other words, you will fall in love with Jesus).
Do you have compassion for the things of God and feel what God feels and love the things God loves, as well as hate the things God hates? Do you enjoy the emotional lift of worship as the Holy Spirit stirs your spirit and delight in heavenly things (some people would not like heaven because that's what will happen there!)? Psalm 16:11 comes to mind: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Nehemiah 8:10 says that the "joy of the LORD is your strength." Don't ever lose that joy--Jesus says no man can take it from you (cf. Phil. 4:4). Don't be discouraged that you aren't as excited, ecstatic, or euphoric as other more mature believers who have fallen in love with Jesus, because they don't have more of the Spirit, the Spirit just has more of them!
We must also surrender all of our soul or all of our being (intellect, affection, and will) to be saved. This equates obedience with faith (Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes--they are correlated and the flip side of each other and cannot be separated, though we do distinguish them--they go hand in hand. "Do not be foolish, but understand the will of the Lord" (Ephesians 5:7). We must be willing to pick up our cross and follow Him to the death, if need be, and make His will our will in a constant prayer of relinquishment ("Thy will be done," which is the greatest of prayers, that even Jesus prayed). Being ignorant of the will of God is a sign you are not willing to do it, because God will reveal it to you as you are ready for it and can handle it, but never more than we need to know--no one knows the will of God for their whole life as a laid-out plan, because we don't know what God is going to end up doing with us.
The problem most believers have is that they know the right thing to do and God's will, but don't have the will power or discipline to do it, (Ovid said, "I see the better things, and I approve them, but I follow the worse"). Paul realized in Romans 7:24 that he couldn't please God in his own power ("Who will deliver me from the body of this death?"), but thanked Christ for giving him the power--we cannot complete the yoke of the Law of Moses as the Jews couldn't either, but the yoke of the will of God is what we have in the New Covenant and Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." God gives us tasks according to our ability and the place we are at and the level of maturity and we prove to have--we must grow up and take on the task given us and not remain infants in Christ forever living a carnal life and not as spiritual.
Finally, we must also surrender our strength to God and love with all our natural ability and physical stamina and athletic or coordinated prowess. We are not to exalt our body, thinking it is the most important thing to center our life around and become fitness or health freaks living an unbalanced life at the expense of other areas and faculties. On the other hand, we are not to despise our body and misuse it, but see it as a temple of the Holy Spirit and a trust or responsibility to maintain. Ignoring health issues is a bad sign and a violation of our responsibility and duty to God as His creatures and children. We are endowed by God and should be faithful to fulfill our individual gift or gifts. Some are stronger and better endowed as they say by nature, and just like other talents or gifts, are more responsible to complete that calling.
Let me clear up something: No one can say they have obeyed this command! We aren't saved by loving Jesus, but by faith in Christ: We are saved solely by grace (no merit of our own) through the gift of faith that is God's gift, but our act, and we must do something with it and take the leap of faith, and it must be directed in Christ alone as the object (it is the object of faith that saves, not the amount of faith or just faith per se, which would be faith in faith). We can be sincerely wrong, (sincerity is necessary, but not sufficient) sincerity is vital but it only opens the door to an opportunity to respond and answer the call of God and believe in our hearts. The whole person must be involved to be saved: Intellect with the right knowledge or doctrine, emotions or affections of our heart, and the will as we endeavor and resolve to obey God and follow on to know the Lord and to be a disciple or learner of Christ. No one has ever followed the Greatest Commandment to love God with their whole personhood and being; we must accept the gift of salvation by faith and realize our utter bankruptcy before God that we aren't good enough to be saved, but that we are bad enough to need salvation.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Taking Our Stand And Making Judgments
We must realize when we became Christians that it might cost us something; salvation is free but not cheap. We will have to take stands when the truth or testimony of Jesus is at stake; it is the coward who stands by and stays neutral. Remember, Christians are on Satan's hit list and can even use believers for evil by inspiration or enticement. Christ calls us to be advocates and come to the aid of each other. God can deal with someone willing to take a stand, even if wrong, but not cowards who are really weak-willed and wishy-washy. ("Stand up, stand up for Jesus!") Recall Pontius Pilate washing his hands of the affair. Jesus rebukes the Laodiceans in Rev. 3:19 because He doesn't know where they stand. We cannot be on both sides of an issue. Christians must defend each other and come to their aid when an adversary comes in aggressive attack mode.
What Satan specializes in is mind-games and psychological warfare--he likes to mess with our minds! He accuses but doesn't convict--the Holy Spirit will perform an open-and-shut case without a doubt of a sin, not just try to make you feel bad or guilty. Does Scripture have a basis in the judgment or not? Our judgments are not to get personal and not related to the Word by way of criticism.
Sometimes we can be right but say it in the wrong way. Methodology is important to God ("Quench not the Spirit"), and He looks at the heart and not at the appearance as man sees--is the heart in the right place, not whether he made a mistake or did something in error. One of the worst sins is betrayal or squealing on someone or to get personal revenge or get even--fight your own battles and if you hold something against someone, keep it between you and the person in question. If someone is not part of the problem or of the solution it can become gossip. If we don't stand up and defend the truth, our friends, and even what we believe in, what makes us think we will stand up for Jesus.
When we do judge we are to make sure we are right and do it in the Spirit of love ("Speak the truth in love" according to Ephesians 4:15--what is our motive?). Remember also that Jesus also said, "When you judge, judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). When we are called to show a brother his fault or the error of his way we should avoid labeling ("You theologian!") or any insults and name calling--we must resort to Scripture and how it applies.
God will judge those who are outside the church, but judging per se is impossible to avoid because then we would show no discernment and fall prey to the devil and be under his condemnation. If a man claims to be a Christian and is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness (cf. Gal. 6:1). If we are too strict or harsh in our judgment (in the measure we use it shall return to us), God may hold us accountable. Above all, we must practice what we preach and not condemn ourselves by judging someone and doing the same thing in turn as hypocrites. If you tell someone to repent, for example, you are required to make sure you need no repentance and are righteous in God's eyes (righteousness consists in having a right relationship with God and being at peace with man as far as it is possible with you).
We must not justify our own sin (one psalmist said that the people loved their sin too much to detect it). "For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated" (Psalm 36:2, ESV). We all have a sin which easily besets us (cf Heb. 12:1), but when we sin we show our slavery and don't demonstrate our freedom. If you are a slave to sin, how can Jesus be Lord--"For sin shall have no dominion over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace." "His name shall be called Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins." Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death (cf. Romans 8:2). Christ sets us free from our old sin nature at salvation (the old man) and restores us with a new nature in His likeness.
We are all works in progress (cut some slack!) and must realize that God isn't finished with us yet. The goal is to win him over not to alienate him or sever the relationship. Scripture exhorts us to make allowance for each other's faults and to accept one another even as Christ has accepted us. Most believers should be willing to take any admonishment if done in the Spirit and not resent it or do unto them as they have done unto you (the "iron rule"). We conquer evil with good and refrain from reviling or insulting in return. Soli Deo Gloria!
What Satan specializes in is mind-games and psychological warfare--he likes to mess with our minds! He accuses but doesn't convict--the Holy Spirit will perform an open-and-shut case without a doubt of a sin, not just try to make you feel bad or guilty. Does Scripture have a basis in the judgment or not? Our judgments are not to get personal and not related to the Word by way of criticism.
Sometimes we can be right but say it in the wrong way. Methodology is important to God ("Quench not the Spirit"), and He looks at the heart and not at the appearance as man sees--is the heart in the right place, not whether he made a mistake or did something in error. One of the worst sins is betrayal or squealing on someone or to get personal revenge or get even--fight your own battles and if you hold something against someone, keep it between you and the person in question. If someone is not part of the problem or of the solution it can become gossip. If we don't stand up and defend the truth, our friends, and even what we believe in, what makes us think we will stand up for Jesus.
When we do judge we are to make sure we are right and do it in the Spirit of love ("Speak the truth in love" according to Ephesians 4:15--what is our motive?). Remember also that Jesus also said, "When you judge, judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). When we are called to show a brother his fault or the error of his way we should avoid labeling ("You theologian!") or any insults and name calling--we must resort to Scripture and how it applies.
God will judge those who are outside the church, but judging per se is impossible to avoid because then we would show no discernment and fall prey to the devil and be under his condemnation. If a man claims to be a Christian and is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness (cf. Gal. 6:1). If we are too strict or harsh in our judgment (in the measure we use it shall return to us), God may hold us accountable. Above all, we must practice what we preach and not condemn ourselves by judging someone and doing the same thing in turn as hypocrites. If you tell someone to repent, for example, you are required to make sure you need no repentance and are righteous in God's eyes (righteousness consists in having a right relationship with God and being at peace with man as far as it is possible with you).
We must not justify our own sin (one psalmist said that the people loved their sin too much to detect it). "For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated" (Psalm 36:2, ESV). We all have a sin which easily besets us (cf Heb. 12:1), but when we sin we show our slavery and don't demonstrate our freedom. If you are a slave to sin, how can Jesus be Lord--"For sin shall have no dominion over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace." "His name shall be called Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins." Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death (cf. Romans 8:2). Christ sets us free from our old sin nature at salvation (the old man) and restores us with a new nature in His likeness.
We are all works in progress (cut some slack!) and must realize that God isn't finished with us yet. The goal is to win him over not to alienate him or sever the relationship. Scripture exhorts us to make allowance for each other's faults and to accept one another even as Christ has accepted us. Most believers should be willing to take any admonishment if done in the Spirit and not resent it or do unto them as they have done unto you (the "iron rule"). We conquer evil with good and refrain from reviling or insulting in return. Soli Deo Gloria!
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