Aug 08
Here are scriptures that support the position that God is able to keep his children from failing in temptations and falling into sin.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Here are some Biblical requirements for the above promises to work.
2Co 7:10-11 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2Pe 1:5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
2Ti 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Here are some scriptures that imply obedience is not an option but a requirement [for the children of God not to become one -- just got accused of legalism :( ].
Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Joh 8:34,36 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 14:23,24 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
1Jn 2:3,4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
3Jn 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Good change I think. Makes absolute sense about the verses being about what God wants his children to do, and NOT about how you become one of His children.
I appreciated your blog post on being forgiven too. I do have a slight problem not seeing myself as an “antinomian”, as you called it tho, in as far as, we’re not required to DO things to “get God’s love”. I can appreciate, however, that God wants us to live a certain way to fully live our Christian lives (e.g. “Don’t do drugs because it will ruin your life”, but not “Don’t do drugs because I Said So”).
Thanks for the posts
August 11th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Hi christophmcleod; I would only see a person as an antinomian who claims that we are not required to keep the moral laws of Christ and a person as legalistic who tries to make sect rules a requirement for salvation. I believe in salvation by grace alone thought faith alone but at the same time I would hold that true saving faith will bring godly sorrow and repentance pre-salvation.
Further true saving faith will bring post-salvation obedience to the moral laws of Christ that the person understands — not those that they don’t understand (where there is no law there is no sin). Post-salvation faith that is not obedient to the moral law of Christ is dead faith (Jam 2:17).
I feel like we need to obey Christ because we love him and I agree that Christ’s law is there for our good.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Posts like this are what make the internet great, thanks for sharing.
[Editor: more comment spam from selfstoragetameside.co.uk]