Galatians 5:22 is a description of a real christian,it is easy to say i am a christian but to look like a real christian you must have a characteristic or a gift from the holy spirit as what in Galatians 5:22 has stated.
Dear Rosie, Regarding your question, 'How do I become perfect in love so that fear will no longer be part of my daily life?'
The more you read God's Word (WORDS,) the more FAITH increases in you, along with all of the other fruits of the Spirit.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
So, just read, read, read. It is the same as to EAT spiritual meat, and drink spiritual drink. It's not about just merely memorizing the scriputures, no more than is eatting for physical nourishment about memorizing how physical food tastes.
And, daily repent of; confess, your sins unto the Lord, or if you can't think of any, ask Him to forgive you for just in case. As, to repent is a priviledge for those that have received Christ. No one CAN repent in the way of true repentance without FIRST receiving Christ. That is WHY there's no need to repent IN ORDER to answer His call, and receive Him:
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Since you HAVE received Christ, you WILL repent, because you believe and trust in God, and therefore you are BLESSED, your are GODLY, and RIGHTEOUS, and UPRIGHT, and the GOODNESS of God SURROUNDS YOU:
Psalms 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
(By the time the Lord is through CLEANSING us with His blood, and forgiving us, there is NO guile or any unrighteousness whatsoever! And all it takes is a moment each day, or sometimes maybe several moments.)
Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I WILL confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall EVERY ONE that is GODLY pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
ONLY the GODLY will humble themselves, and bring forth the FRUIT of the mouth MEET FOR; WORTHY OF, repentance, due to true sorrow of heart; being sorry for any sin, even any we didn't mean, nor intend.
Proverbs 12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the FRUIT of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore FRUITS worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And it is GOD Himself that gave you the GIFT of His Spirit that makes you WILLING to repent:
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for TO WILL is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Philippians 2:13 For it is GOD which worketh in you both TO WILL and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you WILL PERFORM perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
If we were not inclined to sin, as to yield to it in some way, He would not command us, upon receiving Him, to ABIDE in Him, to FOLLOW AFTER Him etc... We DO abide in Him, as we continue to obey His command to love, and to confess; repent of, our sins when, or in case we, disobey Him, so we can proceed to CONTINUE in Him. And, as we do these things:
John 15:4 ABIDE in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear FRUIT of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits MEET FOR REPENTANCE:
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth CONFESSION IS MADE unto salvation.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and JUST TO FORGIVE us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For GODLY sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS OF GOD leadeth thee to repentance?
Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt BE CONDEMNED.
As we repent of; confess, our sins daily, we KNOW we are then CLEAN, and up and ready to CONTINUE to WALK in Him, UN-defeated!
So, all we need do is to BELIEVE, RECEIVE, SAY, SPEAK, CONFESS, God's Word unto us, as we read it. And He has A WORD for EVERYTHING good unto us:
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: NO good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
He even instilled 'repenting of sin' in the very prayer He instructs us to pray daily:
Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our DAILY bread.
12 And FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
As you remember to repent, TAKE JOY, in reading, and confessing, God's Word, unTO you, as for what you are, and have, in Christ, in God, by faith. And that faith will become manifested, as God, by His Spirit, will PERFORM His Words that you confess by faith, and perfect you more and more each day:
Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which WORKETH BY LOVE.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.
1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not MADE PERFECT IN LOVE.
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is PERFECTED in us.
Romans 13:10 LOVE WORKS NO ILL to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love DWELLETH IN GOD, and God in him.
Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
2 Kings 17:39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
Psalms 145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Proverbs 10:24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
I think this passage makes it so clear what God expect of us and his children, I found that there is times I must crucify the flesh daily and for some people several times a day I must deny my feelings of hate and give it to God. I can say that after time I no longer have some of those struggle. If you try God will meet you and make it right.
the Spirit comes to dwell with you and latter comes to dwell in you as a believer in christs death and resurection.so you can only expirience the blessed hope of righteouness through the
Spirit when Jesus and the Father have came to indwell you which is the hope of righteousness.
Read Battlefield of the mind.By Joyce Myers & The Normal Christian life. (Faith) By Watchman Nee
When I look back at my life an all God kept me from and How he was with me.I know he loves me an to sacrafice your life for a person such as me.That can only be love nothing else.
Stanley - I know EXACTLY how you feel. I was born and raised in a church. Got angry with God and my mother when I felt He took her from me when I was 12 years old. But doing that time that I was angry with the both of them. I always still went to church.
But like you, Stanley, I have always talk the talk, but never really walk the walk with God. I can ministry to the best of them, but yet when it comes to me I feel like God doesn't love me.
Like Job friends told him when he was going threw so much...." You can talk to everybody else, but can't handle your own problems"....not their words.
But I am 51 years old...almost 51. And I feel like I just can't get it right.
Pray for me, Stanley, and I will definitely pray for you.
Admit an be willing to let the holy spirit deal with you.We can do nothing of ourselves it's leading of the spirit and us being willing and the desire to want to lead by the spirit.Read ( Romans 8)Paul really opened my eyes an heart to see who was in the way an who is in control. Sin an salvation.
We all have to go thru the breaking lead by the holy spirit. Let Go an Let God
In order to be free from our wrong doings, we must learn how to walk in the spirit.Our Flesh will tell us one thing, but if we're walking in the Spirit of God, we have the power and strenght to stop doing the things we used to do.
Hunh........... I guess Eph 2:8-9 must have been a type O then.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ones works are insufficient: Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 3:10
As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, no, not one:
Good works are a manifestation of a born again spirit to be sure. But they did not save anyone. That would mean that Christ's death alone on the cross was not sufficient.
2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are SUFFICIENT of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is SUFFICIENT for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
One cannot earn God's favor (Grace) it is freely given. We only need to believe.
Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:24
Being JUSTIFIED freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 4:2
For if Abraham were JUSTIFIED by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.
Romans 5:1
Therefore being JUSTIFIED by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now JUSTIFIED by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also JUSTIFIED: and whom he JUSTIFIED, them he also glorified.
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby JUSTIFIED: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not JUSTIFIED by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be JUSTIFIED.
Galatians 2:17
But if, while we seek to be JUSTIFIED by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, [is] therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is JUSTIFIED by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED by faith.
Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are JUSTIFIED by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Titus 3:7
That being JUSTIFIED by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
When verses in scripture seem to contradict each other you must do three things.
1. Find out what the rest of scripture tell us about the subject. *scripture interprets scripture*
2. Know the meaning in the original language as some does not translate well from its original. ( 1 John 3:6 and 3:9 are perfect examples) its says one born again is sinless; we know that not to be true it is impossible. A better translation would be to say; anyone born again will not continue in their sinful life style.)
3. Look at the historical context in which the subject was being written about.
Conclusion: Man has no part in his salvation, it is truly a gift to them that believe.
Stanley, I'm praying for you brother. I know exactly what you are saying, firsthand. It is one thing to be reborn, and to live a life with minor setbacks of sin. It's quite another to not be sure of my salvation, because my life seems to be made up of one fleshly sin after another.
Here's where I think we go wrong as believers in the West. We let our eyes, ears, hands and feet take in sights, sounds, objects, and paths of unrighteousness - thinking that it won't have an effect on us, or that we have the liberty to be lazy and lax about what will allow into our lives. But we have not been granted that kind of liberty. Our liberty is that we don't have to obey the O.T. law in all it's detail. But God never said we don't have to obey Him. So where is the problem? Our spirit may be renewed and reborn, but we still carry around a "body of death", a physical body, and a mind - still under the consequence of sin. This body and mind (brain) is the home for our spirit, and this body is dying. Now, we can choose to kill it ourselves by not allowing those things to come into our life that will effect our spirit negatively, or we can choose to take in all the things we want with no remorse or repentance from what the Bible calls "sin". Let me give an example. We set out to live the Christian life, and many times no one has really told us what that will take, what steps it will take, what it will look like daily - at least in many cases, we have no person in our lives to 'guide' us OR we ignore that person's advice. So... we decide to (for example) watch TV, and although we are watching what we think is a Godly show, every fifteen minutes a commercial comes on with a sexy model who is paid to lie to us about a product they would have never used had they not been paid. And somehow, despite the fact in all likelihood, that we will never see that person, we think of that girl as someone who is talking to us personally. She might even have been asked by the commercial's producer to look happy or even seductive. And the same can be said of food commercials, car commercials, etc. - whatsoever a man or woman might covet or desire outside of God's will. This is what caused Paul the Apostle to realize the trappings of sin, that although he might keep one law, he can never escape "coveting", the 10th commandment. Every sin, is essentially coveting something that lies outside of God's will for us - His best for us. So, back to the TV. If we are to walk the Christian life, we must be faithful to put God's word into our lives each day, by reading it, mediatating on it, talking to God about it, and living it. What we put into our eyes, and the other members of this body of death we all must carry around, will manifest itself in our lives. If I seek to fill my eyes with bad things, I will not be happy, and my spirit will be harmed. It's like eating processed, junk food instead of God's food - salad, healthy meat, etc. I hope you see what I'm saying here - you will not break free of this cycle, until you get off the road you are on. You must allow yourself to accept God's provision of grace and power over sin. And it's not just one thing. It's a combination. It begins with the attitude you have written about above, and it takes legs in the form of the tools he has given us. There is no other way. Tool #1: Daily time in God's Word - taking it to heart. Tool #2: Avoid those things that tempt you, and the things that lead you into temptation. Take your eyes, ears, hands and feet - and don't allow them to see, hear, touch and walk into sin. Tool #3: Prayer, constantly. You must be intimate with your Creator. Tool #4: God's people. You must surround yourself with genuine believers who don't make excuses for sin, and fill their lives with loving others through works of sacrifice. Again, your mind and body are not redeemed. They are under the consequences of sin, and must be treated carefully. You will receive a new body without corruption, but for now you are stuck like me with a 'body of death'. Our minds must be renewed, and our bodies must simply be vessels of the part of us that won't die - our spirit. I want you to consider reading a book that helped me. It's called True Spirituality by Schaeffer. Here are some quotes: The true Christian life, true spirituality, is not merely a negative not -- doing of any small list of things. Even if the list began as a very excellent list of things to beware of in that particular historic setting, we still must emphasize that the Christian life, or true spirituality, is more than refraining from a certain external list of taboos in a mechanical way.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
We do not come to true spirituality or the true Christian life merely by keeping a list, but neither do we come to it merely by rejecting the list and then shrugging our shoulders and living a looser life.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
Desire becomes sin when it fails to include love of God or men.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
God bless you Stanley. I know God wants you to live a life worthy of Jesus' death for you on the cross. I pray that you begin now, and take the steps needed to grow. Here's the steps to take, and a verse worth memorizing: 2Pe 1:1 ΒΆ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:1ff
Find a local church that can help you add these things to your faith... God's peace to you Stanley. Your struggle is common, but don't let that keep you from breaking free from it.
Finally, if you have hurt someone recently who is a believer, you should reconcile with them unless it would put you in danger to revisit the sin and fall back. But, what I did is I went to my pastor for counseling. So find people who are following God closely and join in His work to redeem others and glorify Jesus.
i fall in the category of those who except the work of the cross of christ,yet my life manifest the works of the flesh.i except grace not my work,s as the means of salvation,but my life is full of sin.if you are a mordifier of the flesh,please ask god to help me live victoriously,i am headed to hell if the commentary writer of galations chapter 5 is correct.i am not being sarcastic, i am afraid for my soul.53 years of age, have always believed thar christ is the only means of salvation,yet my life does noy exsemplify a christion.i talk the talk,but i don,t walk the walk.oh god please help me to turn to you and live like a believer. i want to be genuine. forgive me for all my sin,s they are many.i have sined against heaven and earth. i have hurt so many people christian and non christian.i am sorry,trully,trully sorry.will some one plead with god on my behalf,thank you
The more you read God's Word (WORDS,) the more FAITH increases in you, along with all of the other fruits of the Spirit.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
So, just read, read, read. It is the same as to EAT spiritual meat, and drink spiritual drink. It's not about just merely memorizing the scriputures, no more than is eatting for physical nourishment about memorizing how physical food tastes.
And, daily repent of; confess, your sins unto the Lord, or if you can't think of any, ask Him to forgive you for just in case. As, to repent is a priviledge for those that have received Christ. No one CAN repent in the way of true repentance without FIRST receiving Christ. That is WHY there's no need to repent IN ORDER to answer His call, and receive Him:
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Since you HAVE received Christ, you WILL repent, because you believe and trust in God, and therefore you are BLESSED, your are GODLY, and RIGHTEOUS, and UPRIGHT, and the GOODNESS of God SURROUNDS YOU:
Psalms 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
(By the time the Lord is through CLEANSING us with His blood, and forgiving us, there is NO guile or any unrighteousness whatsoever! And all it takes is a moment each day, or sometimes maybe several moments.)
Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I WILL confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall EVERY ONE that is GODLY pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
ONLY the GODLY will humble themselves, and bring forth the FRUIT of the mouth MEET FOR; WORTHY OF, repentance, due to true sorrow of heart; being sorry for any sin, even any we didn't mean, nor intend.
Proverbs 12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the FRUIT of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore FRUITS worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And it is GOD Himself that gave you the GIFT of His Spirit that makes you WILLING to repent:
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for TO WILL is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Philippians 2:13 For it is GOD which worketh in you both TO WILL and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you WILL PERFORM perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
If we were not inclined to sin, as to yield to it in some way, He would not command us, upon receiving Him, to ABIDE in Him, to FOLLOW AFTER Him etc... We DO abide in Him, as we continue to obey His command to love, and to confess; repent of, our sins when, or in case we, disobey Him, so we can proceed to CONTINUE in Him. And, as we do these things:
John 15:4 ABIDE in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear FRUIT of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits MEET FOR REPENTANCE:
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth CONFESSION IS MADE unto salvation.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and JUST TO FORGIVE us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For GODLY sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS OF GOD leadeth thee to repentance?
Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt BE CONDEMNED.
As we repent of; confess, our sins daily, we KNOW we are then CLEAN, and up and ready to CONTINUE to WALK in Him, UN-defeated!
So, all we need do is to BELIEVE, RECEIVE, SAY, SPEAK, CONFESS, God's Word unto us, as we read it. And He has A WORD for EVERYTHING good unto us:
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: NO good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
He even instilled 'repenting of sin' in the very prayer He instructs us to pray daily:
Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our DAILY bread.
12 And FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
As you remember to repent, TAKE JOY, in reading, and confessing, God's Word, unTO you, as for what you are, and have, in Christ, in God, by faith. And that faith will become manifested, as God, by His Spirit, will PERFORM His Words that you confess by faith, and perfect you more and more each day:
Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which WORKETH BY LOVE.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.
1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not MADE PERFECT IN LOVE.
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is PERFECTED in us.
Romans 13:10 LOVE WORKS NO ILL to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love DWELLETH IN GOD, and God in him.
Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
2 Kings 17:39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
Psalms 145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Proverbs 10:24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Spirit when Jesus and the Father have came to indwell you which is the hope of righteousness.
When I look back at my life an all God kept me from and How he was with me.I know he loves me an to sacrafice your life for a person such as me.That can only be love nothing else.
But like you, Stanley, I have always talk the talk, but never really walk the walk with God. I can ministry to the best of them, but yet when it comes to me I feel like God doesn't love me.
Like Job friends told him when he was going threw so much...." You can talk to everybody else, but can't handle your own problems"....not their words.
But I am 51 years old...almost 51. And I feel like I just can't get it right.
Pray for me, Stanley, and I will definitely pray for you.
We all have to go thru the breaking lead by the holy spirit. Let Go an Let God
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ones works are insufficient: Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 3:10
As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, no, not one:
Good works are a manifestation of a born again spirit to be sure. But they did not save anyone. That would mean that Christ's death alone on the cross was not sufficient.
2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are SUFFICIENT of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is SUFFICIENT for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
One cannot earn God's favor (Grace) it is freely given. We only need to believe.
Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:24
Being JUSTIFIED freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 4:2
For if Abraham were JUSTIFIED by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.
Romans 5:1
Therefore being JUSTIFIED by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now JUSTIFIED by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also JUSTIFIED: and whom he JUSTIFIED, them he also glorified.
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby JUSTIFIED: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not JUSTIFIED by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be JUSTIFIED.
Galatians 2:17
But if, while we seek to be JUSTIFIED by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, [is] therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is JUSTIFIED by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED by faith.
Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are JUSTIFIED by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Titus 3:7
That being JUSTIFIED by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
When verses in scripture seem to contradict each other you must do three things.
1. Find out what the rest of scripture tell us about the subject. *scripture interprets scripture*
2. Know the meaning in the original language as some does not translate well from its original. ( 1 John 3:6 and 3:9 are perfect examples) its says one born again is sinless; we know that not to be true it is impossible. A better translation would be to say; anyone born again will not continue in their sinful life style.)
3. Look at the historical context in which the subject was being written about.
Conclusion: Man has no part in his salvation, it is truly a gift to them that believe.
Here's where I think we go wrong as believers in the West. We let our eyes, ears, hands and feet take in sights, sounds, objects, and paths of unrighteousness - thinking that it won't have an effect on us, or that we have the liberty to be lazy and lax about what will allow into our lives. But we have not been granted that kind of liberty. Our liberty is that we don't have to obey the O.T. law in all it's detail. But God never said we don't have to obey Him. So where is the problem? Our spirit may be renewed and reborn, but we still carry around a "body of death", a physical body, and a mind - still under the consequence of sin. This body and mind (brain) is the home for our spirit, and this body is dying. Now, we can choose to kill it ourselves by not allowing those things to come into our life that will effect our spirit negatively, or we can choose to take in all the things we want with no remorse or repentance from what the Bible calls "sin". Let me give an example. We set out to live the Christian life, and many times no one has really told us what that will take, what steps it will take, what it will look like daily - at least in many cases, we have no person in our lives to 'guide' us OR we ignore that person's advice. So... we decide to (for example) watch TV, and although we are watching what we think is a Godly show, every fifteen minutes a commercial comes on with a sexy model who is paid to lie to us about a product they would have never used had they not been paid. And somehow, despite the fact in all likelihood, that we will never see that person, we think of that girl as someone who is talking to us personally. She might even have been asked by the commercial's producer to look happy or even seductive. And the same can be said of food commercials, car commercials, etc. - whatsoever a man or woman might covet or desire outside of God's will. This is what caused Paul the Apostle to realize the trappings of sin, that although he might keep one law, he can never escape "coveting", the 10th commandment. Every sin, is essentially coveting something that lies outside of God's will for us - His best for us. So, back to the TV. If we are to walk the Christian life, we must be faithful to put God's word into our lives each day, by reading it, mediatating on it, talking to God about it, and living it. What we put into our eyes, and the other members of this body of death we all must carry around, will manifest itself in our lives. If I seek to fill my eyes with bad things, I will not be happy, and my spirit will be harmed. It's like eating processed, junk food instead of God's food - salad, healthy meat, etc. I hope you see what I'm saying here - you will not break free of this cycle, until you get off the road you are on. You must allow yourself to accept God's provision of grace and power over sin. And it's not just one thing. It's a combination. It begins with the attitude you have written about above, and it takes legs in the form of the tools he has given us. There is no other way. Tool #1: Daily time in God's Word - taking it to heart. Tool #2: Avoid those things that tempt you, and the things that lead you into temptation. Take your eyes, ears, hands and feet - and don't allow them to see, hear, touch and walk into sin. Tool #3: Prayer, constantly. You must be intimate with your Creator. Tool #4: God's people. You must surround yourself with genuine believers who don't make excuses for sin, and fill their lives with loving others through works of sacrifice. Again, your mind and body are not redeemed. They are under the consequences of sin, and must be treated carefully. You will receive a new body without corruption, but for now you are stuck like me with a 'body of death'. Our minds must be renewed, and our bodies must simply be vessels of the part of us that won't die - our spirit. I want you to consider reading a book that helped me. It's called True Spirituality by Schaeffer. Here are some quotes: The true Christian life, true spirituality, is not merely a negative not -- doing of any small list of things. Even if the list began as a very excellent list of things to beware of in that particular historic setting, we still must emphasize that the Christian life, or true spirituality, is more than refraining from a certain external list of taboos in a mechanical way.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
We do not come to true spirituality or the true Christian life merely by keeping a list, but neither do we come to it merely by rejecting the list and then shrugging our shoulders and living a looser life.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
Desire becomes sin when it fails to include love of God or men.
(Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality, Ch. 1)
God bless you Stanley. I know God wants you to live a life worthy of Jesus' death for you on the cross. I pray that you begin now, and take the steps needed to grow. Here's the steps to take, and a verse worth memorizing: 2Pe 1:1 ΒΆ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:1ff
Find a local church that can help you add these things to your faith... God's peace to you Stanley. Your struggle is common, but don't let that keep you from breaking free from it.
Finally, if you have hurt someone recently who is a believer, you should reconcile with them unless it would put you in danger to revisit the sin and fall back. But, what I did is I went to my pastor for counseling. So find people who are following God closely and join in His work to redeem others and glorify Jesus.