Bible Discussion Thread

"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians 4:9 KJV

Those things which you do...

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14 KJV

press toward the prize

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Philippians 3:2 KJV

But beware

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12 KJV

Has hasn't yet attained the prize and has not been perfected yet, but strives to (v15).

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:" Philippians 3:20 KJV

What stood out to me about these verses is:

1. Paul gives a series of challenges and leads by example. He writes that Christianity is something that is practiced, involves effort, is an action, by doing, like running a race to receive a prize. Not that he's earning it by works. This is clarified many times. But genuine and not a 1-minute prayer someone made 30 years ago where nothing changed and nothing was practiced since.

2. Paul says he hasn't yet attained the salvation. He has hope for salvation, but doesn't say he was already "saved" and finished and can just sit around watching Seinfeld reruns.

The reason for sharing: I think it might help someone, because what I hear in sermons and the way people talk, it seems Christians don't take Christianity very seriously. There's little to no transformation. Paul says to become a slave of righteousness, and people are like, "no thanks, I didn't sign up for that." They're acting like they got a golden entry ticket and they're done. They assume they don't have to change, can continue to deeply enjoy sin, enjoy flesh, and enjoy the benefits of satan. Though they don't realize who they're actually following.

Hi Adam:

I agree there are many people who claim they are "Christians" but don't walk the walk, however, I don't quite understand what you mean that Paul hadn't reached "salvation." Salvation is when we sincerely repent and accept Christ as our Savior and we are in God's good graces, we can trust that Heaven is our destination as long as we continue to walk in the Spirit. Paul was definitely saved, a true believer. It's perfection in the Christian life that we want to reach for, through the perfecting power of the Holy Spirit. We learn how to reach this perfection by sincere, consistent prayer, study of God's word and fasting, in always loving our Savior and by living a holy, righteous life, WITHOUT sin, which we must do. Some people believe that because we are human we are too weak to live without sin (sinning/christian doctrine) but to me that also says that the redeeming, divine blood of Christ is too weak to overcome our sinful natures. Not So! This doctrine ignores that we CAN live without the "old man nature" because Christ told us to. See Eph 4:21-24, Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:19-21 and Galatians 5:24. This doctrine doesn't differentiate between faults/weaknesses, (same thing), and sins. EXAMPLE: If you are angry and jealous with someone at work and you always want to lash out at them but instead you trust the Holy Spirit to keep you from lashing out and to learn to love this person in Him, it stays a weakness until eventually the anger and jealousy change to the patient love of Christ and the weakness is overcome. But if you give in to the anger and jealousy and are always sullen and unkind to this person this mindset is sinful, your soul is in danger of being lost. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." These two promises don't go together, they are an either/or promise from God. One is for sin, the other for righteousness. God bless :)

Hello Adam, I hear ya on this.

Whenever I feel the ay you describe I remind myself of how Elijah felt when he had run from Jezebel to the cave in I Kings 19 feeling as though he alone was zealous for God and His ways. God told Elijah that He had set apart 7000 in Israel that have not bent their knee to Ba'al nor kissed the image with their mouths. God spoke to Elijah in His still small voice, reassuring Elijah that he was not alone in following God whole heartedly and lifted up the prophet's spirit into being hopeful and courageous to go from the cave and do just as God told HIm to do.

We. too, can trust that God is able to keep those who are His and bring them to hope and assurance of having many brethren that are like you and I and many on this site. The world is full of strong Christians who are fighting the good fight of faith and obedience, many facing martyrdom. But in the U.S. and Europe, much complacency, as you state. Like you, I hate those whose witness is so shallow that any demand of discipleship is seen as too much for them to pursue and the commands of Christ in his recorded words in the gospels and what He spoke through Paul and other apostles are seen as an impingement on their "freedom in Christ".

Indeed, we are free in Christ, to do what is good and right, not to continue in evil ways and worldliness. Perhaps many people who live carnally for themselves, for their comfort, and for their preferred sins have been ill-taught, but anyone who truly searches the Scriptures knows that we are to live godly lives in this wicked generation, fight against the sinful nature that we all have up until our body dies, and resist the lies and deceptions of the wicked one who wants to woo us into complacency, desensitize us to our own sinful ways and that of the community we live in (socially and society wise), and have us believe that right is wrong and wrong is O.K. for believers as well as unbelievers. He will lull any who are not diligent and careful.