Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke
First Step of Obedience....
This is something I am coming to grips with now. As soon as someone says that obedience is an action, a work, then straight-way, the believer is back under law and legality. No longer is he freed from the law, but that yolk of bondage is put back around his neck, and his baptism is no longer a proclamation, but a STEP of OBEDIENCE, which then allows him to continue in further STEPS of OBEDIENCE such as Lord's Supper and other ordinances. The believers life becomes one of rote obedience to the law of the church, rather than the freedom that is in Christ.
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Knowing that when we believe on Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death, we are crucified with him, our life is dead, and the life we live is Christ's, we are given the MIND of Christ, and are to bring EVERY thought into captivity - whose captivity? - Christ's, who is our life!
While I believe baptism is for this age, I do not see it as a step of obedience, joining the church etc. It's simply public declaration of one's belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As soon as one starts on that old Fundamental Baptist way of "obedience", one is immediately caught up in other rubbish - Men wear pants! Attend Everything regardless of anything else! Faithfulness to Church is #1! - In my experience, obedience to the church becomes a life of futility, whereas if I die to self, live through Christ, and let Him do all the obeying, I find my life prospers in the grace of God.
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Brother, are you under the Law or under grace? "License to sin" would be a valid argument for Arminians if
everyone had the same problem in the flesh, the same sins. If you shaved today you sinned, and broke the Law, sin is transgression of the Law. As Paul said about these nagging sins each of us have, let he who stole steal no more. "Enduring to the end" merely drives you into these nagging sins
even further. When the urge to commit nagging sins comes, do this:
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This is the Scriptures Paul speaks of, renew your mind daily in the Scriptures rather than torment yourself , where el;se can you "prove" what Paul states above but in the Scriptures? I knew a man once was Christian, he was alcoholic. Evrey time he got away from the Scriptures he began drinking again. Until this verse above hit him between the eyes one day. Every time he had the urge to drink he ran for his Bible. He was in it a lot because the urge was there a lot. This don't work always but he was away from alcohol long enough to see the reason he drank: He was self;-medicating himself, he let the affairs of this life cause him to focus on
him.
One day he discovered he no longer had the urge to drink. He was a good man, but for a time let sin abound rather than grace.
The man was my Dad Luke.
Let this be your, and Chris(Buzz) battlecries:
Ro 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
2Co 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us,
see that ye abound in this grace also.
Grace and peace brother.
Tony