Christian Life?

Being a Christian is about what Christ already did on the cross. Not what is inside your heart. From the heart proceeds lies, adulteries, fornication, ad nauseum.

 

If all you do is quote the verses without explaining the point, it doesn't do much good. I could interpret these verses to prove the prosperity gospel is correct. Is that what you mean?

 

Actually, these verses must be taken in light of what the book of James is saying. You must abide in Jesus and do his will (works). Or your salvation means nothing. It has nothing to do with the prosperity gosple. God wants us to be righteous and promises his fulfillment and grace not monitary wealth.

 

If doctrine doesn't matter then it doesn't matter what the RCc, JW's, or Monmons teach, it's all ok.
But lets get biblical, according to scripture, doctrines and how we live does matter. Paul wrote it over and over. Any preacher who says doctrines and living scriptural doesn't matter is no preacher of the gospel.
The bible also tells us that the heart is evil continually.
I have seen you post over and over again against what scripture says, telling us how it isn't for you, because you want what you want, and don't care what scripture says. This is not good, it is not scriptural, it is not Christ likeness.

 

Donna is Sooooo Right On!

Donna is so correct. She hit the proverbially nail smack-dab on its head, and she did it without fingerpointing, she just used love. I too have read your comments SW8977, especially about your newest love interest. You may right about saying, and I quote: "Being a Christian is about whats on the inside in my heart and I think alot of people forget that..." And while what you say is purely "New-Age" logic, sounding soothing to the ears and hearts of the majority of people living on this terra-firma, your words are not scriptural when it comes to committing sins of the heart. Sins like adultary, fornication, hate, anger, gossip, division, slander, etc.

You need to embrace the Word, even if it points out things that you don't agree with or have need for at this time in your life.

I was once where you were SW8977, and it took years of spiritual freefall leading to my crash-and=burn on the bootom of Satan's pit to wake me up. Sadly, I think you are headed in that very same direction.

The reason I wrote "Prodigal Daze" was to help people like yourself, because once you hit bottom, you will need Jesus more than ever, and He'll be waiting for you, like He did with Peter, once Peter nearly drowned after surfing and wiping out. However, escaping that bottomless pit, is more difficult than it was to get into.

Pay heed SW8977...it's not what's in the [yours too] heart, but what's written on the pages of Scripture that matters.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

Are you talking about Christians being full of lies, adulteries, fornication. If so, there was no change from the unsaved to the saved. That is where Christ and the Holy Spirit dwells.

Luk 6:45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh


BBob,

 

Are you suggesting Christians are not sinners?
I think, but may be wrong, that what you are speaking to is sanctification. If so, then I would say Christ is our sanctification. I do not think that what is going on in my heart is what Christianity is all about. The core of Christianity is Christ, his gospel, his work. It is about him.

 

I think you need to read the following scripture more closely, I am sure its the one you used to make such a statement.

I really don't think you believe Christians do such things, but could be wrong. The following scripture is what proceeds out of the heart of an "evil" man, not a Christian.


Luk 6:45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh

Christians do not have that kind of a heart. Their heart of stone was removed and they were given a heart of flesh, which Jesus dwells in.

Yes, we sin, but we are not such sinners as whoremongers.

I see you are a "reformed" believer. You don't believe the "elect" are whoremongers do you, or that such things are in the heart of the whoremongers?

The saved are not "evil" men/women are they? I can only speak for myself, and from my heart, those things do not come.

BBob,

 

I believe Christ came to save sinners. Whether I am reformed or not has no bearing on Christ and his work.

I identify with the publican:

(Luke 18:13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

So then, apart from Christ, all of us, Christian or not, has a heart full of evil.

Which proves that Christianity is not predicated on my heart, but on Christ.

 

Where does this verse indicate or "prove that Christianity is not predicated on your heart but on Christ?" Let's examine the verse and preceeding verse to understand context.

Luke 18:13- 14KJV
13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted

What is abased?

The greek word for abase is Tapeinoo (Strongs 5011)
to make low, bring low
1. to level, reduce to a plain
2. metaph. to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances
1. to assign a lower rank or place to
2. to abase
3. to be ranked below others who are honoured or rewarded
4. to humble or abase myself by humble living
3. to lower, depress
1. of one's soul bring down one's pride
2. to have a modest opinion of one's self
3. to behave in an unassuming manner
4. devoid of all haughtiness


Those who are his behave in an unassuming manner, live humbly, devoid of haughtiness, reduced to meaner circumstances. This means freedom and justification thru our Lord's sacrifice on the cross.

This is not a free pass to reduce the Lord's sacrifice to mean nothing to us while we go about our ways of lying, fornicating, committing adultery, stealing etc... Living in a constant satanic state of being opposed to our Lord's ways is not behaving in an unassuming and humble manner. If we are not abased, we are living the pharisee lifestyle.

This verse compares the humbleness and unassuming manner of behavior concerning the tax collector life as opposed to the pharisee who lives haughty. Who lives for himself, in a constant state of rebellious grevious sin against our Lord.

So are we a pharisee or are unabased & humble ourselves, behave in an unassuming manner, without haughtiness as our overall lifestyle like the tax collector?

 

Here's the whole verse in context.

Jeremiah 17:9-12NKJV
“ The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings

Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself



It isn't all about Christ but all about the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."


Serve him with a loyal heart. No one can serve two masters.

1 Chronicles 28:9 NKJV “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

The heart is to be kept with all dillegence for out of it comes the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, *For out of it spring the issues of life

 

I don't, Jesus told the woman to go and sin no more.

BBob,

 

Here we see that Christ is the Word, the visible Word of God. So I agree that it is all about God's Word, and that Word is best seen in Christ.

 

Christ came to save sinners. How he did this is seen objectively in fundamental doctrine, in history, in facts, and in words: virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, resurrection, propitiation, justification. Don't let my views on reformed theology make you think I see anything less than Christ, crucified. His death and resurrection is at the very heart of the gospel, that gospel we preach. And he now makes intercession for all those who come to God by him. These "facts" are apart from the gospel of self-transformation. These "facts" lead to being conformed to the image of Christ. But these facts do not help me become a better me. No, these facts demand my death, and only then can I be raised into the likeness of Christ Jesus.

 

And what is love to God? We love Him because we follow a doctrine- His doctrine in a sense (there is more to it than that). Accepting Christ like a little child is a recognition of a doctrin- that Christ is the Savior. The point is we can not escape doctrine.

 

Tell me of the sins of Apostle Paul after he received Christ in his heart??

1Ti 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned:

Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Hbr 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Hbr 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Mat 7:15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Christians do not have an evil heart.

BBob,

 

This is correct, Jesus said, if you love Me keep my commands, simply said by Jesus, if you do not want to obey scripture (that wuld be doctrines, those pesky rules and stuff people don't like) you do not love Him.