How Long Does it Take You to Backslide?

Ichabod!

:tear::tear::tear: :type:

 

lets make this biblical and simple!

We as Christians still have old sin principle/nature within us, will be there until death/Rapture/Second Comg

We struggle against obeying God, as flesh fights Him, we need to exercise renewing minds by Bible, and walking in HS, abiding in Christ, as long as we keep doing that, God will enable us not to sin..

WHEN we fall back though, and at times ALL do in the Lord, God will faithfully forgive and cleanse us from ALL sin commited, IF we confess them to Him...

On the poll, the 2 options of "never backsliding" and "have never" are both sins of lying!
See how simple this is, all from the Bible!

What you seem to hold to is a form of Weseyln 'sinless perfection" that holds that it is indeed possible to reach a state of non sinning in this life thru a "scond act of Grace"

Only problem is that it is NOT scriptually!

 

Brother Paul, there is nothing you can say to freeatlast, he thinks he is correct and will not listen to anything to the contrary. Perhaps he will not suffer the fate of many Christians who spend a little time in the hog pen at one time or another. Possible as he matures and continues to study, he will see the error of his current beliefs.

 

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].
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 

that is true, as long as we do the part of submitting to the HS, and let Him keep us from sinning..

problem is that NONE of us can do that perfectly all the time, as we are still working with our old pesky "sin principle that dwells within us"

 

Here is where we differ in understanding. First I do not agree that we can depart from the Holy Spirit as He abides in us unconditionally. Scripture says;
[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
In 1 john we read;
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (practice) sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot (practice) sin, because he is born of God.

So here is what I get from this. First the Lord God is keeping us saved positionally. He is also keeping us from returning to any kind of sinning (practicing sin) because the Spirit abides (remains) in us.1John 3 (no backsliding possible) He does not abide until we start sinning. His abiding keeps us from sinning (practicing sin (backsliding).
However His abiding does not keep us from doing any sin at all, just the practice of sinning. We are left with the task of learning not to sin at all while He has the task of keeping us from sinning as a practice.
He never fails, but we can even though we don't have to. I believe we have the ability from the point of salvation to live without ever sinning again. Do I think anyone has ever done it, yes. The thief on the cross is a prime example. I think some on their death bed have accepted the Lord unto salvation and died without sinning before they died.
Now have I done it. NO! To my shame, but just because I have failed in the past does not mean I am going to use it as an excuse to sin in the future. I make it through some days without sinning. Not enough, but some and I will continue to strive for that until I go to be with the Lord and I believe that is the call of every believer to strive as well. I know some call this pride, but it is in no way bragging, just informing because of the current apostacy and false teaching on this by the church.

Let me add here in no way does not sinning get me one inch closer to heaven or earn me a single favor as He owes me nothing since not sinning is my reasonable service. It is I who owe Him and seeking to live above sin is all I have to offer even if it does not repay what He has done and in no way am I trying to repay. It is just what is required of me and everyone else.
Now that being said the sad thing is that the church has become apostate and it tells the people living without sin is impossible when it is not. Living without sin is what we are called to, it is just very difficult not impossible.
So I don’t believe this thing called the old sin nature or what ever one would like to call it can keep us from living above sin. All sin is a choice as no temptation has taken us that is above what we can endure for God will not permit such and the frequency of our sins shows the depth or lack thereof about the love we have for the Lord. We do not all love Him the same and I for one have had to admit to Him (very difficult to do) that I do not love Him as I should. If ye love me, keep my commandments
So can a Christian live their life without sinning. Yes! I believe they can, but I have never met one, but yesterday is past and forgotten and today may be the beginning for me as I refuse to stop seeking it even in the mist of those who seek to discourage such.

 

So you DO hold to the doctrine of it being possible to obtain state pf grace where "sinless perfection" will happen while here in the Flesh on the earth?

 

I can only answer you this way. As to sinless perfection absolutely not. We are born sinners and prove it as we have all fallen short. However after salvation I believe we have everything we need to live above sin, all sin. I have just not done it or met anyone who has, but that is because my love for the Lord is not what it ought to be, not because I have not been given what is needed.
If we hold we cannot achieve living above sin then we have an excuse, and most use it, as to why when we don't live as we ought. I believe we are totally responsible and when we sin as it is always choice because we have been given everything that is needed to live godly, above sin (2peter I:3) We have lowered our standards so we can live without the conviction of facing our true self as we run around claiming we love the Lord all the while living something else. That needs to stop and we need to look at what we are teaching the church. Do that and we will have revival.

 

Amen to That!

I agree with your observation. It is like :BangHead: against a semantic wall. All we can do is raying:, and :sleep: as he spouts off about his way being the ONLY way.

When I taught Psych Tech classes at the state hospital, 99% of the inpatients seemed to think they were sane and the rest of us were crazy. :laugh:

Again, thanks for your note. That is why I have decided to ignore his future comments. I know what I have gone through, and I know His love was the determining force that brought me full circle.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul

 

Well, one thing. I appreciate how freeatlast stands firm with his convictions. This is sorely missing in many of todays churches. I wish he were a little more flexible, but at least he stands his ground.

 

Paul what matters is what the word of God says not what men claim. An experience does not nullify the word of God. People claim to get slain in the spirit and have real experiences but they are not from God. All that matters is what is written, not what men say.

 

It is also written....

...."Ichabod!" :tear: :tear: :tear: :type:

 

I realize you think that you have now been elevated to the thrown of God having dethroned the Lord Jesus and now have His place at the right hand of God being able to render such judgments and we should now bow and tremble over you. However I choose to trust in the One I have been trusting and holding to what He has written and not your personal edicts and judgments. I am confident in His word instead of yours or any man's testimony that contradicts His word. So your pronouncement of judgment is of little consequence to me.

 

Funny....

This is exactly how I feel about your prouncement of judgment on me and others!

Therefore, it remains written...your pronouncements; assertations; proclamations; and observations have been relegated to that of "Ichabod!" as being mere ramblings from a legalistic view of religion!!! :tear: :tear: :tear: :type:

 

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

Just curious...

IF a person keeps have difficuklty dealing with a particular sin, such as getting drunk, porn, lying etc...

Should they repent after each sin confess and move on with God?
or should they just assume not saved?

 

How long does it take one to backslide?

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; (2 Corinthians 10:5)

As long as it takes to dwell momentarily on an ungodly thought and not to bring it into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

 

Guess the 64,000 question on this is do we Christians STILl have the sin principle dwelling within us even after being saved, as per Apostle Paul, or not?

 

Of course we do. Paul spends the entire seventh chapter of Romans describing the struggle between his new nature and that old sinful nature. He does the things that he doesn't want to do, and the things he doesn't want to do those he does. It is a battle between two natures which we all have.