In Ezekiel 36 the Lord, talking to Israel, says:
Here, in the Old Testament, is God's description of the new birth. In John's Gospel we are told that in order to be saved we must be "born again" (Jn 3:3-8). We must have a new heart, and we must have the Holy Spirit living within us. The result of this is that we will obey Christ. The Bible tells us that those who do not have His Spirit cannot obey or please Him (Rom 8:5-9). Those who are born of God obey Him because we have His Spirit within us (1Jn 2:1-5, 3:9-10).
If you have God's Spirit in you (Eph 1:13-14) then you will live a new life. If you claim to be a Christian yet you do not live a new life then your claim is probably in vain.
In Christ,
Martin.
My Spirit In You
Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Martin, Apr 17, 2005.
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Did the saints of Corinth obey or did they need to be exhorted to walk rightly?
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"Did the saints of Corinth obey or did they need to be exhorted to walk rightly? "
==What does the Scriptures say?
1Jn 2:1-5, 3:9-10, Rom 8:5-9 Ez 36:26-27, Jn 14:16-24, etc.
Clearly the new birth enables a person to live for God. A person who has been born again has God's Spirit living in them, they have been made alive in Christ. There will be a change in their behavior. As God told the prophet Ezekiel, "I will put My Spirit within you and cuase you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances". Does this mean we will be sinless and perfect? Of course it does, in our final state. However at the current time we still live in fallen bodies in a fallen world and therefore we are still capable of sin. We are still in the process of sanctification. We are not in our perfected state yet. However that does not mean someone can be saved and live like the devil and expect to enter heaven when they die. The Bible is clear that a lifestyle of sin indicates an unsaved, dead in sin soul (1Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, 1Jn 3:9-10). The believers in Corinth were warned by Paul about this matter and exorted to examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith (2Cor 13:5).
In Christ,
Martin. -
Is this also how you interpret the warning passages in Hebrews, Martin?
Yours, Bluefalcon -
"Is this also how you interpret the warning passages in Hebrews"
==I would say they are warning false believers, yes. -
Where is the threshhold of to much sin to be saved. Everyone of us sin everyday. Probobly before you get out of bed. What about a backslidden believer?
I understand that our nature changes when we are saved. We don't live for sin anymore. But be careful about being to much of a fruit inspector. We will see people we never expected to see in heaven.