Sin.

[rick]

If you are predetermined an elect this process is worked out throughout our whole life, but we are just not aware of it

                                                     

Maybe that is what keeps me wondering where I stand with God,

I know all will be eventually saved, as its God will that all be save.
I have a desire to learn about God also a desire to live a life that is right before God but its my performance that I question.

Although I can not prove to myself through scripture but commonsense tells me if Christ is working in me then sinning should be less with each passing day.

What seems to always be before me is, God is perfect, God is righteous, but I am not. I see my own failure to imitate Christ not having the ability within myself to adhere to God's standards.

I understand I was made in vanity from creation and am to spiritually weak to obey the laws of God. But now I find myself between a rock and a hard place because of my belief in God and not being able to live according to the standards of our creator.

I find apart of me wants to walk away yet another part of me wants to stay knowing I'm a failure at living up to Gods standards.

I analyze my sins in this manor, if I'm attracted to anything outside the law of God and give into what ever temptation I'm am struggling with then its only because I am to spiritually weak to resist that temptation but have and inner understanding that this that I do is wrong in Gods sight.

I am helpless to overcome those desires which are wrong by design and I was never intended from the beginning to obey God .

Understanding my own inability humbles me knowing I don't measure up but if I pray to God asking God to remove my inability to resist every temptation that befalls me and that prayer is not answered , then what more can I do besides realize my own inability to live righteously before God?

Peace and love to all. 

[Kat]

Hi Rick, well you are in good company, Paul had the same struggle.

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
v. 15  For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
v. 16  If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
v. 17  But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
v. 18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

This way is not suppose to be easy, as Ray has said it's the hardest thing we will ever do. I feel that it is a good thing to have the hope in obtaining the highest calling any person can receive. So I strive and hope to endure to the end... what hope can there be if I just give up and throw the towel in? And I don't believe it is an unrealistic hope, because the Scripture that I base this hope on is this.

1Co 1:26  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
v. 27  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
v. 28  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
v. 29  that no flesh should glory in His presence.

With that I feel there's a real chance for even me, if God willing and I keep with it to the end. It won't happen without both of those, so I struggle on.

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
v. 23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
v. 24  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
v. 25  I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!
    So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[lareli]

Instead of worrying about sin, why not just focus on loving God and loving our neighbor as ourself? Didn't Jesus say that those two commands pretty much sum up the entire law?

Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. That's all I can do. Whether one is an 'elect' or not at least one could be a decent human being by doing these two things and if after doing these I still end up in the symbolic lake of fire.. well I can say its Gods good will for me and at least the end result will be that I'll eventually make it into Gods kingdom as a citizen or subject instead of a king or judge or priest.

[Rhys 🕊]

John 8:34  Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
John 8:35  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
John 8:36  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Jesus is the answer to it all and you shouldn't worry as He is the one that will make us free.

We should do what we can knowing that we are powerless without Him so focus on Him with love and to those around us

Who wants to be a slave to sin. It sucks the life out of me but we shouldn't feel condemned but learn what is right and wrong and learn obedience

John 8:7  And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
John 8:8  And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.
John 8:9  But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
John 8:10  Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
John 8:11  She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

I find it a constant struggle but continue to do my best. I learn the consequences of my actions and God gives me a taste of something better in Him. It's worth the hardship and suffering to find the life you can have in Him. So you get back up and press on towards the goal with the knowledge of the sure hope we have in Him.

1Jn 2:1  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1Jn 2:2  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.


Rhys

[rick]

Instead of worrying about sin, why not just focus on loving God and loving our neighbor

                                                          Hi Largeli,


What you say sounds like good advice, if only it were possible but having a memory gets in the way and as I error, its not as if I cannot acknowledge my sin.

The scriptures Kat had given by Paul the apostle I understand so well and not only me but everyone who acknowledges God.

I will continue moving forward as I am, until my change comes , I trust Christ will break the chains that impede me from living a righteous life.

Until that change comes I will continue on as Paul said, that which I would do I do not but that which I would not do is that which I do, who will save me from this body of sin, I thank God through Jesus Christ.


peace and love to all.