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To: boatbums
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
So you never, ever have "fits of rage" or any of the others listed sins? Never?
99 posted on 11/25/2011 8:24:48 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: narses
So you never, ever have "fits of rage" or any of the others listed sins? Never?

I'm not the one claiming to be a perfectly, Spirit-led 100% of the time Christian. Not even Paul said he was but that it is a battle between the new nature and the old sin nature that only by moving closer to Christ can we even begin to see growth. Paul's warning about the "fruit" of the sinful nature should be familiar to us all but, as Christians, we no longer desire to live that way. In fact, it should be detestable to us to ever think of going there. All Christians receive discipline and chastisement from our heavenly Father, in fact if we don't experience it, we are NOT really his. In II Timothy 1:7, Paul says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." So by the power of the Holy Spirit within us we learn to gain control over that old nature that is at war with the new. In Hebrews 12:4-8, we are told:

"In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all."

So, we all endure God's correction so that we have victory in our lives over sin and we live holy lives that bring honor and glory to God. Those who do not exhibit this desire to be holy are not showing any indication that they ARE saved. But to BE saved, we come to God in faith and he saves us by his grace and mercy, we do not deserve salvation, but that IS grace after all.

105 posted on 11/25/2011 8:58:05 PM PST by boatbums ( Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Titus 3:5)
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