Monday, 20 June 2011
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I Know The Truth And Keep Sinning
There were many a myths propagated in my Sunday school.
Many of which I am finally figuring out, now that I don't attend that church anymore. It is a revelation everytime I realise that there are so many things that have been put into my mind that I hadn't really questioned before. They are finally being challenged, for example, I believed the rapture till about a few months ago--I had never been told of any options besides post-millenialism. I had never really questioned the notion because that's how I had been brought up in church--Left Behind and the idea of dispensationalism were very popular in my church, unfortunately.
Another one that I am finding out about is the division of the Bible up into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Of these two parts, the former was a salvation by works gospel, specifically following the Ten Commandments, while the latter was a salvation by faith through Jesus Christ. In reality, I am realising that the Gospel has and will always be the same. It is the same in both covenants: it has always been salvation through faith alone.
The Ten Commandments were given to Israel after they had been delivered from Egypt--at this point in time, they had already been justified and delivered from their land of bondage. These commands must be then, not to show them how to become elect (for they already were) but they were to show how they were to live. It would be logical for God to have given this Law onto them in Egypt, if He intended to let them earn their own way out of Egypt. But surely, they could not fold the waves behind them when they had attempted to escape.
Sanctification, therefore, is the purpose of the Mosaic Law. The function of the Law is to educate us about the perfection of Christ, restrain us from sinning against God, and restraining us from limiting the Spirit working in our lives. There is a misunderstanding, if we think that any man can truly fulfill the demands of this Law, but the whole intention of the Law is to show how far we fall short, and how much more we are in need of the Holy Spirit.
The last time I talked about someone I knew quite well, it didn't end well.
I think it was how vitriolic it was with which I talked about them that was not appropriate, so here is something positive and convicting of someone that I know. I read the above conversation on facebook a while ago, of which I have been planning to write about for a long time, but school has prevented me from saying everything that I have wanted to say. School often cuts and disrupts your blogging flow, and you find yourself with many different pieces of blogs which represent disparate ideas.
But, if we keep on sinning though we know the truth, does that make us worse? Knowing what a great plan we have, that God will surely fulfill, it does make us worse--but we are not beyond repair. Admitting that I am a sinner is not the end, because Jesus being my Lord and Savior is the end. Knowing continually how much I fail, knowing how great sin is, and what consequences there are to them without Christ. I wonder that even today, living today, I vowed to not think a hateful thought toward anyone--I know for sure I failed.
For these reasons, I am sure that this is the reason we were given the Law, to show how we should live. Knowing the truth that I am a sinner, but that I am continuing to fail--surely this gives me humility and the capacity to accept grace in my life daily.
Does being a Christian make you a worse sinner, does this not amplify what a faithful God we have then?
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About the Author
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- From: llamalima@xanga
- About Me: Who am I? I am 19 year old university student, prone to stressing over about some assignment due the next day. I sometimes have time to blog mostly about Christian thoughts. In my spare time, I am also a musical connoisseur, ninja, movie junkie, and full-time hypochondriac. I may have lied about one of those, or a few.
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Comments (5)
Being a sinner despite knowing the truth is the very definition of being Christian. We can't NOT be sinners or we would be perfect, we would have arrived. It is not possible to arrive as humans. But we ask for forgiveness and repent our sins often so that we continue to accept the gift of salvation. He sees us as perfect because Jesus' sacrifice has washed away the sinful characteristics that He would otherwise see.
Being a believer definitely makes us more accountable to our actions. We do know the truth, but because we are human and have sinful natures no matter what we do we will always be sinners, up until the day we are in heaven with our new and clean and perfect bodies, of course. But that's where Jesus' blood and God's love for us comes in to place. At least we actually know what forgiveness is and we know the amazing gift that we get because we accept that we are sinners and we need God.
Excellent insight! Not many see clearly that faith in Jesus Christ is and always was the way to salvation, even during Old Testament times. I knew it, and the Holy Spirit bore witness to me again as I read your words. Paul explains it so clearly in Hebrews 11. All that took place was done by faith, and we know that true faith is only centered in Jesus Christ. Verse 26 comes right out and tells us that Moses knew Christ. Jesus is the great “I AM,” the true God of this and all worlds, and all the prophets have known Him.
However, I wouldn’t say that having faith in Christ makes us worse sinners. It just makes us more accountable. Where much is given, much is expected. Through the sacrifice of Christ we gradually become sanctified. We get rid of our grosser sins and He takes us gradually through the layers of the onion, so to speak, as He refines us and makes us a spiritual man.
If you continue to follow the Holy Spirit as you have done here, He will lead you into all truth.
My friends & I have researched this & we believe that we are still to follow Ten Commandment Law. Not to save us--Jesus did that--but out of obedience and a desire to follow Jesus' example. When Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law; this did not mean that the commandments were no longer to be followed as some churches teach but that he was the epitome of the law in that he did not sin. He is our example. We must strive to be like him.
This was inspiring.