Going With The Flow The Way To Go?

[Gibs]

I heard a country song that put it that was the way to go, not to fight the current. Can that be for a True Christian? Would that not be the broad way of the world. How about if we are not a protestant Christian? Would that not be the big wide flow of the worlds churches?

So I ask, Protestants, "where's the beef"? What do you protest that would make you a protestant?

Is not a push been on some time to put away any True protestantism?

Don't we know that walking as Jesus Christ walked above sin is the way and He made it possible for us to also walk? Is that then going with the flow of this world's cobbled way to please Him?

I know for sure not. So protestants, "where's your beef"?

Read 1 Joh 4:4 Do it.

[Overaged]

Jesus was a Protestant; and so may we also be. What's impossible with us; is possible with God.

[teresaq]

Hmmm, I think Tom has another thread going that plays into this...

Isn't our constant, "gotta overcome sin" just another form of pure self-centeredness? That isn't to say, that we don't need to overcome sin.

While we are constantly talking about how we need to overcome sin, and constantly trying to overcome sin, just how much room is left for anyone else starting with God?

What did Jesus do?

Sit around focusing on all His temptations?

Or...?

Maybe if we do what He did there wouldn't be any room for sin left? (Which can be a trap in a different direction.)

[Woody]

Hmmm, I think Tom has another thread going that plays into this...

Isn't our constant, "gotta overcome sin" just another form of pure self-centeredness? That isn't to say, that we don't need to overcome sin.

While we are constantly talking about how we need to overcome sin, and constantly trying to overcome sin, just how much room is left for anyone else starting with God?

What did Jesus do?

Sit around focusing on all His temptations?

Or...?

Maybe if we do what He did there wouldn't be any room for sin left? (Which can be a trap in a different direction.)

This is one of the best and most to the point posts I've seen on the subject.

[Gibs]

I don't know why you want to make appear hard for people to do as Jesus made it easy and quick to accomplish.

The rebellious spirit of self must fall on the Rock and be broken is all it takes. All of self cast out that He may come and dwell within a cleaned house.

The Divine Nature, Paul identifies it as "Christ in you the hope of Glory". Yes our only hope as of ourselves we are not able to be overcomers and He tells us we must.

He says it was a mystery to the Gentiles, well no more, He gave Himself to us and will come and dwell within.

Is that hard? No not at all.

Do we really Love Him? Then it is our thing to surrender all to Him. Our thing to do His will. Our thing to Love what He Loves.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Gail]

Maybe if we do what He did there wouldn't be any room for sin left? (Which can be a trap in a different direction.)

I like this Starving the old man by filling him with Christ

[Gibs]

Going with the "flow of the world" is not the way of the Christian following the ony One to follow. One must go through that "strait" narrow scraping off gate that is the opening to that narrow way that leads to LIFE! All that is of the world is stripped off to get through that "strait" gate.

Christ's way is not hard unless one can't see to give up self and the world and all it's alurments that are of a different master. We must find full and total freedom within His Will, that our will and our love is the same as His and we are then One in Him.

The mystery or secret for us Gentiles today is Christ's indwelling or Divine Nature. The whole load of this worlds baggage thrown off that our house is cleand and then He comes in and takes up His abode and we are filled.

We then have His Power, His Impervious Covering which will soon and is now sorely needed.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Dr. Rich]

Entering the narrow gate is not going with the flow. Remember, MANY are those who have been deceived--few are those who will overcome sin (Rev. 3:4). ALL of the nations and people of the world will follow after the first beast of Rev. 13. Only those found in Rev. 12:17 will be those who are not OF the world.

Many are those who say they are saved but in truth are lost because they refuse to obey ALL of the ten commandments and follow the words of Jesus. There is no such thing as being saved by grace for those who refuse to obey the words of Jesus.

[Raphael]

If going to heaven was only the matter of obedience.. yet Christ had to deal with poverty, rejection, animosity, indifference till painful agonies of hunger, thirst, blood sweating fear of eternal separation with God the Father, and then utmost physical torture to the death.

The tests were never about the sufficiency level of obedience.. its far beyond.. we are destined to be above angels, crowned with the titled "children of God" as purchased with the blood of His only Son, pillars of the new sinless universe and will always be with Him as no other had been addressed in such manner.

As the person did everything to possess the pearl of greatest value, so will be others tested in this manner.

Happy Sabbath

[Gibs]

Dr. Rich,

Right on, obedience is really a product of our love back to Him who First loved us.

He had made a way for us to be obedient before He said "go sin no more".

Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

He even made His statement stronger here,

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

"Trust and Obey" and "I Surrender All" should be sung in every service today to pull out of this conception that has come in.

There is no way shape or form He didn't say what He meant and He meant what He said. He in no way shape or form told them to do something not possible for them to do and the same applies to all, not just to one.

All SDA's here, EGW makes it clear also that all must be overcomers. Why fight against the "pricks", best to get with the easy obtainable way for any and all that He has made.

Paul gave it to the Gentiles, the Messianic Jew knew it, "Christ in you is the Hope of Glory"!

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[JoeMo]

This is my very first post, so be gentle with me

I frequently struggle with this whole issue. Sometimes conservative fundemental believers can become so far removed from the world that they become exclusionary and unattractive. Doesn't that compromise our witness? If people aren't attracted to what we have, or if we set up an overwhelming system or rules and doctrines, we're not going to be very effective. On the other hand, we must have high biblical standards to truly represent the Kingdom to the world.

What do we emphasize - God's grace or God's law? Where is the balance? Sometimes I think putting a performance standard on people (e.g., keep the Sabbath, stay sober, no pork, shelfish, etc.) is divisive rather than uniting. For performance-based religion, where do you set the bar? We all know people that have a very high standard and those who don't. Who among us(as created humans)truly "knows" where God has placed that bar?

On the other hand, if it truly is by grace that we are saved, and not by works, there is no bar. I'm more comfortable with this approach. In my own experience, I have found that when I stopped the "I'm an unworthy sinner" self-talk and started that "I am worthy because God is particularly fond of me" self-talk, many of my "problem" sins and temptations seemed to melt away effortlessly. That's not to say that I'm sinless (I'm not!); but I truly feel better about myself and my relationship with my Saviour than I did as an "unworthy sinner".

[Gail]

Thanks for taking that first step! I hope that you continue to post!

:)

[Gibs]

Welcome Joemo,

Well there is much of a problem with what most have come to like and what they don't like.

Where Jesus set the bar is the point, not where men set it. He did make the way easy for us and it is revealed how much we love Him. What degree we will be obedient to Him and what His Way is and we know he is that way and He tells us how we are to walk in it.

Be strengthened by His indwelling and you will have no problems. It does require a death of self to rise up in Him a new creature after him and not of the world no more.

You will meet with all kinds of thinking and ideas folks have here but don't be afraid to lay your piece but don't be taken aback because you are disagreed with.

I will leave with a question, Is the right way popular?

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Woody]

Quote:

Where Jesus set the bar is the point, not where men set it.

Praise God - the bar is SO low that a baby can make it.

[Gail]

But it cost so much! Such a gift!

[Gibs]

Too much to be taken lightly Gail,

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Woody]

Too much to be taken lightly Gail,

Yes, we should be praising God that He saved us.

I try to praise Him for saving me each day.

[Gibs]

Originally Posted By: Gibs

Too much to be taken lightly Gail,

Yes, we should be praising God that He saved us.

I try to praise Him for saving me each day.

Amen, Woody I agree 100% for the Gift so Great we have not words to express enough gratitude.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.