no respect of persons

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on February 21, 2015 at 9:37pm

That's a very helpful distinction! 

God certainly doesn't let me go long after sinning before the strong conviction comes. 

I ignored a conviction I felt recently about watching certain dark videos on youtube, and within 2 weeks, 3 different Christians called me out on it. 

I guess He wouldn't do that if I wasn't His. 

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 22, 2015 at 5:49am

It is definitely a positive sign. Also a positive sign is that if you did not care about the Lord and what He thinks none of this would bother you.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 21, 2015 at 8:57pm

Along with what Watchman said, it is good for us to remember that sin always has a cost. There are consequences for every action we take in life. The consequences may be good or bad, but there is a consequences. Our sin may not cost us our salvation, but it will cost something. This cost could even be the conviction of the Holy Spirit that leads us to repentance. Here our actions will cost us our joy and peace while we are under the conviction regarding sin until we realign with God, for God's peace is not going to rest on one who chooses to live in rebellion.

Growing up in my parents home we had the rules of the home that applied to every kid. If I, or one of my siblings, broke the rule(s) we could be sure that there would be a cost and yet I knew that after the judgment was given out I was still my parents' child. Our sin may cause us many of struggles in this world or may cost us a blessing God had designed for us, but it will cost us something. Some today want to teach that salvation is free and then we can live a free life (do as I please). Salvation is a free gift, but we are then called to holiness and a life surrendered to Jesus that is pleasing to the Father. This life is not easy to live and impossible without the Holy Spirit guiding and empowering. 

Be comforted that as a child of God our heavenly Father's actions are always for our good and not our harm. He is free to us whatever means He deems appropriate to get our attention.

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on February 21, 2015 at 9:40pm

Yes, thanks for this. 

Peace and joy in the Lord is lost, and harmony in my home. It's a terrible cost for a momentary satisfying the urge to speak hurtful words. 

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 22, 2015 at 5:51am

Yes, and the great thing is that Jesus always wants to restore and comfort, but we have to be willing to operate according to His will and way.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on February 22, 2015 at 11:23am

Jenny,

To me, that God has no respect of persons simply means God shows no partiality when it comes to who can be saved. God doesn't discriminate by race, age, gender, etceteras, and God shows no favoritism but will accept all who turn to Him to be saved.

Regarding maturing in Christ, it helps not to focus on just the area where one appears to be failing or appears "stuck" but to look at one's "whole" experience. What I mean is maybe you're really beating yourself up over something you did wrong but forgetting about what you did right, and that's generally when hopelessness sets in -- as it would for someone just starting medical school to put pressure upon herself, thinking she should already be able start diagnosing and treating patients. We are never stagnant, really, in our new lives in Christ. We might be facing obstacles in one area, such as failing to always be obedient in what we view on TV or how we use the internet, while growing in leaps and bounds in other areas, such as in our obedience to abide in Christ through studying the bible daily, praying, and seeking out christian fellowship. We are asked to live up to what we have already attained but not to think or have the attitude that we have already attained everything in every way. Philippians 3:7-14. We are works in progress.

Christ has taken hold of you. I know it's difficult to press on after failing in anyway, whether big or small. It is for me, at least. Somehow, we must learn to get up, dust ourselves off, and continue on.

Also, what helped me in understanding what people mean when they say a true believer doesn't continue in sin, is that there's a difference between continuing "in sin" versus continuing "to sin" and "in sin" is a way of life. The new creation has a new identity and a new life and a new way of life. However, we still are able to sin, and if we sin, we feel sorrow for it, maybe even before we commit it, while battling the temptation leading to it but choosing to go through with it and then being miserable for doing it, so much so that we are even like Peter was, weeping bitterly afterwards.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on February 22, 2015 at 11:27am

Thanks for this. I often overlook what God has done/is doing to change my heart in certain areas. 

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on February 22, 2015 at 11:45am

Me too :)

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on February 22, 2015 at 11:44am

Peter's sorrow wasn't for himself, due to a hurt pride for failing, but was for hurting Christ.

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Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on February 23, 2015 at 8:00pm

Hi Jenny,

You've received some excellent  counsel from Brothers and Sisters here..........

Let me just add some applicable Scripture  on your q2uestions:

I John 3:9, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (N.A.S.B.).

Please notice God's child does not "practice sin" because this child has been born anew in Christ. Sure, there will be some slips during the sanctification period. But these are not habitual ways of a new life with God. As LT has said, this period could take the rest of one's life.

Then, Galatians 5: 16-17, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.(17)For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." (N.A.S.B.).

This inner conflict can continue for some time in a new member of the family of God.

And finally - James 1:2-4, "Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. " (N.A.S.B.).

Praying for you, Jenny.............

Grace and Peace.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on February 24, 2015 at 9:31am

Thanks for this. I have a question about the point you made about 1 John 3:9. I've heard many people say that the born again believer will not practice sin habitually. But isn't the fact that certain sins are habitual the very reason that we continue to commit them even after being born again? 

The sins that I continue to struggle with are habits from my old life. Old patterns that were habitual back then, and so I struggle to nip now.

I appreciate your thoughts on this, and your prayers. 

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 24, 2015 at 11:12am

Jenny,

There is a difference between embracing the sin and battling the sin and still failing. There are many who profess Christ but have no desire to give up sin and align with Him. This lack of desire to give the sin up and lack of desire to align with God causes their salvation to be at best suspect, if not actually false. Whereas one who has been changed will still battle certain desires of the flesh, temptations that still draw us and though we may fail and sin the results of that failure will be for the child of God a time of heavy conviction that is more than opps I am sorry, but a guilt that recognizes that we have sinned against God and desire to repent seeking to come into alignment with Him. Though some battles will seem to last a lifetime, that does not minimize the call to holiness and the affect of failure, the conviction we experience, when we do fail.

I am trying to show a contrast between one who seeks to live for self and could care less about God, though they believe they said a prayer once and are good to go, and a person who cares about what Jesus thinks, wants to live for Him and yet fails at times. 

Therefore, let me ask a couple of questions that you need not answer here, but ponder for yourself.

1) Do you love the things you struggle with or acknowledge that they are wrong and desire to please Jesus ... yet fail?

2) When you fail (like we all do at times ... some more than others) do you simply brush the failure off or do you experience guilt and feel convicted?

3) When you fail what steps do you take to realign with God? Do you just ignore it assuming God has it because of ??? or do you recognize that we need to repent and ask for forgiveness as seen in 1 John 1:9 which is written to the church? This repentance is not to be saved again, but to be cleansed of the taint of sin that we may have a clean relationship with Jesus and be usable in His hands.

Lord Bless,

LT

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