There are other excellent collections of such things out there. These are some notions I thought of myself.
Romans 7 refers to Paul's life as a redeemed, regenerate man. Here are six arguments to that effect.
Why does Jesus teach His disciples to pray in the following way?
Luke 11:4 "And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us."
What sins, if those who are walking in the Spirit don't sin? Is this only a prayer that brand new believers are supposed to pray? Where does Jesus indicate anything of the kind?
Why does James 3:2 say "for we all stumble in many ways"?
Why does Solomon say in 1 Kings 8:46 that "there is no man who does not sin"?
Why does Paul refer to "my brothers" in 1 Cor 1:10-12, when he is rebuking their quarrelling?
If only people who stop sinning entirely reach Heaven, what is 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 about?
The Scripture mentions numerous times that God chastens His children. Does He chasten people when they don't sin? If chastening as sons occurs after sin, how is it that they are referred to as children at that time? Why doesn't it refer to apostates or sinners or de-regenerated people, who once belonged to God but have fallen into condemnation because they sinned?
What do Hebrews 12:4-13 mean?
Philippians 2:27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
--The church lacked in its service to Paul. But he is still treating them like Christians.
--Paul is sending him so that he may be less anxious. Yet we are supposed to cast ALL our anxieties on Christ (Paul even says so later in the book - 4:6). Maybe Paul was unregenerate when he was writing the Epistle to the Philippians.
Why does Paul differentiate between the righteousness of his own that comes from the law and the righteousness that he has by faith (in Philipppians 3) if
1) it's so much better to be free from sin in this life through our own perfect obedience?
2) he had achieved perfect obedience to the law?
Why does he go on to say what he says in v12? Should we consider you more spiritually advanced than the Apostle Paul?
What do verses 13-16 mean? Why does he say that those who are mature should think that way? Wouldn't someone who has achieved perfection already be mature?
Philippians 3:17 - 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Why should these BROTHERS join in imitating Paul? That's an invitation to keep growing to maturity. Isn't a perfect person already mature? Isn't a lack of maturity sinful? Why does he call them BROTHERS?
What do Philippians 4:2-3 mean?
Why is it that Paul is so certain that these women's names are in the book of life if
-election is false?
-they are in the middle of dissent?
What do Philippians 4:14-16 mean? Are those other churches that neglected to provide for the scanty needs of an apostle of the Lord entirely false churches, entirely populated by unregenerate people?
Is it not a sin to doubt? What does Jude 22 mean, in that case?
What does Acts 15:6-11 mean, especially the parts boldfaced here?
6The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8“And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10“Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
What is it about circumcision that is a yoke that the apostles said they weren't able to bear? Why are the commands of the NT more bearable than OT laws?
Why does 2 Peter 1:8 say the following?
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How can the aforementioned qualities increase if one is supposed to be perfect already?
Why does Paul pray for the Colossians in Col 1:9-10 if they are NOT yet walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, or bearing fruit in every good work?
As a matter of fact, why does Paul still treat the Corinthian church, Galatian church, and all thsee other churches as actual churches filled with actual Christians if they were sinfully allowing these divisions, sinful doctrines, and negligent behaviors among them? Why didn't he tell them all that they were headed to Hell?
The Bible says that we are to keep careful watch over ourselves and our doctrine. When you fail to realise that you have sinned, such as when you speed while driving, you have failed to do what you were supposed to do. Even if you repent immediately it doesn't matter because you keep telling me you are perfect and wallking in the Spirit.
You are supposed to have perfect joy at all times. How are you in perfect joy right now? And what will you do if you ever fall into depression?
Do you never waste even a nanosecond of time? Do you always use all of every second of every day for God's glory in all ways?
Do you always use all of your money and every single cent of your money in a way that brings the maximum amount of glory to God?
Notice how the author of Psalm 119 expresses many times the fact that he keeps the commandments of God, but then also expresses his failings. How do we explain this other than by saying that he is a righteous man who sometimes sins? Specifically:
Ps 119:136 - My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law.
Ps 119:176 - I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.
In what way is the New Covenant better than the Old Covenant? How are the new promises better than the old?
What does it mean that Christ has died for all sins once for all?
What does Hebrews 4:16 mean? Why do believers need to find mercy and grace on an ongoing basis?
What does Hebrews 5:1-3 mean?
Why doesn't the author of Hebrews call the recipients of the epistle to be re-regenerated because of the faults in them as listed in Hebrews 5:11-14?
What is a "dead work", as in Hebrews 6:1 and 9:14? Why is it set in opposition to faith?
Do you teach and confess that it is impossible to renew the one who falls away to repentance again, as in Hebrews 6:4-6? Or do you teach, contrary to that passage, that those who fall away into an unregenerate state can come back to God?
Why is the author of Hebrews convinced of better things concerning the recipients, since they love Him, even though they are guilty of these things he just mentioned? Is not failing to realise the full assurance of hope until the end a sin as well?
Why does the author of Hebrews use the example of a unilateral covenant in which Abraham had no part, no role to fulfill, in this discussion in Hebrews 6:13-20?
If the law made nothing perfect, as in Hebrews 7:19 and 10:1, why do you think we can be made perfect thru obedience to the law now?
Wasn't the epistle to the Hebrews written post-Jesus' coming? Why didn't he say anything about that at that point?
What does Hebrews 10:10 mean? Were all of the recipients on their deathbeds, such that he was 100% sure they had all persevered until the end already?
What does Hebrews 10:18 mean?
Did Abraham, who is said to have been justified by his faith in Genesis 15:6, become un-justified when he lied to Abimelech? When he took Hagar into his bed so as to jump-start the promise that he would have a son?
Was Lot un-justified when he offered the men of Sodom his daughters? If so, why is he called righteous in 2 Peter?
If Jeremiah and Job had died right after their complaints against God, would they have gone to Hell?
If Peter had been stabbed by a Roman soldier right after cutting off Malchus' ear, would he have gone to Hell?
Which between Barnabas and Paul reverted to an unregenerate state when they separated over the question of whether John Mark would accompany them on their mission?
Why didn't Jesus call Philip to repent and be re-regenerated when he lacked faith in John 14:8?
Why didn't Jesus call the disciples to repent and be re-regenerated after His resurrection but before His ascension, given that they had doubted His resurrection?
What does Romans 12:3 mean?
What do Galatians 2:16-17 mean?
Why can it be that there are those who preach Christ out of selfish ambition in Philippians 1:15-18?
Can one who is perfect be conspicuous in failing to be mentioned in the love he ought to have?
Paul singled out Timothy in Philippians 2:20 - "20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare."
And then v25 - I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
Is it not falling short of perfection to be surpassed in the excellence of love for a church by someone else?
24 comments:
1. Romans 7 is about a carnal Jew who doesn't keep the mosaic law, and leads into ch 8 with him becoming a Christian where he walks after the spirit and not the flesh.
Romans 7 is not the Christian experience.
Verse 1 the audience is directed to the jews who know the mosaic law. Paul talks about them dying to the Law and marrying Christ, but then goes back to talk about their living in the flesh in verse 5 on until finally coming to Christ and in ch. 8 walking in the spirit and not in the flesh. He mentions in verse 1 and 13 that if you live after the flesh you (Christian Brethren) will die, but if you live after the spirit you will live.
That is very out of context. Romans 7 is clearly about the Christian experience.
See here.
Luke 11 is the same as Matt 18. We forgive because we have been forgiven, and if we don't then he will take back what he said and we will pay for them.
This prayer is prayed 3 times a day by the early church to this day. You pray it even if you have no present sins you need forgiveness for. We pray that God would remain merciful and not charge us with any of our sins.
Pray this 3 times a day and I bet it will help you abstain from sinning. Can you not stop sinning in between praying this prayer throughout the day?
We forgive because we have been forgiven, and if we don't then he will take back what he said and we will pay for them.
Twisting Scripture, proposing that the new birth, the seal of the Spirit on His regenerate adopted son or daughter, can be lost. That is false.
You pray it even if you have no present sins you need forgiveness for
OR we pray it BECAUSE we have present sins we need forgiveness for. See how you just begged the question? A perfect person wouldn't do that.
Can you not stop sinning in between praying this prayer throughout the day?
How about you show us all how it's done?
Start with a little humility and drop your (false) public claims that you're sinlessly perfect already. That's just pride.
3. Keep reading
James goes on to say, "10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE SO.
11Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fres...
This is like Jesus saying, "either make the tree good or bad."
Matt 12:33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
34“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35“A good man out of the good treasure of his heartfn brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Christians are those who have freely chosen to make the tree good and it's fruit.
4 Because that it Solomon's observation. Did Jesus sin, was he a man?
James goes on to say, "10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE SO.
They ought indeed not to be so.
Yet "we all stumble in many ways". You haven't overturned the force of that statement. The truth is found in ALL of what James 3 says.
Did Jesus sin, was he a man?
Jesus is the one obvious exception. Is that really your argument? Since Jesus never sinned, that means a non-divine man can never sin as well?
5. Because they were his brethren, whether ethnic or Christian. He warned all of them in the letter that they all could enter or not enter the kingdom based on their works. Ch 3 and 6 especially.
6. People can enter the kingdom for not all sins are unto death as John explains in his letter. In 1 cor 3 we see the a person can be saved yet as through fire, but if you keep reading we also see what happens to a person who defiled the temple of God. They will be destroyed.
Because they were his brethren, whether ethnic or Christian
Right- they were CHRISTIANS.
So they were Christians who were not yet sinlessly perfect.
No it isn't.
People can enter the kingdom for not all sins are unto death as John explains in his letter.
So you're a papist, holding to the venial sin/mortal sin distinction.
The more you talk the more you out yourself as a pagan or at best an ignorant Bible-twister.
We also pray the, "father have mercy on us sinners" daily as well. Praying these things keep you in a place of humility, in a place of need. This doesn't mean I am sinning everyday in word, thought and deed. Nor does it mean that I know of things against myself. You don't just pray these if you need them when you sin. We keep ourselves far from them.
I think you are missing what James is saying. The people he is talking to are double-minded people. He was not like them. James is talking to these ethnic jews the same way Jesus was talking to the Pharisees about being good. You can't be good and bad. Choose which one you are going to be.
We also pray the, "father have mercy on us sinners" daily as well. Praying these things keep you in a place of humility, in a place of need.
So praying prayers that indicate false information is a good thing to do. It's part of being perfect. Alrighty.
The people he is talking to are double-minded people.
James said "WE all stumble". Maybe you think he was double-minded.
You can't be good and bad. Choose which one you are going to be.
You're just begging the question at this point.
It just means you can't use it as an absolute statement.
Jesus was sinless as a man just like us. He didn't use a cheat code. He was made just like us, was tempted like us etc... He just chose to be faithful, loving and obedient.
Many in the bible were considered blameless, righteous etc... but they weren't 100% perfect from birth of course.
And they were Christians who could miss the kingdom and be kicked out if they didn't repent.
Jesus was sinless as a man just like us. He didn't use a cheat code.
He was a man just like us, and yet He was, unlike us, God in human flesh.
Many in the bible were considered blameless, righteous etc... but they weren't 100% perfect from birth of course.
That's MY line. You're backpedaling now. Good to hear that you don't actually hold to the doctrine of sinless perfectionism.
they were Christians who could miss the kingdom and be kicked out if they didn't repent.
Yes, b/c they might prove to be false professors.
The truly born again cannot miss the kingdom. God has promised to preserve them.
I'm orthodox. I take John for what he says. "Some sins are unto death and not all sins are unto death."
Salvation is relational and not all sins destroy your relationship. If you did something ignorantly, then once you realize you did It, you fix it. That would be the loving thing to do.
He doesn't save by force or compulsion. You either love him freely or you don't make the kingdom. Israel is the example and only 2 people besides the children entered the promised land. That's the type and warning to Christians in Hebrews. Israel didn't enter because they didn't live God and were disobedient. If they didn't enter then we can miss it too. Hence, romans 11... If you don't continue in his goodness you will be cut off.
I take John for what he says. "Some sins are unto death and not all sins are unto death."
Yes; like I said you are a papist.
I'm orthodox
With a big "O", as in Eastern Orthodox?
You certainly don't have orthodox theology, so I presume you mean you're a Constantinopolitan Conciliarist, one who advocates for unbiblical hierarchies, distinctions between believers, and priests pridefully placing themselves over laity.
Hence, romans 11... If you don't continue in his goodness you will be cut off.
Because you were a false professor the whole time.
It is impossible for a true sheep to fall away, as God preserves them. "They will never perish" - John 11.
You inserted "because you were a false professor the whole time". No, romans 11 is talking about Christians, real Christians being cut off like Israel if they don't continue.
Your theology won't let you see what it plainly says.
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