But you have said that your walk CAN change our salvation, have you not?

Do you not see that our walk comes from the HEART not "disciplines?" Do you not see that our walk comes from the LOVE for God rather than rules and regulations? This is Jesus's WHOLE POINT to the Pharisees! Jesus said, "First clean the cup from the INSIDE and the outside will BECOME clean as well." Do you understand what he means? Once his love and forgiveness enters our hearts, HE HAS CLEANED THEM by washing away our sins, Michael. Because HE HAS CLEANED them, our outside will BECOME clean as well. "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." If we have the love for God inside of our hearts, we CANNOT HELP BUT SHOW IT! It is not FORCED, but genuine! Then there is ABSOLUTELY no NEED for disciplines! Our responses are coming from our hearts! God REPLACES our desires of the flesh with the DESIRES of the spirit! That's why there are so many people in the church who "practice" disciplines but their hearts are far from Him. Paul said that any works without LOVE are meaningless. They first have to receive the unconditional love from God before they can give that love to back to God or anyone else!

The disciplines HAVE to come from the doctrine, Michael. Splitting hairs  cannot change that.

The biggest exampe of sin in ignorance is PRIDE. ANY time we glorify OURSELVES instead of God, we are engaging in the sin of pride. ANY time we try to extract attention for ourselves instead of giving it to others, we are engaging in the sin of pride, which is everyday! Any time we boast, saying that WE do good instead of that it is GOD who does good THROUGH us, we are indulging in the sin of pride. Without God's unconditional love in us, we have no CHOICE but to boast about ourselves because thatt's the only way we feel loveable! Those who DO have the unconditional love of God in them have no CHOICE but to be humble because we KNOW that whatever good in us comes from God alone! That is PRECISELY why when addressed by the rich man as "Good Sir", Jesus said; "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." Humility comes from the Holy Spirit and Jesus was LOADED with it, NOT arrogance! Jesus was COMPLETELY FILLED WITH GOD'S SPIRIT IN HIM and he knows more than the rest of us just where his good works come from! Boasting comes from the sin of pride which is from the devil.

And just who do you think TAKES AWAY YOUR SINS, Matt? You or Jesus's death on the cross? Do you even have a clue WHY he suffered agony and torture? Do you have ANY idea WHY HE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT? Romans, 7:7, "For I would have not known what coveting really was if the law had not said; "Do not covet". But sin, SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED BY THE COMMANDMENT, PRODUCED IN ME EVERY KINd OF COVETOUES DESIRE." Paul is saying that we not only CANNOT obey the law but can in fact, ONLY do the OPPOSITE! That is precisely WHY we NEEDED Christ's death on the cross! This is basic Christianity! ALL of us are TRAPPED in our sins and ONLY Christ's death can free us! Therefore, instead of TRYING to love our neighbor, which isn't real because it's forced, ALL we can do is admit the TRUTH, that we do NOT love our neighbor, ask for forgiveness and it is God's forgiveness, love, and mercy that we give to our neighbor! That is how Jesus takes our sins away! As we confess them, one by one, he REPLACES THEM with his spiritof forgiveness, love, and mercy, until one day, all that's LEFT in us is the spirit. That is how christ FULFILLED the law for us. IT IS FINISHED. that is also why ALL we have to do is BELEIEVE that we are forgiven and from that comes thankfulness, forgiveness, and genuine love! It ALL comes from God! Not one bit comes from me!  

So you think you have a choice to sin, Hischild? Then be perfect, right now and forever. I, for one, would love to be perfect.

Hi emt,
I also smoke and I believe that smoking is a sin. I think it falls into the sin of gluttony, but that's just my opinion. Paul said; "everything is permissible for me-but not everything is beneficial...food for the stomach and the stomach for food, but I will not be mastered by anything." I have asked God to tak away my smoking many times but to no avail. Paul als had a thorn which he asked God to remove also but God's answer was that His grace was sufficient for Paul. In either case, it can't be good for us. The best thing to do is pray about it. God will meet you where you're at and only give you what you can bear. Good luck!

See now how i interpret the passages about the anti-christ is that he will be very deceptive and try to deceive even the elect--it that were possible. The elect are of course, Jesus's true believers. One who tries to decieve his true believers has to masquerade as a sheep. That's my interpretation. Revelations and passages about rhantiChrist are open to many interpretations because they are enigmatic and symbolic. Anyhow, that's my take.

What does anyone think about Zech. 11:16, "For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, of feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice cheep, tearing off their hoofs." Later in that chapter, Zechariah talks baout the anti-christ. I think it's interesting that he uses the word; 'SHEPHERD" who tends his sheep, (sheep meaning true believers). This implies that the anti-christ will call himself a Christian who will tryt "to deceive even the elect--if that were possible"(Jesus's words). He will enter the "Holy of Holies" and proclaim himself God. I used to think that the anti-Christ will be from the Muslims but a Muslim can't deceive the elect, only a wolf in sheep's clothing can do that. What do others think?

I find it interesting that those who take responsibility for their salvation through their own free will, have not responded to all the wonderful things God is responsible for in them, not they, themselves. But it's refreshing to have a thread where only people who give God the credit for their salvation respond.

Brother love knows what Jesus says and that the catholic church says the opposite. "A man cannot serve two masters." We have only ONE HOLY FATHER and He is in heaven. Which master do you serve, Lion? God or the pope? You cannot serve both.

AMEN, BEP!!!!

Sojounrer,
The Holy spirit HAS PRESERVED THE TRUTH IN THE CHURCH? So why has the church changed its mind in regard to not reading the mass in Latin? In 1850, why did Pope Leo suddenly ADD to the bible and declare Mary a virgin all of her life? If they were infallible then every teaching they gave from the beginning would still be used to day, would it not? The bible CANNOT be added to or subtracted from. So why does the infallible CHURCH change its mind? Weren't they right to begin with?

Do you know who rules false prophets, sojourner? Jesus said the Counselor is the spirit of truth. So how then can false prophets have the Holy Spirit in them? It's impossible. Deceit comes from  the devil. As Jesus said, "not all who call me 'Lord' Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven." Many, many, proclaimed believers are NOT coming from the Holy Spirit. Only the ones who KNOW Christ because he is living in THEM, are his true sheep. Jesus said; "Now this is eternal life; that you KNOW the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent." Period. But the many people who say; "Lord, we cast out demons, prophesied, and performed many miracles in your name." But jesus said; "But when the owner of the house closes the door, he will say; "I never KNEW you. Get away from me, you evildoers!"

Oh so YOU make it possible for the Holy Spirit to do good works, instead the the Holy Spirit making it possible for YOU to do good works! You have changed Jesus's words; "I can do nothing without my father" to "my Father can do nothing without ME!" Talk about twisting and boasting! Again, Sojourner, until you receive the Holy Spirit inside of you, you will have no spiritual discernment and can only twist Jesus's words. I'll pray that you receive it.

Of course i sin! There was only ONE sinless man whoever lived. that passage you quoted said; "The one who PRACTICES righteousness is righteous, the one who PRACTICES sin is of the devil..." I do not PRACTICE sin. I seek God's forgiveness whenever i see may sin and ask God who is faithful and just to forgive me. Notice a little further down where it says; "For this purpose the Son of God is revelad; to DESTROY the works of the devil..." It is only GOD'S FORGIVENESS that can take away my sin. In 1 John it also said; "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." Pauls also said; "For the good that I want to do i cannot carry out." As we ask an receive forgiveness, God REPLACES our sins with his forgiveness until one day, all that's left in us is his spirit of forgiveness, love, and mercy." NO Christian ENDORSES or CONDONES sin but seeks forgiveness for it. Therefore, no Christians PRACTICES sin.

You poor soul, Sojourner, You have been brainwashed by the catholic church to believe that THEY and they alone HAVE the Holy Spirit because the apostles did. That is not only absurd, but the common thread of all cult leaders because it works! All cult leaders claim that they and they alone have the Holy Spirit and some people believe them!  That is NOT what Jesus teaches at all!

What do you think the Holy Spirit does, Sojourner? anything? How do you think Paul ALL OF A SUDDEN believed that Jesus was the Son of God? Do you even think? Who do you think Jesus said our COUNSELOR-THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH is? The CATHOLIC CHURCH? How do you think we have the ability to discern truth from fiction? From the tooth faiy? just a guess? Guessing is NOT faith, it's DOUBT. You have ZERO faith that the Holy Spirit has ANY powers at all! But the catholic church is INFALLIBLE!!!! Power, glory belongs to the "special" not to the poor in spirit! You poor soul. I can only pray that one day you will receive the Holy Spirit inside of you and you will know EXACTLY how it changes eahc individual heart. That is something the catholic church CANNOT do for you.