Comments on: sin or love http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/ writings from adam smith Thu, 03 May 2012 20:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Consumed by Zeal http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-4870 Consumed by Zeal Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:56:00 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-4870 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me;..." John 14:21 "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;..." John 14:23 " but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him." 1Cor 8:3 ""Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven {will enter.} "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, '**I never knew you**; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" Matthew 7:21 "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES." Hebrews 10:26-27 Point I'm trying to make here is that to love God you have to obey his commands. By obeying his commands/loving God you are not sinning or being "lawless". Its those that continue sinning or "practice lawlessness" that he tells to depart from Him. Realize He is speaking to those that supposedly did things in the name of God- yet were living lawlessly or not following his "laws"/commands. He also says to those "I never knew you". The one that loves (or obeys) God is known by God. The one who does not obey and therefore does not love God is NOT known by God and told to depart. Its hard to be in "heaven" when God is telling you to get away. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between accidently sinning and WILLFULLY sinning. God knows we will fail from time to time (and feel horrible about it) or Jesus would not have taught to pray saying "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors". Willfully sinning is going against what you know to be right inspite of knowing that it is disobedience to God and unacceptable to Him- its not loving God. Those that willingly sin can have "terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES"--- They are called adversaries or enemies of God. James 4:1-4 describes sinful behavior and how the world behaves in this way. To practice the same things the world practices is like befriending the world. When we befriend the world by practicing the same things we become an enemy to God. "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; {so} you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; {so} you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend {it} on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." Jesus Commands us to Love the Lord our God with ALL our mind, soul, body and strength. So with ALL our efforts we are to obey God's commands (to obey Him is to love Him). We are not to have the attitude of "how little do I have to do to get into heaven". We should be so grateful for Christ's sacrifice that we gladly turn away from the world's ways and pursue a holy life that mirrors Christ and in that way devote ourselves to obedience that shows God we love Him and are no longer His enemy. If there is anything bothering your conscience, like you failed God's standard, there should be repentance. That nagging feeling is letting you know that you acted like an enemy against God in some way. “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me;…” John 14:21
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;…” John 14:23

” but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.” 1Cor 8:3

“”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven {will enter.} “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘**I never knew you**; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Matthew 7:21

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.” Hebrews 10:26-27

Point I’m trying to make here is that to love God you have to obey his commands. By obeying his commands/loving God you are not sinning or being “lawless”. Its those that continue sinning or “practice lawlessness” that he tells to depart from Him. Realize He is speaking to those that supposedly did things in the name of God- yet were living lawlessly or not following his “laws”/commands. He also says to those “I never knew you”. The one that loves (or obeys) God is known by God. The one who does not obey and therefore does not love God is NOT known by God and told to depart. Its hard to be in “heaven” when God is telling you to get away. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between accidently sinning and WILLFULLY sinning. God knows we will fail from time to time (and feel horrible about it) or Jesus would not have taught to pray saying “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”.

Willfully sinning is going against what you know to be right inspite of knowing that it is disobedience to God and unacceptable to Him- its not loving God. Those that willingly sin can have “terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES”— They are called adversaries or enemies of God.

James 4:1-4 describes sinful behavior and how the world behaves in this way. To practice the same things the world practices is like befriending the world. When we befriend the world by practicing the same things we become an enemy to God. “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; {so} you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; {so} you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend {it} on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Jesus Commands us to Love the Lord our God with ALL our mind, soul, body and strength. So with ALL our efforts we are to obey God’s commands (to obey Him is to love Him). We are not to have the attitude of “how little do I have to do to get into heaven”. We should be so grateful for Christ’s sacrifice that we gladly turn away from the world’s ways and pursue a holy life that mirrors Christ and in that way devote ourselves to obedience that shows God we love Him and are no longer His enemy.

If there is anything bothering your conscience, like you failed God’s standard, there should be repentance. That nagging feeling is letting you know that you acted like an enemy against God in some way.

]]> By: Consumed by Zeal http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-4863 Consumed by Zeal Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:17:00 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-4863 If you want to love properly as Jesus did, he told the truth and sometimes the truth was hard to swallow. He taught about the dangers of sin and how we are not to walk in those ways any longer. He explained the truth of God's standards and corrected the wrong teachings or the Pharisees. Sometimes our society and even churches can put up with sin under the statements of "don't judge or you too will be judged". But the truth of the matter is that the same way our physicial body responds with a fever and an increase in the production of white blood cells to destroy a foreign body that will affect it negatively, the church is to be the body of Christ and point out what is wrong and damaging to the body of Christ so that sin does not spread. We see the example of Paul where he even implys that we are to judge those in the church to keep them in line. The one living in sin (and still calling himself a brother) is not to even be associated with (obviously unless he repents) "I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an R199 idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within {the church?} But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. " 1 Cor. 5:11. If we are to be like Jesus we need to encourage the good and call out/rebuke the evil. Revelations 3:14 God himself says this, "I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent!" Love is not being "nice" its doing what is in the better interest of another. If correcting and helping someone out of a sinful situation will help their relationship with the Lord (and it will!) then that is the proper way of loving that person. If you want to love properly as Jesus did, he told the truth and sometimes the truth was hard to swallow. He taught about the dangers of sin and how we are not to walk in those ways any longer. He explained the truth of God’s standards and corrected the wrong teachings or the Pharisees. Sometimes our society and even churches can put up with sin under the statements of “don’t judge or you too will be judged”. But the truth of the matter is that the same way our physicial body responds with a fever and an increase in the production of white blood cells to destroy a foreign body that will affect it negatively, the church is to be the body of Christ and point out what is wrong and damaging to the body of Christ so that sin does not spread. We see the example of Paul where he even implys that we are to judge those in the church to keep them in line. The one living in sin (and still calling himself a brother) is not to even be associated with (obviously unless he repents) “I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an R199 idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within {the church?} But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. ” 1 Cor. 5:11. If we are to be like Jesus we need to encourage the good and call out/rebuke the evil.

Revelations 3:14 God himself says this, “I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent!”

Love is not being “nice” its doing what is in the better interest of another. If correcting and helping someone out of a sinful situation will help their relationship with the Lord (and it will!) then that is the proper way of loving that person.

]]> By: Jim http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-3924 Jim Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:17:00 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-3924 God is love and everything we do is to glorify Him so, if what you do is not done in love it is wrong and if it's not done in faith it's a sin. "If you know to do good and don't do it, it's a sin." So, if you want to love like Jesus did, walk it don't talk it! God is love and everything we do is to glorify Him so, if what you do is not done in love it is wrong and if it’s not done in faith it’s a sin. “If you know to do good and don’t do it, it’s a sin.”
So, if you want to love like Jesus did, walk it don’t talk it!

]]> By: Aaron Armstrong http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2042 Aaron Armstrong Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:57:52 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2042 Prudence is wise and took the words right out of my mouth. My recent post <a href="http:\/\/hardwords.wordpress.com\/2010\/03\/15\/receiving-grace-upon-grace-introducing-our-new-daughter\/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Receiving Grace upon Grace – Introducing our New Daughter</a> Prudence is wise and took the words right out of my mouth.
My recent post Receiving Grace upon Grace – Introducing our New Daughter

]]> By: @jackalopekid http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2041 @jackalopekid Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:28:10 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2041 a great thing to keep in mind. I hope they will lead others toward Him a great thing to keep in mind. I hope they will lead others toward Him

]]> By: pa3cia http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2040 pa3cia Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:44:15 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2040 sorry..i didnt see this reply in my email till now. i dont feel like the two counter each other. i dont think Jesus ever meant for the both to counter each other. the tendency of us human beings though, is to swing to an extreme side of the pendulum. some rely on grace alone and therefor say it's okay to do everything coz God will forgive you anyway.... not realizing that we do deal with a Holy God who commands us to be holy. and some are waaaay legalistic and have no grace.... forgetting all that they've been forgiven from. Jesus is the perfect example of balancing grace and holiness. when he met the adulterer, He called her out on her sins (speaking the truth in love), extended mercy and grace (by not stoning her), but also told her to "go and sin no more" (which is making an emphasis on holiness). i hope im making sense =/ sorry..i didnt see this reply in my email till now.

i dont feel like the two counter each other. i dont think Jesus ever meant for the both to counter each other. the tendency of us human beings though, is to swing to an extreme side of the pendulum.

some rely on grace alone and therefor say it's okay to do everything coz God will forgive you anyway…. not realizing that we do deal with a Holy God who commands us to be holy.

and some are waaaay legalistic and have no grace…. forgetting all that they've been forgiven from.

Jesus is the perfect example of balancing grace and holiness. when he met the adulterer, He called her out on her sins (speaking the truth in love), extended mercy and grace (by not stoning her), but also told her to "go and sin no more" (which is making an emphasis on holiness).

i hope im making sense =/

]]> By: Kevin Owens http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2039 Kevin Owens Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:45:34 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2039 Sorry I'm late to the party on this one, but I am passionate about the subject. A question I always pose to Christians is, "Will your words and/or actions more likely lead unbelievers toward Christ or away from Him?" I think today's version of "Pharisees" who take apparent joy in pointing out others' "sin" (in or outside of the church) have done far more harm to the Kingdom of God than any help they might have been. Of course there are consequences for sin and unbelievers need to made aware of those. But I believe Christians are called, and expected, to share the good news of the gospel. And I don't believe there is any method that works better than living a life that pleases God. It opens so many doors to be able to share Christ's love with others. When a relationship of trust and love is built, that then opens the door for discussions of sin and consequences without the risk of pushing them away from God. I trust God to do the rest. My recent post <a href="http://kevinowens4.posterous.com/wwyd-what-would-you-do-0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">WWYD - What Would You Do?</a> Sorry I'm late to the party on this one, but I am passionate about the subject. A question I always pose to Christians is, "Will your words and/or actions more likely lead unbelievers toward Christ or away from Him?" I think today's version of "Pharisees" who take apparent joy in pointing out others' "sin" (in or outside of the church) have done far more harm to the Kingdom of God than any help they might have been. Of course there are consequences for sin and unbelievers need to made aware of those. But I believe Christians are called, and expected, to share the good news of the gospel. And I don't believe there is any method that works better than living a life that pleases God. It opens so many doors to be able to share Christ's love with others. When a relationship of trust and love is built, that then opens the door for discussions of sin and consequences without the risk of pushing them away from God. I trust God to do the rest.
My recent post WWYD – What Would You Do?

]]> By: @jackalopekid http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2038 @jackalopekid Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:20:32 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2038 good questions m an. now I'm thinking more good questions m an. now I'm thinking more

]]> By: aboynamedtracy http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2037 aboynamedtracy Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:50:31 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2037 That's a great question! I've been dealing with the same thing. I find it very interesting the way Jesus handles people. He never confronts anyone other than the religious people and when he talks to "sinners" or heals them he often said to "go and sin no more." but never really tells them what their sin is. Does he assume they already know? Does his presence itself convict people? Now, how to we do that? I dunno! My recent post <a href="http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/ABoyNamedTracy\/~3\/Ej-P6gMqrbg\/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">My Birthday Wish List</a> That's a great question! I've been dealing with the same thing. I find it very interesting the way Jesus handles people. He never confronts anyone other than the religious people and when he talks to "sinners" or heals them he often said to "go and sin no more." but never really tells them what their sin is. Does he assume they already know? Does his presence itself convict people? Now, how to we do that? I dunno!
My recent post My Birthday Wish List

]]> By: @jackalopekid http://jackalopekid.com/sin-or-love/#comment-2036 @jackalopekid Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:29:22 +0000 http://jackalopekid.com/?p=1028#comment-2036 Good conversation here folks Good conversation here folks

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