I believe that all humans (with the sole exception of Jesus Christ) have sinned (Rom 3:23). Beyond that, I believe that those same humans continue to sin. John wrote, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). In fact, one reason John wrote that first epistle was "so that you may not sin," but he immediately followed that with "But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2). Yes, even forgiven believers sin. Still, too many of us seem to come across as morally superior. We present ourselves -- to each other and to the world -- as having arrived. We do no wrong. No genuine believer actually believes that, but it's just the way we seem to come across. We are forgiven -- cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) -- but we aren't perfect. Not even close.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. On this blog I write what comes to me. I write what I see in Scripture and what I see around me. If you follow this for very long, you'll see I tend to write about some things more often than others. Some might think it's because I've "arrived" on these points and wish you to get there, too. I have not. Do you remember Jimmy Swaggart? Swaggart had a variety of issues, but one was quite notable. He preached often about sexual immorality ... and was caught with prostitute and defrocked by the Assemblies of God, followed by a second such incident. What's my point? My point is that I tend to repeat some things not because I've got it all down, but because I don't. So I hammer home that husbands are commanded to love their wives by giving self up for her not because I'm that husband, but because I need to remember that and work on it. I keep pointing out that God is Sovereign not because I always see Him as Sovereign, but because I need my everyday thoughts to see Him that way when I don't every day. I continue to urge you to rejoice in tribulation because I need to be reminded often that I need to rejoice in tribulation. Much of what I write is a rejoinder to me, and I think, "Well, if I have a problem remembering this stuff, maybe some of my fellow believers do, too."
In Hebrews we are commanded to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" (Heb 10:24). We might do that by example. We might do that by encouraging one another. We might do that by teaching one another. We might do that by exhorting -- walking alongside -- one another. Because our task of serving and enjoying God is a group task, a community effort. We have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to this end (1 Cor 12:7). We are a family, a temple, adopted children of God, and we should be working with each other toward glorifying Him in everything. Because we don't and we should. So don't think, "Stan thinks he has arrived." I haven't. I only hope to encourage you to walk closer to Him as I try to encourage myself to do the same.
8 comments:
You are on target today.
It struck me that you might have titled today’s post “Holier Than Thou” or “Preaching to the Choir”--two phrases as nondescriptive of your writing as is “I have arrived,” I would say. (I am sure you would agree with my assertion that you will know I’ve “arrived” when you read my obituary.) Just as you are led to write about certain themes or share particular admonishments, so too are your readers likely to need those exact remarks--precisely as you suspect (I for one count on that).
We all need constant reminders that we haven't made it. We all need that servant whispering "You're just a man (or woman)." We too often forget that we need to die daily to sin.
As an aside on your first sentence, unless you're Roman Catholic, then there has been an entire line of sinless people from Adam to Mary so that Jesus would have no part in the sin nature.
On your aside, I don't know what you mean.
Our spiritually dead condition at birth is due to Adam, but Jesus was born spiritually alive because the Holy Spirit was His father (and because, well, He was God). I don't think I need some fancy theology to dance around that problem, do I?
You do it you believe in Immaculate Conception. Somehow Mary has no sin nature, otherwise Jesus would have had a sin nature. Thus, Mary must have had no sin nature, thus there must be a line of women without a sin nature. If they try to argue that only Mary was born without a sin nature, while being born of parents that did, then there is no need for Immaculate Conception because by whatever power prevented Mary from having a sin nature could have prevented Jesus as well. It completely ignores where Scripture says that our sin nature comes from Adam, not Eve, thus the need for Jesus to not have an earthly father.
I understood David’s “aside” comment immediately--it’s what we were discussing after Stan’s 12/1/23 post (“Immaculate”). Stan’s response above is exactly right--those of us who form our doctrine from the Bible and do not distort or add to it don’t need to then dig ourselves out of a “theological hole” such as the one David summarized nicely.
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