Becoming and remaining sinless until the return of Jesus is our topic, today. Also, there is more on remembering Lot’s wife. The writer at “Yahoo! Answers Canada” using the ID “Daijin” (Level 2 with 270 points, a member since April 22, 2013) posted the following:
Are christians supposed to be sinless until death / jesus returns?
THE BATTLE AXE: Remembering Lot’s Wife (11/04/2014)—(5.) For many, Lot’s wife depicts the hardening of ones heart against the salvation of GOD through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Like Noah, his wife and children, Lot and his wife also found grace with GOD. Unlike Noah’s wife who willingly entered into the ark along with her husband, and Sarai (later Sarah), the wife of Abram (later Abraham), who followed her husband without question when by faith he left the place of their birth and early life, Lot’s wife turned away from the divine provision for her husband and children. Her life was ended—not as the expression of divine intent—by her coveting material and social things, disobedience, and self-will.
(6.) Throughout the holy writings, altars, heaps, pillars and wells appear as markers and memorials of covenant agreements, and to indicate places where the operations and active presence of GOD have been made known (we say, revealed) to mankind. (Examples include Rehoboth, Bethel, Mizpah, Mount Sinai, and Sychar.) Where groves, pillars, poles or trees have been worshiped as though containing divinity, they are always to be known as idols. Thus, Moses does not worship the burning bush, nor the device Aaron used to stop plague among the people, later called Nehushtan and destroyed by King Hezekiah. The pillar of salt is an emblem or badge of divine authority to deliver from sin and death, a sign of divine commitment to heal and prosper mankind as well as memorial of divine mercy and righteousness in judgment. Additionally, Lot’s wife becomes the salt that must be sprinkled upon every sacrifice to purify and make it correct before GOD; and the destruction of Sodom and the other cities is seen lawfully preserving covenant and life upon the earth. See again Genesis 26: 12-22, Numbers 21: 4-9, 2nd Kings 18: 1-7, 2nd Chronicles 33: 1-9, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. (Ezekiel 18: 20-24, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Inseparables? (07/15/2014); On Christians Being Inclusive? (07/16/2014); Genuine Repentance? (03/24/2014); When Is A Law The LAW? (03/25/2014); The Return in Glory? (07/04/2013); Desire for Love? (07/05/2013); How Do I Repent? (05/16/2013); The “Jesus Way”? (05/17/2013)
“Daijin”, becoming a Christian is a matter of entering into a process of change that may only come while we are alive. Here are some points on Christian belief you may find useful:
(1.) Every believer must experience various operations of the Holy Spirit who serves as the “field agent” (so to speak) present in the earth on behalf of Jesus Christ. There are so many permanent changes that must be made to ones inward emotional, intellectual, psychological and spirit content before a believer is then fit to be a companion to eternal divinity that we say it simply, “one must be born again.” Through water baptism by immersion one experiences death of their inborn spirit that allows functioning as an animal and carnal creation along with their own symbolic burial, or by cleansing with sprinkled water to establish a status as under an atonement and being within covenant. A spiritual truth of rebirth from GOD is established, and must be repeatedly acknowledged no less than the unseen wind.
(2.) Because sin does not exist as a living entity or material creation from GOD, mankind can not eliminate sin by “good behavior,” logic, mathematics, reason, and science. While death does release the awareness and self-will of a sinner from the dominating, inescapable influence of sin, the effects and consequences of the actions they performed in life continue indefinitely. Following baptism, rather than answer to sin, believers are to respond to influence from the spirit matter imparted from the makeup of divinity (we say, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit of Truth). Included are faith, forbearance, forgiveness, holiness, longsuffering, wisdom, and wrath against sin.
(3.) Sin opposes the continued existence of divine law, of the Law Giver, and of the universe established through sacred law. Created beings and living creatures must develop discernment (i.e., ability to use their own spirit content as a standard to recognize and respond correctly to the spirit substance within various communications, events, and other persons). In addition to the indwelling Spirit, multiple tools have been provided by GOD to assist the living in detecting sin: covenant, judgment, law, love, prophecy, and sacred practices (we say, sacraments).
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Believers are to live lives of repentance, turning away from previous sins and turning to GOD. We are accounted or credited as though already perfected (we say, mature). However, born again, one must learn and gradually grow up again. The needed features for final transformation that will result in mankind as immortal and incorruptible (you might say, sinless) will only occur through resurrection and the harvesting of believers from the earth at the appearing of Christ.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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