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Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 2:47:20 PM
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tw12357
Posts: 49
Joined: 10/7/2008
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How do we live withing God's grace? So much of my time in the past was spent begging for forgiveness and fear of sins I might commit in the future.
I don't mean that we can purposely sin, but maybe a better question is how we can live without fear, yet not fall into sin? I know that 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
So in time with the spirit, it does seam like my fear is lessoning. Yet somehow if I imagine God forgiving all my sins past, present, and future, I have great joy at the thought of going to heaven. If I think of him only forgiving my past, my fear returns.
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 3:36:51 PM
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ladyichigo
Posts: 558
Joined: 10/23/2007
From: Honolulu
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First of all Welcome to the Forums!
quote:
How do we live withing God's grace? So much of my time in the past was spent begging for forgiveness and fear of sins I might commit in the future.
I don't mean that we can purposely sin, but maybe a better question is how we can live without fear, yet not fall into sin? I know that 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
So in time with the spirit, it does seam like my fear is lessoning. Yet somehow if I imagine God forgiving all my sins past, present, and future, I have great joy at the thought of going to heaven. If I think of him only forgiving my past, my fear returns.
If you have accepted Christ into your life as Lord and Savior then you are all ready living in God’s grace through Christ. You are adopted into God’s family. No longer do you have to live in fear, guilt or shame. You have victory in Christ.
In God’s family, you are His child and you live under His roof. As His child, you are expected to obey your Father. " Jesus says, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Of course, He knows you will make mistakes, and stray from His way. When you do, all you have to do is confess (say you made a mistake), ask for forgiveness, and repent (turn from the mistake). The Father has ALL READY forgiven you. Don’t dwell on the mistakes, don’t kick yourself for them. Learn from them, and go back to God's way. That’s part of growing in Christ. As God’s child you will be disciplined because He loves you. Please remember that “discipline” is not punishment. It is training….like you would train for a marathon, or some sort of sport activity to make you better and stronger. It is being refined, and it is being tempered.
Though we are bought with the blood of Christ, our spirit made ALIVE in Christ, and all ready are living in God’s grace, we still are in the process of being sanctified (set-apart), being molded into “perfection” (maturity), into the image of Christ.
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Mari
My avatar picture is my father-in-law, Rev. Yuichiro Nakano jumping over fireworks on 12/31/08 to entertain his grand-kids. He's 70.
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 3:47:18 PM
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Liveloved
Posts: 2083
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It is only as we know and abide in God's love that we can live without fear. I John 4:7-21 is a great read for coming to a greater understanding of this. Perfect Love (aka Jesus) casts out fear. Draw close to Him, love Him, spend more and more time with Him and in time you will come to that place of knowing and abiding in His love and the fear will be gone. It is a gradual process (for most) but it will happen. He is faithful and will accomplish what concerns you.  Bless ya!
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 3:51:52 PM
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delete123
Posts: 988
Joined: 6/1/2005
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The promise of Christ was given over 400 years before the law was established. The law was set to show that we are sinners and to lead us to Christ when faith was again revealed.
Your sins and any future sins are forgiven, but does not entice one to live continually in sin. See the books of Galatians about being held in bondage to sin and the law.
You are made righteous through Christ alone, He is the only one who has justified you.
And when you repeat something that you wish you had not then remember 1John1:9: He is faithful and Just to Forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from *all unrighteousness.
and when you have difficulty understanding, than read proverbs 3:5 Lean not into your own understanding
Blessings
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 3:57:14 PM
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tw12357
Posts: 49
Joined: 10/7/2008
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quote:
I John 4:7-21 I love these verses! Thanks for the reminder ...
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 4:09:30 PM
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Liveloved
Posts: 2083
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quote:
ORIGINAL: tw12357
quote:
I John 4:7-21 I love these verses! Thanks for the reminder ...
You're welcome, dear one. Remind yourself often! LL
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/18/2008 4:29:11 PM
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URForgiven
Posts: 1212
Joined: 3/22/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: tw12357
How do we live withing God's grace? So much of my time in the past was spent begging for forgiveness and fear of sins I might commit in the future.
I don't mean that we can purposely sin, but maybe a better question is how we can live without fear, yet not fall into sin? I know that 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
So in time with the spirit, it does seam like my fear is lessoning. Yet somehow if I imagine God forgiving all my sins past, present, and future, I have great joy at the thought of going to heaven. If I think of him only forgiving my past, my fear returns.
Your fear returns when you think of Him only forgiving your past. I have good news for you...all of your sins are in the past. Think about it. And all of your sins were in the future when Christ provided forgiveness by shedding His blood on the cross.
2 Peter 1, speaks about all the qualities that make up the life of a Christian, and it concludes with these very revealing and life changing words...
2 Peter 1:8-9
"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."
For us to be effective and productive we must believe what God has said about our sins, which in turn allows us to focus on what Christ is really is all about ...life! His life being lived out in and through us. It is only as we live in the truth of His forgiveness that we experience His resurrected life.
Peace
_____________________________
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3
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RE: Living in Grace - 11/19/2008 10:39:13 AM
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bravjim
Posts: 395
Joined: 10/8/2008
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Being in the presence of God can help to cast out all fear. You mention that when you are in His presence, you fear less. The truth is that you are always in His presence. He is with you where ever you go. Learning to practice His presence at all times can help you to cast out the fear that creeps up when you are not thinking about it. Just remind yourself that He is with you when you feel that fear creep up.
As has already been stated, Jesus died over 2000 years ago. All of your sin was in the future at that point. When you asked Him to forgive all of your sins, He did just that. In other words, you are already forgiven for the sins that you will commit a year from now. He just wants us to confess and repent of those sins as they happen as part of our sanctification and as part of our knowing His will and being in agreement with Him. He is faithful, even though we are not. He is always true to His word, and He said that He forgives you of all of your sin. We inevitably fail, but He never fails. Trust in Him to be faithful to His word, even when you fail to be faithful to Him.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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