The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Is God asking for the impossible?

<center>[color:red]This post was moved from:</font color=red> the Theology Forum - Pilgrim</center><br><br>Hi everyone-<br><br>I've been helping someone understand Reformed thought on ecumenicalism, the bases of sanctification and justification, Arminianism, denominationalism within a "catholic" church, and evangelicalism (of the ECA type). There's a lot of ground to cover! The resources of The Highway have helped both of us immensely.<br><br>We've had some discussions about Ephesians 1 and 2, and portions of I John (mostly chapter 2).<br>Independently of all this I have continued studying into I John 3:1-10.<br><br>Early in my childhood I was always shamed into weekly "repentance, confession and salvation." Salvation was dependent on my choosing to allow it, and its continuing effectiveness was based on works. I could lose salvation anytime I relapsed into sin. I've carried all manner of guilty feelings into adulthood over what I have been assured is a lawless condition that will persist until I die. <br><br>Reformed thought and behavior only entered my life after many years of searching and listening. Today the Advocate sends great reassurances and resources my way when I am most consumed in my old misunderstandings, and I cease continuing in this disagreeable wallowing- once more I am a new man and can accept a humble place at the feet of Christ and know His forgiveness in deep and wonderful ways.<br><br>Today I am once more nagged by the feeling that I can never attain what this particular scripture sets before me. I try to tell myself that God understands my inability outside His power to be any different, and that it's His provision alone that saves me in spite of my human efforts and understanding. I completely understand Paul's frustrations about knowing and wanting to do the right thing but the flesh being unwilling. My head asks why God seems to ask me to do something He knows I am entirely incapable of doing?<br><br>I get defensive in my feelings and thoughts (and that's certainly not acceptable!) My wont to sin in the way of perfectionism (just a more palatable term for "pride," is it not?!) is wreaking havoc with my spiritual walk. When I read this passage of Scripture I become more frustrated than before because I want to conform to it and apparently cannot.<br><br>I don't want to fall back into my past ways of thinking about God, but I feel trapped. Can someone help me understand the context and content of this and related passages?<br><br>Hope this isn't too heavy a request at the end of the week!<br>I thank my Father for what He is about to reveal through someone here, and for imparting them the wisdom and willingness to share it.<br><br>Grateful Thanks!!<br>Cecil<br>

To sum up Augustine on this issue would go something like this: "Thou Oh Lord made us for Thyself and out hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee."<br><br>You are beginning even more so now to see the utter depravity of your own soul. You are seeing even more vividly that you are a much worse sinner than what you first thought. You are asking yourself, "How could God save such a person as I?" "How can God love me, look what I am." This is a good state to be in--recognizing one's depravity, but also it must be balanced by who and what you are in Christ alone. Rest in the finished work of Christ. He alone is thy hope. He alone is thy comfort. He alone is thy way. You are not only a much greater sinner than you think you are, but you are also more forgiven than what you think you are.<br><br>1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth (continues in sin) hath not seen him, neither known him. <br><br>Are you growing in grace or are you growing in your sins? Your very post suggests that you are growing in grace and truth. With some sins you are seeing victory and with others, their temptations appear to be new, but their roots were always there. What you need to realize is that as you grow older in Christ you will see more sin, you did not know even existed. Sin is struggling to keep its strangle hold upon your life, but Christ in-you, the hope of glory, is winning the battle, as you walk in Him. Your sins are being revealed so they can be dealt with. NOTE: You will NEVER be completely free of sin in this lifetime...that will not come till glorification, but until then the struggle will remain. Because it remains it is a form of continual evidence of your salvation.<br><br>Briefly, in 1 John 2, John is admonishing his readers not to fall into sin. Note that he is not saying they are living in sin, for their fellowship with the Father precludes this. But, John is fully aware of human frailty and Satan's seductive powers. He is standing next to his readers and encouraging them not to fall into the many traps that await them. He speaks words of comfort and reveals to them they have an advocate with the Father who forgives.....if they should fall. In 1 John 3, John does not say that God has merely loved us (that would only be a condition and possibly only a temporary one), but that He has lavished His love upon us (an action, and extent of God's love, that is continual and everlasting). You are now in a Father-child relationship. You are a Child of God. Think of that, [color:red]a Child of God</font color=red> Himself. God who can not be defeated, who is eternal, who is holy, who is all powerful is YOUR Father. What a great truth. Children fall, get hurt, need attention, and need to learn. What better Father to have!<br><br>What is impossible for you, IS more than a possibility with God, it is a SURE thing: Christ in you the hope of glory! Rest in Him.