[Luke]

Originally Posted by biblereader

"I am dead, nevertheless I live, yet Not I, but Christ, and the life I now live, I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD" He need not keep the law, because the law has been kept. His pattern of life is not law, but the Lord Jesus Christ. Death to self, life through Christ.

I live by faith of the son of God..my faith is from Jesus, right? That's what this means?
What do you mean, exactly, by keeping the law? The 600+ rules that the lost Jewish people try to keep?
Or, the Ten Commandments?

I understand "pattern of life". That's what you do, day after day, how you react, where you spend your time, and money, what you do, normally.

Have you completely died to self? How do you know that?
If you completely die to self, does that mean you never worry, or get unrighteously angry, you never slip up, and sin?

I haven't completely died to self. It's a DAILY thing, not a one off. Some days I wake up struggling, others I wake up peaceful. And I won't have sinlessness until I recieve a new body, and this mortal shall put in immortality, and DEATH is swallowed up in victory.

But these are the kinds of questions that unbelievers ask... I'm not claiming you are... but if Jesus Christ said "take up the cross" and Paul says "reckon ye yourselves dead to sin", then there is no argument on what to do.

I live by faith of the son of God..my faith is from Jesus, right? That's what this means?

Yes, that's what it means. Our faith is imperfect. Jesus faith is perfect. His faith inside us is what allows us to overcome temptations. His mind is perfect, and does not sin or think sinful thoughts, and Paul says "we have the mind of Christ". We only need to appropriate this fact to ourselves and believe it. Sanctification does not come from strong work. It comes from being weaker and weaker and weaker until we cannot get any weaker and we see God as all in all.

What do you mean, exactly, by keeping the law? The 600+ rules that the lost Jewish people try to keep?
Or, the Ten Commandments?

By the law, I usually mean 10 commandments. The Christian does not need to try to keep them. But like I said, not trying to keep them is different from trying to break them. Christ's life in the christian has fulfilled the righteousness of the law, not only the 10 commandments, but the entire law. It is written, cursed is the man that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, but Christ was made a curse for us, as it is written, cursed is every man that hangeth upon a tree (that was probably not the correct verses, but it was just quick from memory. It's in Galatians 2 & 3).

If you completely die to self, does that mean you never worry, or get unrighteously angry, you never slip up, and sin?

This is one of those theoretical questions. You are assuming that once it happens, it never need be maintained, and the christian will be perfect forevermore. However, the answer is yes, on the condition that one is completely surrendered to Jesus Christ 100% of the time in all things in every place, and sees himself as nothing, dead, but alive unto God always. Since the latter condition is rarely met, the former is also rarely met. But Christians do go for times without sinning.

The real question is, what is the right way to deal with sin?

1) Buckle down, belt up, and hold on tight as you try to keep the law, overcome temptation in the flesh, and obey the ministration of sin and death (LAW), in order to subdue the flesh

2) Identify with Christ on the cross, reckon yourself dead to law, and believe it. Then see yourself alive unto God through Jesus Christ, not under law, but under grace (GRACE).

The former is a law works based sanctification while the latter is God's grace based.

But if righteousness cannot come by the law, why do so many Christians think sanctification can?

Grace to begin with, Grace to continue with.

God bless