Relatively Absolute?

[RETIREDFAN1]

Relatively Absolute?

 

We strive or press toward perfection. We want and desire to serve God perfectly if we are truly His disciples.  Despite this desire on our part, we will die without ever having reached that goal. 

Philippians 3: 12 - 16

 

In an absolute sense, sinlessness is so above man that the Holy Spirit speaking through John said, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

I John 1: 8

 

Keeping that passage in context, we see that we achieve an acceptable relationship with God through forgiveness.

I John 2: 1

 

The meaning of this is simple. Many of the commands to a Christian are obeyed according to the best of our ability. 

 

There are differing and varying degrees to which different saints may measure. Christ may forgive one man more than He does another, in order that they may both stand before Him justified.

Luke 7: 41 - 43

 

This does not teach us that truth is relative. Instead, it teaches us that we may reach different levels of knowledge and response.

 

But someone, reasoning along these lines, may ask the question, May one have the mind of Christ as far as he is able? Can our attitude be less perfect than others, and both of us be acceptable before God? It seems that one's attitude, one's heart, is either right or wrong before God. We are taught that there can be no relativity in such matters. An illiterate can give his heart to God as completely as someone who is a Biblical scholar, and is probably more likely to do so. 

 

The babe in Christ who stumbles and falls a lot, may be as intent on overcoming his weaknesses and serving the Lord as the mature Christian of long standing. Some of us may need more forgiveness, but this very thing may contribute to our love for Christ, and determination to try our best to live as He wants us to live. 

Luke 7: 47

 

Does not Christ teach that we must love God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind?

Matthew 22: 37

 

Phillip would only baptize one who believed with all his heart. Acts 8:37

 

It may not take much of a man to be a Christian, but it does take all there is of him.  The man who gives himself completely and wholeheartedly to Christ will be satisfied with nothing less than a lifetime of striving to do all the Lord asks of him.

Luke 17: 10 

 

That kind of servant will not make distinctions in God's laws.

James 2: 10

 

That kind of servant won’t look for loopholes in the Word. That kind of servant will not compromise on something just so he feels that his heart is right. He knows that heart is wrong because he knows when he has sinned. The faithful Christian, knowing this, repents of that sin.

Acts 8: 22

 

The faithful Christian, knowing that he has sinned, confesses that sin to God and asks God’s forgiveness.

I John 1: 9

 

Being a faithful Christian, this man who has sinned, knows without a doubt that God forgives every single time. We will not live a sinless life. We will continue to sin even after we have had our past sins washed from us in the waters of baptism. 

 

We should not worry, though, because we HAVE believed and obeyed the Gospel. 

John 3: 16

John 3: 36

Hebrews 5: 9

 

Jesus came to live as one of us and die as one of us. The sacrifice of His perfect Blood allows us to have our sins washed away and forgiven. That is our only hope. This is the grace of God that saves us through our faith in Him. 

Ephesians 2: 8 - 9

 

We have done nothing to earn this gift of grace. It is freely offered to all those willing to accept it. How do we accept it? By obeying the commands that Jesus gave. Isn’t that trying to earn our salvation? No, it is not. We are told, and we read earlier, that salvation is for those who obey, and obeying God is not earning anything, it is what He expects from those who believe Him. So what commands did Jesus give? 

 

He told us, and the apostles taught us, that if we are to be saved, we must repent of our past sins. 

Luke 13: 3

Acts 17: 30

 

He told us, and the apostles taught us, that if we are to be saved, we must make a public confession of our faith in Him as the Messiah. 

Matthew 10: 32 - 33

Romans 10: 9 - 10

 

There is no such thing as a secret Christian. He told us, and the apostles taught us, that we must be immersed in water to have our past sins washed away. 

Mark 16: 16

Acts 2: 38

Acts 22: 16

 

This is not a work by us, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that cleanses our souls when our faith leads us to obedience. The cleansing is the gift of the Holy Spirit promised on Pentecost to those penitent sinners who are baptized. 

Romans 6: 3 - 4

Colossians 2: 11 - 13

Titus 3: 4 - 7

 

Once we have obeyed these simple commands, we are saved. Our sins are washed away. We must then live faithfully unto death. 

Revelation 2: 10

 

Living faithfully unto death means we will do what the main part of the lesson was about today. We will repent when we sin again, and we will confess that sin to God, asking for His forgiveness. 

 

Living faithfully unto death means we will assemble with other Christians to work and worship as God has revealed to us through the pages of the New Testament. That is a separate lesson. 

 

Do you believe? Have you obeyed? If you have, are you continuing to live faithfully?