This is an honest conversation that I had via email with one of my spiritual mentors today. I'm trying to wrap my head around some pretty big truths lately.
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Reid,
Here is something that I've been turning my wheels on a bit. I "taught" (using that term loosely) my small group on Wednesday from that John Ortberg book we are reading. Of course, I changed it up a bit but one of the things that came up was the depravity of man. Having gone to SBTS, I am sure you know a lot about this.. haha! :)
Here is an article I found.. I'd love to know your thoughts when you get some time.
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/piper/depravity.html
ac
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Ash -
I like the article and find that I agree with all four points in general. We are bad, in trying to be good we are worse, because without Christ we are totally unable to do spiritually good, and therefore we deserve death and hell as a consequence.
On what are your wheels spinning? The devil is in the details . . .
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I think I'm just frustrated with these facts-
We were sinners but because of Christ's work, we are declared righteous. There is nothing that we can or could have done to do this, only Jesus and the cross accomplished this fact. There is nothing we can do to have this taken away from us, if we believe. HOWEVER- the depravity of man. WE ARE GOING TO SIN. No matter what. We are predisposed to sin. BUT we are declared righteous. I mean, I don't want to sin but I do and there is nothing I can do to save myself. So, no matter what I do I am still saved but I still sin. UGH! So, what are we supposed to do? I don't want to live with sin. I don't want it in my life.. but it will always be there and because the depravity of man there is nothing I can do about it. So, I mean, why NOT sin? I get Romans 6, where paul says we shouldn't but what?! I don't get this. Help.
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Do not sin. You will, but it can grow less and less instead of more and more. Be righteous, not because you have to be but because it pleases the Father. What God cares about is the intesity of the battle, he has already won the war, just stand frim, put on the full armor and fight the good fight - victory is his!
Do not worry about failure! Repent and move on. Failure and fear are from the devil. Jesus died for failure and God works everything together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose, so why fear?
Find the joy of obedience and forget the despair of disobedience.
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But we are going to sin anyway, so why try? Because we love the Father? I get that but I think I am very much that person who does good works SO THAT the Father will love me instead of doing good works BECAUSE the Father loves me. This boggles my mind.. I can't wrap my brain around that.
The more I seek God.. the more he doesn't fit into my formulas and boxes.
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That is legalism, and that is why you fail. You can not be perfect and therefore can not make perfect like you. You get tired of trying and give up. Start with grace, let perfect love you and let his love make you more perfect and your love will then desire perfect. . . it will become an ever striving joy, not a burden.
