On May 20, 9:06=C2=A0pm, sillyputty <***@2die4.com> wrote:
>
> To attempt to 'change' or 'cure' someone whose GLBT would be like
> trying to cure left-handedness.
>
here's something my son posted on FaceBook:
nything that I bring of my own fleshly will is nothing-
Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all
our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither
like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Rom 8:7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for
it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able
{to do so,}
Rom 8:8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But that which is done by the power of the Holy Spirit, is God working
in me.
Phl 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to
work for {His} good pleasure.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are
sons of God.
We who have the Spirit are the sons of God; We who are the sons are
being led.
1Jo 2:3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His
commandments.
have come to know - =E1=BC=90=CE=B3=CE=BD=CF=8E=CE=BA=CE=B1=CE=BC=CE=B5=CE=
=BD (perfect indicative)
The fact that =CE=B3=CE=B9=CE=BD=CF=8E=CF=83=CE=BA=CF=89 here is in the per=
fect tense means that it is a
completed action, once and for all. We might relate Jesus' saying
=CF=84=CE=B5=CF=84=CE=AD=CE=BB=CE=B5=CF=83=CF=84=CE=B1=CE=B9 (it is finishe=
d, John 19:30). While the word itself (=CF=84=CE=B5=CE=BB=CE=AD=CF=89)
means to bring to a close, it is in the perfect tense, meaning it was
completed once and for all and does not need to be completed again,
similar to our coming to know Him.
Therefore, if our coming to know Jesus has already happened and is a
once-and-for-all completed act, then it is finished - we do not leave
Him and come back, leave Him and come back; we now have relations with
Him and will never be separated from Him. This is why John points this
out - those who are false teachers who have crept in unnoticed (Jude
4) will not display a relationship with Christ - they will not abide
in Him, unlike those who are His (1 John 2:5-6) . Christ does not have
relations with these people ("And then I will declare to them, 'I
never knew you...", =CE=B3=CE=B9=CE=BD=CF=8E=CF=83=CE=BA=CF=89 Matt 7:23), =
and thus, they are not kept
from stumbling (Jude 24).
Now, it quite logically follows - if the mark of a Christian is that
he keeps Christ's commandments (John 2:3), then how is it possible for
a Christian to quit keeping Christ's commandments? It's not, because
Christians keep Christ's commandments!!! Of course, I am not teaching
that once one comes to know Christ, that he/she will become sinless.
What I am teaching is simply that a true Christian will abide in
Christ.
=CE=BC=CE=AD=CE=BD=CF=89
1) to remain, abide
a) in reference to place
1) to sojourn, tarry
2) not to depart
a) to continue to be present
b) to be held, kept, continually
b) in reference to time
1) to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure
a) of persons, to survive, live
c) in reference to state or condition
1) to remain as one, not to become another or different
2) to wait for, await one
Jud 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to
make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
Jud 1:25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
{be} glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now
and forever. Amen.
who is able - =CE=B4=CF=8D=CE=BD=CE=B1=CE=BC=CE=B1=CE=B9 (Present Participl=
e)
1) to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and
resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances,
or by permission of law or custom
2) to be able to do something
3) to be capable, strong and powerful
God is omnipotent; He has the power to do what He promises us He will
do. This is spoken of in the present tense - He is currently possesses
the power and always will - His power in innate. Therefore we can
trust in Him and believe in Him, that He is capable of doing the
things He has told us He will do.
to keep - =CF=86=CF=85=CE=BB=CE=AC=CF=83=CF=83=CF=89 (Aorist Infinitive)
1) to guard
a) to watch, keep watch
b) to guard or watch, have an eye upon: lest he escape
c) to guard a person (or thing) that he may remain safe
1) lest he suffer violence, be despoiled, etc. to protect
2) to protect one from a person or thing
3) to keep from being snatched away, preserve safe and unimpaired
4) to guard from being lost or perishing
5) to guard one's self from a thing
d) to guard i.e. care for, take care not to violate
1) to observe
2) to observe for one's self something to escape
a) to avoid, shun flee from
b) to guard for one's self (i.e. for one's safety's sake) so as not to
violate, i.e. to keep, observe (the precepts of the Mosaic law)
He guards, protects, watches over, and keeps us. This is in the Aorist
infinitive, rendering it to keep, to protect, to watch.
from falling - =E1=BC=84=CF=80=CF=84=CE=B1=CE=B9=CF=83=CF=84=CE=BF=CF=82
1) not stumbling, standing firm, exempt from falling
So quite literally-
Now to Him who has the power and ability to watch over and to keep us
standing firm
So some questions I would like to ask are: Who has the power? Who
keeps us? Who is able?
Is it ourselves? Can we keep ourselves from stumbling? Can we keep
ourselves standing firm?
No, we cannot. The Lord is the one who keeps us strong, who keeps us
under His wing. It is by His "grace we are saved" (Ephesians 2:8),
that unmerited favor in which He poured out on those who were/are to
be made alive (2:5). Now that we are Christ's, prepared by the Father,
we cannot be lost-
Jhn 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one
who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
Jhn 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jhn 6:39 "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He
has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
Jhn 6:40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who
beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I
Myself will raise him up on the last day."
We believe Jesus is able to keep us, and able to do the will of the
Father. If He were to lose some that were given to Him, then would He
not have failed to do His Father's will? Yet we know He is able to
fully complete His Father's will-
Luk 22:42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from
Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."
Because of His obedience, we can now proclaim with boldness the
greatest news given to us in the entirety of Scripture-
Rom 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.