How should we conduct ourselves in the world around us? The scripture is replete with instruction. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
One of the things that I know for sure is that sin has not changed as Knight has suggested. When the word sin is used it means that what whatever the sin is, its meaning remains the same. Sin is that which contradicts God in ether our person of deed. We stand in opposition to God in His person, His will and plan. There is no getting away from that. There is no little or big sin. There is sin that can be forgiven and there is one sin that will not be forgiven. All sin will be forgiven except the sin of of unbelief of the finished work on the Cross by Christ Jesus. It is not that I am more saved, if that were possible, than anyone on this board. But this is also true, I am not less saved than anyone on this board.
All scripture is given by the inspiration of God. Now is the Bible the entire inspired word of God? No, I don't think so. There may be other writing out there that are just as inspired as the Bible but those writing will not contradict those writings that we know are authentic. There are scriptures that seem to have references to text that we do not have. Just because they are not part of the accepted cannon does not prevent the accepted cannon from being the the inspired word. I accept the accepted cannon as the inspired word by faith. That means that I believe it. If I must change what I believe to comport to the to the scripture then so be it. No one has the right and authority to change the text of the inspired word of God. We do not change the text to meet our expectations of what the scripture should say over what it actually says. That is why I do dot ascribe to the Open View, Calvinism or any other ism know to man. I think this is the goal of everyone that names the name of Christ. We wont to be right with God.
The scripture is profitable to man for four reasons:
1. Doctrine---- A body of principles presented for acceptance or belief. Each of us has a body of basic principles are the foundation of all we believe. The question is, Will those principles stand the scrutiny of scripture and stand the test as being sound principle. It is not what each of us may think is sound principle but what the scripture says is sound principle. Each belief must be built on a sound principle or the belief in question is a false belief. Our belief does not set our principle but the principle sets the belief.
2. reproof ----- A reproof is a rebuke. The principle will rebuke the the belief that is not consistent with it. If the principle is wrong then we will falsely rebuke a sound principle and if the principle is is right then the principle will rebuke the false belief.
3. correction ---------A correction is a reformation. It is not just a statement of reformation but the conducting of a reformation of the a faulty principle or belief. Actions, words and conduct in general will reflect the reformation of the principle of belief If we refuse the correction then there is really no belief or principle change. We remain as we were before the scripture revealed the principle or belief defect. The correction is not always instantaneous. Correction will most always be challenged. Old habits and ways of thinking are hard to brake at times. We must learn and learning can be traumatic.
4. instruction in righteousness ----- Righteousness is foreign to the human existence. The body and mind were never trained in righteousness by the soul. The body must therefore be trained by the spirit through the scriptures. It is the spirit that teaches a man how to conduct himself in righteousness.. It is not the soul that does the training.
The mind is the disseminator of information and is centered in the brain. The brain is the repository of the knowledge gained by the human life's experiences. Before the new birth in Christ it had no knowledge of the person of God but only in a rudimentary sense. It did not know who God was or that God actually existed. Now when the Holy Spirit gave the mind information about God and His Son Jesus Christ through the scriptures or by the preaching of the Word, The Holy Spirit gave understanding and factual information regardless of who the source was. It is the Holy Spirit that gives instruction in righteousness through the scripture or the reveled Word of God. The mind has to learn righteousness. It is not automatic. That is why God never left salvation to the the whelms of man. We are righteous even as God is righteous because of the new created life born of God by His seed. The body and soul was not born again and is still the same old sinful self that it has alwas been. But there is a new cop in town that inforces a new will and instructs in righteousness.
When I say that I do not sin it is becaust of the new life that is in me. It is born of God and does not, cannot and will not sin. As far as I am concerned the sole and the body are dead. They were never born of God and they do not represent the life that is in me. I am not of the flesh but of the Spirit because the Spirit of God has a new birth in life and now I am alive and not dead. The flesh will take advantage of my liberty and now because freedom from sin, (I am not free from righteousness and am in fact a slave to righteousness) will use it to defeat the purposes of Christ. Is it me doing it? NO. Paul is giving instruction in righteousness. Just because I have liberty to do because all things are lawful to me does not mean that I should allow my flesh and body to do what makes them feel good. To me it would be nothing but to the weak brother it could be his life or death. It is a constant battle in the mind not for my sake but for yours. I still have to to be instructed in righteousness in my mind and body. I still have to bring my body under subjection . Subjection to what? To righteousness and not law.To teach my body to love and not self gratification. In the Spirit I know but my body does not and my soul does not.
