Is Spiritual Maturity Possible

[Veritas veritate]

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)​

Are you saying a glorious church, holy and without blemish is less than perfect? I disagree.

Who is doing the washing and sanctifying in the above passage?


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[jamie]

Jesus didn't sin because he didn't possess the sinful nature that we do.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)​

Jesus was human like every other human and was tempted like every other human.

 

[Veritas veritate]

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)​

Jesus was human like every other human and was tempted like every other human.

An honest question: do you ever take context into account? Also, do you ever read through and try to comprehend that which others post to you? You have ignored much of what I have said, picking out things that I have already explained, often in the same post, and blatantly ignore the rest just to continue to argue your perspective even though you know it's clear that you have been shown to be incorrect. Furthermore, I am not the only one who has seen and mentioned this pattern of intellectual dishonesty in your writing.

When you argue against truth you argue against God, no matter who presents truth to you. And when we argue against God we discontinue many of the blessing He has in store for us. I had to learn this the hard way, may it not be so with you.


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[jamie]

An honest question: do you ever take context into account?

An honest answer: we're done.

:carryon:

 

[Tambora]

As much as it seems that you want to believe that you can attain your own perfection, it will never change the truth that it is the perfection of Jesus the Messiah, not your own, that you may obtain by acknowledging him as Lord and Savior. When God looks at a believer he sees the perfection of His son, Jesus the Messiah.

AMEN!
As clearly stated in scripture:

Romans 5:18-19 KJV
(18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
(19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.


If any are relying on their own righteousness and obedience, they are relying on the wrong one.

 

[jamie]

If any are relying on their own righteousness and obedience, they are relying on the wrong one.

Jesus was human like any other human yet without sin. Was Jesus as a man inherently righteous? Of course not.

So why did Jesus not sin?

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God... (Hebrews 9:14)​

It was not through willpower that Jesus didn't sin, it was through the power of the eternal Spirit.

Jesus did not not rely on his own righteousness, he relied on the Spirit's righteousness.

That same righteousness is available to all humans.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (1 John 3:7)​

Just as he is righteous and by the same power. Humans were designed to sin, it's only through sin that we experience the knowledge of good and evil. Without sin there is no evil.

Sin was by design, righteousness is by Spirit.

 

[Veritas veritate]

Jesus was human like any other human yet without sin. Was Jesus as a man inherently righteous? Of course not.

So why did Jesus not sin?

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God... (Hebrews 9:14)​

It was not through willpower that Jesus didn't sin, it was through the power of the eternal Spirit.

Jesus did not not rely on his own righteousness, he relied on the Spirit's righteousness.

That same righteousness is available to all humans.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (1 John 3:7)​

Just as he is righteous and by the same power. Humans were designed to sin, it's only through sin that we experience the knowledge of good and evil. Without sin there is no evil.

Sin was by design, righteousness is by Spirit.

Again, taken out of context... read the whole chapter leading up to verse 7 to get the context. Again, the object of righteousness is Christ. It is predicated on abiding in him (verse 6). Notice also that it says that when he shall appear we will be like him. That is the hope that causes us to purify ourselves (which shows that we are not yet pure) using his purity as our motivation.


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