[CS-FSLUG] Study Bible

[Ed Hurst]

Eduardo Sánchez wrote:

>> A murderer or adulterer with good doctrine CAN NOT have the Holy
>> Spirit..

Two conditions, Keli:

1. They must continue in their sin.
2. They must exhibit no spiritual sensitivity regarding that sin.

We understand from Paul a certain amount of #1 is unavoidable. The
concept of performance-oriented Christianity is heresy. Romans 7:7-25 is
not some speculative blather, but a reality Paul lived daily. At any
given time in my life, I will fail to perform on one point of holiness
or another. That failure will likely serve to harm others. I will deeply
regret that moment, that harm, and will strive in Christ to find a way
to clean up the mess.

As long as we wear this fallen flesh in a fallen world, we cannot hope
to be free from failure. We should expect to improve, and somewhere in
my struggle to know what I must do to serve the Lord of my life, I will
have to discern whether I can or cannot work with some other person who
professes Christ and struggles. It's not a matter of whether they are
genuinely saved, because I can't possibly know that, nor should I even
allow my mind to think in such terms. Rather, I am permitted by
Scripture only to decide whether I can work along side them.

It is neither 'being' nor 'doing' but my own accountability to God. I
have no authority to declare anyone right or wrong, nor would I seek
such authority. If God does not mover others to seek my authority, then
I have none. I have only the authority He delivers, for His purposes.
Ambition is, by definition, a sin. All I can do is state my convictions
as best I know how. If the Lord does not use that to touch you, all my
logical reasoning and bold, dramatic presentation is just noise.

>> Are you a Nicolaitan?
> 
> When I said "submission to the teachings" I meant "agreement in its 
> contents with the teaching of the Bible". The criterion for orthodoxy is 
> agreement of the contents, not a holy, Spirit filled life.

Well, on the one hand, Satan can quote Scripture and preach the orthodox
truth if he likes. On the other hand, it will have no power whatsoever,
and would bring the gospel message into disrepute. That should serve to
explain "dead orthodoxy".

> As for me being a Nicolaitan, is a good question. I should examine my 
> life in face of God's word; I am sure there are too many things to 
> object in it.

You obviously do not suffer from a dead orthodoxy. While I have
previously stated a rejection of Aristotelian assumptions in faith and
practice, there's no way I can argue with your point there, Eduardo.

It's possible some differences we have here are merely a matter of
emphasis. If you don't change, it's hard to say the Lord lives in you.
However, that change demanded by Scripture is a spiritual change first.
While it should yield obvious manifestations in human behavior -- that's
what "witness" means -- they are only a manifestation.

-- 
Ed Hurst
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Kiln of the Soul - http://soulkiln.blogspot.com/