The Bible gives the principles of our Lord. If a statement can't be supported by or align with the written Word of God which He gave to all mankind, then why would we believe it?
With all respect, the idea that we just trust in His work and go along for the ride so to speak with a simple sinners prayer (a general confession) and the Bible under your arm is a modern Protestant idea and has no basis in Christianity.
I was not at all suggesting we do not fully repent of the sins we commit, yet in the case of one receiving our Lord, when the truth has been supressed in an individual a great length of time and they formerly denied what was right vs. what was wrong, it seems monotonous and unuseful to review one's lifetime of sins. It is both faith and action, yes, but where does He ask of us THIS action? As believers, daily, we acknowledge and come to full repentance of our sins, but prior to that, are we not to simply trust the Lord to shed the old self and walk into His abundant mercies for all we can't recall? There isn't any conceivable way one can remember every sin committed over the course of a single year, let alone many, so aren't we to trust Him to work in us using our past, rather than pretend that we can do a good work in ourselves? In no way do I want to be slothful as many who claim to be Christians in North America, but I'm concerned that this is not accepting the grace of Christ in fullness. He accepted the man on the cross next to Him because of what was in his heart, he knew he'd been wrong and asked Christ to remember Him in His Kingdom. If it is necessary for us to remember, I truly believe that God is faithful to bring it to recollection or to work it in us, even without our knowing. To suggest He won't or can't unless we go backward is where I was concerned there might be a lack in faith in this belief.
....how can we be expected to change it's direction......
We cannot. Only our Lord can change a person, we are dust without Him.
We do not change us, but we pursue Him and in Him is the resurrecting power, the forgiveness, the mercy and grace, and the transforming powers which we seek in order to glorify Him. He who began a good work in us WILL be faithful to complete it. Religiosity suggests we can become righteous through our own efforts, by our own zeal, but our God asks of us not that we strive to live, but to die to ourselves, to surrender, to succumb to His dealings, to rest in Him and His sufficiency. This does not mean we do nothing but rest, this means we live in His strength and by His efforts, and He knows already every single thing we have and have not done. So why fret and concern yourself by what is covered by the Blood? Is His power and strength not enough that He can cleanse us from all these?
I realize I'm in a bit of a debate mode and don't mean to offend at all. It is GOOD for us to exhort one another and brothers and sisters are to encourage each other in the things of our Lord and call each other to His principles. So if I offend you, I apologize. I am aimed at getting at the root of this disagreement. Whether I am mistaken or you are is irrelevant, but the truth is our cause and purpose.
Much Love,
April
