Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
If we sin as a saint according to your initial response to kwaiQ, we will be separated from the Holy Spirit which is in us. Recognizing this sin is not the same as confessing and repenting of it. Would you call a saint who falls into sin as one that abides in Christ?
We abide in him if we don't sin. What prevents the Spirit from coming and going constantly in a Christian who is struggling with a sin?
Another example might be the churches in the book of Revelation. Why didn't Jesus take the candlestick away and remove his Spirit from the churches with whom he was displeased?
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I did not say the believer who sins will be separated from God. Because sin has been dealt with in the heart of the believer, the believer abides in Christ even if he should stumble. On the other hand, sin has not been dealt with in the heart of the unbeliever. The believer is righteous before God because he rests "in Christ," while the unbeliever rests "outside of Christ" on his own inadequate merit and is viewed as being under sin and unrighteous
(Romans 3:9-10).
The believer perpetually abides in Christ (and the spirit of Christ in him) because he perpetually believes. Like each of us sitting at our computers are now in a constant state of "being" physically alive, believers in Christ are in a constant state of "being" spiritually alive. They are in a constant state of "being" righteous because they are perpetually receiving God's righteousness imputed to them through faith in Christ
(Romans 3:21-22). In Christ we are perpetually alive and right before God, therefore perpetually forgiven. By virtue of constant faith in Christ who is our righteousness
(1Corinthians 1:30) we remain constantly right before God...... even when we stumble.
Our rightness before God is not dependent on our right actions
(Romans 4:4-8) but on God's righteousness. Since our salvation is based fully on a righteousness imputed to us we need not freak out when we stumble and fall. If we should find that we have stumbled we must simply rely on the cross, remember we are crucified with Christ and recognize we live not because of our works but because Christ lives in us by faith
(Galatians 2:17-21).
The sins of those who have not believed are still imputed to them, they are still condemned to eternal separation from God and will remain thus until they are no longer under sin by virtue of being "in Christ"
(John 3:14-18; Romans 8:1).
I am under the impression it is being suggested by many that Cornelius had the life of Christ living in him while he was yet under sin. I do not see this as being theologically possible.
Hope this helped. God bless.
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