This is as painful for me to continue to come back to as it appears it is for you.
Where we are weak, there he is strong (we all start off weak in Christ, being dead in him we live). This is not about measuring up, but more that we are learning. Milk and meat kinda stuff, if we continue to confess sin as being our weakness, then we are not living in him. What do you say about the scripture "if you continue to sin then you have neither seen him or known him"? Kind of sad if we think that he is going to hold sin against us...so we just keep confessing and get rid of it and hope that when the day comes that we die, we've coughed it all up so to speak. Try not to put scripture in front of it as if it cancels out this one, that's the whole point everything fits together...and many more like it...what about the one that says, you cannot sin because his seed is in you, that you are in protected, that no one in him continues to sin..that he cannot, What about these?
I understand it is easier to just say , yes I sin, yes I am saved by grace and then be done with it like we've all been taught. But there is more to it. Set free, not laying again the foundations of repentance ( Hebrews ), for those that have once received and been set free cannot go back to sin, its like crucifing Christ all over again, to his shame.
Can we agree that there is something about these (and more) scriptures have not really ever been read in a church service. What would they say about them. Its easier to say that sin still lives in us, because really, to have the other, would be a miracle. Knowing also that saying this does not give us a ticket to do what ever we want, it more is about growing and learning and having a relationship with God through Christ. The vail has been rent in two, we might have a heart that condems us, guilty and all, but the Lord has told us not to hold onto that, for he does not. If we were still dealing with sin, then there is nothing else that can help us.
I am wondering if you understand what I have been writing or if you are responding based on what you have believed and learned from what you have been taught through the Church or groups or whatever. I understand where you are coming from. I am a PK, I know the bible, I know the routine and I hold nothing against the Churchs because they preached from a good heart...but this one little thing...that appears so insignificant is really really big in the Lord. It changes everything, and I mean everything.
I am not writing something to condem you or put you down in any way.
I.C., Kelly