Originally posted by SuzianneOn the contrary, I think the majority of people that believe in sin, also believe it unavoidable (and thus not really their responsibility). In fact, Christianity teaches that you are born with it.
Just a guess, but I'm guessing most would probably define sin in such a way that they remain sinless.
Originally posted by SwissGambitSo do you define 'sin' as 'a violation of a moral code'? I don't. I define it as 'offending God'. So for example, some people think their very existence is offensive to God and thus they are sinners by their very nature.
I'm not going to go into this angle right now, since I feel the focus of this thread is not a debate over the source of the moral codes involved.
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Originally posted by FMFSo, for the last 24 hours you have been without sins before God.
Can you give any practical examples of sin ~ not necessarily your own ~ not necessarily in the last 24 hours? The definition you offered needs illustration from the everyday lives of sinners ~ at least if you wish to remain within the spirit of this thread.
So you hope the next 24 hours will be just as good.
And you will see to it that the 24 hours after THAT is also without sins.
So you live a perfectly sinless life from today and each day from now to the rest of your life.
What about the offenses you committed before your last 24 hours ?
I do not want you to answer me publicly. This is for your own private consideration.
Were there thefts, blasphemies?
You never stole anything ?
Were there lyings and fornications?
Any taking of the name of God in vain?
Were there any instances of lifting up the name of God in jest or cursing?
Any anger in your heart to the point of wishing someone murdered?
Any taking a second gaping look at a woman to lust after her in your heart?
I am not talking about the first seeing. I am talking about the second look of gazing with fornication in the imagination.
You see, if you are sinless from today's 24 hours until the end of your life you still have a record of sins committed from the past.
Put another way the question is:
What kind of God is God ? Is this God perfect in holiness and righteousness or will God just loosely wave off your past sins, saying "Well I know you doing better now. Let's just forget about your past" ?
Is God's sentimental and liberal permissiveness such that He will just turn a blind eye away from your previous record ?
Or is God's perfection a problem to your soiled past up to the time of your radical self improvement of 24 hours ago?
The eternal righteousness of the Creator we, for a moment, may liken to a hydrogen bomb. The redemptive death for you by Jesus Christ we may liken to a completely reliable bomb shelter.
You better bring your entire life's history into the "bomb shelter" and not assume to face God with one sin of yours not completely judged on Calvary. That is not cleansed in the blood of Jesus.
I am intrigued by this thought that I am a "joyless" poster. Can I have joy in seeing a man deceived so? That is that he thinks that he can stand before God in middle age and claim that he didn't do too bad for at least the last 24 hours ?
I have joy concerning my own security. I have urgent concern concerning the flimsy tissue of self righteousness that you foolishly think can stand the test of a Perfect impartial God.
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Originally posted by FMFand yet only yesterday you were caught loading questions with fabricated insinuations, red handed, swag in the bag! trolls R us emboldened across your banner, and here you are today in a different guise, pure and sinless! How thoroughly Jekyll and Hyde. A curious phenomena to say the least.
A chance to define or discuss 'sin' and 'sinful behaviour'.
It's half past twelve in the afternoon here. I've been up since about 5 am. I've been thinking about it: I don't think I have 'sinned' today. And I'm fairly sure I can get through the rest of the day without doing so.
Do the self-identified 'sinners' among you 'sin' every day?
If I defined 'sin ...[text shortened]... e talking about [and it comes up an awful lot on this forum] when we mention 'sinful behaviour'?
Originally posted by twhiteheadSuch people should read the Gospels.
So do you define 'sin' as 'a violation of a moral code'? I don't. I define it as 'offending God'. So for example, some people think their very existence is offensive to God and thus they are sinners by their very nature.
The woman caught in the act of adultery, the religionists wanted to stone to death on the spot. They had legal justification from the law of Moses to do so.
Jesus didn't say to the woman that her very existence was an offense to God. He first caused her accusers to depart, convicted by their own consciences, that none of them was qualified to execute her.
Then He said "Neither do I condemn you. God and sin no more."
He expressed His love for the sinner.
As tempting as it is for some to over simplify the matter - "Oh, my very existence is an offense to God !" one sees the love of God for the sinner with the hatred of God for the sins.
" For God SO LOVED ... the world ..." (John 3:16a). You know the rest.
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Originally posted by robbie carrobieIf you were talking about the conversation we had where you suddenly compared yourself to Paul and his 'seed picking' when someone accused you of 'cherry picking' [Thread 158762 page 3 onwards] there was no 'sin' on my part, unless you can offer a definition of 'sin' that turns my questions and arguments into 'sins'.
and yet only yesterday you were caught loading questions with fabricated insinuations, red handed, swag in the bag! trolls R us emboldened across your banner, and here you are today in a different guise, pure and sinless! How thoroughly Jekyll and Hyde. A curious phenomena to say the least.