Practical Help on Abiding in Christ

This denying of the self and going along with the inner voice of the Lord Jesus is to be led by the Spirit.

" For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Rom. 8:14)

I would draw your attention to the fact that Paul speaks of "sons of God" in this verse but "children of God" in verse 16:

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." (v.16)

Children and then sons - that should be the thought here.
To be one of the CHILDREN of God only requires regeneration - the Spirit of God coming into the human spirit.

This is not an end in itself. Having been born again by the Spirit the believer matures to be more grown as a "son" by obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Children only require the birth.
Sons require being LED by the Spirit.

From the context of this chapter, to be LED by the Spirit absolutely entails setting the mind on the Spirit (v.6) -

"For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace." (v.6)

To be led by the Spirit is to learn more and more to set the mind on the spirit which has been born again and where the Holy Spirit is.

Originally posted by sonship
The number of commandments of Christ can not possibly be enumerated. They can neither hardly all be specified. But mostly for new believers, the living Christ will say "No." .

So the "practical help" - i.e. actual doing-stuff advice - you're offering is connected with living a morally sound life? But this can be achieved without having to think a whole set of convoluted thoughts about myself and about Christ, right?

I would add that in Romans 8 it is to set the mind on the spirit.
But in Colossians 3:2 the same matter is expressed as set the mind on the things which are above.

Compare now the two exhortations:

Romans 8:6

"For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace."

Colossians 3:2

"Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Set your mind on the spirit where the Spirit of Christ is is to set your mind on the things which are above. For your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Christ is within and Christ is above.

In Romans 8:34 Christ is at the right hand of God.
And in Romans 8:10 Christ is in you.

Christ is the things which are above.
And Christ is the Christ living in the Christians spirit.

Here we see Christ is above in Romans 8 -

"Who is he who condemns? It is Christ Jesus ... who is also at the right hand of God ..." (v.34)

And here we see He who is above is also the Christ IN the Christian on earth -

"But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness." (v.10)

In both cases the Christian must learn to SET THE MIND on Christ.
She must learn to SET THE MIND on the things which are above.

Originally posted by FMF
So the "practical help" - i.e. actual doing-stuff advice - you're offering is connected with living a morally sound life? But this can be achieved without having to think a whole set of convoluted thoughts about myself and about Christ, right?

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Think that through for a moment.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Think that through for a moment.

So even if sonship doesn't want to acknowledge it, you are acknowledging that he is simply preaching to the choir, it would seem.

Do you see his posts on this forum as being "good works"?

To set the mind on Christ does not mean to think about doctrine.
It means that Christ is living in your spirit and you must turn your mind and set it upon the Person living in your spirit.

This is not to practice self improvement.
This is not to attempt to keep a law in your own energy.

This is to allow "the law of the Spirit of life" to spontaneously operate within.
This is like the law of an apple tree knows how to bear apples.
The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus knows how to LIVE out Christ Jesus in a man.

This law of life is a liberating law.
And here is where Christ sets us free.
And here is where Christ sets us to be free indeed.

This is the freedom by the spontaneous empowerment of the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is - there is freedom.

" And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17)

Do you need freedom in your will?
Let the Spirit of the Lord permeate your will.

Do you need freedom in your emotions?
Let the Lord, the Spirit saturate your emotions.

Do you need freedom in your mind?
Let the Lord Spirit come into your mind.

In fact let Christ make His home more and more in your soul by faith. You just have faith the Christ WILL come into every chamber of your soul. You received Him initially by faith. You continue to let Him spread within your personality by faith. You let Him make His home in your heart through faith. You have faith that Christ can become YOU.

That is Christ can settle down in all the areas of your heart, by your exercising faith that He wants to (which He does) and that He WILL.

" That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith." (Eph. 3:17)

Originally posted by FMF
So even if sonship doesn't want to acknowledge it, you are acknowledging that he is simply preaching to the choir, it would seem.

Do you see his posts on this forum as being "good works"?

1. If he were 'preaching to the choir' why would he consider that to be wrong?
2. Why do you care?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
1. If he were 'preaching to the choir' why would he consider that to be wrong?
2. Why do you care?

The contents of yours and sonship's minds are not as interesting as the effect that they have on your intellectual and interpersonal behaviour.

Do you believe sonship preaching to the choir in posts submitted to this debate and discussion forum constitute "good works"?

Originally posted by FMF
The contents of yours and sonship's minds are not as interesting as the effect that they have on your intellectual and interpersonal behaviour.

Do you believe sonship preaching to the choir in posts submitted to this debate and discussion forum constitute "good works"?

I believe his motives are good but only God can judge the true motives of the heart.

What effect do you think the content of our minds has on our intellectual and interpersonal behaviour, and what do you find interesting about it?

Do you think anyone has benefited from the tens of thousands of posts you have made here over the past decade? Do you believe they have lead anyone closer to what you believe to be the truth?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
What effect do you think the content of our minds has on our intellectual and interpersonal behaviour, and what do you find interesting about it?

You'll just have to gauge what I think about it from how I interact with you and with other people whose intellectual and interpersonal behaviour is affected by their ideologies of superstition, magic and self-declared immortality.😉

Originally posted by FMF
You'll just have to gauge what I think about it from how I interact with you and with other people whose intellectual and interpersonal behaviour is affected by their ideologies of superstition, magic and self-declared immortality.😉

Do you think anyone has benefited from the tens of thousands of posts you have made here over the past decade? Do you believe they have lead anyone closer to the truth?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Do you think anyone has benefited from the tens of thousands of posts you have made here over the past decade? Do you believe they have lead anyone closer to what you believe to be the truth?

I don't know if they have benefitted anyone. I make no claims about them. I can only endeavour to post about matters of morality, philosophy and spirituality in what I see as a truthful manner, and - as for its impact on others - well, what will be will be. And such is life generally, but perhaps more especially so in a virtual community like this .

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Do you think anyone has benefited from the tens of thousands of posts you have made here over the past decade? Do you believe they have lead anyone closer to the truth?

Why did you ask exactly the same question twice?

Originally posted by FMF
I don't know if they have benefitted anyone. I make no claims about them. I can only endeavour to post about matters of morality, philosophy and spirituality in what I see as a truthful manner, and - as for its impact on others - well, what will be will be. And such is life generally, but perhaps more especially so in a virtual community like this .

Do you think that your beliefs are any closer to the truth than anyone else's?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Do you think that your beliefs are any closer to the truth than anyone else's?

We've been over this before.