Tag Archives: Eternal life

Nathan Dooley

I CONFESS

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I confess, I’m not there yet. If I’m not sinning one way, it’s another. I know, “Welcome to the obvious Nathan.” Right? That bothers me though, because I believe that a sinful cycle is broken by the power of the Holy Spirit that puts the deeds of my flesh to death, but saying that doesn’t mean anything if there isn’t a result. I can say that I believe with all my heart that the issue of sin in me is broken as I confess “Jesus, my Lord,…”, and the Church in me says, “Through faith, it is, when Jesus returns.” But the Christian in me wonders why I still eat the fruit of sin that Christ took away? How can I eat something that’s been taken away? 

What I’m about to write might be controversial, but I’ll clean it up. 

The Holy Spirit teaches the Scripture for my understanding, not my local church (1 John 2:26-28). I’ve learned through my local church the meaning of fellowship and worship to God as a body within the Body, but the knowledge of the truth is learned by my personal relationship to the Holy Spirit who teaches me all things in Christ for discerning the nature of my spirit and the spirits of the body gathered around the preaching of the gospel. Why is that important? Christ the Lord has bought the world with His blood, and each person who remains faithful to believe in the Word of God is being saved by Him for an eternal life, which is a life in Him, the nature of Jesus Christ; as opposed to the nature of Satan, which is not a life, but an experience of eternal consequence that eternal beings—as such we are—will inevitably wake up to, if found guilty by maintaining the position of denying the very Person who bailed the world out of jail. That Person is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father.

I guess the reason for my writing this is to hope for those who read and believe as I do to pray a prayer of righteousness over my soul, that my conscience guilty of sin will be forgiven and healed. Not that I would escape the necessary discipline as a son of God, on the contrary, I ask for the necessary discipline to overcome the fruit of my sin I desire even now… To eat.

Christian Soapbox

FROM MY CORE – ESSAY 4

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So what did I mean by… “But that does not mean we continue to find ourselves in sin.”? The Bible is an awesome recourse for us to explore what the Source reveals to us about sin. While the Bible is a recourse, it is not the Source convicting us of sin, and please test me by checking—John 5:39-47 & 16:5-15. The Bible functions much like a collection of school books, a tutorage for the person learning about their soul in relation to sin, and God (Gal 3:23-29). I can add scripture verses all day supporting my delusions—as though the Bible has that authority—but the Bible does not have authority to give anyone eternal life (John 5:39-47). It is the Bible that contains the Scriptures testifying about Jesus coming to us in His Father’s name with His Father’s power, to give us life by receiving Him—the Source. This brings me back full circle to the initial question—So what did I mean… ? I mean that the Holy Spirit is our Source to find ourselves in the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin:

7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the [a]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: 9 about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message]; 10 about righteousness [personal integrity and godly character], because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me; 11 about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned.

John 16:7-11 (AMP)

But how do I keep from sinning? How do I stop finding myself in sin? How do I do as Christ instructed, like when He said to the woman found in adultery… “Go. From now on do not sin any longer.” (John 8:11)? What do you think Jesus meant by that? And how do I remain healed after Jesus tells me—like He told the man He healed—“See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14)? What do you think Christ meant by “…or something worse may happen to you.“?

Do those instructions apply to you and me right now, tomorrow, next year; … at the day of the Lord (1 Cor 5:1-5)?

[I pray you, the reader, will experience these posts and this blog as a safe place to comment; express yourself—with love in mind.]

I argue the worst thing to happen to someone who continues to find themselves in sin/s… is regression into possession of that/those sin/s as a lifestyle where many evil spirits are coming to reside:

24 “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places in search [of a place] of rest; and not finding any, it says, ‘I will go back to my house (person) from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the place swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in [the person] and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.”

Luke 11:24-26 (AMP)

When I refer back to my previous essays—thinking about sin—I ask myself:

“What sin am I in?

Am I still in sin?

If so …

How?“

When and how does an unclean spirit come out of a person as quoted above?

What do you think?

DISCLAIMER:
Nathan Psychology: The study of oneself for righteous behavior, and my written perspective on the experiential process of edification to sanctification. What does it mean to be born of God, overcome the world, and be made new through faith in believing Jesus Christ is the way of my salvation? I’m discovering the path through spiritual discipline—

I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

I have directed and led you with wisdom in upright paths | P4-V11

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A Father’s Instruction

Proverbs 4:11

I die daily devotional.

10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings
And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you will not stumble.

As I consider the meaning of an idea, an idea about direction, a direction that is not in the way of wisdom; what that might look like. I think of those who’ve yet to hear this good news of wisdom, to understand the upright paths of eternal life … what about them? Are they directed in the way of wisdom, and led in upright paths?

How could the gospel come to someone like me, and inspire me with hope for salvation from the path of the evil one leading me to destruction? A path I seem all too familiar with, a direction ever present in the way of cunning.

Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith; 31 whereas Israel, [though always] pursuing the law of righteousness, did not succeed in fulfilling the law. 32 And why not? Because it was not by faith [that they pursued it], but as though it were by works [relying on the merit of their works instead of their faith]. They stumbled over the stumbling Stone [Jesus Christ]. 33 As it is written and forever remains written, “Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense; And he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”

Wisdom explains the justice of God through faith, that even those who’ve walked and are walking in faith yet to hear about the person of the Messiah, the Son of God—Jesus Christ—are counted as righteous, having obtained righteousness through faith although ignorant about the law. It is these people—once hearing the gospel for the first time—will act like new born babies sensing the closeness of the teat until finally latching on for the pure milk of the Word.

And so the way of error, not recognized by those who’ve yet to hear, but those who’ve heard and make effort in obedience to the law, that succumb to a direction of disobedience by their willful blindness to faith. As long as the evil one has convinced those that it’s by obedience to the law for salvation, death reigns with condemnation for the soul directed on the “upright” path.

Jesus has directed us in the way of wisdom, and the Spirit testifies, I have directed you in the way of wisdom. Jesus has led us in upright paths, and the Spirit testifies again, I have led you in upright paths. There is no excuse for anyone dead or alive, the Spirit of the gospel affirms the nature of faith so as to be saved. To reject and deny the Word of God upon your hearing is instead to accept the judgement according to your unbelief, affirmed by the faith of Christ you’ve stumbled over, the revelation of your soul condemned in the direction of sin in the path of the wicked.

Repent.

2 Peter 2:11 whereas even angels who are superior in might and power do not bring a reviling (defaming) accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these [false teachers], like unreasoning animals, [mere] creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, reviling things they do not understand, will also perish in their own corruption [in their destroying they will be destroyed], 13 suffering wrong [destined for punishment] as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously]. They are stains and blemishes [on mankind], reveling in their deceptions even as they feast with you.

2 Peter 3:8 Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up.

RESOURCE

Proverbs 4 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org | biblegateway.com

COMMENTARY

Chapter 4

Matthew Henry (P4-V11) Commentary
(2.) By way of motive and inducement thus to labour for wisdom, and submit to the guidance of it, consider,

  • [1.] It is the main matter, and that which ought to be the chief and continual care of every man in this life (v. 7): Wisdom is the principal thing; other things which we are solicitous to get and keep are nothing to it. It is the whole of man, Eccl. 12:13. It is that which recommends us to God, which beautifies the soul, which enables us to answer the end of our creation, to live to some good purpose in the world, and to get to heaven at last; and therefore it is the principal thing.
  • [2.] It has reason and equity on its side (v. 11): “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom, and so it will be found to be at last. I have led thee, not in the crooked ways of carnal policy, which does wrong under colour of wisdom, but in right paths, agreeable to the eternal rules and reasons of good and evil.” The rectitude of the divine nature appears in the rectitude of all the divine laws. Observe, David not only taught his son by good instructions, but led him both by a good example and by applying general instructions to particular cases; so that nothing was wanting on his part to make him wise.