Reckoning

Man, Sin, & Salvation
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blackheart
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Reckoning

Post by blackheart » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:20 am

In our small group, we have a brother passionately teaching that unless you "reckon yourselves dead to sin", the gospel you trusted in is a works based gospel.
This thinking came up when it was suggested that a christian has a cross to bear. He became very excited and said that nowhere in the NT is there any command to "die to self". The state of the christian is that he is dead, and that the only responsibility for the believer is to reckon yourself to be dead. If I see a nude girl, I need to reckon that my eyes are dead to sin.
Of course, I suggested that Jesus many times warned of the price of discipleship as being equal to bearing the cross, but he states that was for the apostles.
It is a difficult concept for me to understand, let alone explain.
What would be the best way to address this?
Blackheart Magillicutty

The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

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TK
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Re: Reckoning

Post by TK » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:09 am

What your friend is saying sounds like pretending; i.e. calling something one thing when it is really another. For example, if I berate my wife, I am sinning. My position in Jesus does not change that sin into non-sin.

I think reckoning ourselves dead to sin simply means that we acknowledge that we are not slaves to sin any longer, and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can choose not to sin.

TK

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Candlepower
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Re: Reckoning

Post by Candlepower » Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:38 pm

I think Romans chapter six, and other passages, teach us that while those in Christ are free from the penalty of sin, they are not free from the presence of sin. Someday we will be. Until then, we are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. Further, I think Romans 6 teaches that we can presently have victory over the power of sin.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The implication is, I think, that we are constantly faced with the choice of yielding ourselves to God or to unrighteousness. When we reflect on God's grace and what it cost Him to pay the penalty for our sin, it ought to inspire us to sin less.

I like the way TK put it:
...reckoning ourselves dead to sin simply means that we acknowledge that we are not slaves to sin any longer, and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can choose not to sin.
Candlepower

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look2jesus
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Re: Reckoning

Post by look2jesus » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:17 pm

I would agree with Tk and Candlepower. What I would add is that, for me anyway, it is something that we need to do on a regular basis. Some things, we need to kill, other things we need to promote. That is our struggle. I like what Paul said in Colossians, chapter 3,
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowlege and discernment...Philippians 1:9 ESV

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Candlepower
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Re: Reckoning

Post by Candlepower » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:42 pm

Amen

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