The glory that revives the believer also destroys the unbeliever.

To you, it looks like God treats people differently. But the reality is that people react to God differently. God loves all, but reactions to that love differ.

> I believe we cannot be TRUE
> FOLLOWERS of Jesus while "holding back" in our total loyalty and commitment
> to Him.

> I therefore do not believe that a person who has been
> TRULY born of God will knowingly or deliberately commit sin because a
> person who TRULY LOVES GOD knows that sin grieves the Heart of God (Eph.
> 4:30). And we do not deliberately hurt or disappoint those whom we TRULY
> LOVE.

Bro M. A.,

I fully agree with this. It does not seem possible to be born of God
AND deliberately commit sin at the same time; one must choose one or
the other.

Something that concerns me, though, is how often Bible-believing
people find ways to excuse their known sins. I believe it lulls us
into a false sense of security.

God hates sin in all its forms. God has power to overcome any
inherited and cultivated tendency to evil. All that's left for us to
do is to choose to submit to God. And when we choose to do that which
God abhors, we are not submitting to Him. Consequently, rather than
fleeing, Satan sets up camp in our hearts.

And if we are unsubmissive to God on any level, regardless of anything
else, we are not His children, and we are not saved. People bring up
the "trend" quotes (which I hope to address soon) and the momentary
weakness stuff, but I don't think they excuse or even mitigate lack of
submission or surrender. It may sound a little daunting, but I think
the promises of victory found in the Bible are overwhelms any reason
to fail.

By God's grace,
Arnold Sy Go
-end-

> I was shown that it was when David was pure, and walking in
> the counsel of God, that God called him a man after his own
> heart. When David departed from God, and stained his virtuous
> character by his crimes, he was no longer a man after God's
> own heart.

> The terrible calamity that God permitted to come upon
> David, who, for his integrity, was once called a man after
> God's own heart, is evidence to after generations that God
> would not justify any one in transgressing his commandments;
> but that he would surely punish the guilty, however righteous
> and favored of God they might once have been while they
> followed the Lord in purity of heart. When the righteous turn
> from their righteousness and do evil, their past
> righteousness will not save them from the wrath of a just and
> holy God.

It's exactly what I believe. No matter how "born of God" we've been, a
single instance of willful sin reveals, not causes, our failure to remain
born of God. One known sin shows that self is alive, we are walking in the
flesh, and are dead in trespasses and sins.

At that point, we need to realize our lost condition, and like Peter, cry
out, "Lord, save me!" But it is important to realize our lost condition
because only the lost seek a Savior.

By God's grace,
Arnold M. Sy Go
-end-

> The bottom line is God loves us and desires to save us; not
> destroy us. John 3:16 proves that. I believe that God desires
> to forgive us of our sins, even when we deliberately sin. But
> I also believe that God will not forgive us of sins we commit
> intentionally UNTIL WE STOP COMMITTING THEM by way of the
> Power He has made available to us:

Amen!

There is never any question that God wants to save us. The item in question
is if we want to be saved.

Let no one say, "I cannot overcome my defects of character;" for if this is
your decision, then you cannot have eternal life. The impossibility is all
in your will. If you will not, that constitutes the cannot. The real
difficulty is the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness
to submit to the will of God. {YI, September 7, 1893 par. 10}

By God's grace,
Arnold M. Sy Go
-end-

For burning the incense they took common instead of the sacred fire which God Himself had kindled, and which He had commanded to be used for this purpose. For this sin a fire went out from the Lord and devoured them in the sight of the people. {PP 359.2}

Next to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu had stood highest in Israel. They had been especially honored by the Lord, having been permitted with the seventy elders to behold His glory in the mount. But their transgression was not therefore to be excused or lightly regarded. All this rendered their sin more grievous. Because men have received great light, because they have, like the princes of Israel, ascended to the mount, and been privileged to have communion with God, and to dwell in the light of His glory, let them not flatter themselves that they can afterward sin with impunity, that because they have been thus honored, God will not be strict to punish their iniquity. This is a fatal deception. The great light and privileges bestowed require returns of virtue and holiness corresponding to the light given. Anything short of this, God cannot accept. Great blessings or privileges should never lull to security or carelessness. They should never give license to sin or cause the recipients to feel that God will not be exact with them. All the advantages which God has given are His means to throw ardor into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into the carrying out of His holy will. {PP 359.3}