TE: Of course every sinful habit revealed is repented of. But that's not the same thing as every sinful habit.

MM: What is the difference between sinful habits that are revealed and sinful habits that are not revealed? In other words, why does the Holy Spirit reveal some sinful habits during the process that leads to rebirth, and not all of them? Why does He wait to reveal certain sinful habits until after they are born again? What criteria does He use to reveal some subcategories of sinful habits during the process of rebirth and not the rest until after they are born again?

Or, does it really matter? Does it matter if the Holy Spirit waits to reveal certain subcategories of sinful habits (e.g. representative sins) until they are born again? Does it even matter if He never reveals them, if He allows them to sin in ignorance until they die or are translated? If so, can you name such a sinful habit?

In the past you have avoided these questions by saying, All that really matters is that we learn the truth about God's character, that we learn that He is loving and trustworthy, that He has never killed sinners in the past, that Jesus never killed sinners while here in the flesh, and that God is not the one who kills sinners in the lake of fire - if people learn these things about God they will learn not to sin, they will learn to be like Jesus.

For the sake of discussion, let's assume what you believe, whatever it is, is 100% correct. With this in mind, with what you believe is right, please answer the questions I posted above. Please do not disregard them and tell me why you think I've got it wrong, or that my questions do not focus on what you think is right. Thank you.

PS - Why do I have this sneaky suspicion you are not going to address my questions, that you are going to post something that doesn't deal with the content or intent of my questions? I hope I'm wrong.

The Holy Spirit reveals things to us as we are willing and able to deal with them.

MM, you said you agreed that the Holy Spirit does not reveal every sin, but only representative ones. So I'm not understanding your questions. Anything that would keep us from coming to Him, He reveals. Let's see if we agree on this, and we can go on from there.

I am reposting the following:

TE: Let's see if we agree on this, and we can go on from there.

MM: Do you agree with what I posted in the last two posts?

TE: The Holy Spirit reveals things to us as we are willing and able to deal with them.

MM: Does He not reveal certain sinful habits because we are not willing to deal with them? In what way are we "able" to deal with them if we were willing?

Why do you make this distinction? Where does Scripture talk about subcategories?



Why couldn't selfishness be a category, and lump everything under that?



I understand the concept of subcategories, but don't see where you came up with this idea.

But let's go with it. A person does not have to confess every single sin which falls under a category. So there may be dozens or hundreds of ways in which they are impatient, some of which they are aware of, and some of which they aren't. Doesn't your theory say that they need to be made aware of all of these? If not, what is an example of a sin of impatience that a person does not need to be made aware of?

I see a post of mine which is in between. One of the two posts looks like questions. If you wish a specific answer to something regarding if I agree with it, perhaps you could state the point you're thinking of? (or perhaps this isn't necessary, because of the other posts we have going)

I'm thinking of the EGW quote which says that God brings us around on certain points if we are not willing to deal with them at a certain time. It's the same one Hakim mentioned. I asked if someone would post it, but I don't recall seeing it. I think I'd like to see what she wrote, and then comment further. I don't remember her wording.

We are able to deal with things by God's grace.

I phrased my comment the way I did because I recall her saying something very similar in regards to truth, and the parallel seemed appropriate.

I feel constrained to comment that I think your whole focus here is off base. If you look at Jesus' life, for example, I don't see Him spending time parsing the fine differences between categories of sinful behavior, or teaching that every sin had to be confessed, or anything like that. He spoke of His heavenly Father, and said, "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink."

He told the following story:



According to the story, the publican asked for mercy with the words, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" and received it. David says:



This is what I see in the publican. It seems to me that God is interested in one with a broken spirit, and a contrite heart; not someone concerned with lists (this looks like what the Pharisee was doing).

TE: I understand the concept of subcategories, but don't see where you came up with this idea. But let's go with it. A person does not have to confess every single sin which falls under a category. So there may be dozens or hundreds of ways in which they are impatient, some of which they are aware of, and some of which they aren't. Doesn't your theory say that they need to be made aware of all of these? If not, what is an example of a sin of impatience that a person does not need to be made aware of?

MM: The ten commandments creates subcategories. Also, Sister White was shown the concept. All sins fall under Selfishness. Impatience is a subcategory. All forms of impatience falls under the subcategory of impatience. The specific ways we experience impatience is "representative" of the subcategory of impatience. During the process that leads to rebirth, the Holy Spirit reveals specific, representative acts of impatience to confess and forsake and crucfiy. He need not go back and reveal the hundreds of specific acts of impatience.

Impatience is impatience. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit we cannot experience any one of the many forms of impatience without realizing it is morally wrong. No act of impatience goes unknown. Before we act impatient, we are tempted to act impatient. When tempted to act impatient we have a choice - to be impatient or not to be impatient. We are not ignorant of the choices. There is no such as being impatient without realizing it. The Holy Spirit is on hand to make us fully aware of our choices.

Thus it is with all forms of sin, that is, all forms of sin as defined by the last six commandments.

TE: Of course every sinful habit revealed is repented of. But that's not the same thing as every sinful habit.

MM: What is the difference between sinful habits that are revealed and sinful habits that are not revealed? What makes them different?

Why does the Holy Spirit reveal some sinful habits during the process that leads to rebirth, but not all of them? What is it about some sinful habits that allows Him to wait until they after they are born again to reveal them? How are they different?

Or, does it really matter? Does it matter if the Holy Spirit waits to reveal certain subcategories of sinful habits (e.g. representative sins) until they are born again?

Does it even matter if He never reveals them, if He allows them to sin in ignorance until they die or are translated? If so, can you name such a sinful habit?