One woman commented on this post Take Porn By The Horn and said some mean things about Michael Pearl. We are to speak evil of no man so I won't allow comments that speak evil of others on my blog. We are to speak out about sin and evil but not speak evil of any one man in particular.
She was upset that Michael Pearl would tell people that he never looked at porn. For some reason, she thinks this is the wrong information to tell others. We need to give them steps to overcoming their sins and be sympathetic instead.
I was raised in churches that preached that gospel, the "ragamuffin gospel" and frankly, I'm sick of it. "Oh, you sin, so do I" and "I am just a sinner saved by grace" type of nonsense. I want to be reminded who I am in Christ. I want to hear I am freed from sin and dead to sin and I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.
I want to be encouraged to walk blamelessly as Paul said he did. I want to adorn the gospel by being obedient and not blaspheme it by being disobedient. I want hope of being able to overcome any sin by the blood that was shed for me and the power that raised Christ from the dead that lives inside of me.
Michael preaches this. Paul preaches this. Paul never calls believers sinners. He calls us saints. We are new creatures who can choose to walk in holiness. Yes, we will chose to sin at times but it is no longer who we are or how we live our lives. Sin doesn't define us anymore.
We are called to be salt and light to a dark and decaying world. I love having preachers who walk the talk and aren't afraid of saying it and admonishing their listeners to do the same. We have the Creator of the universe living inside of us. If our gospel can't free us from sin, it is a weak gospel indeed.
My gospel is powerful! My God lives inside of me and has given me everything I need for life and godliness. I believe Him! His Word is truth. I rejoice that I no longer have to walk in sin and be a slave to sin, but I can walk in holiness and be a slave to righteousness.
Read your Bible. Read Ephesians and see how many times it says, "in Christ." Read Romans 6 and 8 and who it says we are now that we believe. Now, start believing who you are in Christ and start living it. You can, you know! Oh, to God be all the glory!
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you...
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;
but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;
but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Logging you in...
Ana · 632 weeks ago
misti · 632 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 631 weeks ago
Ed C. · 631 weeks ago
Particularly valuable is your counsel to Christian wives to be sexually available to their husbands. I myself have taken time to educate Christian husbands to be similarly available to their wives in whatever way that they need (sex, affection, words, domestic support, etc.). As Willard Harley, author of His Needs, Her Needs once said: "I never question a need; a need is a need". If my wife has a wholesome, God-given need for something, I am committed to giving it to her not because I always want to give it -- but because she needs it and it is a way for me to demonstrate my love to her.
Similarly, God knows what we need even when we don't understand it ourselves -- and His kindness towards us leads us towards repentance. The only reason we love Him at all is that He first poured his limitless love into us and made it possible for us to love Him back through the finished work of Jesus.
The subject of grace can be more more clear or less clear depending upon what voices that we have been listening to. I've never read the book the "Ragamuffin Gospel" so I can't comment on it.
Just out of curiousity, have you read either of the books, "Destined to Reign" or "Unmerited Favor" by Joseph Prince or heard any preaching or teaching by him on TV or internet?
Ken · 631 weeks ago
Lori asked me to respond because she has not heard or read JP, but I have watched him a few times, and each time I have appreciated his message and focus on the victorious Christian life. That said, we do not agree that victory in Jesus and over sin necessarily leads to a life filled with health, wealth and success, no matter how great is one’s faith, for we do not see these promises in the scriptures. We see in the scriptures a promise of trials and difficulties, within the normal course of life, and from those who despise our walk with Jesus. We also do not see that wealth and success should be spiritual goals as JP may see them.
We have no issue with the terrific book by Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel. The foundation on which all believers come to Christ is by His compelling love and grace. “We love Him because He first loved us.” Amen and Amen !
But what Lori is referring to is that God did not free us from sin so that we might live in cheap grace, but instead that we might walk in newness of life… a walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. We all come to God as Ragamuffins and perhaps we live for some time in this state of being baby Christians, but at some point in our spiritual walk we are asked to grow up into the fullness of Christ. To walk as He walked, talk as He talked, live as He lived, and that means righteous living.
Pam · 631 weeks ago
Ken · 631 weeks ago
What Lori is referring to is that God did not free us from sin so that we might live in cheap grace, but instead that we might walk in newness of life… a walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. We all come to God as Ragamuffins and perhaps we live for some time in this state of being baby Christians, but at some point in our spiritual walk we are asked to grow up into the fullness of Christ. To walk as He walked, talk as He talked, live as He lived, and that means righteous living.
When we were babes we needed baby food, but Paul admonishes the mature believer to stop wallowing in the mud of cheap grace and step out by faith into all of God’s promises. Thank God there is complete forgiveness for the times in life we stumble and fall into sin… when we sin by omission and commission. But those who desire to walk with Jesus must build on the wonderful foundation of God’s love and grace to a full and complete Christian walk... one that looks like Jesus. Not just a sinner saved by grace over and over again, but one that looks different from the world. One that looks like a child of God, a believer, and a holy one.
Tiffany · 631 weeks ago
Cynthia Swenson · 631 weeks ago
Chris · 631 weeks ago
Ken · 631 weeks ago
I would like to believe that there are thousands, or tens of thousands of Christians who have little or no struggle with fleshly desires and sin. That their walk in the Spirit is so all encompassing of their lives that they can and do go days, weeks and perhaps months without known sin. Just because my walk is not as filled with the Spirit as another's, like your godly man, does not mean I should drag everyone else down to my level of experience. Instead I should look to God's Word and Promises; that I am indeed complete in Christ, and that He has given me all I need for life and godliness.
A big problem with the church today, that we allow the common experience of those around us to be our own goals and desires instead of looking only at Christ as our example and clinging to His promises that we are indeed freed from sin, and can choose at each moment to say "no" to sin.
There is a big difference between being born into the Kingdom of God and walking with Jesus and reigning with Him in this life, not just waiting fir the next one. I appreciate you sharing your husband's story of godliness, and yes, (for those out there who need this to be added), even he can fall into sin at any time, but I pray he holds fast to the one who keeps him whole and walking in holiness.
Chris · 631 weeks ago
Brit · 631 weeks ago
I desire to be one with God and pursue holiness in every area of my life. We haven't finished yet (reading a chapter a day) but I would highly recommend this book!
Lori Alexander 122p · 631 weeks ago
michele · 631 weeks ago
I think the "ragamuffin" philosophy stems from rampant tendencies within the church for believers to look down on sinners/non-believers, and I think that's an important issue that needs to be addressed. So many good believers forget that the only reason they are free from sin is because they were so generously given access to the gospel, typically from a young age. Christians are incredibly privileged, and I think more of them should cheerfully share their gift before trying to purify the congregation.
Ken · 631 weeks ago
The vast majority of Christian men have fallen into the sin of porn, and for all there is the call to freedom in Christ Jesus. Paul himself had struggles in the flesh of Romans 7, but he did not stay there, and instead showed us that the believer is to "reckon himself dead to sin and alive to Christ."
We must never forget the Ragamuffin gospel of God's love and grace, but like Paul we must also not live our lives in a struggle against the law and against the flesh, but move on to Romans 8 and a walk in the Spirit... a walk in newness of life.
We must share the good news of the gospel of complete love and grace for all sinners, in and outside of the faith, but we must also grow up believers into the fullness of Christ for lives pleasing to God. Too often Christians believe the one to be mutually exclusive of the other, but together they are the full gospel. We we saved for a purpose to be holy and set apart for God in Christ Jesus.
May we all live out our new identities and actually believe what God says about us and who we are in Christ. Christ has set us free... right here... right now. We must now grab a hold of our freedom and learn to live lives pleasing to God that show the whole world that we are truly His children.
3dlessons4life 38p · 631 weeks ago