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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: Mountain Man]
#88831
05/12/07 06:57 AM
05/12/07 06:57 AM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2023
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,583
California, USA
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Here's something I wrote a couple of months ago. I think it applies here. The faith that leads to salvation is not merely intellectual acceptance of some piece of information. The devils have that kind of faith, and tremble. The faith that counts is faith in God. That includes trusting that God knows what He is doing. When such faith is present, it is impossible to stray from His revealed will.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (Jn 10:27) Why do sheep follow the shepherd? Because they trust that the shepherd will not lead them into danger, that he does only that which is for the good of the sheep. And when people have that same trust in God, they will also follow.
But there's another thing to learn from the sheep. Not only do they trust the shepherd, but they also depend upon the shepherd. Sheep know that on their own, they are wolf fodder. They trust that the shepherd knows what he is doing, that his commands are only those which will keep the sheep safe, AND they accept the fact that the shepherd's care is an absolute necessity of life.
The faith that includes a complete trust in God also includes a complete distrust of self. We must accept that we are incapable of taking care of ourselves. This is a fact that applies to everyone, but most people refuse to accept it. As a result, they end up relying upon themselves and making a wreck of their lives.
In contrast to this is the 144,000. "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." (Rev 14:4) This is the unavoidable result of having the "faith of Jesus." (Rev 14:12)
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: asygo]
#88835
05/13/07 02:46 AM
05/13/07 02:46 AM
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Posting New Member
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 25
USA
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asygo said: But there's another thing to learn from the sheep. Not only do they trust the shepherd, but they also depend upon the shepherd. Sheep know that on their own, they are wolf fodder. They trust that the shepherd knows what he is doing, that his commands are only those which will keep the sheep safe, AND they accept the fact that the shepherd's care is an absolute necessity of life. Actually, sheep are notoriously stupid and cantankerous and have not a clue that they may be in danger. Kinda like people... 
One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong.
And that you, O God, are loving.
~ Psalms 62:11,12 ~
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: Mountain Man]
#88857
05/14/07 04:35 PM
05/14/07 04:35 PM
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"The character is revealed, not by occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency of the habitual words and acts." Arnold, I'm not so sure that this insight is talking about being lost or being saved based on our occasional good and bad deeds. Instead, it seems clear to me that she is talking about understanding the quality of ones character based on the tendency of the habitual words and acts. In other words, we can tell what a person is like based on how they normally speak and behave. It is character, not the occasional good or bad deed, that determines our future destiny. Character is the result of repetitious choices and corresponding outcomes. Any one act, either good or evil, does not form the character; but thoughts and feelings indulged prepare the way for acts and deeds of the same kind. It is . . . by a repetition of acts that habits are established and character confirmed. (CG 199)
It is not through one act that the character is formed, but by a repetition of acts that habits are established and character confirmed. (ST 4-30-1894)
The characters formed in this life will determine the future destiny. (4T 439) Aside from the quote in SC 57, 58 I agree with what you posted regarding continual victory. Sinning is optional, not inevitable, for those who are choosing to abide in Jesus. In fact, they do not and cannot commit a known sin while they are consciously choosing to abide in Jesus. Will one sin keep a believer out of heaven? It depends. Is it a cherished sin? If so, then, yes, it will keep them out of heaven. But was it an unintentional sin? That is, did it gush out of them spontaneously? If so, did they repent immediately? If they repent immediately, then, no, it will not keep them out of heaven. The only sin that will keep a person out of heaven is the one they refuse to confess and forsake. What if a person dies before they can repent? For example, a believer looks up and sees a rock falling straight at him. He spontaneously utters an expletive just before the rock kills him. No time to repent. Is he lost or saved? I believe God knows the answer, and his future destiny is decided accordingly. If it was his tendency and habit to repent under similar circumstances, then I believe God will impute repentance and save him.
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: Mountain Man]
#88858
05/14/07 04:39 PM
05/14/07 04:39 PM
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A: When such faith is present, it is impossible to stray from His revealed will.
MM: Did this apply to the angels in heaven before the creation of mankind?
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: Mountain Man]
#88868
05/14/07 10:48 PM
05/14/07 10:48 PM
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Active Member 2012
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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A: When such faith is present, it is impossible to stray from His revealed will.
This is exactly how Waggoner argued that Christ could not sin. But he was corrected by Ellen White. Of course, such faith was always present in Jesus Christ, yet He was able to sin. In whatever theory one constructs regarding the possibility of sin, one should bear in mind that Christ could have sinned, and that Ellen White corrected those who constructed theories suggesting that He couldn't. Waggoner wasn't the only one she corrected in this regard.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: charis]
#89007
05/20/07 06:20 AM
05/20/07 06:20 AM
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Actually, sheep are notoriously stupid and cantankerous and have not a clue that they may be in danger. Kinda like people... Without having been a shepherd, I believe you are right. I think I strayed away from a strict description of actual sheep. But for us to be saved, we must rise above our natural tendency to be sheeple.
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: asygo]
#89084
05/22/07 11:37 PM
05/22/07 11:37 PM
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Is that sheeple or sheepie? 
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Re: occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds
[Re: Daryl]
#89095
05/23/07 02:50 AM
05/23/07 02:50 AM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2023
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,583
California, USA
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Is that sheeple or sheepie? That's SHEEPLE - people who act like sheep. 
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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