Originally Posted by AC.
* the importance of true repentance that comes about with regeneration in which the holy spirit makes us humble sinners before God and sin becomes our burden - we experience misery on account of our spiritual eyes being opened and we flea to Jesus for mediation. Without actualy experiencing our misery/total depravity we are missing the most important life giving aspect of the (TRUE) New Birth. Many of your friends who may be hostile to this may very well never have experienced their misery on account of sin and become true sinners before God, (i.e. those whom are drowning in their sins and need Jesus to rescue them).
And a few critical questions are: "Do you ever wonder, worry, have serious doubts of your salvation because you fear you haven't been convicted enough? Aren't miserable with yourself enough? Have you actually drowned in your sins or are you just floundering in them? Another question is, "Do you have great joy knowing you have been justified in the all-sufficent atoning work of Christ?" And, "Do you love serving God and work to further His kingdom as His adopted son/daughter?"

Originally Posted by AC.
* the need to refrain from world conformity which ventures into Christian Liberty territory (it is my belief that we use the idea of Christian Liberty to embrace vein pursuits that at best distract us from spiritual matters both before and after true conversion and at worst is God dishonoring, i.e. sports teams become idols, becoming addicted to reality shows, etc. - cannot serve the world/man and GOd but will be conformed into the image of Christ and increase in Holiness).
And WHO determines, "which ventures into Christian Liberty territory" and "Holiness"... Scripture or some denomination, church or pastor/elder? Is drinking a glass of wine with dinner "conformity with the world"? Is owning a TV a sin which needs to be repented of lest you risk eternal damnation? If a husband and wife engage in ballroom dancing, are they "conforming to this world"? Are there certain foods which one must abstain from eating because they are "worldly"? If a congregation doesn't hear the 10 Commandments read from the pulpit every Lord's Day, is that congregation less "holy" than one who does read them? Is a church less holy if they don't preach through the Heidelberg Catechism each and every evening worship service?

I think these are serious and necessary questions to ask. For to answer one way it indicates at best a tendency to Pharisaism or worse Legalism. (Lk 18:10-14)

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simul iustus et peccator

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