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Page 12 of 30
IF GOD DIDN’T MAKE LITTLE GREEN APPLES IN MINNEAPOLIS
There is a false doctrine called “sinless perfection” that teaches that we can reach a
state
in this life where it becomes impossible for us to sin. We are NOT
teaching this false doctrine. However, there is another false doctrine,
which teaches that ‘we cannot keep from sinning”! Please carefully note
the difference:
LIE #1: ‘Impossible to sin.” = ‘Sinless perfection”
LIE #2: ‘Impossible to keep from sinning”. = Lie of the devil.
THE
TRUTH: ‘Possible NOT TO sin!!!” = Given the POWER of God, and the Grace
of God, and the Spirit of God, and the Life of God, and the Word of
God, and the King’s Greatest Secret, etc, etc. etc.!
Paul, in Philippians 3, uses the word ‘perfect’ in two different ways. In verse 12 he says
he’s
not perfect and inverse 15, he says that he IS!!! (I wonder why we only
always hear that he’s not?) Imagine, if you will, a little green apple,
just barely past the blossom stage, a little bitty nubbin of a thing.
But it’s perfect! No worms, germs, dust, crust, must or rust. It’s not
dashed, bashed, crashed, slashed, hashed or gnashed. And now, can you
picture a perfectly perfect apple that’s ruby, rudy, rosy, red, ripe
and juicy’? If it were any more ripe, it would be rotten: and if it
were any less ripe it would be sour and woody. Please ask yourself this
question. What particular things are necessary for a smaller apple’s
growth and development into this mature apple? Are bruises, or worms
necessary? Is ‘hanging in there”necessary? - To endure the long cold
nights? - The hot summer days, the wind, and rain? Some folks seem to
think that rebellion, backslidings, detours, lapses, luke-warmness,
wrong attitudes and spastic silliness are all necessary to our growth
and development in God. There IS a discipline, but it is a discipline
that pertains to the new person or new man in Christ Jesus, and not the
old man or old self or nature. The old life HAS BEEN crucified with
Christ - not ‘is being”. We don’t believe in beating the dead carcass.
That would be wasted effort, and futile. (Rom. 6)
So, we see
that the flesh is neither good nor bad, in or of itself, BUT depending
upon the use to which it is put. Adam, before he fell, had flesh, and
our redeemed bodies will be flesh. Even Jesus had flesh! Hebrews 5
speaks of Jesus, ‘Who in the days of His flesh - - offered up prayers
with strong crying and tears - - and - - though He were a Son, yet He
learned obedience through the things which He suffered. And BEING MADE
PERFECT, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that
obey Him.”
Wasn’t Jesus already perfect? Of course! But here we
see that He also needed to “become perfect”! Can we be perfect in the I
John 1:9 ‘cleansed from ALL unrighteousness” sense? Of course, but we
also need to become perfect in the ripe apple sense of ‘growing in
grace and in the knowledge of the Son of God” and in the sense of
Paul’s pressing “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus” - the fulfillment of our adventures and destinies
and callings of God!!!
Good news! We can be totally forgiven
now, and the power of God and His Life within, can KEEP us pure, but we
can grow in increasing levels of faith and love and encouragement. Our
increasing appreciation of God and His creation need never cease!!!
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