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From: homeier@aero.ARPA (Peter Homeier )
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Re: Assumed evil in non-christians and assumed good in christians
Message-ID: <310@aero.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 1-Aug-85 12:51:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: aero.310
Posted: Thu Aug  1 12:51:17 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Aug-85 09:48:32 EDT
References: <20@ssc-vax.UUCP> <247@ihnet.UUCP> <1275@uwmacc.UUCP> <621@mcnc.mcnc.UUCP> <394@philabs.UUCP>
Reply-To: homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier (MISD))
Distribution: net
Organization: The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 62
Summary: Christians are better

Julie, I compliment you on a wonderful explanation of our reconciliation to
God.  This is a beautiful description of how we are forgiven our sins, not
that we have completely escaped sinning now.  I'd like to add another
perspective to complement this, and discuss the view of Christians from the
heavenly side.

When a man is born again, he is immediately changed in the inward man.  His
spirit is transformed, and he is completely justified before God, forgiven
for all his sins, and cleansed from their stain.  So great and surpassing
is the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross that the righteousness of Christ
is imputed to the new believer, and the Bible then refers to him as a
"saint".  This is not some exclusive title reserved for a few exceptional
Christians thoughout history, but the perfect description of our standing
before God.  He actually sees us as perfect saints.

        "... that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the
        riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is 
        the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe,
        according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ
        when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand
        in the heavenly places ..."  --  Ephesians 1:18-20  NKJV

But this is not just a positional grace in which we stand, but an active
participation by God in all of the parts of our lives.  When we receive the
Holy Spirit into our hearts, we receive POWER to live the Christian life,
to believe what God has promised in His word, to pray for and receive
blessing, and to persevere under persecution to the amazement of our
tormentors.  Additionally, all these things, which are parts of the nature
of Christ, are continually being birthed in us though our continuing to
abide in Him and walk with Jesus.

        "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
        glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
        from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
        --  2 Corinthians 3:18  NKJV

But this transformation is limited by how much we allow God to work in us:
therefore we must be zealous and commit ourselves totally to His grace.

So we as Christians are truly perfect and saintly in God's eyes, and we are
progressively being transformed under Jesus's loving care into His own
wonderful likeness.  However, God does not see the rest of the world with
such grace, but rather with anger.

        "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no
        longer walk as rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their
        mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from
        the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because
        of the hardening of their heart; who being past feeling have given
        themselves over to licentiousness, to work all uncleaness with
        greediness."  --  Ephesians 4:17-19  NKJV

And the evidence not only of the Word but also of our own senses is that
this present world is not becoming better, but in fact is growing more
corrupt at an ever-increasing pace.

Praise be to Christ Jesus, who sets us free from this world of death, and
raises us up alive with Him to be His servants and ambassadors back to
this world.

                                  Peter Homeier
                                  ARPANET:  homeier@aerospace