Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
The topic Christ or faith the Savior does not mean "Christ versus faith", rather - are we merely stopping at our faith saving our spirit eternally or are going onward to gaining Christ for full salvation?
|
Why do you think faith only have to do with saving our spirit eternally but not in gaining Christ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
My post #19 answers most of your questions I think. Gaining Christ is more or less synonymous with denial of the self, and similar concepts may be known in Christianity as "process of sanctification". However I think this process is not usually associated with gaining Christ but of becoming a better person.
|
It's good that you see the similarities. I think WL's terminology/definition incorrectly makes gaining Christ and becoming a better person mutually exclusive by saying the later is from the natural man. In fact, it is not. Can somebody really becomes a better person without Christ?
Phil 2:13 For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
Phil 3:9 says:
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
The righteousness Paul is speaking about here is not the righteousness of justification, but the righteousness of sanctification. This should be obvious, because why would Paul write about his present or future righteousness if he was writing about justification by faith which occurred in the past? The meaning of righteousness here must not mean justified from sin, but having the right standing before God in our conduct and living.
|
I agree it could be about the righteousness of santification. And haven't you noticed Paul mentioned faith twice in the verse?
Phil 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
To be clear, Lee called this kind of righteousness "subjective righteousness" and I think of it as sanctification as it relates to our condition. "objective righteousness" would be justification by faith which is irrespective of our condition.
|
I would suggest not to get too much into Lee's terminology. He kept inventing terms and pretended they describe higher truth. In fact, it is not only unnecessary in describing the truth, it causes confusion and division in the body of Christ.