Can you be a Christain and not try to be obedient?

THREEJAYS said:

Reading through all the responses on Cals thread made me wonder what folks think about obedience.When we read the things in the Bible that we are to do it's not like joe blow is telling us these things.We are reading the things Our Father in Heaven has instructed us in.

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Swamp Runner said:

Luke 9
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

I firmly believe the Word teaches that those who who follow are his and those who do not, are not His.
We may not always have our feet firmly in His footsteps and they may wander off the trail a bit at times, but make no mistake, they will be following Him.


John 10
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,a is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Notice in verse 26 what He says and what he did not say.

He did not say they are not His sheep, because they do not follow. He said they do not follow, because they ARE NOT His sheep.
I believe there is a monumental difference in the 2 statements.

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Swamp Runner;5436505Notice in verse 26 what He says and what he did not say. He did not say they are not His sheep said:

Interesting point

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christianhunter said:

We have our spurts here don't we?
I believe,that when we start judging on Church attendance,attitude,mannerisms,failures and the like.We are looking for trouble.When we see a Brother or Sister sin we lift them up,in prayer,and pick them up in fellowship.THE LORD has given us an outline on everything pertaining to life and death,in HIS WORD.If anyone confesses THE LORD JESUS,whether their lives reflect it or not,do we dare say they are not Christian?

We will all fail and come short,some more than others.Search the Scripture,and look at The Prophets and Apostles.We can all find one,that we can relate to.I wouldn't want certain members of my family to talk about me on here,when I'm having a bad day.

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Ronnie T said:

Some of the questions we ask on the forum seem odd and troublesome.

But disciples should always be asking questions.
Problems only occur when disciples ask questions, then answer them themselves rather than allow the focus of their discipleship to do the answering. Jesus Christ is the focus of our discipleship.

Another thing for me at least is that all questions need to be applied to ME first before I look to someone else as comparison.

Question: Can I be a Christian and not even try to be obedient?
I cannot. I say that because Jesus Christ said I cannot.
Actually, Jesus never asked me to just "try" to be obedient, Jesus told me to be obedient.
He said: "If I love Him, I'll keep His commandments".

If I'm His sheep I'll know His voice and I'll understand what He's saying to me. That is, "if" I'm His sheep.
My life belongs to Him.

Jesus said: "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

It would be easy for me to say "this is my perception of my relationship to Christ but it doesn't have to be someone elses". But that doesn't hold water.
The other person is bound by the same principles of discipleship that has bound me to Jesus Christ.

The words disciple or disciples occurs……………:
Seventy-three times in the gospel of Matthew. (NASB)
Forty-two times in the gospel of Mark.
Thirty-six times in the gospel of Luke.
Seventy-five times in the gospel of John.
Thirty times in the book of Acts.

I do not say this so that I may judge another person.
I say this so another person may judge themself by Jesus' holy words.

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christianhunter said:

I believe,that when we start judging

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Ronnie T said:

Some of the questions we ask on the forum seem odd and troublesome.

But disciples should always be asking questions.
Problems only occur when disciples ask questions, then answer them themselves rather than allow the focus of their discipleship to do the answering. Jesus Christ is the focus of our discipleship.

Another thing for me at least is that all questions need to be applied to ME first before I look to someone else as comparison.

Question: Can I be a Christian and not even try to be obedient?
I cannot. I say that because Jesus Christ said I cannot.
Actually, Jesus never asked me to just "try" to be obedient, Jesus told me to be obedient.
He said: "If I love Him, I'll keep His commandments".

If I'm His sheep I'll know His voice and I'll understand what He's saying to me. That is, "if" I'm His sheep.
My life belongs to Him.

Jesus said: "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

It would be easy for me to say "this is my perception of my relationship to Christ but it doesn't have to be someone elses". But that doesn't hold water.
The other person is bound by the same principles of discipleship that has bound me to Jesus Christ.

The words disciple or disciples occurs……………:
Seventy-three times in the gospel of Matthew. (NASB)
Forty-two times in the gospel of Mark.
Thirty-six times in the gospel of Luke.
Seventy-five times in the gospel of John.
Thirty times in the book of Acts.

I do not say this so that I may judge another person.
I say this so another person may judge themself by Jesus' holy words.

Click to expand...

FritzMichaels said:

What does being obedient to God as commanded by Christ have to do with judging???

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Ronnie T said:

Some of the questions we ask on the forum seem odd and troublesome.

But disciples should always be asking questions.
Problems only occur when disciples ask questions, then answer them themselves rather than allow the focus of their discipleship to do the answering. Jesus Christ is the focus of our discipleship.

Another thing for me at least is that all questions need to be applied to ME first before I look to someone else as comparison.

Question: Can I be a Christian and not even try to be obedient?
I cannot. I say that because Jesus Christ said I cannot.
Actually, Jesus never asked me to just "try" to be obedient, Jesus told me to be obedient.
He said: "If I love Him, I'll keep His commandments".

If I'm His sheep I'll know His voice and I'll understand what He's saying to me. That is, "if" I'm His sheep.
My life belongs to Him.

Jesus said: "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

It would be easy for me to say "this is my perception of my relationship to Christ but it doesn't have to be someone elses". But that doesn't hold water.
The other person is bound by the same principles of discipleship that has bound me to Jesus Christ.

The words disciple or disciples occurs……………:
Seventy-three times in the gospel of Matthew. (NASB)
Forty-two times in the gospel of Mark.
Thirty-six times in the gospel of Luke.
Seventy-five times in the gospel of John.
Thirty times in the book of Acts.

I do not say this so that I may judge another person.
I say this so another person may judge themself by Jesus' holy words.

Click to expand...

Swamp Runner said:

Luke 9
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

I firmly believe the Word teaches that those who who follow are his and those who do not, are not His.
We may not always have our feet firmly in His footsteps and they may wander off the trail a bit at times, but make no mistake, they will be following Him.


John 10
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,a is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Notice in verse 26 what He says and what he did not say.

He did not say they are not His sheep, because they do not follow. He said they do not follow, because they ARE NOT His sheep.
I believe there is a monumental difference in the 2 statements.

Click to expand...

THREEJAYS said:

Reading through all the responses on Cals thread made me wonder what folks think about obedience.When we read the things in the Bible that we are to do it's not like joe blow is telling us these things.We are reading the things Our Father in Heaven has instructed us in.

Click to expand...

crackerdave said:

My answer -from God's Word - to your question: Absolutely not!

Without repentance and obedience, how could one say there is a Holy Spirit residing in their heart?

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1gr8bldr said:

Understanding that the bible is in no way a rule book for us is very important. If it were a rule book for living, it would be to big to carry. The New cov is that we live by the Spirit.

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crackerdave said:

Sorry - I don't agree at all. The answer to any question a person could have about how to live their life IS in the Bible, and mine only weigh a couple pounds apiece.

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crackerdave said:

Sorry - I don't agree at all. The answer to any question a person could have about how to live their life IS in the Bible, and mine only weigh a couple pounds apiece.

Click to expand...