X-Sender: benschop@nic.cc.ruu.nl X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 09:03:46 +0100 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: Catechism, 36 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Q. Can they, who are converted to God, perfectly keep the law? A. Not at all; but even the most holy men, as long as they are in this life, have only a small beginning of this obedience; yet so, that they with a sincere resolution begin to live not only according to some, but according to all the commandments of God, as they also constantly pray to God that they may daily increase therein. It was said in one of the previous questions and answers, that he, who is converted to God, begins to keep the law. It may be asked now, if he perfectly can keep the law, or if he does it imperfectly. Can they, who are converted to God, perfectly keep the law? The answer is: No, not at all. We begin to keep the law, but we are far from doing it perfectly. They who are converted, as long as they are in this flesh, they have only a small beginning of the perfect obedience. This is not said to give licence to all sins. Maybe there are people, as soon as they hear that even the believers cannot keep the law, begin to flatter themselves. Not so, for the believer, though he cannot keep the law as it ought, yet, he begins with a sincere resolution to live according to the whole law. He begins not to live according to some, but according to all commandments of God. And while doing that, he constantly experiences his fails. These fails sadden him, since he wished that he was perfect. His daily failing is the reason why he constantly prays to God, that he may increase in His obedience, through His power. Even the most holy man have but a small beginning of the perfect obedience. James said: "For in many things we offend all." (James 3:2) We offend all, said James, also the most holy men. And Paul, when speaking of himself, says: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect". But he continues saying, that he pursues the holiness: "but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12) He tries to be perfect, but in this life, he will never attain that. Also John testifies the same truth: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) Let nobody then say, that he keeps the law perfectly, but let any believer say with the apostles, that they pursue after obedience, and never attain to that in this life. He, who is converted to God, tries to keep all the commandments, though he stumbles daily. He is not like those, who keep one or two commandments, and make themselves believe that they keep the law. They select the easiest command, or the command which is in conformance with their character, and then think to keep the law. But he, who is converted to God, does it not in this way. He is not selective, so as to select some commandments, but he tries to keep them all. Daily experiencing his stumbling therein, he daily humbles himself before God, and prays for strength. His desire is to become holy, but in this life, he never becomes so. Since God is holy, he also try to be holy. He knows what God has said, and has repeated in many places: "Ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:45) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:14-16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl Listowner of chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" Institute Practical Bible-education Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/cate: cat-036.txt .