Are you better than this?

better off, yes, made so by Jesus,
better then, no, we are not 'better' then anyone.
a christian who thinks they are better then anyone else is in trouble already.

 

==Am I "better than"? No.

Am better off? Yes.

"Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" -1Cor 6:10

 

==Better off, yes. However we still live in fallen bodies, in a fallen world, and are still capable of sin. Our position is better, our lives should be better, but we are not superior people. We are not perfect, yet.

 

Inwardly I am better for I have been born again and made alive in Christ Jesus and cleansed up.

Outwardly, I am better, in the sense that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. I am not like the world anymore, even though I am still waiting on my change. Scripture says whoever you lend your member to, you are the servant thereof. I don't live like I used to do, you won't see me in the bars, cat houses, cussing, taking the Lord's name in vain, yes I would say I am a much better man, that I was before I was saved, for I am kept by the power of God, and His Grace is sufficient for me, and for my temptations, He makes a way for my escape. I am none of those things you listed anymore, because I live for the Lord. If I was no better, I would start all over again. Seems I am the only one who says we are better, but if a Christian is not a better man, something is wrong. I laid off the "Old" coat and put on the "New".

Even the world knows you are a better man. Many will say, "you are a Christian?), or "are you a preacher". Yes, God's children live a much better life and have the promise that the world don't have. I wouldn't trade with any of them, would you?

So, we are not perfect yet, but we are much better than what we were. The folks that knew me tell people "you should of known that man, before he was saved".

Who do I owe it to? The Lord of course. By the Grace of God, I am what I am.


BBob,

 

==Be that as it may. I have answered your question and I am not about to do so yet again. If you disagree with my answer that is fine with me because I disagree with yours. Sometimes I really get tired of all the fruitless going in circles that is a constant reality on these boards. :BangHead:

 

Okay, I'll say it - I'm better than that [edit - not I, but Christ who lives in me]. I've said that for years - long before I changed from freewill to sovereignty - saying "I am not sinless, but I do sin less, because the Spirit resists the flesh, so that I can not do the things that I would." The key is that I don't believe I'm any better as a human being than any other human being. I am capable of gross sin. But God leads me away from that. All my blessings are of His Grace, and not of my abilities.

 

And I will second that amen!

 

No

I am catching up though :thumbs:

 

Well, you already know how I feel about it, but I can't help telling it again. :laugh:

If you're no better after conversion and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit than you were as an unbelieving sinner, then you'd better examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.


Mar 4:20 "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."


Mat 13:23 "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

Christians bear fruit. They don't all bear the same amount, but they do bear some fruit.

 

Lk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

I do not exhalt myself as the Pharisee if I say that I'm better than I was before I was saved, because the Pharisee was self-righteous, depending on his own goodness to be justified before God. But my righteousness comes from and through Christ alone, not me. Any good that is in me came from God.

 

God is amazing!

I'm sorry for spoiling your other thread. :tear: