Sin Boldly commonly misunderstood

[Lamb]

We all know Martin Luther's quote on Sin Boldly right? Well, here it is again.

“Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.”

Christians try so hard to show the world that they're holy that they aren't very real at all anymore. Luther's sin boldly was stated not to tell people to go out and sin, but that we will sin and to own up to it.

One blog I read this morning had the following title: Don’t Hold Your Hair Back when You Throw Up – Transparency and the Christian

Christians hold their hair back to hide their sin and pretend it's not there. The author of the blog is suggesting that Luther's sin boldly means to let the vomit stay in your hair.

Let's look at the people in the bible to see if they had vomit in their hair...

Paul in Romans 7
Moses' clothes soiled with filth
Peter's failures caused Paul to intervene and correct
John the Baptist had manure on his shoes

And the one that always bothered me...Abraham handing over his wife.

So this covers a portion of Luther's quote and too many don't know the rest of it concerning believing and rejoicing in Christ more boldly.

Even one our site leaders told some of us recently that we need to appear "real" to members. He knows about sin boldly :thumbsup:

 

[psalms 91]

How do you reach sinners if you cant relate to them and their struggles and better yet how can they relate to you? You must show them that you were there and that you now have victory in that area by Christ Jesus

 

[Tigger]

I tell non-believers Christians aren't perfect, its because of our faults that we/I need a savior.

 

[Brighten04]

It is the power of your testimony that sways sinners. IOW air your dirty laundry. The people I go to church with found it amazing when I tell my story of backsliding terribly during my teen years. I use to sing in a band at nightclubs. Of course nobody could believe I ever did anything like that. But I have to tell them also how Lord Jesus rescued me out of the mess.I have to tell how He protected my life while I was in the mess.

 

[Josiah]

We all know Martin Luther's quote on Sin Boldly right? Well, here it is again.

“Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.”

Christians try so hard to show the world that they're holy that they aren't very real at all anymore. Luther's sin boldly was stated not to tell people to go out and sin, but that we will sin and to own up to it.

Luther was preaching GOSPEL.... and the gospel is that Jesus saves, Jesus forgives.... and our stink doesn't prevent that, it is the reason we NEED that. If Luther had been preaching LAW, he would have said, "You must be morally PERFECT - absolutely, always - holy as God is holy, in thought, word and deed, in things done and not done... and ANYTHING microscopically less means hell." But he wasn't speaking of the Law, he was speaking the Gospel.

See this extensive treatment of this quote from the Calvinist James Swan: https://web.archive.org/web/20140528104851/http://tquid.sharpens.org/sin_boldly.htm



Pax



- Josiah

 

[TurtleHare]

Sinners do not need testimony from us in order to receive the gift of faith from our Lord. It is God's Word that convicts and converts, not our history.

 

[psalms 91]

I dont know about anyone else but the area I am in has been preached to to the point people do not want to hear it anymore, some of the people on the street know the word beter than most Christians, they do not need preached to but they do need to see a way out of their despair and messes and Jesus is the answer but only if we can tell them how God has lifted us out and that they are the same, we are not better nor do they need to clean up to come. Accept them as they are and let the holy spirit clean them up

 

[Brighten04]

Sinners do not need testimony from us in order to receive the gift of faith from our Lord. It is God's Word that convicts and converts, not our history.

No they do not NEED our testimony to be saved. And YES, the Word of our Father does convict. But you know, for some reason some people I have talked to think that they have done too much wrong and that Lord Jesus thinks they are not worthy of salvation. Oh, the Word has convicted them alright, but they think there is no hope for them. That is when the testimony of the soul winner can make the big difference.

 

[TurtleHare]

I don't think people can discount having a relationship with others in order to discuss God and what he's done for us. That is always a plus. Although you do realize your testimony isn't doing the turning right? It is merely an intro and sometimes a poor one as it leads someone who is fallen far to have a hope of an extreme change that might not be promised to him. He might struggle with and addiction for a very long time and become depressed that he wasn't cured because someone told him he would be. Shame.

 

[psalms 91]

I don't think people can discount having a relationship with others in order to discuss God and what he's done for us. That is always a plus. Although you do realize your testimony isn't doing the turning right? It is merely an intro and sometimes a poor one as it leads someone who is fallen far to have a hope of an extreme change that might not be promised to him. He might struggle with and addiction for a very long time and become depressed that he wasn't cured because someone told him he would be. Shame.

I dont tell them they will be cured of anything but I do tell them what God has done for me and how He can and does work

 

[Hebrews 11]

Let's not forget the great commission.

Mark: 16. 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

 

[Alithis]

Let's not forget the great commission.

Mark: 16. 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

so glad you posted that :clap2:

 

[psalms 91]

I don't think people can discount having a relationship with others in order to discuss God and what he's done for us. That is always a plus. Although you do realize your testimony isn't doing the turning right? It is merely an intro and sometimes a poor one as it leads someone who is fallen far to have a hope of an extreme change that might not be promised to him. He might struggle with and addiction for a very long time and become depressed that he wasn't cured because someone told him he would be. Shame.

Fear doubt and unbelief keep many from their miracle for a doublw minded man should expect nothing of God

 

[Lamb]

Let's try to get back on topic:

Luther's sin boldly was stated not to tell people to go out and sin, but that we will sin and to own up to it.

 

[Josiah]

It SEEMS Luther said a LOT. It seems a LOT of it got copied - often without the context. When IN context - it often is not too remarkable, indeed often quite Christian and traditional (but therefore, not useful to detractors). But it seems to ME Luther ALSO said some things that were just nuts. It's true for everyone, I suspect, except for me (and Jesus). I think where the biggest problem lies is not in "snipping" Luther ... or even noting when Luther was clearly wrong.... it's in IMPOSING upon others the view of self - that some single human being is INFALLIBLE and NORMATIVE and when HE speaks ergo God Himself is speaking. Some have that view.... applied to some leader of THEIR denomination... and ergo MANDATE that others have that view of their human leader in order to "justify" THEIR practice. Thing is..... Protestants do NOT view Luther as the Mouth of God, the Infallible Prophet, they view him as a sinful, mortal bloat who is 100% accountable. They don't look to LUTHER as their Authority, the Infallible One - they look to God for that.

 

[Lamb]

Well said.

When people get fed up with Lutherans, they bring up the bad things about Luther and that makes the Lutherans go, yeah, he did that or he said that. Not our fault. Not something we condone. Now back to what the bible says.

 

[psalms 91]

I agree and no matter what the truth is always good. I dont care what Luther did back then I do care iof what he says lines up with the bible that should be our only judgement

 

[Lamb]

Luther changed his mind on his beliefs throughout his lifetime. Lutherans don't "follow" Luther and all his beliefs. Not all lined up with scripture because it depended on what stage in his life he was at.

 

[psalms 91]

some of the greatest Christians were also some of the biggest sinners before they were saved, so history doesnt matter to God it is what are you doing now that matters

 

[Lamb]

Luther is dead now.

:zombie: