Performance Spectrum

Where do people go to see how far they have removed themselves through their behavior from God’s favor? More often then not, they go right back to the Law of Moses taught in the halls of religianity by ministers of righteousness. That can only lead in one direction, instability. The religiously minded begin to believe they are indeed measuring up as righteousness becomes relative to those people. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people walking away from a God they perceive as being unfair in having created them to fail in the first place.

Some take it to the extent of a total denunciation of God altogether. If God does exist, how can he demand perfection? If God does exist, the fact of his fairness or unfairness does not really matter, does it? You see, no matter where on the performance spectrum one happens to sit, whether it be the perceived safe-haven of religion or avowed atheism on the other end, a misunderstanding of the need for and the manner of justification (Our righteousification) and sanctification (How we are set apart in Christ), resides at the core of that unstable thinking.

Most people think in those terms because most people fail to properly understand justification, the cornerstone that comes prior to sanctification. If we misunderstand justification, we are going to have a difficult time understanding sanctification. Since people link a justified standing before God with performance of their own, they also link a sanctified standing before God with their own performance. And as a result, they believe the degree to which they stand sanctified in God’s eyes depends entirely upon the degree to which they remain holy in behavior. If they do not see themselves as being holy in conduct, they do not believe that God sees them as being holy, either.

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Originally Posted by newnature

Where do people go to see how far they have removed themselves through their behavior from God’s favor? More often then not, they go right back to the Law of Moses taught in the halls of religianity by ministers of righteousness. That can only lead in one direction, instability. The religiously minded begin to believe they are indeed measuring up as righteousness becomes relative to those people. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people walking away from a God they perceive as being unfair in having created them to fail in the first place.

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Both ways are wrong because you can't upright yourself comparing yourself to men, nor is it right to blame God for your free choice to rebel. There is another way. The law shows us we are sinners in need of salvation through Christ by receiving what He did for us on the cross to atone for our sins.

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Some take it to the extent of a total denunciation of God altogether. If God does exist, how can he demand perfection? If God does exist, the fact of his fairness or unfairness does not really matter, does it? You see, no matter where on the performance spectrum one happens to sit, whether it be the perceived safe-haven of religion or avowed atheism on the other end, a misunderstanding of the need for and the manner of justification (Our righteousification) and sanctification (How we are set apart in Christ), resides at the core of that unstable thinking.

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God's fairness is essential for how horrible life would be if God is unfair. Thinking becomes unstable if you think God is not fair. Where is the love in that? Those who have received Christ for forgiveness of sins are justified (legal transaction) and sanctified (made holy before God given a new life), so they should pursue a consecrated life (set apart from God). Atheists are going to Hell because they prefer to remain in their sin nature however they may rationalize it or circumvent this fact.

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Most people think in those terms because most people fail to properly understand justification, the cornerstone that comes prior to sanctification. If we misunderstand justification, we are going to have a difficult time understanding sanctification. Since people link a justified standing before God with performance of their own, they also link a sanctified standing before God with their own performance. And as a result, they believe the degree to which they stand sanctified in God’s eyes depends entirely upon the degree to which they remain holy in behavior. If they do not see themselves as being holy in conduct, they do not believe that God sees them as being holy, either.

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While one is justified immediately upon initial salvation, sanctification is a lifelong bearing the cross. The seed of holiness is in place, but a Christian needs to grow in that new life by bearing their own cross daily. I have died to my old man with Christ on the cross so put to naught the deeds of the flesh.

Performance is not for initial salvation or to keep oneself saved but for the kingdom of heaven now inside believers, the conditional first rapture according to readiness, and rewards to return and reign with Christ during the millennium as well if the Christian "overcometh."