Well first of all I need to correct what I take is an assumption that the devotional that I am quoting was written by Tozer. If that is what you are thinking, that is NOT correct.
I intentionally did not say where the devotional came from or who wrote it, but it did not come from anyone associated with the C&MA. I do not want to ill toward that person nor any one that they may be associated with.
Since you mention Tozer, how about if we take a look at what He believes and writes. As a matter of fact just yesterday's devotional.
It is entitled "Loving Obedience" ...a partial quote... < https://www.cmallian...ns/tozer?id=745 >
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"Our Lord gave us a rule by which we can test our love for Him: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. . . . If a man love me, he will keep my words. . . He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings (John 14:21-24).
These words are too plain to need much interpreting. Proof of love for Christ is simply removed altogether from the realm of the feelings and placed in the realm of practical obedience. I think the rest of the New Testament is in full accord with this.
Verse
Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. . . . John 14:23-24a"
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My understanding of Tozer's beliefs are that we should look like Jesus Christ, That is my belief also, because that is what I read in the Bible. Now about sin.
Simply put sin is known disobedience, to God's wishes, His commands. My understanding of what Tozer is saying in his devotional yesterday, is that we if we love God we will keep His commandments. If not keeping His commandments is sin, than Loving God and keeping His commandments is holiness, purity and living without sin.
Hear is what John believes as he states in 1 John 3:3-7 "And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure). Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous."
The entire chapter 3 lays out the sin question fairly clearly.
I gave that first and now I will answer your question... I am trying to say what 1 John 2:1-5 says, "(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. ) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says "I have come to know God" and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him."
The book of 1 John was a book that I would read over and over along with Peter, Ephesians and the Gospels, as I desired to be like Jesus and to know His and the Father's hearts.
I am glad to hear that you are reading the Charlie thread, If you carefully have read Charlies posts you would have picked up that Charlie does not believe the main body of the devotional above. Here is part of what Charlie believes, and I quote:
"You seem to say that we have to stop sinning to enter heaven, is that correct? And secondly you say “Jesus did it, so can we”. I can say, for sure, that sin will not enter heaven but it will be because those who enter have the cloak of God`s own righteousness wrapped around them.....given by grace to those who have accepted Jesus as their savior.
I have never known or heard of anyone working hard enough to “live it just like Jesus”."
I have not directly felt to reply to these comments due to other more important issues that needed communicating. So you know and Charlie if he is reading along, what I believe and say is what I see as the Spirit of the Word of God. If you find anything in my blog or posts that is not in the Bible, I need to have it called to my attention and I need to correct it!
Before I get to involved in defending the 'faith' I want to again directly address you guess and question.
Sorry your guess is twice wrong, but THANKS for giving it a shot!!!!!
As stated, the devotional is NOT Tozer's and the idea or concept of a Christian looking like Jesus is not wrong. If Jesus' Spirit is to live within us and we are to be dead, than that would say, if you saw me you would see Jesus, correct? If Jesus is to be in me, as Paul teaches, and He really is there, and I am dead, a living sacrifice, than that would say that since Jesus did not sin, and lived for the will of the Father, that my body, under Jesus' control would not sin. I will only sin when "ME" my old selfish man in the flesh, is alive and in control.
If I were to say that I would never sin again, I would consider it to be arrogant pride. I am saying with Jesus Christ in control, as the Word of God says that He is supposed to be, He will not sin, it is not in His Nature.
Problem with modern beliefs is that most of what is spoken of about the Word of God is assumption and presumption, which means that people believe things about themselves that has absolutely on fruit of evidence of fact. Jesus taught that a tree is known by the fruit it produces. If your life produces lemons then you are a lemon tree. If your life produces apples you are an apple tree. We are given many ways to test and evaluate what our lives produce that we may know what kind of tree we are.
You are a Champ for trying ADVRider, a step above all other readers!!! Why? Because you tried, right or wrong, you did something!! Thanks again!!
By-the-way, I am curious, did you do what I suggested? "So come on AVDRider, be brave, pray for the Holy Spirit's Wisdom, and read it again. This error has to do with God's fundamental nature."
Brave you definitely were, but did you pray, did you seek the Word of God for Truth?
Look forward to hearing from you again!!