Reviews from

What Falling from Grace Means

Putting chains back on your soul?

15 total reviews 
Comment from Anne Johnston
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This is a very interesting commentary on Galatians. I like your words:
"believers are to overcome evil here and now by living a victorious life through the Spirit's enabling of our new natures. His resurrection, and our fellowship with Him through the Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in us which is pleasing to God and profitable for men."

 Comment Written 08-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 13-Feb-2022
    Thank you.
reply by Anne Johnston on 13-Feb-2022
    You are welcome
Comment from mermaids
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Growing in the grace of God reminds me the importance of maintaining faith and growing in that faith. Your words explain well this topic in Galatians which is sometimes confusing to Christians. Excellent essay.

 Comment Written 06-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 06-Feb-2022
    Thank you for your encouraging words.
Comment from royowen
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I remember a friend of mine saying, "when I tried not to sin, I sinned a lot, but when I stopped trying, I sinned far less" I realised he was saying, he finally accepted the gift of grace. Salvation is assured, it sets us free to be the person intended us to be, rejoice in our calling. Beautifully written Bro, I haven't got a single six, but you deserve it. Well done brother Dennis, blessings Roy

 Comment Written 05-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 05-Feb-2022
    Thanks brother Roy!
reply by royowen on 05-Feb-2022
    Bless you Dennis
Comment from T B Botts
Exceptional
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Hello Dennis,
Thanks for sharing your faith here. I've read through your piece and one moment I think I understand and the next I don't. It's been that way for years for me. I'm a believer, but at times struggle with knowing that I'm truly saved. I understand that grace is what saves. We could never meet God's holy standard. Nonetheless, I guess I have in my mind the way I should act, and find that at times one would have a hard time distinguishing me from a non-believer. It's an ongoing struggle. I do appreciate what you have to say my friend. Well done.

Have a blessed day.
Tom

 Comment Written 05-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 05-Feb-2022
    Wow! You just described the Romans 7 struggle every believer experiences. We believers are really two natured beings. One was the sinful nature we were born with and the other is the new nature we received when we were born again by faith in Christ.
    These two natures are in conflict until we go to be with Jesus.
    The way to win the battle is to understand Christ died as a sinner in our place, though He had no sin of His own.
    So in God?s POV, when Christ died, we as sinners died with Him. As believers we rose with Him in resurrection and are now alive forever. This means we can have fellowship with Him now, having been made worthy by His atonement and consequently indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
    It is by the Holy Spirit and the Word we I stand these things and so walk in assurance before God.
    The Holy Spirit is our Helper, aiding us to know Christ more deeply, teaching us how to pray and giving us joy in knowing and serving Christ. Knowing Romans 6,7 and 8 will really give us a true understanding of our position Nd blessing in the body of Christ.

    I hope you find this helpful brother! May we together now the grace of God to us in increasing depth!
    God bless you, Dennis
reply by T B Botts on 06-Feb-2022
    Thanks Dennis! You're an encourager, and we need more people like you.
    Blessings!
    Tom
Comment from Wayne Fowler
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Amen and amen!
Great error-free writing. Good work.
Even though I believe that reviews should stick to grammar, punctuation, flow and consistency of the message of the piece, on occasion I comment on the treatise itself.
God bless you for your delivery of the message of faith, not in the Law, but in Jesus. Thank you. I wish only that I'd reserved a sixth star for this piece.

 Comment Written 05-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 05-Feb-2022
    Thank you! Always delighted to find believers that understand and appreciate the grace of God! God bless you, brother!
Comment from Liz O'Neill
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This has great potential for reflection and debate: "It's not about receiving life from Christ but rather removing the freedom restricting elements of the Law to allow the life in Christ to flourish." It's the letter of the law vs the spirit. The latter will bring more freedom & happiness. Paul would be tarred & feathered, or stoned to death in 2021 with the me2 era. He had a disgusting attitude toward women. I've always wondered how they could use such a giant juxtaposition. You are saved. But you could go to hell if you sin, even though Jesus died for your sins...what a waste of a death. Someone's lying. This was a fun vent.

 Comment Written 04-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 04-Feb-2022
    Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm not sure if you are referring to your own vent or you think my comments were a vent.
    Paul was beheaded for the faith, so I doubt the metaphorical abuse (it IS metaphorical isn't it?) you speak of would sway him.

    And we can see there were women in his day who rejected his teaching on the God given roles of women and men. His reply?
    "Did the Word of God originate from you or come to you?"
    Here's the whole passage I am sure you will enjoy reading, but first, I am an old man of 85 so I have some personal experience to go by in observing women.

    The women I have known simply don't fit the image the woman's movement has imposed on them. If they were repressed, they sure didn't seem to know it! In one sense, they were just like men; some were weak and others were strong. Making women feel they have to be men to be taken seriously is not conducive to healthy thinking. Read Proverbs 31 picture of a Godly woman and tell me if you see repression or abuse when woman are "put in their place", the place God gave them.

    In the meantime, here's the Apostle Paul:

    33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

    34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

    35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

    36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

    37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

    38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

    God bless, Dennis
reply by Liz O'Neill on 05-Feb-2022
    I was a nun for 28 years. Paul was not our friend. You got me beat on birthdays by ten years. That ten more years of wisdom, I am aiming for.
reply by the author on 05-Feb-2022
    Hi Liz,
    I?m very interested in your story. Would you mind telling me about yourself. Appreciate it but understand if you would rather not.
    In any case, God bless you, Dennis
reply by Liz O'Neill on 05-Feb-2022
    I was a nun for 28nyears taught adolescents, mostly writing for 20 years. Worked as an advocate for abuse victims, & a mental health worker at a very old (1800's) psych hospital with adolescents, and also with substance abusers.
    The universe nudged me out just in time: Covid and they went from 8 1/2 to 12 hours.
    My grandfather taught me to dowse with a willow stick when I was three. I've been dowsing with a pendulum since '95. I have a fb page where I teach dowsing. If you have more questions, feel free
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
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You have a well-written interpretation of the letter to the Galatians. I don't think you should make the laws seem useless. If one is saved, they would naturally practice the spirit of the Ten Commandments, but not the massive number of laws in Leviticus.

 Comment Written 04-Feb-2022


reply by the author on 04-Feb-2022
    That position is exactly what Paul was teaching against. Since by faith in Christ we are made clean and righteous in God's sight forever, the Holy Spirit can and does indwell every believer.

    It is by His power we overcome the sin nature, still a part of us in our experience, but "dead" in God's sight since He sees it nailed to the cross in Christ.
    When Christ rose from the dead, in God's sight, we believers rose with Him and now can participate with Him as we come to know Him more intimately.
    This produces spiritual growth in grace which The Law can demand but not provide.
    Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. God bless, thanks for reviewing.
Comment from estory
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It's an interesting essay on this bible verse, and focuses correctly on the grace of Christ as our sole means to gain salvation. We cannot fulfill the law. it is impossible for us to do that. Yet Jesus said: "Not a dot, not an iota, of the law will be changed." So how do we achieve the perfection ordained by Christ, by the Father? Only through the Spirit, working though us, to transform us from sinners to doers of the Word, not hearers only. Interestingly, and something maybe many Christians do not talk about much anymore, whenever Jesus forgave someone, he told them: "GO AND SIN NO MORE." You cannot live in the Spirit, under grace, and continue to sin without undergoing a change. estory

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2019


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2019
    We are completely delivered from the Law as all it can ever do is point out sin. Having agreed with the Law we are sinners, we have come to Christ who now indwells our new, born-again nature by His Spirit.

    His Spirit now teaches us through His word how to rejoice, continue to grow in grace and serve Him freely and acceptably.

    Thanks for reading and commenting, Dennis
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
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A very well-written spiritual piece. When we love God with our whole heart, and soul and above all and our neighbors as ourselves we will please God and we will not sin or break the laws of Moses. We cannot receive His grace today and sin again tomorrow then we do fall from grace.

 Comment Written 09-Apr-2019


reply by the author on 09-Apr-2019
    No, your view is simply not Biblical. Mixing Law and grace never works. It?s confusing and as Jesus taught, seeking to put new wine in old wine skins results in ruining both systems.

    I suggest you read my piece again carefully since it speaks to the very issue you are confused on.
Comment from Shirley McLain
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

It's always good to gain an understanding of the Good Word. You do such a wonderful job and I do enjoy reading what you write. Great job and have a great evening. Shirley

 Comment Written 08-Apr-2019


reply by the author on 08-Apr-2019
    Thanks sister Shirley, much appreciated. YBIC, Dennis