7347	Forums / Theology Forum / If You Must Assume...	on: June 10, 2007, 06:53:46 PM
We really cannot understand the choice man had in the garden, because we do not have enough information as to the nature of the fellowship man enjoyed in paradise nor can we fully understand the freedom man enjoyed so that he chose evil over good. That kind of freedom remains a mystery.  Now mans choices are only evil continually. Man in his natural state does not seek God. Man is in bondage to sin. There is no one good , no not one! Dependence on God is absolutely necessary. Without him we can do nothing. The society of people that we live among in the church is only safe as we walk down the path of dependence. We are only safe as we take refuge in Him. Taking refuge in Him is having saving faith. We have a trust that is in the only end of our faith , that is the object of our faith is Christ alone. But the looking part is not the predominate means for our trust but it is the object that makes the faith work. So its not steps of faith that gets us to be in the path of righteousness, or in His refuge. But it is because He has accomplished salvation for us so that we are rejoicing in Him, praising Him, constantly setting Him before us in this way that leads us down the path of righteousness.

As we set Him before us we are looking on Him in His word.So that the  growth in righteous both individually and corporately is determine by how much we know Him and experience Him. When we take our eyes off of Christ we begin to place them on an idol. Our only movement on the path of righteousness is only toward Christ, the only other alternative is to create an idol. We are so close to Christ that we are connected to Him, so that apart from Him we can do nothing. Our emotional well being is determined by our rejoicing in Him alone. Any other thing that we place value on more than Him will lead us to sorrow.