Why is it so hard to beileve in Jesus Christ?????????

[Countryangel707]

so, I told you I would be around until we figured this out and I was thinking and praying for you just this AM....so let's explore this another way. When you don't want a relationship, why don't you? What about a relationship is a hangup for you?

I guess it's just the fact of living life a new way. Like I have heard some people say that is one of the hardest things for people is to commit to Christ because they think they will no longer have "fun" in life. But for me it is that feeling i guess, but I was raised in a very religious Christian home. My great grand father was a preacher and my great grandma is the woman I long to be like spiritually, because she literally never stopped praying it was a 24/7 communication with Jesus. I guess for me I have not experienced the exact definition of ''Fun'' In the worldly sense but i have my own and I am afraid of leaving that.

 

[SuperDuck]

I guess it's just the fact of living life a new way. Like I have heard some people say that is one of the hardest things for people is to commit to Christ because they think they will no longer have "fun" in life. But for me it is that feeling i guess, but I was raised in a very religious Christian home. My great grand father was a preacher and my great grandma is the woman I long to be like spiritually, because she literally never stopped praying it was a 24/7 communication with Jesus. I guess for me I have not experienced the exact definition of ''Fun'' In the worldly sense but i have my own and I am afraid of leaving that.

Hi Countryangel707,

I'm new here and just happened upon your post. It sounds like we have a couple things in common. I have many family members on my Dad's side of the family that are/were (when they were alive) devout Christians and to say that they were conservative was an understatement. Just for the record, that's how I am now, too.

I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict and when I was still drinking and using I wanted to quit so badly, but I just couldn't seem to pull out of it, at least not long term. I quit several times anywhere from a few days to a few months, but I'd always fall back because that was my "life", that was my "fun" and those were my "friends". Whenever I'd quit I'd feel a LOT better after a couple weeks and was determined to stay that way forever. But eventually, usually around the 3-4 month mark, I'd fall back into my old habits.

Why?

Because I was lonely and didn't know how to live any other way. It was a comfort zone that I'd been living in for so long I had no idea how to live in the real world.

What I didn't understand was that my "life" was actually no life at all. Alcoholism, drug use, fornication, lies (to myself and others) wasn't a real life. It was merely a sinful existence. My "fun" (see above) wasn't really fun either. Maybe it was at the time, but after the fact I'd generally have feelings of guilt, remorse, constant worry (because of my upbringing) and because of the threat of HIV and more.

The so called "friends" I had all went away after I finally stopped. I hadn't even come back to the Lord yet, but I wasn't one of "them" if I wasn't doing what they were doing. We found that we really had no common ground at all. Of those that I considered to be my closest friends, two are divorced now and still using and two are dead, one from cancer at the age of 37 and the other from an alcohol/drug related event. Sometimes I even have a sense of survivors guilt. Why am I still here and not them?

As fate would have it, my friend who passed from cancer had been a self professed Atheist, or so he said, his entire life. But he was terrified when he lied in his death bed. I wasn't there, but a friend, who's also come back to God, was, and he shared that with me. I'm so sad and kind of wish I didn't know that.

Anyhow, I ended up coming back to the Lord about 10 months after finally quitting and although my life isn't perfect by any means, and there's still a part of me that misses the "old days" (Satan knows exactly which buttons to push and when), I now have a second chance at a "real" life.

I've been clean for well over a decade. I'm remarried and have a teenage son, as well as two grown boys from my previous marriage. I lost my only daughter about a decade ago from an alcohol related incident, but managed to stay clean through it all, though I can't help but feel at least partially responsible for what happened to her. I wasn't a good role model at all for her. I'll carry that with me as long as I live.

My point is that the life, the "eternal" life, that's offered by Jesus Christ is a free gift. All you have to do is reach out and take it. Try not to look back, keep your eyes on the prize, just as the Apostle Paul and so many others have. I've never felt true love that was both genuine and unconditional until I gave my life back to the Lord. I'm now surrounded by people that genuinely care for my family and I.

Are we all "perfect" now that we're Christians? On the contrary, far from it. We're all still made of flesh and blood, too. However, as long as we're sincere in our faith, we ARE forgiven and we all share a common goal. That is to do God's will now, not our own.

You have people that will welcome you with open arms on the day you come home. Read the story of "The Prodigal Son" in the Bible and you'll understand.

Of course, there's also an alternative to not obeying the Lord, as well. Not many people like to speak of it in this day and age, but it's real, it's also eternal, but in a horrible way and it's guaranteed for those that will not listen to God and obey him.

I hope that you choose wisely.

Always here for you.

SuperDuck

 

[razzelflabben]

I guess it's just the fact of living life a new way. Like I have heard some people say that is one of the hardest things for people is to commit to Christ because they think they will no longer have "fun" in life. But for me it is that feeling i guess, but I was raised in a very religious Christian home. My great grand father was a preacher and my great grandma is the woman I long to be like spiritually, because she literally never stopped praying it was a 24/7 communication with Jesus. I guess for me I have not experienced the exact definition of ''Fun'' In the worldly sense but i have my own and I am afraid of leaving that.

Fear...start by reading and meditating on Psalms 34...you need to turn your fear into a fear of the Lord.

 

[razzelflabben]

Hi Countryangel707,

I'm new here and just happened upon your post. It sounds like we have a couple things in common. I have many family members on my Dad's side of the family that are/were (when they were alive) devout Christians and to say that they were conservative was an understatement. Just for the record, that's how I am now, too.

I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict and when I was still drinking and using I wanted to quit so badly, but I just couldn't seem to pull out of it, at least not long term. I quit several times anywhere from a few days to a few months, but I'd always fall back because that was my "life", that was my "fun" and those were my "friends". Whenever I'd quit I'd feel a LOT better after a couple weeks and was determined to stay that way forever. But eventually, usually around the 3-4 month mark, I'd fall back into my old habits.

Why?

Because I was lonely and didn't know how to live any other way. It was a comfort zone that I'd been living in for so long I had no idea how to live in the real world.

What I didn't understand was that my "life" was actually no life at all. Alcoholism, drug use, fornication, lies (to myself and others) wasn't a real life. It was merely a sinful existence. My "fun" (see above) wasn't really fun either. Maybe it was at the time, but after the fact I'd generally have feelings of guilt, remorse, constant worry (because of my upbringing) and because of the threat of HIV and more.

The so called "friends" I had all went away after I finally stopped. I hadn't even come back to the Lord yet, but I wasn't one of "them" if I wasn't doing what they were doing. We found that we really had no common ground at all. Of those that I considered to be my closest friends, two are divorced now and still using and two are dead, one from cancer at the age of 37 and the other from an alcohol/drug related event. Sometimes I even have a sense of survivors guilt. Why am I still here and not them?

As fate would have it, my friend who passed from cancer had been a self professed Atheist, or so he said, his entire life. But he was terrified when he lied in his death bed. I wasn't there, but a friend, who's also come back to God, was, and he shared that with me. I'm so sad and kind of wish I didn't know that.

Anyhow, I ended up coming back to the Lord about 10 months after finally quitting and although my life isn't perfect by any means, and there's still a part of me that misses the "old days" (Satan knows exactly which buttons to push and when), I now have a second chance at a "real" life.

I've been clean for well over a decade. I'm remarried and have a teenage son, as well as two grown boys from my previous marriage. I lost my only daughter about a decade ago from an alcohol related incident, but managed to stay clean through it all, though I can't help but feel at least partially responsible for what happened to her. I wasn't a good role model at all for her. I'll carry that with me as long as I live.

My point is that the life, the "eternal" life, that's offered by Jesus Christ is a free gift. All you have to do is reach out and take it. Try not to look back, keep your eyes on the prize, just as the Apostle Paul and so many others have. I've never felt true love that was both genuine and unconditional until I gave my life back to the Lord. I'm now surrounded by people that genuinely care for my family and I.

Are we all "perfect" now that we're Christians? On the contrary, far from it. We're all still made of flesh and blood, too. However, as long as we're sincere in our faith, we ARE forgiven and we all share a common goal. That is to do God's will now, not our own.

You have people that will welcome you with open arms on the day you come home. Read the story of "The Prodigal Son" in the Bible and you'll understand.

Of course, there's also an alternative to not obeying the Lord, as well. Not many people like to speak of it in this day and age, but it's real, it's also eternal, but in a horrible way and it's guaranteed for those that will not listen to God and obey him.

I hope that you choose wisely.

Always here for you.

SuperDuck

nicely said...amen

 

[lesliedellow]

I just keep getting like this feeling of what if my belief is not truly genuine then I go into the I can't believe then a few minutes later I'm like I think I trust but I really don't know.

Even if it doesn't feel like it, you must truly believe, otherwise the possibility of not believing, and being separated from God, wouldn't upset you so much.

 

[Countryangel707]

I think part of my issue may be with selfishness. I feel selfish for only wanting to be saved from hell. I know that is selfish. My pastor spoke today on the fact that a true believer has no pride or selfishness. That has made me start to question my salvation even more.​

 

[lesliedellow]

I think part of my issue may be with selfishness. I feel selfish for only wanting to be saved from hell. I know that is selfish. My pastor spoke today on the fact that a true believer has no pride or selfishness. That has made me start to question my salvation even more.

If a true believer has no pride or selfishness, heaven is going to be pretty empty. Believer or otherwise, human beings are sinful creatures, which is why we needed Christ to do what we cannot do for ourselves. You need to stop beating yourself up over not being perfect, and embrace him.

 

[SuperDuck]

I think part of my issue may be with selfishness. I feel selfish for only wanting to be saved from hell. I know that is selfish. My pastor spoke today on the fact that a true believer has no pride or selfishness. That has made me start to question my salvation even more.​

Hi Countryangel707,

Actually, I'd have to respectfully disagree about a true believer having no pride or selfishness. Most Christians I know battle some things on a daily basis. I recall my cousin telling me a few years ago that once I become a child of God I'll lose desire for all worldy things. That's correct, but only to a point. It takes time to learn the Bible and learn how to do God's will. Satan will be constantly tempting you for awhile and he knows exactly what buttons to push because he knows your weaknesses.

What you must be aware of is that Satan hates every person of faith. That's because he knows the Bible and knows what his future holds. He also knows how much God loves us, so his main mission is to take as many of us to Hell with him as possible. Over time you can grow stronger in your faith and Satan will leave you. He's looking for "low hanging fruit", not those who'll constantly resist him.

The pride and selfishness that you're feeling are being encouraged by him. He doesn't want you to get right with God. He wants to drag you down with him.

The bottom line is this, do you want to spend eternity in Hell? You have a choice. Everyone does. But you have to make the decision on whether what it is you're trying to protect in the world is worth facing God's eternal punishment. Death can happen to any of us at any time, so I urge you not to put it off any longer. Put your selfish, prideful feelings aside and get right before it's too late.

Will pray for you.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I think part of my issue may be with selfishness. I feel selfish for only wanting to be saved from hell. I know that is selfish. My pastor spoke today on the fact that a true believer has no pride or selfishness. That has made me start to question my salvation even more.​

The problem with "A true believer..." statements is that they are often descriptive of a mythological creature that doesn't and has never existed. Of course real and true believers have pride and are selfish, because Christians are still sinners.

Speaking of both these, pride and selfishness, let's talk about how traditional Western Christian theology has addressed the fundamental problem of sin. Western theologians have spoken about a concept known as concupiscience. In its most straight-forward sense concupiscience is simply this: our selfish desires. Concupiscience is the base root of sin, we desire and that desire becomes twisted and perverse, and through this we sin. For example, the desire for sex is perfectly healthy and natural, it's God-given and good, but that desire twisted and perverted can be transformed into horrifying and destructive sin, such as rape, adultery, or objectification of our fellow human beings.

In Lutheran theology, distinctive from Roman Catholic theology in this case, concupiscience is more than just the potential for sin, but is itself sin. Martin Luther, quite eloquently I believe, describes sin as "homo incurvatus in se", Latin for "man curved (or bent) inward upon himself". Sin is man turned inward, the human person turning and falling inwards to feed and satisfy himself, looking into himself and upon himself. This is in staunch opposition to God's will revealed in His Law summed up in the Greatest Commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27); God's Law commands and tells us to look outward toward God and to our neighbor, God's Law tells us to act rightly, justly, and benevolently toward our fellow man, to feed, clothe, give shelter, and tend to the needs of those around us. Sin is us turning toward ourselves, to seek ourselves first, to make ourselves number one.

The reality of sin is just how deep down and entrenched in us it is. It's not merely that we occasionally do bad things, it's that even our best works are tainted by sin. Even when we try our hardest to obey God's commandments we fail, fall, and falter. So even at our best we're still sinning.

That can sound like an impossibly atrocious situation, because it is. In his letter to the Romans (chapter 7) St. Paul out of frustration to this problem cries out, "What a wretched man I am!" and follows it up with the question, "Who can save me from this body of death?"

Because even as a Christian, having received faith to believe in Christ, becoming new creatures, made new in Christ in our Baptism, having received the Holy Spirit who fills us and urges us toward God and empowers the new man in us to walk forward, there still remains the old man trying to drag us down. And so we must always die daily in repentance, we must always seek to drown the old man. We confess our sins with this promise, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

So we see that salvation cannot come from our own efforts, because our best efforts remain stained by sin, we remain in the place of struggle against the old man. So salvation can only come from outside ourselves, by God's grace, which we hear and receive not by our own strength but the power of God working through the Gospel. This is why St. Paul in Romans ch. 1 says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God to save all who believe."

The Law cannot save us, none of our efforts or works can save us.

The Gospel can and does save us. Because it is the power of God to save, it is Jesus Christ Himself crucified and risen from the dead for you, for the whole world, and in Him your sins are truly, forever, and actually forgiven--therefore believe this good news!

Of course you're going to continue to deal with sin, and pride, and selfishness, and a multitude of other sins. Which is why you can't turn to yourself to get better, but instead to Christ, Christ alone is our salvation.

And so in this life we find ourselves to be simultaneously saints and sinners. We are saints because God declares us righteous on Christ's account, not our own; and we are sinners on account of ourselves. In this reality we hope and trust in Christ, and aim to starve and drown the old man through repentance, and to feed the new man by hearing the Gospel, confessing our faith, receiving the Sacraments. Because God, through His Word and Sacraments gives us faith, forgives us, loves us, turns us away from the old man and renews the new man. These things do not come from ourselves, but freely from God.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Countryangel707]

Hi Countryangel707,

Actually, I'd have to respectfully disagree about a true believer having no pride or selfishness. Most Christians I know battle some things on a daily basis. I recall my cousin telling me a few years ago that once I become a child of God I'll lose desire for all worldy things. That's correct, but only to a point. It takes time to learn the Bible and learn how to do God's will. Satan will be constantly tempting you for awhile and he knows exactly what buttons to push because he knows your weaknesses.

What you must be aware of is that Satan hates every person of faith. That's because he knows the Bible and knows what his future holds. He also knows how much God loves us, so his main mission is to take as many of us to Hell with him as possible. Over time you can grow stronger in your faith and Satan will leave you. He's looking for "low hanging fruit", not those who'll constantly resist him.

The pride and selfishness that you're feeling are being encouraged by him. He doesn't want you to get right with God. He wants to drag you down with him.

The bottom line is this, do you want to spend eternity in Hell? You have a choice. Everyone does. But you have to make the decision on whether what it is you're trying to protect in the world is worth facing God's eternal punishment. Death can happen to any of us at any time, so I urge you not to put it off any longer. Put your selfish, prideful feelings aside and get right before it's too late.

Will pray for you.

I do want to spend eternity in Heaven I do not want to go to hell.

 

[razzelflabben]

I do want to spend eternity in Heaven I do not want to go to hell.

there is nothing wrong with wanting to go to heaven, but the way to heaven is a relationship with God and that is where the conflict you are having seems to be coming into the picture.

 

[ISTANDBYJESUS]

Ok so a little background on me, I am 18 will soon be 19 and I thought that I was saved at the age of 6 I remember getting on my knees and begging God to protect me from satan and hell. Well about a month after turning 18 I began to have incredibly serious doubts and depression that followed those doubts. Its like all of a sudden it was impossible for me to believe. Now I am in the situation where every now in then I get a little boost of trust in Jesus. I tell myself just trust that He really did die for you and really did rise again on the third day. Even as I type this I feel like deep down inside I know that is true but it's like something in my head is just not agreeing. I pray everyday since this all started that God would just open my heart and allow me to just have true Biblical saving faith in Him. I started multiple Bible reading plans and have been trying everything I know to do. It's like when I'm trying to do stuff I just keep getting like this feeling of what if my belief is not truly genuine then I go into the I can't believe then a few minutes later I'm like I think I trust but I really don't know. Please help I want to go to Heaven I really do. I want to serve God but I'm having trouble. My Boyfriend(He's 16) has told me he is also having these troubles. I'm not sure if it affects it or not but I have OCD and I have depersonalization disorder. Please help me. God Bless!

Get the fear of the Lord Jesus and you will find the knowledge of God: and understand the crucifixion of the Son of God.

 

[Countryangel707]

i just feel like theres this bg hole in me snd its like a feeling of depression and fear.

 

[razzelflabben]

i just feel like theres this bg hole in me snd its like a feeling of depression and fear.

That whole is there because God isn't there. When you allow God to fill that hole, it will go away because there will be no room for depression and fear.

 

[throughfiierytrial]

Hello CountryAngel707
I'm not certain of the source of this fear...are you aware of its source?
Do not run from fear of the Lord...take it head on by reading Scripture to find answers. Scripture says: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
God does come to us this way sometimes and to some people. If we resist Him He may put pressure on via fear and it is a true sign we are trying His patience so to speak. There is a Christian hymn entitled Abide With Me. One of the stanzas reads: Come not in terrors as the King of Kings; But kind and good with healing in Thy wings. (point? this is such a well-known fact that it is written into an old, well-loved Christian hymn.)
Hebrews also states that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.
Repent and read asking God's guidance and for understanding and insight asking Him for His will in your life.
My love goes out to you and I pray you'll act before a crippling effect sets in...shall you not rather be motivated to seek Him via love or must your feet be held to the fire? I'd choose love!

 

[Countryangel707]

I dont understand though. I thought if you were not saved then you couldn't say Jesus is Lord. I can and fully believe that Jesus is Lord. That hole in my heart has been there for years, since I was a little girl.

 

[throughfiierytrial]

Yes, CountryAngel and should you have died...tragic thing to think of...you would be saved. But you live on and you at least sound like you are mourning the Spirit...fighting doing what you know you aught to do. While we live we have work to do and we are judged by those acts/or lack thereof of faith.
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
~I Peter 2:1-3
Learn, do, grow up in the Lord!

 

[razzelflabben]

I dont understand though. I thought if you were not saved then you couldn't say Jesus is Lord. I can and fully believe that Jesus is Lord. That hole in my heart has been there for years, since I was a little girl.

The Holy Spirit is at work in you, not the working of another spirit. That is why you can confess Jesus is Lord, but also make sure they aren't just random words.

As to the hole in your heart, that is because you haven't given Him all of you and we have talked about at least some of that and the reasons you haven't given it all.

 

[Countryangel707]

The Holy Spirit is at work in you, not the working of another spirit. That is why you can confess Jesus is Lord, but also make sure they aren't just random words.

As to the hole in your heart, that is because you haven't given Him all of you and we have talked about at least some of that and the reasons you haven't given it all.

They aren't just random words to me. they are words that I truly believe in my heart. I think I have figured out that part of my doubting is A.) Being afraid of being left behind and B.) Since growing up in a Christian environment(Church, Christian family and friends, Christian school) It just seems so simple to me and I don't understand how anyone wouldn't believe that Jesus is God, they are the same.

 

[razzelflabben]

They aren't just random words to me. they are words that I truly believe in my heart. I think I have figured out that part of my doubting is A.) Being afraid of being left behind and B.) Since growing up in a Christian environment(Church, Christian family and friends, Christian school) It just seems so simple to me and I don't understand how anyone wouldn't believe that Jesus is God, they are the same.

What I am thinking is that you need to make it yours, own it so to speak, so that it isn't just what you grew up believing but what you believe as an adult.