Righteousness

St_Worm2

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I am very dependant of God. He is all i ever depend on. I just slipped away somehow. I did some terrible things which im not proud of. I know I should forgive myself but it's hard sometimes especially when you know youre being punished by God. And i am being punished. You just dont know. And It just breaks my heart.

Hi Jenniferdiana, as a Christian, you believed/trusted God with your very life when you first became a Christian, yes? Then why are you refusing to believe Him now when He says:

1 John 1
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If you have confessed your sins to Him, no matter what they are/no matter how bad they are, and asked God to forgive you of them, then that is exactly what's happened. Surely you cannot believe that He's lying to you or trying to deceive you, right :scratch: And if you trusted Him with your life, surely you can also trust Him when He tells you that He has really and truly forgiven you, yes!

I had this same problem when I was a young Christian, and I remember reading an article that changed my mind about it quickly. Here's the gist of it, when we don't believe Him (especially as Christians), it's actually insulting to Him.

So, don't trust in your feelings, trust Him at His word instead by accepting/believing with all your heart the fact that your sins have been forgiven. Then pick yourself up and get back to your walk, to growing in Christlikeness again. You are here, rather than at home, for a purpose (to be a blessing to others and, especially, to glorify God .. e.g. Matthew 5:16), neither of which are possible until you trust Him again/take Him at his very word to you that you are forgiven :)

As someone mentioned earlier, Satan has us right where he wants us as Christians when we are disbelieving, and therefore unproductive for the Kingdom. He (the devil) loves it whenever he can convince Christians to deny what God clearly tells us is true by not believing Him. It's a very, very old story, isn't it, and the root of all kinds of trouble for us .. Genesis 3:1-7 :(

Yours and His,
David
 
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Jenniferdiana

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I never said I didn't believe God or that I can't believe he forgives me. Because I know he forgives us.. If I did say that ..i must have not explained myself well or worded it wrong entirely...im just saying it's hard to see through my afflictions and what's going on. I'm confused and don't know what to feel or think...thats all
 
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St_Worm2

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I never said I didn't believe God or that I can't believe he forgives me. Because I know he forgives us.. If I did say that ..i must have not explained myself well or worded it wrong entirely...im just saying it's hard to see through my afflictions and what's going on. I'm confused and don't know what to feel or think...thats all
Hi Jenniferdiana, I just wanted to be sure because of some of the things that you've been saying like, "I know I should forgive myself, but it's hard sometimes". I used to get hung up by/wallow in my sins, because I was choosing to believe Satan's lies to me, instead of the facts about God's forgiveness, IOW, that He really and truly removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, and remembers them no more .. Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 10:17.

If you truly believe that God has forgiven you, then why do you believe that He's "punishing" you for sins that He's already forgiven you of? (that too, is a question I needed to ask myself)

God doesn't "punish" us for our sins, rather, He loves us and forgives us of them, yes :)

Yours and His,
David
p.s. - I edited this post a bit for the sake of clarity.

quote-god-is-not-in-love-with-some-future-version-of-you-it-s-not-you-tomorrow-that-he-loves-matt-chandler-93-74-87.jpg
 
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Jenniferdiana

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Hi Jenniferdiana, I just wanted to be sure because of some of the things that you've been saying like, "I know I should forgive myself, but it's hard sometimes". That is exactly what I used to do, get hung up by/wallow in my sins, because I was choosing to believe Satan's lies to me about how God forgives us, IOW, that God really and truly removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, and He remembers them no more .. Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 10:17.

If you truly believe that God has forgiven you, why do you still believe that He's still "punishing" you for sins that He's already forgiven you of? (that too, is a question I needed to ask myself). God doesn't "punish" us for our sins, rather, He loves us and forgives us, yes :)

Yours and His,
David

quote-god-is-not-in-love-with-some-future-version-of-you-it-s-not-you-tomorrow-that-he-loves-matt-chandler-93-74-87.jpg
That's what I'm trying to figure out.
 
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St_Worm2

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That's what I'm trying to figure out.

That's what I used to do too, tried to "figure it out" ..... but I never could :(

So I finally decided to try to believe the truth, even when I felt I couldn't (or felt that it couldn't really be true, for me anyway). It wasn't easy, and it didn't happen overnight, but once I did I started to understand that that's exactly what I needed to do/what God wanted me to do .. cf Romans 1:17; Hebrews 11:1-2,6, to always trust and believe Him at His word, no matter what! (& especially when it didn't seem possible to for some reason)

It also helps to consider and to remember to obey Scriptures like these in the midst of your troubles and the attacks of the enemy .. James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 6:10-17; 2 Corinthians 10:5.

You love God, and you know that He loves you :amen: In fact, there has never been a time when He didn't love you, because He loved you from before you were you, from everlasting :) So you are hardly a surprise to Him now (IOW, He certainly knew what He was getting when He decided to save you all those millennia ago .. Ephesians 1:4-6), yet He loved you so much that He sent His Son here to die for you!

You trusted Him once with your entire life, so why not trust Him again in this much smaller thing and simply choose to believe that the sins you've confessed and repented of are now both forgiven and forgotten (just like He's told you that they are)?

Yours and His,
David
 
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St_Worm2

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BTW, "punished" for your sins you will not be as His child, but "disciplined" we all are (in order that we might be further conformed to the image of Christ throughout our lives here), or we are not His sons and daughters .. e.g. Hebrews 12:4-11.
 
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aiki

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Sometimes the only way we'll give up our sin and willful living is to experience the painful consequences of our sin full-on. So, God steps back and lets us have our way. He lets the natural consequences of sin teach us that what He says about sin is true. We may learn this lesson a few times before we're ready to forsake our sin and submit to God. In all of this, though, God is not punishing you. He is, instead, teaching you, showing you the truth of sin, and the benefit of living His way rather than your own. His goal isn't simply to harm you, but to steer you away from sin toward Himself. But sometimes convincing us to do so requires that we taste the bitter fruit of our sin.
 
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Jenniferdiana

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Ok. to everyone who replied thank you for the advice..i really appreciate you guys for trying to help me. I understand everything. I really want to mature as a christian..and live the best life which is love worship and obey God with my entire being.
 
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Jenniferdiana

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Sometimes the only way we'll give up our sin and willful living is to experience the painful consequences of our sin full-on. So, God steps back and lets us have our way. He lets the natural consequences of sin teach us that what He says about sin is true. We may learn this lesson a few times before we're ready to forsake our sin and submit to God. In all of this, though, God is not punishing you. He is, instead, teaching you, showing you the truth of sin, and the benefit of living His way rather than your own. His goal isn't simply to harm you, but to steer you away from sin toward Himself. But sometimes convincing us to do so requires that we taste the bitter fruit of our sin.
I'm starting to see that too
 
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anna ~ grace

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I know I'm not righteous. But the problem is I don't think I ever will be. I Iived/live a terrible sinful life. Looking back on all my sins I feel disgusted with myself. I feel like I could have done better. I'm so confused with being on the right path. I think it's too late for me. I think I'm going to hell . There's no justification. (Wisdom is justified by her deeds) I want to be a true Christian. Nah I just want to be real.. i don't want to be a hypocrite....the fire is there. I know I love the Lord. I just don't know who I am anymore.. or how to be righteous...and live for the Lord...i have the fire in me though...the passion to live for the Lord is there..i read my bible sometimes though some of the stuff in there is too much for me to comprehend. And I forget a lot. I don't pray much. I never really lived that Christian lifestyle. You know. But I always claimed that I love God. Though my actions never really showed it....and I guess I'm starting to wake up and see that I'm not living right. I guess my question is how does one become righteous or live truly for the Lord?

I believe the beginning and end of holiness in our lives in Christ is love. Love is why we are drawn to Christ, can exercise our will and trust Him, and follow Him, too. He loves us with a pure and burning love, and ignites our hearts to love Him back, too. Loving and being loved by the Holy Trinity is a day by day journey that has to begin again daily and hourly. It's a walk and a process. Mother Teresa once said something like "We must repent and choose Christ again every morning". No one is perfected yet. But we can take a step every morning, and walk with Him.
 
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redleghunter

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In my view, being righteous is not about believing the right things and following church rules.
Being righteous is about thinking of others as better than yourself. It is about not resisting an opponent, but treating them with respect and love. Looking to meet a need and expecting nothing in return.

Loving those who love you doesn't get you brownie points. Even the evil love their own.
Righteousness is tested on how much you love those who don't love you and mistreat you. Those who have a different religion than you. Those that have different political and social views.
It is only by thinking this way that one could possibly be considered blameless.
Go read Matthew 5 again. It's right there.
Righteousness is tested according to Christ's Righteousness. Unless our perceived righteousness is perfect as Christ's actual perfect Righteousness, we lose big time.
 
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Shempster

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Righteousness is tested according to Christ's Righteousness. Unless our perceived righteousness is perfect as Christ's actual perfect Righteousness, we lose big time.
Yes and his actual perfect righteousness is revealed in Matthew 5.
 
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Rescued One

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So are you guys saying I just have to believe and have faith in God?

If God gives you faith, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you.

1 Corithians 15
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Salvation always produces works, but works never produce salvation.
 
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Rescued One

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Reading the Bible, following what it teaches by faith and love, and prayer.

True!

2 Timothy 3
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
 
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Amazing Horse

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God is merciful , if he saved Saul and even made him Paul - apostole to the gentiles ( Romans 11:13) , who was Jew and was killing early christians for some time and made him righteous (2 Timothy 4:7-8) then you can be made righteous also :)

Believe that Christ is righteouss and saved you by dying for your sins on cross , then you have imputed his righteousness to your account forever .
 
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paul becke

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Christianity would be a doddle, if we could reject each sin by a single act of the will, wouldn't it, Jennifer ?

The Catholic church understands this, even though, when we make an act of contrition after confessing our sins, we say'... 'and with the help of your grace, I resolve never to sin again.'* I suppose it's an effort to deal with the paradox of never reaching a state of sinlessness in this life, and yet being told by Jesus that we must be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

I've often felt embarrassed at confessing the same sins again and again, but then I read of someone who apologised to his confessor for the same thing, and was asked by the priest : 'Do you really want to add, different sins each week?

* I've seen it expressed as 'wishing' never to sin again, which also makes sense. I suppose that 'wishing firmly', however unrealistically, would mean, 'resolving', aptly fitting this context.
 
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