My heart is so hardened

[Yarddog]

“Give honor to whom honor is due.”

And? Do you give honor to the one who rejects God?
3. Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

 

[Invalidusername]

And? Do you give honor to the one who rejects God?
3. Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

I've never even once claimed justification by law.

 

[Yarddog]

I've never even once claimed justification by law.

When you try to stop sin in your own life, that is what you end up doing.
God wants you to let go of this world and embrace the cross. God hasn't left you, you won't trust his love and forgiveness.

What was occurring in Galatea was Jew were coming in and convincing them to return to or embrace self obedience to a set of laws to please God. In doing so, they were rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus.

God gives us his Holy Spirit through baptism and that cleanses us and gives us a direct link to the Father. God lives inside us.

God wants his children to trust him just as our children trust us to provide. If you let go and truly embrace the cross, he will begin to take away your desires. Don't give up just because you slip because a good Father doesn't give up on his children. He picks them up and loves them.

God is worthy of our faith.

 

[Invalidusername]

When you try to stop sin in your own life, that is what you end up doing.
God wants you to let go of this world and embrace the cross. God hasn't left you, you won't trust his love and forgiveness.

What was occurring in Galatea was Jew were coming in and convincing them to return to or embrace self obedience to a set of laws to please God. In doing so, they were rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus.

God gives us his Holy Spirit through baptism and that cleanses us and gives us a direct link to the Father. God lives inside us.

God wants his children to trust him just as our children trust us to provide. If you let go and truly embrace the cross, he will begin to take away your desires. Don't give up just because you slip because a good Father doesn't give up on his children. He picks them up and loves them.

God is worthy of our faith.

Okay but I asked God for help to quit inappropriate contentography and I haven't gone back. It isn't about justifying myself. Just I know I cannot have fellowship with him while I am in sin. I am praying and seeking his forgiveness through the cross alone. I know quitting inappropriate contentography won't save me but alas I already quit it. Should I go back to it?

 

[Tutorman]

Okay but I asked God for help to quit inappropriate contentography and I haven't gone back. It isn't about justifying myself. Just I know I cannot have fellowship with him while I am in sin. I am praying and seeking his forgiveness through the cross alone. I know quitting inappropriate contentography won't save me but alas I already quit it. Should I go back to it?

If you repented you are not in sin, you need to stop with this idea. I sure hope you did not learn the idea of being in sin 24/7/365 from someone because if you did they lied to you. You need to accept your forgiven and forgive yourself than move on and do not dwell on it anymore

 

[Yarddog]

Okay but I asked God for help to quit inappropriate contentography and I haven't gone back. It isn't about justifying myself. Just I know I cannot have fellowship with him while I am in sin. I am praying and seeking his forgiveness through the cross alone. I know quitting inappropriate contentography won't save me but alas I already quit it. Should I go back to it?

This is different than what you said in your OP. Here you say that you asked God for help to quit and you haven't gone back. Do you think that maybe God helped this? Believe me, I know the monkey this can be. I worked in the inappropriate content industry back in the 1970's and know how it can get control of you, but never think that you can't have a relationship with God if you have sin in your life. If this were the case no one would have a relationship with him.

Always think of God in a Fatherly way. How would you treat your children if they did wrong? A good Father always helps his children. He will not abandon you if you hold tightly to the cross.

God helps us overcome our weaknesses if we give those over to his Spirit. Focus on God's love. Focus on his forgiveness. Keep God first and you will begin to see change as he does the work inside you.

God bless

 

[Invalidusername]

If you repented you are not in sin, you need to stop with this idea. I sure hope you did not learn the idea of being in sin 24/7/365 from someone because if you did they lied to you. You need to accept your forgiven and forgive yourself than move on and do not dwell on it anymore

I will try.

This is different than what you said in your OP. Here you say that you asked God for help to quit and you haven't gone back. Do you think that maybe God helped this? Believe me, I know the monkey this can be. I worked in the inappropriate content industry back in the 1970's and know how it can get control of you, but never think that you can't have a relationship with God if you have sin in your life. If this were the case no one would have a relationship with him.

Always think of God in a Fatherly way. How would you treat your children if they did wrong? A good Father always helps his children. He will not abandon you if you hold tightly to the cross.

God helps us overcome our weaknesses if we give those over to his Spirit. Focus on God's love. Focus on his forgiveness. Keep God first and you will begin to see change as he does the work inside you.

God bless

The problem was I went for years where I forgot about the cross and I'm afraid I did Hebrews 6 where I fell away and cannot have true repentance which includes a change of heart/spirit.

 

[Tutorman]

I will try.



The problem was I went for years where I forgot about the cross and I'm afraid I did Hebrews 6 where I fell away and cannot have true repentance which includes a change of heart/spirit.

That is not true. As long as you have breath you can always call on Christ. Stop being so hard on yourself.

Remember the Gospel. God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s sins against them. God loves you. God has forgiven you. God is not angry at you. And God will never leave you, nor forsake you.

 

[gigiloveslife]

John 6:37 came to mind for you - look it up in multiple translations. It's pretty clear - "the one who comes to me, I will in no wise cast out." Or in a different version (NLT) "However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them."

Brother, just rest in Him and take Him at His word. Your faith in His word is what pleases Him, your faith in what He accomplished for you on the cross. Your Father was sad when you chose to fill yourself up on a lesser thing, something He knew would hurt you in the long run. But even then, He was loving you and has been keeping you - as evidenced by the fact that you have repented. Repentance is a gift from God, that's enough proof right there that you're His. And, God will take even your sin and redeem it ("and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers"). God will use this hard season for good for others through your testimony.

The feelings will come back in time. Faith is believing against what we see, feel, experience, etc.

On another note, looks like you've visited Beech Mountain (Oz - that yellow brick road!)?

 

[Yarddog]

The problem was I went for years where I forgot about the cross and I'm afraid I did Hebrews 6 where I fell away and cannot have true repentance which includes a change of heart/spirit.

Are you saying that you rejected Jesus Christ and turned to another religion or you feel like that you did because sin in your life?

Hebrews 6 is about people who were born into Judaism and the accepted Jesus Christ, we're baptized, repented, washed clean, and received the Holy Spirit but later rejected their baptism and returned to Judaism. (They ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which is the Mosaic Law. )

Being a Christian and then falling into sin isn't the same as this. When we are baptized we are forgiven our sins and washed clean. This doesn't mean that the desire to sin has been removed. Judgment for sin has. Never let go of the cross and Jesus won't let go of you.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

I don't want to use Him. I want to be used by Him but I know that if I am not born again, I am not a genuine believer.

If you believe you’re a genuine believer. Jesus told exactly ONE person they must be born again. Don’t make that the gold standard. He told EVERYONE they must believe.

My advise is ask Him to use you instead of you seeking to use God to fill a void. A man who feels forsaken can still do good for others.

. If you want out of the pit, stand up like a man and start doing stuff for others. Ask God to give the chances in the day tomorrow to help someone else. I know you probably feel like laying down and dying. Just tell the body to nevertheless get up and do good for someone else.

“Trust in the Lord and DO GOOD.” He will not fail to visit the man who does so despite feeling wretched.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

I understand and I really want to believe what you're saying. But I am so empty on the inside. I am nothing but a shell of what I used to be. I am having suicidal thoughts now.

You need to not let your feelings be in charge. They wrecked things so far. Do something for someone else instead.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

It is an interesting read .... intellect verses intelligence

Matthew 18:2-4

2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven

Do you think children are stupid? They are not. They sometimes ask questions no adults think of. But what is different? They believe and trust.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

If one repents there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). The enemy always tries to say we are not forgiven but we are.

He has never said that to me. Never.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

God never left

He definitely withdraws the Holy Spirit if you sin enough. But I know of the theology that insists He doesn’t. No one who walked with God thought that but knew His presence is mostly dependent upon our personal degree of holiness. That is, God is closer to those who obey Him.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

I don't know where any of that is coming from, since my post had nothing to do with what you have in quotes. But as for the love of God, Scripture says we love because He first loved us. It's a realization of His love that will bring one to love Him back & love others, with all that that involves. Not a horror flick fantasy of a god holding a baseball bat over our heads ready to swing the second we have a bad thought.

I didn’t say that. The Op writer knew the love of God but decided to follow the pleasures of sin. Jesus talked about this. It is real. There are lots of adults who knew the love of God and man for them and chose the pleasures of sin. Knowing Gods love doesn’t keep one from shipwrecking their life from sin.

God is love, and the one abiding in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17In this, love has been perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment that, just as He is, also are we in this world.

If one doesn’t choose to love God MORE than the pleasures of sin, small and great, one will not become as you describe. It is not feeling loved that keeps a man. It is CHOOSING to love/obey God instead of enjoying sin.

18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment; and the one fearing has not been perfected in love. 19We love because He first loved us.

”Fear him who can throw body and soul into hell” Jesus

John heard those words spoken by Jesus and did not ignore them as you are doing.

Please note also that perfect love is referred to in both verses 17 & 18.

If you are still fearing "hell", you have not been "perfected in love" (1 Jn.4:17-19).

V.19 We love because He first loved us.

Now, I personally know God and do not fear he’ll for me because today I hear His voice and walk with Him. I keenly sense Him with me. But I am not so foolish as to think I cannot choose to leave Him not that if I do, He won’t love me enough to let me go.

 

[childeye 2]

Write these down because here is what I feel you need to do:

1)Realize that sin is when you do not love God, and when you do not love others as yourself. If what you are feeling guilty of, or "repenting of", is not doing something to others that you would not want done to you, then you're probably not even sinning, and your motivation is probably coming from an accusing spirit and not The Holy Spirit. But if you're hurting someone and you like it, then I wonder if you have ever even believed in Jesus as the Christ, for it would appear that you are not in his body.

2) Forgive anyone who has wronged you, realizing that they are as weak concerning sin as yourself, as are we all. This is what you would want done to you if you were them.

3) Do not dwell upon any thoughts that would form condemnation or disgust for any other people's sin, and definitely do not say with your mouth anything bad about others, particularly so as to condemn them for their sin. This is what you would want done to you if you were them.

4)Put some money in your pocket. Go out and find someone worse off than yourself such as a beggar. Look at them until you feel sorry for their lot in life, (Wait for the Spirit of God). Once you feel God's Spirit of empathy, go give the money to that person in that Spirit. This is what you would want done to you if you were them.

5) As you walk away, make sure that you thank God in Jesus Name for letting you know His Spirit. Continue thanking Him for it until you know that He knows that it is sincere. This is what you would want done to you if you were God.

6) If and when your guilt comes again and tries to make you feel bad for "being a sinner", ask that thought, who am I hurting? God will tell you and convict you, but an accusing spirit will not answer. Remember also the money you gave in God's Spirit, and remind yourself that Jesus said one act of Love covers a multitude of sins.

Be blessed in Jesus Name for there is no condemnation in Christ.

 

[zoidar]

By that I mean my mind is incapable of being spiritual again. I took that new nature God gave me and murdered it. I am choosing God but I fear he's forsaken me because I forsook Him in a favor of a sinful lifestyle.

I don't know exactly what you have done. My advice would be if you can "repay" what you have done wrong, do so and confess to God and if possible also to the person you wronged. Then move on, trust in God's mercy. He has not forsaken you! You wouldn't be here writing this if He had. So again, forget your own darkness, and trust in his shining mercy through the cross.

 

[Jackson B]

I fell into a long season of willful sins and when I realized what I was doing I tried to repent of it. I was able to physically repent of my sins in the manner of simply not doing them anymore. I was able to quit my addictions and etc. but my soul still has a void in the inside. I think I even remember a time when I sensed the Holy Spirit left me. I keep praying and praying and interceding but God does not answer. I search for him diligently but he will not be found by me.

When I quit all of my sins it just left a void in my heart. Since I have nothing to replace my sin since God left me, I can't enjoy my victory over sin. I think I have done Hebrews 6 where I cannot ever repent truly from the inside out again. There is a sin unto death and you should listen to the Bible warning about it. It's been 1 year now and I still have no resolution. Almost everyone else I see in the same predicament as me(truly born again and fell away) are in the same state as me feeling spiritually dead.

If you want to give me a story about a backslider who was restored, don't bother because most of those stories are only superficial believers who fell away. I think I am a true born again believer as described in Hebrews 6 and I truly fell away. I don't even feel fear anymore. Just consuming apathy. The second death is here and now.

The fact that you are thinking about it, and are worried, means that it is impossible that he has left you. I was saved this summer, but my addictions still kept getting in the way. They were willing and I knew what I was doing. Thankfully I had a friend help me get back on track, some of my addictions stopped(not all but I'm still trusting in Him to get me out of them) and I am happy and joyful that I've stopped. My thoughts have been better, my faith is stronger, and I feel the Holy Spirit working inside me. My advice is to stay in the Word, pray, and get an accountability friend that will pick you up and encourage you when you fall. Also serving and giving is a way to feel joyful again.

 

[eleos1954]

Do you think children are stupid? They are not. They sometimes ask questions no adults think of. But what is different? They believe and trust.