Do you have to struggle?

Will.s

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
 
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Mountainmanbob

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to either struggle with something (usually sin) or suffer because of your faith.
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and had to stand up for my faith when it was difficult to and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.


This is a long video but, is only for listening that deals with the issue of sin using scripture.
A (very detailed) study.
M-Bob
 
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Anguspure

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to either struggle with something (usually sin) or suffer because of your faith.
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and had to stand up for my faith when it was difficult to and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
I am going through suffering related to being a believer and have gone through this for most of my life, so don't get me wrong I hate it, and it doesn't get any easier (in fact I have found that it tends to get ever harder as time goes on).

In fact over the last couple of days it has been really eating me and on another thread I have been wondering whether it's all worth it, certainly our suffering doesn't look attractive to the ones we are trying to tell about "good news".

I am not so sure, however, that our "theology of suffering" is supposed to be about things that happen to us that we do not choose (although we all go through that), rather in imitation of Him we choose to suffer for the sake of Loving the people in our lives.

But if you are looking for a theology of suffering and struggle you need to look no further than Our Lord:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2


He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

Yet who of his generation protested?

For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge f my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”...Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” ...He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” Matthew 26

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13
 
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Aussie Pete

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
Struggling with sin is normal until you get the revelation that you are dead to sin. Then we realise that sin is a temptation that we can and should resist. It is also normal to be progressively set free from certain weaknesses, which vary from person to person. A friend of mine was obese and I prayed about it as I thought it was harmful to his health. The Lord told me that there were other priorities for that man. He did get completely free a few years later. Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
 
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Ahermit

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
We only struggle with our own resistance to letting go to let God.
Faith (surrender with honesty) dissolves all struggles.
Our innermost Being is 'okay', and has always been 'okay'. We only struggle whenever we don't believe we are okay (the original sin).
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
excerpt from search < Jesus struggling embrace >


Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Source: Mark 8:34-37
 
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1213

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't...

I don’t think there is any reason why we must struggle. But probably more than you know struggle. I think sin means that one rejects God, or lives apart from God. So, all bad or wrong things are not necessary sin, but they still may be not good. If you struggle with sin or some wrong thing and want to get rid of it, I think first thing to do is to think, why you want it and why it is not good. After that it could become easier to get rid of it.
 
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Hillsage

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a branch of theology that says you have to struggle with something (usually sin).
I'm asking because I have both struggled with sin and i find it hard to understand when other christians don't, not holding it agaist them but just currios.

Thanks.
Most usually think that the cry of Jesus from the cross of "it is finished" means the plan of salvation. While this is 'partially' true it is not the whole truth. For one thing without the resurrection of Jesus, the plan was an incomplete gospel. But another aspect was this; Jesus wasn't born the 'perfect' sacrifice he was born 'sinless' and he became the perfect sacrifice through suffering the temptations of sin and the testings of the devil through men without ever sinning.

HEB 2:10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Scripture tells us that we too need to 'have the mind of Christ' to fight with sufferings until we too overcome the sins that so easily beset us. His last temptation was that of surrendering his very life on the cross. A temptation he pleaded to the Father concerning saying "let this cup pass". But ultimately His "willing spirit "overcame His 'sinful natured' "the flesh is weak." But it was a struggle stressing him to the shedding of blood in drops of sweat.

HEB 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

So also if we will resist by the power of the same spirit in Jesus by which He resisted...that being the "spirit of Christ" which is also in you, if your spirit was rebirthed into the "new creation'. If it was then follow The Christ.

1PE 4:1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Your spirit is saved instantly, but your soul isn't. That is the salvation you must work out with fear and trembling.....and time.

PHI 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
 
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bling

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The Spirit within you wants to be doing stuff with you and does not like to sit around not doing stuff. The Spirit has no trouble not sinning. thinking about sin, worrying about sin, and trying to keep from sinning, is not doing something. Yes you need to change your struggle from trying to not do, to trying to find time to do all the good you can be doing. Struggle with prioritizing the good and ask the Spirit to help you with that and see where He leads you.
 
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