The bible says that I am a sinner and never do any good.
On your own without God… this is true. Without God, a person can only imitate the actions of doing good like an actor who plays a part or role in a movie. God is good alone (Mark 10:18). Scripture tells us that God (Christ) is the One who ultimately does the work within a believer.
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 1:11
Philippians 2:13
Philippians 4:13
1 Corinthians 15:10
Hebrews 12:1-2
Hebrews 13:21
Isaiah 26:12
1 John 4:12
Galatians 5:22-24 (cf. Matthew 7:16-18, Matthew 19:17)
John 15:5
Ezekiel 36:26-27
When we obey God’s Word, we are seeking to please Him, and not ourselves. Whenever a person does good without God, they are being motivated outside of God’s purpose. They are focused on self in some way. Even if they are selfless, if they do so without God, they are still acting on their own outside of the Creator and Savior plans for their life. God never intended man to be without Him anymore than we are intended to be without oxygen. You don’t think God exists, and so you think you can do good without Him. This is only a lie or an illusion you have convinced yourself of because you don’t want the Creator and Savior (Jesus) in your life when you can have Him in your life. You simply are making up imagined excuses to turn your Creator and Savior away.
You said:
Because He does not want a relationship with me, He wants a relationship with a version of me that acts just like Jesus. I am not that person. God wants nothing to do with me unless I conform to the likeness of Jesus. He will send me to hell if I don't act just like Jesus. I am not Jesus righteousness, I am a flawed human and I am happy with who I am, not an artificial Jesus clone.
If you were to study the Bible, you would realize that each major believer had their own unique personality, talents, and gifts. There are gifts and talents that are different among the body of Christ. So we are not just clones. When believers follow Jesus, and conform to His image of living righteously, each believer has their own unique talents and personalities that contribute to that. Some may desire in helping the poor more. Others are extremely talented at preaching the gospel. Others can use their artistic talents to spread the Word of God to others. Others are great teachers. Others know how to listen well, and help properly the brethren. Each person contributes in their own unique way according to their talents, and personalities.
Also, lets just say you do become a mindless clone whereby you cannot be creative, and or express the person in who you are (Which is not the case): Do we really have any rights to boast in being our own gods? For that is what your really proposing. Back in the Garden of Eden, God did not want Adam and Eve to eat of the wrong tree because they would have the knowledge of good and evil and be like God. Even the devil said to Eve that they will be like gods if they ate of the tree (God did not want them to eat of). So when we sin and we do our own thing, we are being like our own god. We are calling the shots and doing what we please instead of pleasing God. God created us, and God died for our sins. So we have no rights to sin and or do evil and or run our own lives. Sure, you are free to do that, but just know that one day you will have to face the Creator and Savior (Jesus) and explain yourself to Him and your actions as to why you were not willing to accept Him. For God made you, and died for your sins. Why wouldn’t you want to live for Him? He is after all the Creator of all things and knows more about you than you do. You think you know better than God.
You said:
That is not who I am, my flaws and failures also make up who I am today.
If Rick put a little bit of the right poison in Bob’s water, he is going to slowly die over time.
But to say Bob wants to drink poison slowly because it is their life, and it is an expression of who they are they would not be doing something that was good for them and neither would they be setting a good example for others. Usually folks think their sins or bad things they done are not all that bad. But of course God will reveal all things that are hidden.
“For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither
any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” (Luke 8:17).
Mayflower1 said:
Deuteronomy 30:19
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.
You said:
Oh good. I will choose not to go to hell.
I choose life then.
This sounds like you are mocking God’s Word.
It sounds like you really don’t want life as God offers it.
It sounds like you only want life on your own terms but it doesn’t work like that.
You said:
Why do you believe this is true?
Christians believe in verses like these because of the changed life and heart God gave them when they stepped out in faith in seeking forgiveness with Him. They came forth and tasted that the Lord was good. For if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (See: James 4:8). Walking by faith is something that we as Christians do to please God. For Hebrews 11:6 says without faith, it is impossible to please Him. We trust God and that He is good, and we can see that He is by the good He does in our life. Many believers who are converted and changed by the Lord spiritually receive a love, joy, and peace that cannot compare to the pleasures of sin that this world has to offer.
Think.
There are lots of people whose lives who have been changed or transformed by Jesus Christ. People who were enslaved to sin, drugs, sexual immorality, etc. were set free by our Lord. Then there is the way God talks to His people in divine and mysterious ways. To say this is all in the person’s imagination is a stretch. Not only that but there are tons of evidences that back up God’s Word, as well.
Just check out my Blogger article here to learn more:
Love Branch: Evidences for the Word of God
