Backsliding?

[ace85]

I became a Christian about a month ago, and now I'm starting to reconsider it.

I started reading through the Bible and some of it makes sense to me, but others don't. Most of it seems like a big list of do's and don'ts or 2,000 year old cultural standards that are prejudiced (Ephesians 5.)

I won't even go into the old testament, there's too much to list. Another thing I've been struggling with is faith. I still don't have faith, whatever that is anyway. I still have trouble accepting parts of the Bible, especially those parts that make no sense to me.

Why am I Christian in the first place? Because my family/friends believe it and that's how I was raised? Is that even a good enough reason to believe?

I guess I still have a lot of questions.

 

[DawnTillery]

God knows what todays world would be like. If you read deeper into the scripture you will realize God is talking about the things of today just as He was back 2000 years ago. Ephesians is one of my favorite books of the Bible.


There were some issues when I first was saved in Matthew about being divorced. I am divorced and when I spoke to my pastor he told me that is something between me and God. There are things we may of done prior to salvation and once you are saved that is all wiped away.
Yes, there are a lot of do's and don'ts in the Bible, but God gives us his word to live by. Your salvation is yours, its not your friends or family.
Can I suggest that maybe you list a few of your items from the Bible that your struggling with, that way the people on the forum can help you go through them. I had a lot of questions when I was first saved, this forum was wonderful and they really helped me.
Sometimes I had problems like you are having now, because when your first saved, satan tries to make you THINK things are wrong that are right. satans playground is your mind, dont let him rule over it.
I suggest praying to God for strength and guidance.

I became a Christian about a month ago, and now I'm starting to reconsider it.

I started reading through the Bible and some of it makes sense to me, but others don't. Most of it seems like a big list of do's and don'ts or 2,000 year old cultural standards that are prejudiced (Ephesians 5.)

I won't even go into the old testament, there's too much to list. Another thing I've been struggling with is faith. I still don't have faith, whatever that is anyway. I still have trouble accepting parts of the Bible, especially those parts that make no sense to me.

Why am I Christian in the first place? Because my family/friends believe it and that's how I was raised? Is that even a good enough reason to believe?

I guess I still have a lot of questions.

 

[LegomasterJC]

Your Friends and family being Christian does not make you one.
You have to make the choice yourself for salvation.
But continue to learn and ask questions. We'll answer those we can.
Many of Paul's letters speak against all the focus on do's and don'ts... hm Ephesians 5 *goes there*
I see good instruction but no prejudice...
What is it exactly that you have a question about? For now just considering that chapter.

 

[vinc]

What doesn't makes sense to you in the Bible, you are not expected (by God) to live it out. God expects us to live our life depending on as much "light" God has given to us so far just like a Mother does not expect much from her helpless baby or young kids. She goes on feeding them, working for them and helping them until they are strong enough to be on their own. Even after her children become adults, she still does not neglect them but advises, works and would lovingly take care of her children's children too. So, God is and does the same too.

Faith generally develops over a period of time to every christian. Sometimes suddenly we get a strong faith as if from nowhere. Right from the time i experienced being born-again and till now (12 years approx.) i have been asking God to increase my faith and He did although in my initially i was not knowing anything about faith.

The Bible says "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons and daughters of God, even to them that believe on his name". So, if you believe that Lord Jesus Christ is indeed God come in human bodily form as a sinless sacrifice for your sins and for the sins of mankind and through Him alone we have salvation, then, you become a child of God. This is the starting point i.e. of believing this Spiritual Truth. And from there you start into becoming a christian.

Next, we in obedience to the Word of God, repent and confess of our known sins so far committed and seek forgiveness from God in prayer and ask Him to cleanse our hearts through His precious sinless blood. And then, we no longer have the desire to live as we want to, but choose to live as God wants us to live, knowing and understanding that God's designed life for our lives is the best and perfect life for us.

Even though i was a born-christian like you, i had to know Christ personally before i could become a born-again christian. Even though my family members believed in Christ and were Christians, even though i attended church along with them right from my childhood and even attended Sunday School as a kid, i still had to "know" Christ in a very very personal and intimate way. And that happened during my late teens and early twenties and from then on i went on to know Him more and more. There have been many times all these 12 years approx. when i faltered and could not keep those do's and don'ts in the New Testament or the Old Testament and found God to be excessively patient and merciful towards me. He allowed me to grow at my own pace although other christians were having different opinions about me.

I continually asked God to increase my desire and my love for Him in my personal prayers as i always thought that my desire or my love for Him was neither sufficient nor equal to the love with which He loved me and gave His life for me on the cross for my sins and because of Him alone i can now hope for salvation and eternal life. And God did increase my desire and my love for Him over the years. Even now, after all the ups and downs, i still can sense an intense desire and burning love springing up from within me. To me God turned out to be the one who always overwhelmed me with His love and blessings so much that it made me shed grateful tears during my quiet time with Him. I strongly believe, this is how much loving, merciful, long-suffering and patient our Lord and God is with every human being who believes and trusts in Him.

I started to read the Bible a little now and then during my initial months but i became a more serious Bible-student when a bro-in-christ of mine, who also came closer to God during those times and, started asking questions for which i was not able to answer much. Then, i realized how much equipped i really must be to answer questions regarding my faith using Scriptural verses. I should say i am grateful to that bro-in-christ for triggering me into such a direction although God was the source but still he was the instrument.

So, i have not become a christian just because i was born-and-brought-up in a christian family but because i came to know Christ in a personal way and by following consciously what the Bible commanded to as much "light" God had given me. so, my faith is not based on my family members although i should confess that they were praying for me regularly for my salvation and spiritual growth. My faith is directly based on Christ.

In all these 12 years, there were a lot of questions which popped upto me now and then and i searched and read the Bible, looked at books written by born-again Godly Men and Women for the answers. I was pretty strict with myself and was choosy about the christian books that i read. I wouldn't read any book without knowing a little about the Christian life of the Author. If his/her christian life impressed me then i would attempt to read his/her books or magazines. All my questions were not answered in one book or devotional. I had to discuss with my bros-in-christ also to get some practical answers. But, i was always hungry to get my questions answered and was patient enough to get the clear answers for them finally. For some questions, i had to wait for a few years before i got the answers. I still have many questions and i know that it would take time before i got the answers for them. For God is infinite and man is finite and it takes millions of years to understand the infinite God for a finite man like me. I also read that we still have to continue living the christian life faithfully although we don't get answers to some questions.

Most of the answers can be found in the Bible, and although they are 2000 years, we need to attempt in following them to as much extent possible with us because we need to think practically too.

The Holy Spirit of God within you will help you and teach you all things concerning God and your life as the Bible says in 1 John 2:27 "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him". If we don't have faith, we can ask God for faith. If we don't have "hope", we need to ask God for "hope". If we don't have enough "Love" for God or for our fellow-human being we can and need to ask God for that too . So, just like a little child who asks Daddy or Mummy for every thing, we have to approach God and ask Him every thing even for spiritual growth, spiritual virtues, victory over sin, successful married life etc. There are somethings we will find, that God gives, even without our asking. You are sure to find many of your unspoken prayers being answered by Him.

As you continue to know God personally and grow in Him, after a period of time, you would be able to say "God has been like this for me" or "God has not been like that for me". It is just like how you would be able to say about a new-found friend of yours over a period of time. Trust me God is really something more than all the Christians would explain to you. So, i urge you to go on to taste, know and experience God in a way even other christians might not have experienced.

Sorry, if i have talked too much, but i sincerely hope all the above points would encourage you in some way.

Lord bless you.

 

[diamond717]

You are fortunate to have family and friends who are believers too. I didn't have that luxury, and I'm still trying to deal with the adversity. It is really, really hard to deal with.

 

[evilhonky]

My recommendation is to join a bible study, these will help you better understand the scriptures. If you have specific areas of question don't feel afraid to start a thread or ask here. I'm sure some of the biblical scholars here could shed some light on your questions.

In love of Him who sent me.
evilhonky

 

[Sketcher]

I started reading through the Bible and some of it makes sense to me, but others don't. Most of it seems like a big list of do's and don'ts or 2,000 year old cultural standards that are prejudiced (Ephesians 5.)

Let me explain Ephesians 5 to you. Sure, it tells wives to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. But it tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Now, think about it. Who got the better end of the cross? Jesus or us? I'd say we definitely did. Husbands are to sacrifice themselves for the good of their wives, not live it up and step on them. Giving up job opportunities, attitudes and habits, as well as caring for her as caring for your own body is at least as hard as her submission.

 

[chilehed]

...Why am I Christian in the first place? Because my family/friends believe it and that's how I was raised? Is that even a good enough reason to believe?

I guess I still have a lot of questions.

Believing because your family believes is a good enough reason to start, just as it's a good enough reason to start thinking that the USA is the best country in the world. But in both cases you ought not stop there, you need to mature into an understanding of why. So questions are good.

Christianity makes claims about historical facts, and we are strongly encouraged to understand the evidence in support of those claims; disprove the evidence, and you can feel safe in rejecting Christianity. Sin, if it exists (and I believe that it does), has the effect of darkening the intellect and turning our will away from God, so we must be very careful to ensure that our conclusions are not twisted by self-deception.

I recommend a book entitled "Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Volume 1", by Josh McDowell. It's a discussion of the rules of historical evidence and an analysis of the evidence for Christianity in the light of those rules. It played a key role in bringing me back to the faith.

Upon having concluded that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate, my choice was to submit or not, regardless of how I felt about the consequences or my difficulty in understanding particular doctrines.

May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.

 

[Sketcher]

Another thing I've been struggling with is faith. I still don't have faith, whatever that is anyway. I still have trouble accepting parts of the Bible, especially those parts that make no sense to me.

That can take a while, but let's go with what you do know is true: You've sinned, you've asked Christ to forgive you and save you from your sins, and He did. You were going to hell, and now you're going to Heaven, thanks to the sheer kindness of God. Isn't that worth hanging onto, until you can resolve some of these Scripture problems?

I've had my problems with Scripture, too. Some of those commands are real pills to swallow. But salvation and eternal, abundant life are worth far more to me than the temporary pleasures of those sins.

 

[DawnTillery]

Hi Coy!
I have some of the same problems you do with some family members.

I dont even have to say anything and they are defensive. They ask me questions like is it a sin to do this, or a sin to do that. I tell them thats between them and God, once you are saved, God will guide you. I told them if your questioning if its a sin, I always use the rule, it probably is, but its not for me to decide.
I know, God wants me to witness to them, I know God wants them saved, but I dont even get a chance to witness to them, because they take the defense route. --- Its been bad enough on Christmas Day night -- For them to take a whiskey bottle and literally put it right up to my mouth and I said, MY GOD, doesn't want me to drink. I am not getting into a conversation if its wrong to drink or not, but for me, I feel God is not wanting me to.. So I am not, atleast not for the reasons they were wanting me to.. They TRY to say that im stupid, lost my mind. blah blah... I can take that, but one day during Sunday School, someone mentioned that God will punish those that attempt or do turn a Christian away from God. So, now I limit my visits with them to short periods and spaced out. I am HOPING that when I do go to visit them it can be about other things and then I can simply comment on things the Lord is doing in my life and the Love the Lord has for all of us.
I think it is the most important thing for unsaved people to realize how much the Lord actually loves them, atleast it was for me, then it all fell into place after that.

You are fortunate to have family and friends who are believers too. I didn't have that luxury, and I'm still trying to deal with the adversity. It is really, really hard to deal with.