Dealing with the negativity of being a "sinner"?

[Marahuta]

Hi Mike
The search for truth is a part of us, that is for sure.
I liked the music, it is very appropriate to our topic too. I wonder what Marahuta thinks of it?

I don't know at this stage (because it is a bit early perhaps) how to separate the wheat from the chaff, in respect to Christian theology and practice. There are so many different views. I don't mean the chaff hasn't value (the expression seems to fit what I am trying to get at). I feel it is important to find where to focus the attention so that Christianity works for me/us and the secondary topics don't creep in and disturb the primary importance. Is that something you have fine tuned for your living and found contentment or have you found the search continues?

It is necessary to understand what makes somebody a true Christian. What defines a Christian is that you Believe in the Lord God and the he will come again to judge the world, to strive for a good life, and to love you neighbour.
All the rest are secondary which will improve your relationship with God and will craft your spirit.

Mark 12:29-31
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

John 13:35
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

God bless,

 

[food4thought]

7:30... time for me to leave for church.

God bless you both; and talk to you again soon.

Mike

 

[Marahuta]

7:30... time for me to leave for church.

God bless you both; and talk to you again soon.

Mike

God bless,

 

[OliverC]

7:30... time for me to leave for church.

God bless you both; and talk to you again soon.

Mike

I hope you enjoyed today's service?

 

[food4thought]

I hope you enjoyed today's service?

Yes I did. In Sunday school we studied the parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15:11-32. We particularly studied the older brother's response to the prodigal's return, and how this was a picture of the Pharisees unwillingness to celebrate th conversion of sinners to righteousness because of their own self righteousness and sinfull hearts. There is a danger for long time church members to become hardened to seeing sinners return to God, and our attitudes can reflect that of the older brother/pharisees. We need to remember the heart of God towards those who are lost or prodigal, that He loves them unconditionally and is just waiting to celebrate their coming to Him... God is not waiting to smack our bottoms for our past sins! He only wants us to return to Him and so He can pour out His love in us.

 

[OliverC]

That's a good point Mike, I can see how our view can become divide between those who don't practice against those who do (the damned and the saved). Glad you enjoyed the day!

 

[food4thought]

That's a good point Mike, I can see how our view can become divide between those who don't practice against those who do (the damned and the saved). Glad you enjoyed the day!

Thanks Oliver. I have to add that God does require repentance from our sins... He'll take us as we are, but we must turn from sin to Him in our hearts. We don't clean our lives up, He does... but we shouldn't come to God expecting Him to leave us in our sinfull lives.

Does that make sense?

 

[OliverC]

Thanks Oliver. I have to add that God does require repentance from our sins... He'll take us as we are, but we must turn from sin to Him in our hearts. We don't clean our lives up, He does... but we shouldn't come to God expecting Him to leave us in our sinfull lives.

Does that make sense?

Yes, it does make sense. What do you know about sins of the flesh? To what extent should we go against the desire to sin due to the desires of the flesh?

You are awake early!

By the way, you may notice I have started a new thread to recover some doubts. I mention this because I am grateful for the replies above but cannot remove my doubts so have cast my net wider with a fresh thread. Please know that Maharuta and your replies do help

 

[food4thought]

Yes, it does make sense. What do you know about sins of the flesh? To what extent should we go against the desire to sin due to the desires of the flesh?

Well, our flesh, as in our physical bodies, are not necessarily evil. BUT... we do have a sin nature, which the Biblical authors use the word "flesh" to describe euphemistically... in other words, our flesh and blood bodies are not evil, but we do have a flesh nature which is truly against God and must be fought against. So our need for food, air, water, relieving ourselves in the lue, etc. are not to be fought against. Yet our desires for fulfilling our spiritual desires with physical things like sex, drugs, money, power... these desires are of our flesh/sinfull nature and should be fought against. Paul in the book of Romans says we should "consider ourselves dead indeed to sin, but alive to God".

Hope that sheds some light on the situation for you.

You are awake early!

Not really for me... I work night shifts so this is the middle of my "day" even though I posted at midnight here earlier and it's just about 6am locally right now. Working nights really stinks overall, but it does have some good side benefits like being able to communicate with someone in Europe easily lol

By the way, you may notice I have started a new thread to recover some doubts. I mention this because I am grateful for the replies above but cannot remove my doubts so have cast my net wider with a fresh thread. Please know that Maharuta and your replies do help

I'll pop over and see if I should put my thoughts in there... I'll stay out of that thread if you'd like me to so you might get more responses from other believers, though.

Thank you for your kind words, Oliver... I just hope that I can help you find your way to a relationship with Jesus.

 

[OliverC]

Hi Mike
I have often wondered if I should try night [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] (I am unemployed) so that would be a way back to work. Glad you do work night, useful for us over here!

You are welcome to add your thoughts into that new thread, be warned, I think I have raised some pretty tricky areas, comes with having an over inquisitive intellect that we spoke of yesterday

You explanation of the flesh makes sense, thanks.

 

[food4thought]

Hi Mike
I have often wondered if I should try night [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] (I am unemployed) so that would be a way back to work. Glad you do work night, useful for us over here!

You are welcome to add your thoughts into that new thread, be warned, I think I have raised some pretty tricky areas, comes with having an over inquisitive intellect that we spoke of yesterday

You explanation of the flesh makes sense, thanks.

Yeah, being out of work stinks too... I'll pray that you find a good day job though

I read your OP and don't have time for an in depth reply now, but I'll be back... those questions aren't all that difficult I think, you should get some good replies shortly.

Glad I was able to help.

Got to go for now;
Mike

 

[OliverC]

Thanks Mike, no rush, no obligation to reply