Do "true" Christians not suffer intrusive thoughts?

[friend of]

Are those of us who swear sometimes, laugh at inappropriate humor and get intrusive thoughts not real Christians?

I honestly can't help swearing and talking crudely when I'm around someone like my brother sometimes.

Matthew 15:18

 

[Glorfindel8]

"Real" Christians are anybody who have believed in Jesus/been born again irregardless of any current sins/failings of any kind. There is no revolving door doctrine of you're in/you're out based on your behavior. Should a Christian swear/coarsely jest? No. Lots of people have intrusive thoughts, me included. Don't give them credence, shoo them away. Take charge of your thoughts..it's hard. Progress, not perfection.

 

[friend of]

True to your first statement.

Progress. Gotcha.

Problem is, I just don't see this type of joking as all that sinful (sometimes) so... that's not good because it's against 2 Corinthians 10:5 :/

I do shoo the intrusive thoughts though.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

2 Corinthians 10:5
KJ21
casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,
ASV
casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
AMP
We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

Take charge of your thoughts..it's hard. Progress, not perfection.

 

[friend of]

Oh man. This is going to be harder than quitting smoking. why did I cultivate an unwholesome sense of humor as a youth. Why!?

Anyway, thanks

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Oh man. This is going to be harder than quitting smoking. why did I cultivate an unwholesome sense of humor as a youth. Why!?

Anyway, thanks

ummmm..... because you're human ? It is very common to be human. (not necessarily 'good' ? ) but common.

 

[longwait]

Are those of us who swear sometimes, laugh at inappropriate humor and get intrusive thoughts not real Christians?

I honestly can't help swearing and talking crudely when I'm around someone like my brother sometimes.

Matthew 15:18

Nobody is perfect. No not one. Thats what the Bible says. And no matter how much you try this will always be the truth.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Romans 8 King James Version (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 8 - King James Version

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I'm sure half the responses will just be people throwing stones at you because they don't swear sometimes. But remember none are perfect. Not a single one. Only perfect one was Jesus. And even He was tempted. So while it isn't great to swear and may be an issue for you, for someone else their problem may be with anger, or drinking, gambling...etc.

Does this mean we should continue to do bad since none are perfect? No. Its not an excuse to mess up. HOWEVER the bible does say He died for our sins and its why we will continue to pray when we mess up because as in long as we are in these fleshy vessels (bodies), we will never be perfect. As long as we truly ask for forgiveness and truly make an effort to try and not mess up, then its normal and we are doing good.

My dad when he was younger (like 45 years ago) before he was a christian had heavy inappropriate content issue. He became saved and pretty quickly stopped looking (inappropriate content then was magazines). But since technology has become popular in todays world, I caught him a few times over the past decade or so looking up stuff. Nothing major and he doesn't do it long. So as you can see the devil waits as long as he wants for a crack to open us to bring us back to issues we have a hard time getting rid of.

In your case you may stop swearing one day. Or you may rarley swear and that may go on until the day you die. Does this mean your going to hell? No. It means your human. Perfection as stated is impossible. And one more time I bring up my second paragraph about not using it as an excuse to sin/be bad. If you feel guilt for what you do then that means your still doing pretty good because the real issue is when you feel no guilt at all.

Like I used to feel no guilt what so ever about my own inappropriate content addiction. But after changing my life around I felt guilt and it made me want to change to please the Lord.

 

[FireDragon76]

Yes, real Christians do all those things, from time to time.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Are those of us who swear sometimes, laugh at inappropriate humor and get intrusive thoughts not real Christians?

I honestly can't help swearing and talking crudely when I'm around someone like my brother sometimes.

Matthew 15:18

Weirdos like me are an exception. Mental illness is my excuse.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

So as you can see the devil waits as long as he wants for a crack to open us to bring us back to issues we have a hard time getting rid of.

Your posts always show true compassion and lack of judgement. God Bless you Sir!

 

[Archie the Preacher]

Even Jesus was tempted in many different ways as are all humans. No doubt there are those Christians who define a 'true Christian' as one whom is never tempted or never surrenders to temptation, most of us don't see it that way.

The difference is the Holy Spirit convicts 'us' and 'we' can rely on God's strength not to always fall into sin. Note the word 'can', not 'do'. The fact 'we' are Christian keeps us from 'enjoying 'sin.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Nobody is perfect. No not one. Thats what the Bible says. And no matter how much you try this will always be the truth.

Hmmm.... Actually, that's NOT what the BIBLE says.

The thing to do then, it seems, is find out what JESUS MEANT because JESUS told all the disciples "you must be perfect...."

The clue to this, I think,
is that what JESUS MEANT
is always without exception TRUTH.

So somewhere along the past 2000 years,
man came up with "many devices" - one of them was changing the meaning of "perfect"/ not understanding it/ or not translating correctly what JESUS SAYS.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Can we stop with this "true Christian" stuff
Were all flawed, point blank period..

We need to stop acting holier than thou and looking at our neighbor who is struggling and putting them down bc it makes us look better.

Being holier than thou is a sin too, its called pride. In addition to narcissism.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Weirdos like me are an exception. Mental illness is my excuse.

Mental illness isn't an excuse, its a real problem and issue. I'm speaking for those who have more severe issues.

 

[friend of]

He died for our sins and its why we will continue to pray when we mess up because as in long as we are in these fleshy vessels (bodies), we will never be perfect.

Right I have believed this all along. Usually when I ask these sorts of questions I can't quite articulate the above well enough and people assume I'm trying to be pleasing to the Lord with my own works, which isn't the case, I'm just getting things off my chest so that I have more info to work with. There shouldn't be any objection when someone is trying to figure a way to further dispose of their old ways in order better adhere to the Lord's commands...

 

[friend of]

Actually, that's NOT what the BIBLE says.

I think longwait was referring to Romans 3:10

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Mental illness isn't an excuse, its a real problem and issue. I'm speaking for those who have more severe issues.

I wasnt referring to you or anyone else.I don't know why you would take my comment personally.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Can we stop with this "true Christian" stuff
Were all flawed, point blank period..

We need to stop acting holier than thou and looking at our neighbor who is struggling and putting them down bc it makes us look better.

Being holier than thou is a sin too, its called pride. In addition to narcissism.

Go always by what GOD'S WORD says - all the disciples were "flawed",
yet
the ekklesia in the NEW TESTAMENT all were continually full of JOY, PEACE, and RIGHTEOUSNESS (as written in the NEW TESTAMENT).
The examples in the NEW TESTAMENT are far far different than the 'churches' today in most countries.

And the examples GOD gives in the NEW TESTAMENT are called "HOLY" by GOD HIMSELF. This is HIS WORD.
"set apart" (from the world)
is what "HOLY" means - worshiping and serving GOD,
instead of demons, the world, or sin or the flesh.
ALL
not just some
ekklesia born of GOD are set apart ,
thus all are "HOLY", not just some ....