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Amen.Yes, GodsGrace101, Jesus' warning in Matthew clearly tells us that those who fail to feed the hungry and clothe the naked will not make it to Heaven, even if they call him 'Lord'.
No, I think she's going thtough a genuine crisis and really wants answers. I went through something like this, asking the exact same questions, while within Baptist churches. Once Saved Always Saved made less and less theological sense, and eventually, so did Sola Fidé. Coming to the right answers can be hard, confusing, and emotionally conflicted. Let's give her support.I think you just want to complain. Are you born-again? According to your second paragraph you understand what you want to believe. So, find a church that believes that.
Stranger
Yes Stranger....I think you just want to complain. Are you born-again? According to your second paragraph you understand what you want to believe. So, find a church that believes that.
Stranger
So far I have been to born again churches who tell me that all I need to do is believe in Jesus and get baptised and boom bam, I'm going to heaven no questions asked and I'll be Jesus' best buddy.
Now, I understand you do need to accept Jesus and believe in him but I don't think that's all you need. E.g. I can't get baptised and then go out the next day and commit acts of paedophilia or attack a blind man and steal his stick.
Am I wrong here? There should be actions that I take and paths that I walk which make me a good Christian, right? If I believe in Jesus, obviously I should also want to sin as little as possible. I don't know where to look for guidance when the people who have been lifelong Christians are just saying that you only need to do one single thing in order to live my life within the lines of God's will.
Well, your examples of what you can't do are obvious, of course...So far I have been to born again churches who tell me that all I need to do is believe in Jesus and get baptised and boom bam, I'm going to heaven no questions asked and I'll be Jesus' best buddy.
Now, I understand you do need to accept Jesus and believe in him but I don't think that's all you need. E.g. I can't get baptised and then go out the next day and commit acts of paedophilia or attack a blind man and steal his stick.
Am I wrong here?
Not really.There should be actions that I take and paths that I walk which make me a good Christian, right?
Not many Christians do this, but the idea is to seek Him.If I believe in Jesus, obviously I should also want to sin as little as possible. I don't know where to look for guidance when the people who have been lifelong Christians are just saying that you only need to do one single thing in order to live my life within the lines of God's will.
Not so much for a church that teaches what I believe, but I believe what I do because I have read the bible, I would like a church that teaches me and guides me on my journey and helps me know what Jesus asks of me. Founded firmly in biblical teachings.Yes Stranger....
But he's asking which denomination teaches what his heart tells him, and what is true.
You know very well that some churches have different teachings than what the o.p. believes.
I'm ex Muslim, I can handle fastingWell, your examples of what you can't do are obvious, of course...
Not really.
You can't earn your salvation, because it's Grace, which implies we're guilty but pardoned.
Not many Christians do this, but the idea is to seek Him.
Seek God.
He will meet you.
But i haven't been that close to Him yet either.
I think i haven't sought Him personally, not seriously, not persistently enough.
Yeah i pray and complain to the sky, addressing Him, and the "me" in my person has shrunk a few sizes through the years, but i still feel empty and alone regarding my relation with the One who claims to be my Father.
Trying to be a better person, a better Christian hasn't done much to get close to Him.
So what to do?
Only recently i found people testifying that fasting is a good way to meet God.
I plan on doing that, but i have to be home alone for a few weeks, because it's intense and apparently quite the rollercoaster ride regarding moods and emotions.
The verse "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God." applies here.
For the rest, try to be good and love your fellow humans and your God.
my 2 cents..
It's hard to figure out who to pay attention to with so many contradictory views. So I'm going to add one more view to complicate things even more. I'm presuming you are already reading your Bible. If not, start there. But if you already do that, start reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Why? It is a central teaching document for most of the planet's Christians. It's coherent. It is well indexed, so easy to search. It's easy to read. It is the official teaching of the Catholic Church. You can disagree with it if you want to, but it would provide you a framework to understand Christian teaching. By all means look in other places as well, but do look here too.So far I have been to born again churches who tell me that all I need to do is believe in Jesus and get baptised and boom bam, I'm going to heaven no questions asked and I'll be Jesus' best buddy.
Now, I understand you do need to accept Jesus and believe in him but I don't think that's all you need. E.g. I can't get baptised and then go out the next day and commit acts of paedophilia or attack a blind man and steal his stick.
Am I wrong here? There should be actions that I take and paths that I walk which make me a good Christian, right? If I believe in Jesus, obviously I should also want to sin as little as possible. I don't know where to look for guidance when the people who have been lifelong Christians are just saying that you only need to do one single thing in order to live my life within the lines of God's will.
I'm ex Muslim, I can handle fasting
Thank you, I will try this.
I think faith is key, however if you believe in Christ, but I think if you do believe Christ is the son of God and word in flesh, that should influence how you live your life in many aspects.
Oh, it works. Or rather it allows grace to work better because it focuses us. Try it. Jesus never said "If you fast ..." but rather he said "When you fast ...". So we really are supposed to fast, if we are physically able to do so.
I've never tried fasting.
But at the moment it's the only thing i can think of to get to approach God, or have Him approach me.
(I'm a bit anxious though, about the possibility that it may not 'work'...)
I've never tried fasting.
But at the moment it's the only thing i can think of to get to approach God, or have Him approach me.
(I'm a bit anxious though, about the possibility that it may not 'work'...)
Not so much for a church that teaches what I believe, but I believe what I do because I have read the bible, I would like a church that teaches me and guides me on my journey and helps me know what Jesus asks of me. Founded firmly in biblical teachings.
Start with the New Testament. Read it and read the commentaries. Get a student Bible. I don't know of any Christian that after reading the NT would agree that God gives us a license to sin just because we believe in Jesus.
Exactly so! And if you had questioned the people you spoke with in that 'born again' church, asking them if you were then 'home free' to steal the blind man's cane once you had decided to believe in Jesus and were baptized...I have a hunch that they would have said that you have to be sincere about it! Obviously. And if you or any of us is sincere, there is no chance that we would even think of living in defiance of how Jesus taught us to live.I think faith is key, however if you believe in Christ, but I think if you do believe Christ is the son of God and word in flesh, that should influence how you live your life in many aspects.
Did you knoiw that NOWHERE does the Bible say "accept Jesus" or "personal savior"?So far I have been to born again churches who tell me that all I need to do is believe in Jesus and get baptised and boom bam, I'm going to heaven no questions asked and I'll be Jesus' best buddy.
Now, I understand you do need to accept Jesus and believe in him but I don't think that's all you need. E.g. I can't get baptised and then go out the next day and commit acts of paedophilia or attack a blind man and steal his stick.
Am I wrong here? There should be actions that I take and paths that I walk which make me a good Christian, right? If I believe in Jesus, obviously I should also want to sin as little as possible. I don't know where to look for guidance when the people who have been lifelong Christians are just saying that you only need to do one single thing in order to live my life within the lines of God's will.
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