So basically im at a loss right now ive heard that if i keep sinning im not saved even if its not willful sinning. And ive heard that it doesn't matter if i willfully sin or not your still saved. Ive also heard that if its my own will to stop sinning, that means its not the holy spirit helping me which makes me someone who is basing Salvation on just my works not Jesus death and resurrection on the cross. Can anyone help explain because in the bible some verses make it seem like without works we aren't saved but that you dont need to have any works and your saved. Im just confused and need some guidance with this. Thank you all God bless.
I understand your confusion, because the message you are getting is confusing. Not to call anyone out, but to claim "don't sin willfully" implies you sin against your will. You have free will. You consciously choose to lie, for example. Satan tempts you, but when called out, Adam blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent. Neither just says, yes, I disobeyed. I was wrong. I'm sorry.
So, you are to love your neighbor as yourself. You think, "how do I love people I don't know or barely know?" Samaritans were seen as being lower than sinners. The priest and Levite kept the commandment of cleanliness when entering the temple, so they passed by the beaten man. The Samaritan helped the beaten man, got him to a safe place to heal, and paid for his stay.
Who is exalted in the story?
Christians focus on sin, rather than love, talk about keeping the commandments, but ignore the two in which all of the laws are fulfilled, and then justify it. Why? It is easier to point to the speck in other's eye, than the 2x4 in your own.
It's confusing to me how many Christians will spend time convincing other Christians to doubt their salvation. One poster said "God only spared Noah's family and drowned everyone else, so, no one is safe." Christ allowed himself to be sacrificed because of his love for us, so trying to invalidate another's salvation is trying to invalidate he resurrection. Scouring the bible to condemn another for "unrepentant sin" condemns oneself, because they are implying that following the commandments earns them a place in heaven. Focusing on the sins of others, rather than self examination, condemns you, as you refuse to acknowledge you own sin, and God's mercy and forgiveness. Claiming others need to turn from all sin to come to God is hypocritical because no one is perfect, and turns many people away.
Christ taught parable to the people that they could relate to, such as sheep and goats, the parable of the seeds.
So, when you stsrt a relationship, do yoy demand you SO be perfect? Or do you acknowledge that you aren't perfect, so you can forgive your SO's imperfections?
If your spouse gets angry at some cruel words said, does granting you mercy mean you can do it again? Will you want to do ut again? If your spouse says, "I don't believe you love me," is a satisfying answer "I have never once hit. I haven't tried to kill you. I have never cheated on you, but had many opportunities...", does he love her? Or would she sleep with one eye open? How would you feel if your wife was constantly spying on the neighbors, spreading gossip about others, criticizing others, but never looking at her own faults, such as gossiping? Because she claims to be a Christian, is she actually following Christ?
So, I am utterly confused by Christians who say that forgiveness doesn't give you a pass to sin more. No one becomes a Christian in order to sin. I suspect it implies that forgiving another is a sign of weakness. Holding a grudge is weakness.
The love and mercy of Jesus is often down played, thinking kindness is weakness, when it is cruelty that is a sign of weakness. Thus, the Rambo their love to "tough love," indistinguishable from harsh cruelty by those receiving it. They will justify it, saying it's like disciplining a child. That implies they are the adult who knows better. But they are using "tough love" on another adult, which is about as effective as spanking an adult.
When someone tells me they are Christian, my spiritual fists go up in defense mode. It does for many people.
In speaking to a rider for Lyft, she talked about her organization that did outreach that was comprised of Christians, Jews and Muslims. I said that at the heart of most religions is the concept of loving one another. Immediately, she said, "Yes, but we can't love without discrimination. If someone is alcoholic, it isn't very loving not to point his drinking problem."
I told her that the sheep were told, I was hungry, and you fed me, not for the sins they pointed out. We are "Judge not, lest ye be judged," because of people like Simon who judged the woman washing Jesus feet, and Jesus himself, who only judged rightly in admitting he demonstrated far less love to Christ than the woman whom he condemned. Christ doesn't say to "love your neighbor as yourself - but not their sin!"He simply commands us to love one another, but if I say that, and one's first reaction is to point to another's sin, they don't understand the concept of God's love. So, they go out to the street corner with a loudspeaker, telling everyone that they are a sinner and need to repent. One guy even dared to refer to them as demons, not even knowing them. He demanded that they listen, but refused to hear them. He mocked Islam, then played victim when they were angry.
Then he gets no converts, reinforcing his belief that the world is like the tomes of Noah.
I work at Trader Joe's near Berkeley. People come in and tell me they have two or more orders, shopping for their elderly neighbors. Many white people joined in the protests about the unlawful killing of Floyd, staying to the back of the march as support, and only coming forward when Allies were called by the protest leaders. My store donates a large amount of its food to the local food shelves, as do many of the surrounding stores.
The world has problems, but it is also filled with kindness. It depends on which you want to focus. The sin of others, or what you can do at any moment to act in love toward your neighbor.