Life is very unsatisfying

[tricky1]

I've recently been blocked by this site and it pains me to know that I'm going to spend eternity without Christ, if he's real. How do you all change so much? I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up. IE. Cigarettes, inappropriate contentography, cursing, and on and on. If I want to consider Christianity to be the one true chance of moral satisfaction and true justice, I need to see more believers. It's hard to believe in a faith that seems to be filled with people that aren't just fallen sinners, but proud of it. It's like Christianity is just a suit they wear to feel blessed and have all the answers. It's pretty much just is a coping mechanism for so many "Christians" to keep their sanity when dealing with death. It's like they don't even believe.. I'm here because you're all obviously not a hindrance to the faith like so many. When you considered Christ or knew Christ, what did you do? I think I'm 95% sure this is true.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I need to see more believers.

With just one post , it's hard to tell if you're for real or not, but no worries.
THe answer/ the truth/ doesn't change.
You will see fewer and fewer true believers daily in the next few years/ decades.
OR
You may see a few more than you expect ! (Yhwh does miracles every day).
But
the first place to see Yhwh's Design, Plan, Purpose and Truth
is
in His Word. Otherwise you won't be able to tell the difference in
really
good imitations (counterfeits, actors)
and
the real thing.

OH, and it's not for 'moral satisfaction' or 'true justice', per se, that you may
want
to read Yhwh's Word (the Bible) and call on Him.
Everyone
on earth is doomed,
except for the few that know Him and do as He says.
Seek
Him and keep Seeking Him if you want to live right. (and yes, eternally)

No one else has the Words that lead to Eternal LIfe, nor the ability to grant it.

 

[bling]

Church may not be the best place to find true believers, so go to the needy and see those serving them. You can also move to communist China and join the underground church.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Church may not be the best place to find true believers, so go to the needy and see those serving them. You can also move to communist China and join the underground church.

Amein. Yhwh Willing.
Some believers who visited China a few years ago, and saw both believers and unbelievers literally "raising the dead",
chose not to endanger the underground church
so they did not visit nor try to visit them in their homes.
Since the visitors were constantly being monitored and watched by authorities and others,
the underground church could have been found out and eliminated if they had visited,
like
several churches that Corrie ten Boom visited were. (though they were above and open churches, not underground - they were still eliminated (slaughtered) a couple decades ago).

 

[orangeness365]

I've recently been blocked by this site and it pains me to know that I'm going to spend eternity without Christ, if he's real. How do you all change so much? I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up. IE. Cigarettes, inappropriate contentography, cursing, and on and on. If I want to consider Christianity to be the one true chance of moral satisfaction and true justice, I need to see more believers. It's hard to believe in a faith that seems to be filled with people that aren't just fallen sinners, but proud of it. It's like Christianity is just a suit they wear to feel blessed and have all the answers. It's pretty much just is a coping mechanism for so many "Christians" to keep their sanity when dealing with death. It's like they don't even believe.. I'm here because you're all obviously not a hindrance to the faith like so many. When you considered Christ or knew Christ, what did you do? I think I'm 95% sure this is true.

I don't think that being blocked by this site automatically means you're not going to Heaven. There are many passages in the New Testament about putting off the old man and putting on the new man.

http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/The-New-Man-In-Christ

http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Putting-Off-The-Old-Man

I think changing takes effort, but also help from God. Praying for God to help you change helps. It says in the Bible that all have fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3:22-24, including Christians, which means the only perfect Christian was Jesus Christ 1 John 3:5. You should look to him for your example. I think that faith saves people through grace, which is a gift from God Ephesians 2:8-10, but the Bible also says that faith without works is dead James 2:17, which I take to mean that your faith will effect your deeds. You can't keep succumbing to your sinful nature without trying to change and without repentance. Everyone needs to repent, or else we will all perish Luke 13:3. I can't tell you about joy because I am a very depressed person, but, I think for many people, that having hope in and trusting in Jesus and in salvation gives them joy 1 Peter 1:8-9, Romans 15:13. I struggle with trust issues in God, so maybe that is why I don't feel joy. Romans 1:32 also talks about how there are some that not only sin, but approve of sin and encourage others to do the same, and the title of that passage is God's wrath on unrighteousness, which I presume to meant that God doesn't like it when people not only sin but give approval to those that do. Christians are supposed to repent, not give approval to sin.

Romans 1:28-32
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

I'm not a good example of a Christian, so I'm not really one to talk, honestly, but I feel that the scripture I'm quoting gives an answer to your questions and concerns, even if my actions probably wouldn't. I've tried to be a better Christian the past four years now or so, and my brother agrees that I have changed since my teenage years for the better. I think it is possible to change, although I admit I still curse as well. Honestly I personally think that the only way to change for the better is if God changes you on the inside, and then eventually with some also additional effort on your part you try to change as well. Even if you keep sinning it is important to keep repenting. I think ultimately God will judge the heart at Judgement Day, and all secrets will be revealed.

 

[paul1149]

How do you all change so much? I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up.

I came to Christ in utter desperation. Life crisis took me there. I had walked away as a young man, and He had every right to spurn me now, in turn. But He did not turn me away:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matt 11:28-30​

It took me a long time to understand grace. I kept thinking I had to do this, had to do that. That it was all up to my performance. It was through my failing that God showed me His unfathomable love, which held onto me no matter what.

"We love because He first loved us"
"He who is forgiven much, loves much."​

It really comes down to surrender. Beyond being given to teach morals and maintain order, the purpose of the law was to show us, through our inability to keep it, that we cannot achieve godliness on our own; we need a Savior:

the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. -Gal 3:24​

Giving up sin is a good thing, but a more essential thing is to come to Christ. Make Him the captain of your salvation, and allow Him to work in you to clean you up.

For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. -Rom 6:14​

 

[Albion]

The institutional church admits anyone. And that--the institution--is what most people call "church." But the church of Christ in the higher sense is the aggregate of all people, everywhere, and at any time in history, who truly do trust the Lord as their Savior. We have no way of identifying them all, however, because these are known only to God.

In short, do not be misled by the number of people who are called Christian or who attend a Christian church but seem to be fallible or insincere. The Democratic Party does include people who are not in step with the party's principles; the ASPCA probably does have members who kick their dogs around; and the Environmentalist groups do certainly have members who don't recycle at every opportunity. None of that means that the PURPOSES for which those institutions exist are phony or unimportant.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I've recently been blocked by this site and it pains me to know that I'm going to spend eternity without Christ, if he's real. How do you all change so much? I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up. IE. Cigarettes, inappropriate contentography, cursing, and on and on. If I want to consider Christianity to be the one true chance of moral satisfaction and true justice, I need to see more believers. It's hard to believe in a faith that seems to be filled with people that aren't just fallen sinners, but proud of it. It's like Christianity is just a suit they wear to feel blessed and have all the answers. It's pretty much just is a coping mechanism for so many "Christians" to keep their sanity when dealing with death. It's like they don't even believe.. I'm here because you're all obviously not a hindrance to the faith like so many. When you considered Christ or knew Christ, what did you do? I think I'm 95% sure this is true.

I am replying to the part of your post that talks about the things you say you will need to give up.

Remember that God will help you, strengthen you if you seek Him and want to find Him. He does not expect you to get rid of every sin the next day. What He will do is bring you to the point of it not being so hard and if it still is hard, then He will help you.

Do not loose sight that in the end, it is a relationship. You need to keep in prayer and read His Word. Do not expect miracles of yourself, but walk with God and He will walk with you. Too many Christians see it as they change their lives and then God put's a 'I'm happy with you now' stamp on them. God doesn't want you to do all these things alone.

Tell Him about your day. Tell Him the deepest secrets of your heart. Your struggles, your pain and your great moments of happiness. He wants to know about you, so tell Him.

 

[Albion]

With just one post , it's hard to tell if you're for real or not.

I understand. When you have someone who chooses "Christian" for his faith profile but then says something like this....

I'm going to spend eternity without Christ, if he's real. How do you all change so much? I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up. IE. Cigarettes, inappropriate contentography, cursing, and on and on...If I want to consider Christianity....

 

[Archie the Preacher]

How do you all change so much?

Probably, 'we' don't.

I always feel overpowered by even the exhaustion of considering all of the things I have to give up. IE. Cigarettes, inappropriate contentography, cursing, and on and on.

I think you've got this in the wrong order.

One does not 'give up' anything/everything/certain things and then Jesus accepts them into His kingdom.

One admits wrong, expresses remorse and enters into an oral contract with God through Jesus. One surrenders his own will to God and stands ready to obey God. God forgives one's sin - all of it, past present and future - guaranteeing a place in Heaven and life in Christ now; AND starts to 'remake' one into the proper image of God one was supposed to be from the beginning.

...I need to see more believers.

No, you don't. Seeing more believers just emphasizes the inherent failure of humanity. You sure don't want to see me. Even the apostle Paul (in various letters) said when people imitate him - Paul - they should be imitating Christ, because that was what Paul was doing.