Repented of sin and trusted the savior. Was a false convert

[bowtokingjesus]

I recently repented of my sins and trusted Christ! My whole life I was a false convert who drifted away from Christ multiple times and lived in sin habitually. I was missing repentance. However I thought that once I repented that everything would be different. I do notice some differences e.g. the Word of God now seems alive. I still however think that I can't obey God. I'm starting to learn about Christ in ME. I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would want to please God since we are suppose to get a new nature and everything. I'm always telling myself I can't. I don't know if anyone remembers me from before my old account was "acceptjesus" Please any advice would be helpful!

 

[St_Worm2]

I recently repented of my sins and trusted Christ! My whole life I was a false convert who drifted away from Christ multiple times and lived in sin habitually. I was missing repentance. However I thought that once I repented that everything would be different. I do notice some differences e.g. the Word of God now seems alive. I still however think that I can't obey God. I'm starting to learn about Christ in ME. I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would want to please God since we are suppose to get a new nature and everything. I'm always telling myself I can't. I don't know if anyone remembers me from before my old account was "acceptjesus" Please any advice would be helpful!

Hey BTKJ, WELCOME BACK .. Most importantly, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY ..

That the Word of God "seems alive" is a very good thing, but I'm wondering why you think that you are still unable to obey God? Do you mean obey Him at all, or do you mean obey Him perfectly (or do you mean something else)?

Also (and I'm betting this is along the same lines), why do you feel you can't please God?

Thanks!

God bless! (Numbers 6:24-26)

--David

 

[bowtokingjesus]

Well to be honest the Lord revealed to me in his word that in Christ I am the righteousness of God. (Romans 3:21-26) The righteousness of God is the fulfillment of the law! So I have obeyed! My sins have been paid for and I've fulfilled the law! IN CHRIST. Praise JESUS! However my question is and I've read what I believe is the answer, if were not under the 10 Commandments what do we obey? I believe the answer is to love one another and love as Christ has loved! Any advice? Also I guess I thought once I became a christian I would want to obey. I guess maybe I'm expecting a feeling though? Any advice? Also are their any sites/books were I can learn the basics? I'm learning through the bible though. To be honest I studied most of this stuff before but I never saw it in the Word. Praise JESUS! repent and trust the savior!
'

 

[St_Worm2]

Well to be honest the Lord revealed to me in his word that in Christ I am the righteousness of God. (Romans 3:21-26) The righteousness of God is the fulfillment of the law! So I have obeyed! My sins have been paid for and I've fulfilled the law! IN CHRIST. Praise JESUS! However my question is and I've read what I believe is the answer, if were not under the 10 Commandments what do we obey? I believe the answer is to love one another and love as Christ has loved! Any advice? Also I guess I thought once I became a christian I would want to obey. I guess maybe I'm expecting a feeling though? Any advice? Also are their any sites/books were I can learn the basics? I'm learning through the bible though. To be honest I studied most of this stuff before but I never saw it in the Word. Praise JESUS! repent and trust the savior!
'

Hi again BTKJ, wow, what a thing to come to understand as a newborn in Christ .. I still haven't wrapped my mind completely around it (maybe I never will .. see 2 Corinthians 5:21 as well). We are not merely made 'righteous men' because of Christ's atonement, instead, we are made the very "righteousness of God" ..

How the Law and the Gospel exist together is more than a minor bone of contention here at CF and elsewhere, but this is what I believe. Obeying the law doesn't save us, it never did. It can't. It is a harsh "tutor", designed to drive us to Christ to seek His mercy (Galatians 3:24), because it's clear that no human can obey the law perfectly (which is the 'minimum' requirement for a "works" form of righteousness .. not that anyone will EVER be deemed righteous based upon what he/she does, but I believe you are already aware of that).

But that never made the Law a bad thing. If you want to know what being righteous before God means, if you want to know how to begin to please God, the Bible tells us how to get started. The 10 commandments could certainly be considered a starting place. They cannot save you and obeying them will not keep you saved, but if someone who claims to be a Christian is not at least obeying those regularly, he/she would need to take a serious look at whether they're truly in Christ or not.

Does that make sense? You're not saved by obeying the Law, you are able to obey the Law because you already are saved. If we are not saved, we are "natural men" (1 Corinthians 2:14), w/o the HS and the mind of Christ (actually, read 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 to see the difference between saints and reprobates). We are saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone, APART from anything that 'we' do (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Even the saving faith that we have is a "gift" from God, but once we are saved, we become "His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works" .. Ephesians 2:10. This is why Calvin says in one of my signature lines below, "we are justified by faith alone, but the faith that justifies is never alone" (see James 2:24). This is also what James means when he says we are "justified by works, and not by faith alone". Good works and a life lived apart from habitual sin (1 John 3 .. especially verses 4-10*) 'justifies' our claim of faith before others and ourselves (God, who knows our hearts better than we do, does not require a "demonstration" of good works to know if we are saved .. or not).

*The ESV does the best job of translating 1 John 3 as I believe it is meant to be understood. You will never be completely free from sin in this life, even as a Christian, though this chapter's literal translation, when taken out of context, has led some to believe that a Christian will NEVER sin again. This is not true, part of the proof of which can be found earlier in 1 John (see 1 John 1:8-2:2).

Wow, that was long-winded. Sorry about that (at least all the verses in blue should be clickable).

Learning the most basic spiritual disciplines is a great place to start, and Dr. John MacArthur's free online sermons called "Spiritual Bootcamp" is very well done. The 4 sermons cover How to Study the Bible, How to Pray, Fellowship, and Witnessing. If you'd like to get started, click HERE, scroll down, and then either listen to them online, or download them and listen to them.

Hope that helps!

Yours and His,
David

"He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me,
has eternal life, and does not come into judgment,
but has passed out of death into life"
John 5:24​

 

[bowtokingjesus]

I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would have a desire to obey God. Yeah I'm repenting of sin and the Word of God seems "alive" but I'm always thinking I'm unable to obey. There was a time when I thought that I couldn't repent, God was pointing out sin (pornography) and I thought "I could never give this up" but I have! I don't know why I think I can't obey. Maybe I just need to learn more? Any advice would be helpful!

 

[St_Worm2]

I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would have a desire to obey God. Yeah I'm repenting of sin and the Word of God seems "alive" but I'm always thinking I'm unable to obey. There was a time when I thought that I couldn't repent, God was pointing out sin (pornography) and I thought "I could never give this up" but I have! I don't know why I think I can't obey. Maybe I just need to learn more? Any advice would be helpful!

What's highlighted in bold above, I was right there too when I first became a Christian (in fact, I said that very thing to God). But it all worked out, PTL!! (see Philippians 1:6)

My advice to you is immerse yourself in the faith. Find a church that faithfully teaches the word of God and make sure you're part of anything and everything Christian you can be for awhile. Small group Bible studies are very good to join (and most churches have them).

I also listened to Christian radio a lot, MacArthur, Sproul, Swindoll, and many others. Now you can just go to their websites and listen or watch. Try www.ligonier.org (Dr. RC Sproul's "Renewing Your Mind"), and/or www.insightforliving.org (Dr. Chuck Swindoll) and/or www.gty.org (Dr. John MacArthur - "Grace To You") and look for their daily broadcast link or look at their broadcast library.

I'd start with the "Spiritual Bootcamp" above though.

Most important of all though is getting yourself around other believers by going to church. Do you have a church already?

Oh, and I was hyper-sensitive to sin when I first became a Christian. That's ok, better to err on the side of caution and ask for forgiveness if you think you sinned. And don't forget you have an enemy in Satan who will attack you because you are now one of God's children rather than his. Satan will try anything to shake your faith, including making you think that you can't obey or please God ..

Where are you with your reading of the Bible now?

Gotta go, but I'll check back in later.

Yours in Christ,
David

 

[Mister_Al]

You've confessed Jesus, and you've repented of your sins. Now you need to be baptized in water if you want the full effect of being saved. Believe me, it does make a difference. There wasn't a single person that was born again in the Bible that wasn't baptized in water.

Blessings,

Alan

 

[St_Worm2]

...you need to be baptized.

Agreed ^

Have you already been baptized. Perhaps as an infant?

 

[bowtokingjesus]

My mom said before that I was. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and the doctors didn't know if I would make it so they baptized me. I listened to the 1st John MacArthur sermon. Very Good! Think I'll start reading 1st John 30 days in a row. I have MacArthur's One-Volume Commentary and his study bible (NASB). Please pray for me. Any advice? I still don't know why I believe I can't obey scripture I've obeyed some of it. e.g. don't look at a women with lust, obey your parents etc...

 

[bowtokingjesus]

Tell me if I'm correct. I in my flesh don't desire and can't do what God wants but the new nature does and can?

 

[St_Worm2]

My mom said before that I was. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and the doctors didn't know if I would make it so they baptized me. I listened to the 1st John MacArthur sermon. Very Good! Think I'll start reading 1st John 30 days in a row. I have MacArthur's One-Volume Commentary and his study bible (NASB). Please pray for me. Any advice? I still don't know why I believe I can't obey scripture I've obeyed some of it. e.g. don't look at a women with lust, obey your parents etc...

Hi again BTKJ, if you do what MacArthur is recommending, you will know the Bible like few others do because you will remember so much of it. I'd read straight through it a couple of times, but after that, as the Lord begins to reveal new things to you about 1 John, write down any questions you have about what you are reading so you can look for answers later.

You will also want to turn your reading into a dialog with God whenever you can. If something hits you as you read along, ask God about it or thank Him for it, or ask Him what He would have you do, etc. Reading and praying together is one of the principle ways God communicates with us, and we with Him.

Speaking of prayer, it can be nothing more than a simply thank you to Him and/or a praise of Him for the simplest things, to very extended hours of much more formal prayer. The thing He wants for us is to not break fellowship with Him and to depend on His guidance throughout the day, and prayer is the way we do that. Asking for help in any number of situations is normal for Christians, when things are going along just fine and, or course, when things are not.

For a time set aside for prayer, you can use a Bible verse as a place to beging and pray around various aspects of it, perhaps praying about each word in the verse (e.g. John 3:16 - you could pray for lifetime over that single verse with all of the truths it contains .. ).

I often find that it helps to have a pattern of prayer to follow. One that I like to use is called ACTS (MacArthur may talk about it in Spiritual Bootcamp, I just don't remember if he does or not). Click here for a short explanation of "ACTS".

A - Adoration
C - Confession
T - Thanksgiving
S - Supplication*
​

*I like to use index cards to help me remember who I'm praying for and why, especially when I am praying for a lot of people/things. Just remember that these are all just suggestions. You need to find out what works best for you ... and you have plenty of time to do so (eternal life is a long time, yes .. ). I wouldn't get hung up on anything in particular right now except sitting at the Lord's feet and learning from Him, praising Him, and enjoying Him (read Luke 10:38-42 and take special note of what the Lord says in v42).

BTW, the study Bible you have is the best one, IMHO, and the NASB is my favorite and principle translation. However, it can also be helpful to read other translations, especially if you are having trouble completely understanding a passage (Matthew 11:12 in the NASB comes quickly to mind). Go here and you can read any verse you want to in many different translations and in easier to read/understand paraphrases as well (like the NIV or the NLT). Of course, your study Bible notes will help too ..

Gotta go. I'll check back later though.

God bless! (Jude 24-25)

--David

 

[St_Worm2]

Tell me if I'm correct. I in my flesh don't desire and can't do what God wants but the new nature does and can?

That is true, along with your new nature comes new desires as well. But also remember what you read in 1 Corinthians 2 about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God Himself lives with you, empowers you, and guides and teaches you now. This is not to say that you do not have to put great effort into growing in the knowledge and understanding of Him and in what He wants from you, etc., and, of course, in resisting the temptations that your old nature drives you towards. Your old nature will be with you until the day you die and you will be in a constant battle because of it (read Romans 7). As Martin Luther said, we are Simul Justus et Peccator , IOW, we are "at the same time just and sinner", but the new nature with the help and empowerment of the HS can and does overpower the old (most of the time .. ).

I cannot overemphasize the necessity of church for you, especially as a "infant" in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1). You need to be face to face with other Christians and live your life in their presence, and they in yours. Church is the place we worship together, hear His word preached, pray together, learn together, partake in the Lord's Supper, and enjoy one another be reminded who we are. Fellowship is one of the very best parts of being a Christian .. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this MAJOR part of the faith. It is both commanded (Hebrews 10:24-25) and necessary if you want to grow in Christ and remain strong in the faith.

You, along with the rest of us are "aliens and strangers" in this world (1 Peter 2:11), and we need to step out of it regularly to remember who we are and Who we serve (read Romans 12:2). Church does all these things for us and SO much more. God did not make us into hermits when He created us in His Son, He made us to commune with Him and with each other. We are a 'functional' family (well, we are supposed to be anyway .. ). So my greatest advice for you today is "go to church" ..

Three books come to mind that may be of both immediate and long-term interest to you. Two are classics and one a theology.

1) Concise Theology by JI Packer (this is a very important study tool that you should buy this if you can as it is excellent at defining various aspects of the faith)
2) The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis (you can read this for free online .. it is a collection of short fictional stories that will help you understand the enemy and how he operates)
3) The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (free online or you can buy it, of course)​

There are MANY more books for you to read, certainly Lewis' Mere Christianity and Packer's Knowing God should be high on that list, but these three books will address many of the questions and thoughts you have right now.

You should also take time to study and understand the various creeds of the faith, beginning with these four historic ones: The Apostles Creed, The Nicene Creed, The Athanasian Creed, and The Symbol of Chalcedon. You can read them all online HERE.

Yours and His,
David
p.s. - praying for you!

 

[Mister_Al]

Don't be overwhelmed by trying to do everything that people are telling you you need to do. That may not be what God wants of you right now. He will let you know by His Spirit how to walk your path. One thing that hindered my relationship with the Lord was that I kept trying to understand Him by what everyone else told me that I should know. When I finally started asking Him to teach me things started changing.

Trust in Him, the rest of us make mistakes.

Blessings,

Alan

 

[St_Worm2]

I agree with Alan (even though I was the one who wrote you all those essay-length posts above). Take from them what you will as the Lord leads you, and don't worry about any of the rest (well, except for the parts about needing to find a church and other Christians to fellowship with .. That's pretty important.).

Outside of that, enjoy every bit of your time as a newborn in Christ. There are many new and wonderful things ahead for you ..

Yours and His,
David

 

[bowtokingjesus]

The scriptures are so clear now! JESUS DIED FOR ME! Death was the penalty for sin HE paid it! Praise JESUS!

 

[AGTG]

Praise God for your testimony. Repentance is key, but now you need to learn of His ways and learn to discern His voice over the voice of the enemy and the voice of your heart.

There is a difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the condemnation of your heart. Press in with a disciplined prayer life and you will learn the difference.

Remember, we're not walking on eggshells, we're in a relationship with the greatest Father known to mankind.

 

[bowtokingjesus]

Repentance is key trust me. Here's my testimony:

I heard the gospel at a young age know one however told me that I needed to turn from sin (God did though) I refused for 17 years to turn from sin I told God "I can't" I went my own way, yea I went to church and read my bible but I fell away numerous times never truly turning from sin. As I grew in my teen years I became very self-conscious, (I have Cerebral Palsy) I started to suffer depression and anxiety. I was on drugs for ADHD. I liked the feeling they gave me so I would take an extra one multiple times. This led to be more anxious and to start obsessing over things. So I was put on risperdone for obsessing/delusions. Eventually the problems went away and I was taken off the drug. Fast Forward to my Junior year in High School the obsessing never stopped but I wasn't even aware of it. Well let's just say the delusions came back along with voices. Fast Forward I eventually was diagnosed in the hospital as a schizophrenic. When I got out I started to read the bible and listen to sound preaching or "repentance preaching"/just overall sound preaching. I still refused to repent though. However God didn't let go of me. I eventually repented and trusted Christ. Now the Word of God is living and active! Praise JESUS!​

 

[NJA]

...I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would want to please God since we are suppose to get a new nature and everything.... any advice would be helpful!

Hi, many people have not heard the original salvation message ... partly because many are preaching something different!

The original was repent, be baptised and receive the Holy Spirit, which was accompanied by speaking in tongues, a miraculous unlearned language whereby God leads you in prayer according to his will, ministering his nature to you, giving you something better than sin, so, you have POWER over sin.
- See Acts 2:4, 33, 37-39; 1 Cor. 14:2, 4.

My advice is get to a church that sticks to the original, I'm with these.

 

[orangeness365]

Repentance is key trust me. Here's my testimony:

I heard the gospel at a young age know one however told me that I needed to turn from sin (God did though) I refused for 17 years to turn from sin I told God "I can't" I went my own way, yea I went to church and read my bible but I fell away numerous times never truly turning from sin. As I grew in my teen years I became very self-conscious, (I have Cerebral Palsy) I started to suffer depression and anxiety. I was on drugs for ADHD. I liked the feeling they gave me so I would take an extra one multiple times. This led to be more anxious and to start obsessing over things. So I was put on risperdone for obsessing/delusions. Eventually the problems went away and I was taken off the drug. Fast Forward to my Junior year in High School the obsessing never stopped but I wasn't even aware of it. Well let's just say the delusions came back along with voices. Fast Forward I eventually was diagnosed in the hospital as a schizophrenic. When I got out I started to read the bible and listen to sound preaching or "repentance preaching"/just overall sound preaching. I still refused to repent though. However God didn't let go of me. I eventually repented and trusted Christ. Now the Word of God is living and active! Praise JESUS!​

I have a story similar to yours, in that I developed schizophrenia and was a false, unrepentant christian until I developed schizophrenia. I somehow despite all of my regrets and constant flashbacks, thought somehow I was always in the right for the most part. I even had one experience where I thought God was talking to me during sleep paralysis before I got schizophrenia, and I still didn't take a hint for a long time. I was a false prophet (I didn't tell that many people about it) and unrepentant about almost everything. I still struggle with cowardice though. I'm afraid to get out and do anything for fear of dying in a car crash. It took being struck down with schizophrenia to finally realize the error of my ways. I thought I was this great Christian until I actually read the Bible while I was developing schizophrenia, and it didn't really register what it meant until after I was on medicine and out of the hospital for the first time where I got diagnosed immediately as well. I struggle with doing God's work as well. I always want to do the bare minimum to go to heaven, but I should be giving it my all. I try to be nice, but I don't know if that is really enough.

 

[Catherineanne]

I recently repented of my sins and trusted Christ! My whole life I was a false convert who drifted away from Christ multiple times and lived in sin habitually. I was missing repentance. However I thought that once I repented that everything would be different. I do notice some differences e.g. the Word of God now seems alive. I still however think that I can't obey God. I'm starting to learn about Christ in ME. I thought once I repented and trusted Christ I would want to please God since we are suppose to get a new nature and everything. I'm always telling myself I can't. I don't know if anyone remembers me from before my old account was "acceptjesus" Please any advice would be helpful!

The day we marry in church we are completely, 100% married. If we live a thousand years we would not be any more married than we are that day; it is complete and finished.

However, anyone who is married will know that every day he or she will have to get up and put energy into that marriage; love, compassion, care, picking up dirty socks; whatever it takes. There will be some days we wake up and everything irritates us, from the sight of our spouse lying there looking distinctly unattractive first thing in the morning, to them snoring last thing at night. And there will be other days when we seem to be in a wonderful dreamworld with them, as when we first met. In all of this, the good days and the bad, we remain 100% married, in spite of everything we feel, everything we go through and all the problems that come along the way.

I would hope that a married couple would not start to doubt the validity of their marriage vows when they have a hard day; they might perhaps wish for an easier day tomorrow and determine to work to make it happen. They might decide to work at pleasing their spouse, and doing small things to make them happy, in the hope that their spouse will do the same in return.

Fast forward 50 years to the couple who have managed to weather the storms of life and they have indeed grown into new natures; so much so that there is hardly two people any more; they have learned to grow together. This is what happens in our faith; over time our natures grow to become more like that of our Lord.

So we are 100% Christians, as much as we will ever be, the day we accept the Lord. We are constantly working at the relationship with him, having good days and bad, and we are growing more like him every day.