will christianity help me?

[bunnysfriend]

hi, ive been brought up as a christian and have always beleived there is a god, and that jesus died for our sins so that we can go to heaven when we die. sometimes i dont know weather or not it is true. i try to follow the teachings of jesus, and live a life of love and compasion of others.
i am very scared od death and the unknown. i get very depresed about it. i am scared of going to hell. i like to think that hell is not real but i have a feeling it is. this is why i dont want to see a doctor who will just tell me there is no such thing as hell.
i definatly believe there is a god and i pray to him to help me and say thank you for all i have, however i feel i am not a proper christian because sometime i doubt the bible.
im scared to die and of being tortured forever in hell, but i am also scared to believe everyting in the bible and change my ways. there are many thing i fear i will have to do or give up to become a proper christian. like i will no longer be able to watch tv shows i like, like southpark. or go on holiday and waer a bikini on the beach. be intimate with my boyfreind. and may other things. i am also worried that being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him.
i am feeling really depressed, will chrisianity help me? will i have to give up the things i enjoy, and only live to serve god? otherwise i must be going to eternal punishment in hell?

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

If you believe that God sent His Son, Jesus to die for our sins and that He rose again then you are a Christian and will go to heaven when you die. Hell is a very real place but God has promised that if we believe in Him we will go to heaven. We don't have to live a perfect life to go to heaven, the only person who was perfect was Jesus. We need to ask God to give us strength and help us to live the way He wants us to. We all fail but He's loving and merciful and always forgives us.

As for giving things up - often we realise that we don't enjoy doing certain things once we're Christians. The Bible gives us guidelines on how to live so its a good idea to read it when you're not too sure what the right thing is to do. God doesn't want us to not do certain things so we'll be miserable, He knows that those things will hurt us and cause us pain. He wants us to have joy.

Being a Christian means living for God so everything you do will be for Him even if its a mundane task - everything we do should be to give Him glory.

I don't know if your depression will go when you become a Christian, I think it depends on the cause of it. Christianity is not a magic cure for life's problems.

Being brought up as a christian doesn't necessary mean you are a christian if by that you mean you went to church. But you do seem to believe that Jesus died for your sins but I think it would be a good idea to speak to a minister so he can answer any other questions and he can lead you to Christ if that's what you want. Its the best decision you'll ever make.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

 

[bunnysfriend]

i do want to beleive, most of the time i do but sometimes i find myself doubting. i cant see myself ever not enjoying baskin in the sun and swimming in the sea, i love gonig to the beach. i cant see how i would no longer enjoy this if i became a christan. same thing goes for watch tv shows. laughter is one of the things that helps me when im feeling down. how will watch southpark cause me pain? im not saying i love these things more than god, but i dont want to give them up. i dont want to go to hell either. how can i give these things up and not be scared of dying and going to hell? would this help me?

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

There's nothing wrong with going to the beach. You don't have to give up TV shows either unless they're influencing you in a bad way. Southpark has a lot of swearing so if you find yourself starting to swear then its not a good idea to watch it. God wants us to keep our hearts and minds pure so we should give up whatever is not good for us but if we don't it doesn't mean we're going to hell. God just wants us to become more like Him but we will never be perfect on earth, its only when we get to heaven that we will be like Him. You don't have to worry about going to hell if you are really a Christian. Nothing we do or don't do can take away our salvation.

 

[bunnysfriend]

i want to really be a christian but i dont know if i am because i often doubt. i ask god to let the holy spirit come ito me but im not sure its there. will god forgive me if i am seeking him out? if i were to die now where would i go? i dont want to go to hell, i want to be with god, but i find it hard. i think that finding god will be the only thig stopping me fearing death.

 

[TheMainException]

Chrisitianity won't save your soul or your body. As a matter of fact, it may even kill you. Jesus is NOT religion. He is a man, a god, your creator. The one who loves you, the only one who really loves you. No one can love you like he can. there is no love like his, whether you feel it or not. He is there, whether you can feel him or not.

It is hard to follow Jesus and know what exactly is going on. I beg of you, don't give up...it involve mucking through the waters, searching and begging and crying out and listening for that small voice carried on the wind...it takes a lot to know....and I have not attained such a place....but I know what it takes, and simply accepting it with the stupid look of a cow is not the way to go. I am so glad that you are asking questions and seeking the truth, cause it is hard at times to know the truth and be sure of it...keep going, you will find what you seek!

 

[g0dzlilgurl]

yea i agree,seek and u wil find.0vc0rs satanz g0na d0 al he cn 2 make u d0ubt and make sin m0re attractive but lyk life iz s0 sh0rt c0mpared 2 eternity.jesus iz the 0nli thng w0rth livin 4,he kn0z tht wer n0t perfect thtz y he died 4 us.dnt giv up keep y0r head up il pray b0wt it 2nyt c0z i kn0 he wantz 2 tlk 2 u =)

 

[Achichem]

i try to follow the teachings of jesus, and live a life of love and compasion of others.

wonderful

i am scared of going to hell. i like to think that hell is not real but i have a feeling it is. this is why i dont want to see a doctor who will just tell me there is no such thing as hell.

You may want to look through my posts: #14, #20, #22
in this thread:
http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=23211178#post23211178
may want to read #20 before #14

i definatly believe there is a god and i pray to him to help me and say thank you for all i have, however i feel i am not a proper christian because sometime i doubt the bible.

We all struggle sister, but that is why we have a community to help each other out

there are many thing i fear i will have to do or give up to become a proper christian. like i will no longer be able to watch tv shows i like, like southpark. or go on holiday and waer a bikini on the beach. be intimate with my boyfreind. and may other things. i am also worried that being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him.

Well of all those things I see only one of concern,
"being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him."

That is true but I will tell you, that enhances life and is the source of all joy, and the closer you move toward it the more fulfilled and happy you will feel I promise.

i am feeling really depressed, will chrisianity help me?

Yes, it can

will i have to give up the things i enjoy, and only live to serve god?

You don't have to "give up" necessarily, but you need to expect real changes and make real choices.

Giving up every 'appearent negative" influence in your life will do you no good. Serving G-d is about including G-d not disconnecting from yourself.

The first part to getting right with G-d is opening your heart (it far harder then it sounds) and allowing G-d to fill you with truth[confidence]...if you move on fear you will not find it helping you, for you are closed.

Your doing an awesome job!

otherwise i must be going to eternal punishment in hell?

Again, fear not, Our G-d is a just god.
http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=23211178#post23211178

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

hi, ive been brought up as a christian and have always beleived there is a god, and that jesus died for our sins so that we can go to heaven when we die. sometimes i dont know weather or not it is true. i try to follow the teachings of jesus, and live a life of love and compasion of others.
i am very scared od death and the unknown. i get very depresed about it. i am scared of going to hell. i like to think that hell is not real but i have a feeling it is. this is why i dont want to see a doctor who will just tell me there is no such thing as hell.
i definatly believe there is a god and i pray to him to help me and say thank you for all i have, however i feel i am not a proper christian because sometime i doubt the bible.
im scared to die and of being tortured forever in hell, but i am also scared to believe everyting in the bible and change my ways. there are many thing i fear i will have to do or give up to become a proper christian. like i will no longer be able to watch tv shows i like, like southpark. or go on holiday and waer a bikini on the beach. be intimate with my boyfreind. and may other things. i am also worried that being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him.
i am feeling really depressed, will chrisianity help me? will i have to give up the things i enjoy, and only live to serve god? otherwise i must be going to eternal punishment in hell?

I think it would behoove you to think less about hell and more about what Jesus did for you. When what He went through really sinks in, you will probably want to change rather than be reluctant to. I have been a Christian for a few years now and Christianity did indeed help me. At first, like you, I didn't want to give things up or change my life. But when I truly realized what Christ did, I changed -- and I didn't change because I had to, I changed because I wanted to. For example, I feel like giving up premarital sex has actually been very good for me. And living my life "for" God has helped me to get through some very rough times -- when I didn't feel like hanging in there for myself, I did it for God -- and I am glad I did. God has given me the power to overcome agoraphobia and major depression and since I have been a Christian, my whole life has turned around. Being a Christian is not always easy, but it is worth it. It won't magically make your problems go away, but it will help you face them and get through them like nothing else.

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

i want to really be a christian but i dont know if i am because i often doubt. i ask god to let the holy spirit come ito me but im not sure its there. will god forgive me if i am seeking him out? if i were to die now where would i go? i dont want to go to hell, i want to be with god, but i find it hard. i think that finding god will be the only thig stopping me fearing death.

God is not just a god, He is God with a capital G. You can't believe in Him if you don't know who He is.

The best reassurance I can give you is from the Bible:

"God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent Him to save them! No one who has faith in God's Son will be condemned. but everyone who doesn't have faith in Him has already been condemned for not having faith in God's Son." John 3:16-18

I can't explain it better than that. Everybody doubts at some time or another, even Jesus' disciples doubted Him sometimes.

 

[Annoula]

maybe you could also ask some professional help.

try to fight your fear for God is not fear. God is love and actually much more than love itself.

 

[newyorknewyork]

hi, ive been brought up as a christian and have always beleived there is a god, and that jesus died for our sins so that we can go to heaven when we die. sometimes i dont know weather or not it is true. i try to follow the teachings of jesus, and live a life of love and compasion of others.
i am very scared od death and the unknown. i get very depresed about it. i am scared of going to hell. i like to think that hell is not real but i have a feeling it is. this is why i dont want to see a doctor who will just tell me there is no such thing as hell.
i definatly believe there is a god and i pray to him to help me and say thank you for all i have, however i feel i am not a proper christian because sometime i doubt the bible.
im scared to die and of being tortured forever in hell, but i am also scared to believe everyting in the bible and change my ways. there are many thing i fear i will have to do or give up to become a proper christian. like i will no longer be able to watch tv shows i like, like southpark. or go on holiday and waer a bikini on the beach. be intimate with my boyfreind. and may other things. i am also worried that being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him.
i am feeling really depressed, will chrisianity help me? will i have to give up the things i enjoy, and only live to serve god? otherwise i must be going to eternal punishment in hell?

i think the thing about being a christian is that it sets you free from having to live a life of rules

no matter what you do, no matter what you did, Jesus's grace is so big, so huge and so awesome that He loves you anyway, regardless!

you won't have to give up watching tv and wearing a bikini

i do both those things and im a christian

there is nothign wrong with these things, IMO

i think the main thing Jesus wants from us is not whether or not we wear a bikini or watch southpark, but that we believe in Him, love him with all of our heart mind, body and soul and share him with others... so they can experience hope and joy too

I hope I am leading u in the right direction and not astray.. take care

remember Jesus said 'you shall know the truth and the truth shall set u free.'

 

[fearfullysad]

oops i was logged in under olad user name, replied with new one bellow.

 

[bunnysfriend]

thanx for all replies! very kind.
im going through a rough patch right now battleing with myself, i think im going mad! i just dont know if it is maddness or me wanting to find God. in my heart deep down i know God has always been there with me. and that when i do something good and turn from sin i always think of what jesus would do. im just so scared, i have always been a very anxious paranoid person. when i was a child i always feard that my parents would abandon me, though they showd nothing but love for me. i have always gone through times of depression and turned to God, i once had an experience i cannot explain logically that i believe was God. I feel so bad because deep down i believe everything i have prayed for God has given me. i have never been seriously ill, neither has anyone i love, no one i know has died (exept my grandmother when i was a child), i prayed for years i would find love and i did. God has given me a good comfortable life, yet i still battle with myself weather or not i believe. i both want to and dont want to. The reasons i dont want to believe are because all my closest freinds and family dont and wont believe in Christ, though i have talked about it to them. I dont want to believe they will go to Hell and suffer for eternity, nor do i like the thought of this happening to anyone, not even the evilest of people! i also dont want to believe in the revelations of end times in the bible. Though i know Jesus will return and there will be a new heaven and earth, i hate the thought of all the suffering and pain people will go through, the wars and natural disasters! get get upset enough when i see people suffering prestently! I just dont know what to do, im going round in circles, i dont want to turn my back on salvation but i cant stop these thoughts. I used to have such trust in God that i even believed that he does not allow any to suffer to greatly, that he has so much compassion that at the point of death he takes away all fear and suffering , even from non believers , but i know now i was wrong to think this.
i just cant stop battling with myself. I know i am so selfish for feeling this way, and i pray for forgiveness, though sometimes i doubt my own prayers!
i am lucky to have a boyfreind who loves me, that he will stay with me, he does not believe, though he trys i think mainly for my sake, he is even ok with us no longer having sex before marriage, which i regret ever doing. i just wish he could believe too. My mother also does not believe, she used to, she was baptised and took me to church every sunday but now she has no faith. She says i am being silly and that what i need is a doctor, though she said she will start going to church with me, but only for my sake. i just dont know weather i have mental problems and need a doctor, or my beifief in God is real. i read the bible and it helps but even then sometimes i find my self scared by what i read or doubting. im getting very depressed, its interfearing with my university work, i try to stop thinking and concentrate on my work but then i say God is more improtant that work! i have a few more weeks till i finish my final peice of work for my final year of uni and i just cant work, which is only adding to my problems!
anyway thanx for taking time to read.

 

[Arkanin]

hi, ive been brought up as a christian and have always beleived there is a god, and that jesus died for our sins so that we can go to heaven when we die. sometimes i dont know weather or not it is true. i try to follow the teachings of jesus, and live a life of love and compasion of others.
i am very scared od death and the unknown. i get very depresed about it. i am scared of going to hell. i like to think that hell is not real but i have a feeling it is. this is why i dont want to see a doctor who will just tell me there is no such thing as hell.
i definatly believe there is a god and i pray to him to help me and say thank you for all i have, however i feel i am not a proper christian because sometime i doubt the bible.
im scared to die and of being tortured forever in hell, but i am also scared to believe everyting in the bible and change my ways. there are many thing i fear i will have to do or give up to become a proper christian. like i will no longer be able to watch tv shows i like, like southpark. or go on holiday and waer a bikini on the beach. be intimate with my boyfreind. and may other things. i am also worried that being a christan means that everything i do must be for god and i can not do anything that does not involve him.
i am feeling really depressed, will chrisianity help me? will i have to give up the things i enjoy, and only live to serve god? otherwise i must be going to eternal punishment in hell?

I'm sure I'm going to get no end of flak for saying this, but watching southpark and sleeping with someone you care about isn't biblically sinful -- particularly, it's very widely believed for extremely credible scholarly reasons that the biblical definition of adultery means a sexual relationship involving a person who is married that is not with their spouse. E.G., sex with your boyfriend is not "adultery."

Now anyone can disagree with me if they want to, and I'm sure they can call me a heathen as well, but I'm not talking to you; I'm talking to the OP. As for the OP, if you think for yourself and investigate the matter further, you'll see that the claim comports with the bible's original linguistics and that traditional Jewish interpretations of the bible very loudly and specifically support this view.

By the way, having a relationship with Christ does not come with special strings attached. Jesus is not written on a book; he, and god, is written somewhere in your heart. And I am going to laugh, hard, at the first person who says that isn't biblical. Instead of letting people tell you what you do and don't have to believe, and what you can and can't do, just try to have a relationship with Christ, just ask him to be there, and see what happens. Listen to your heart. I don't think Jesus actually heals people by trying to force them to change; he heals people by accepting them for their flaws, which allows them to be freed from those very flaws.

In conclusion, I think the amazing thing about Jesus is that he will accept you the way you are without judging you if you just come to him. Not, "I love you, but I hate all the stuff you do" -- just "I love you".

 

[Catherineanne]

i am very scared od death and the unknown. i get very depresed about it.

I don't know if this will help you or not, but the people who are the most afraid of death tend to be young people, in good health.

As a person's health deteriorates towards old age and the end of their life, their fear of death often fades as well, sometimes to the point where they see death as a gift from God, and a great blessing.

Why shouldst thou fear the beautiful angel, Death,
Who waits thee at the portals of the skies,
Ready to kiss away thy struggling breath,
Ready with gentle hand to close thine eyes?

Oh, what were life, if life were all? Thine eyes
Are blinded by their tears, or thou wouldst see,
Thy treasures wait thee in the far-off skies,
And Death, thy friend, will give them all to thee.

Adelaide Anne Proctor

I would try to forget these fears, if possible. Your life is a gift from God, and when the time comes, your death will also be a gift. Meanwhile, live your life as best you can, and try not to worry about the future, if you can.

 

[bunnysfriend]

'I would try to forget these fears, if possible, and live your life as best you can, and not worry about the future. Your life is a gift from God, and when the time comes, your death will also be a gift.'
even if i go to eternal tourment in hell?

 

[Catherineanne]

She says i am being silly and that what i need is a doctor, though she said she will start going to church with me, but only for my sake. i just dont know weather i have mental problems and need a doctor, or my beifief in God is real.

Having a belief in God is not a sign of mental instability, or of physical illness. It is not, per se, an indication that a person needs to see a doctor.

A minister, maybe, but not a doctor.

 

[Catherineanne]

'I would try to forget these fears, if possible, and live your life as best you can, and not worry about the future. Your life is a gift from God, and when the time comes, your death will also be a gift.'
even if i go to eternal tourment in hell?

From what you have said, you are a Christian. Therefore you are not a candidate for eternal torment, even if such a thing existed, which I do not for one moment believe.

The descriptions which Our Lord gave of hell were allegorical, not literal. (This is not the view of all Christians; some think he was talking literally, but many others would agree that he was not.)

A God of Love, Mercy and Compassion can be safely trusted to show that compassion to the people he created, and for whom he died.

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

There is definitely a real Heaven and a real Hell. If there wasn't then why did Jesus die?
The Bible tells us to not be sexually immoral and sleeping with someone who you aren't married to is. I'm not attacking anyone for their beliefs but I don't want bunnysfriend to get confused with doctrine that in my personal opinion, is not biblically sound. Please don't take that as a personal attack.