pebosworth
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Do you think you are a good person? Do you think you are good enough to go to heaven? Let's take a simple test to find out...
The Way of the Master
The Way of the Master
Are you a good person?
- Thread starter pebosworth
- Start date
No doubt I'm a bad man, but by God's abundant grace and mercy I'm a changed man and a new man in Christ Jesus.
Very nice article, thanks for posting.
God bless you.
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trulyblezzed
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I like this. Thanks for sharing. 
No person on earth is good. Only God is good, just as Jesus told the rich man (Luke 18:19).
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pebosworth
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Guys, with all do respect, can we leave the end bit for the end? This thread is for non-believers to help them get saved and everything you guys are posting are true and appreciated, but it says it all at the end of the test. It's important that they understand why they need grace before we tell them about grace otherwise they won't accept it.
The Way of the Master
God Bless
The Way of the Master
God Bless
its when i think about things like this that cuase me to struggle in giving my life to god becuase of how true it is. i'm a sinner and always will be a sinner. even if i give my life to god and commit one sin i'm still a sinner. so either way it goes god is going to be angry with me and i will find a place in hell. i know all about repenting but it seems wrong when i'm asking god to forgive me knowing that i could never live up to what he expects of me and make him happy. it makes it seem pointless in my eyes. the only thing is i remember life and everything thats happened and realize that it must have some purpose that i just haven't figured out yet. he stays on my mind yet he's also so distant.
pebosworth
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In my opinion it keeps us humble. We will never live up to God's expectations, you are right. But if we do not repent (turn from our sins) we cannot enter His Kingdom.
The thought of going to hell scares me BUT it keeps me on the narrow path. It shouldn't make your struggle in giving your life to God, it should make you determined to do so daily.
Yes you will always be a sinner, but if you read the end of the test you will see what the difference is between those who will go to heaven and those who will go to hell. It starts with you realizing you are a sinner and that you have angered God with your sin. Until anyone realizes that, they cannot be saved.
The thought of going to hell scares me BUT it keeps me on the narrow path. It shouldn't make your struggle in giving your life to God, it should make you determined to do so daily.
Yes you will always be a sinner, but if you read the end of the test you will see what the difference is between those who will go to heaven and those who will go to hell. It starts with you realizing you are a sinner and that you have angered God with your sin. Until anyone realizes that, they cannot be saved.
ok this is kinda strange but i'm watching on tv a guy somewhat talking about this same subject. in a nutshell, hes saying that once you repent to god and truly mean it, that all your sins (even your future sins) are forgiven. he's saying that god is not holding sin against you once you have been redeemed but you will face consequences for your sins. he says that redemption is not momentary until you comment your next sin rather its everlasting. i never knew that it was like this so thats kinda why i felt that it would make me a bad person if i knew i would continue to do wrong yet still always ask god for forgiveness. it gives me a completely different look at how to think about sins. do you all support these claims as well???
pebosworth
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I'm not sure exactly what you mean...
Are you saying that you felt bad because you knew you were going to sin again? If so, repent means not sinning again. We will still sin because we are still imperfect, but the difference between us and the unsaved is that we fall into sin, the unsaved are controlled by their sin. When we sin, we do so unwillingly and unintentionally. If we do it intentionally then we have not truly repented.
1 John 3:6 "No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him."
Romans 8:8 "Those controlled by sinful nature cannot please God."
Are you saying that you felt bad because you knew you were going to sin again? If so, repent means not sinning again. We will still sin because we are still imperfect, but the difference between us and the unsaved is that we fall into sin, the unsaved are controlled by their sin. When we sin, we do so unwillingly and unintentionally. If we do it intentionally then we have not truly repented.
1 John 3:6 "No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him."
Romans 8:8 "Those controlled by sinful nature cannot please God."
pebosworth
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Oh and just to add to that. I still think I'm a bad person. When I compare myself to God's righteous standards I feel terrible and sinful. For a short while I cry before God and ask him to help me be a better person and to not sin anymore. He then comforts me and reminds me of His gift of salvation. There is nothing wrong with what you thought. In my opinion it kept you humble before God. And God loves humility!
pebosworth
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Oh sorry, about me supporting what guy on tv says. Yes I do. Once you are saved no one can snatch you from His hands. It is not a ticket to sin though, God knows our hearts and He will judge our intentions. We can't fool God into thinking we are truly sorry, that is why repentence is necessary - it is proof that we want to follow Him.
Please don't think that you're making God angry because of the sin in our lives.
To tell the truth, it pains His heart when we sin, but He gladly forgives us.
God doesn't want any human being to go to hell. It pains His heart when He sees people go to hell.
Going to Heaven or hell depends upon the choices we make. There are two choices ahead of you which will determine your eternity:
1) Accept God's loving, merciful and gracious forgiveness and mercy.
2) Reject God's forgiveness.
Remember, God understand our weaknesses and failures, but rather than focusing on them, He is willing to forgive us, but we should not take advantage of God's grace and fall willfully in sin, because if we do it willfully we're not trying to be like Him.
It doesn't matter what you have done, He is willing to forgive you and restore you.
God bless you.
I think we fail and fall continually, and won't be perfect until we reach heaven.
But I don't believe we intentionally set out to do sinful acts, perhaps incontrollable situations may make us to lash out, it is sin.
The Lord Jesus knows us inside out, He made us, He knows our flesh is carnal, but when we're saved we don't intentionly set out to sin, because the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, convicts us of our actions before we do them, making it easier to recognise what we should not do, that it will displease Jesus.
I know personally I would rather offend man and keep my blessing from Jesus, than offend Jesus to please man and loose my blessing.
We repent of sin that we know, or even don't know, we could be unaware of saying something or doing something that would be unintentionly sinning, but still it is sinning before the Lord Jesus, we repent of it and He graciouly forgives us, we go on our way, and with His help to refrain from sinning again.
He is such a Gracious God, and loves His children so much, if we pray for the carnal flesh to be cut away, and be more and more like Jesus everyday, to walk as He did, He will answer our prayer, and change our heart to match His.
Oh that He may come and live in us all, so that the world will only see Jesus and not us.
Psalm 51 v10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me
1 Peter 5 v 6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
John 8 v 11
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
But I don't believe we intentionally set out to do sinful acts, perhaps incontrollable situations may make us to lash out, it is sin.
The Lord Jesus knows us inside out, He made us, He knows our flesh is carnal, but when we're saved we don't intentionly set out to sin, because the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, convicts us of our actions before we do them, making it easier to recognise what we should not do, that it will displease Jesus.
I know personally I would rather offend man and keep my blessing from Jesus, than offend Jesus to please man and loose my blessing.
We repent of sin that we know, or even don't know, we could be unaware of saying something or doing something that would be unintentionly sinning, but still it is sinning before the Lord Jesus, we repent of it and He graciouly forgives us, we go on our way, and with His help to refrain from sinning again.
He is such a Gracious God, and loves His children so much, if we pray for the carnal flesh to be cut away, and be more and more like Jesus everyday, to walk as He did, He will answer our prayer, and change our heart to match His.
Oh that He may come and live in us all, so that the world will only see Jesus and not us.
Psalm 51 v10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me
1 Peter 5 v 6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
John 8 v 11
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
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oh None
I ask that you not let it seem 'all so worthless in His eyes' that is so far from the truth, that is the lies of the deciever.
We are worthless from birth, it is only the blood of Christ that covers us making us worthy and righteous before a Holy God, that has pleased God, that is why His son went to the horendous death and agony of the cross, don't be fooled by satan, Jesus love you very much and only with His grace shall you be worthy in His sight.
Keep on Looking up until we go up Hallelujah.
I ask that you not let it seem 'all so worthless in His eyes' that is so far from the truth, that is the lies of the deciever.
We are worthless from birth, it is only the blood of Christ that covers us making us worthy and righteous before a Holy God, that has pleased God, that is why His son went to the horendous death and agony of the cross, don't be fooled by satan, Jesus love you very much and only with His grace shall you be worthy in His sight.
Keep on Looking up until we go up Hallelujah.
SpiritLedEd
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Re: Are You a Good Person?
God knows that we are flawed creatures, therefore, He does not expect us to live flawless lives. The word perfect as we see it in the New Testament rarely means "flawless". It usually means "focused, mature."
Many people quote Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." But, they drop verse 24, forgetting the second half of an important two-verse quote - "and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
When we sincerely ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we are justified, not by our own works, but by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I am "good" in the sight of God.
Yes, I still sin on occasion, but, my sin nature was given over to the Lord on the day I came to Christ (and I regularly renew that pledge). And I can honestly and humbly say that over time there has been a noticeable decline in the sin in my life. I provide the desire to change - He provides the power.
SpiritLedEd (SLE)
God knows that we are flawed creatures, therefore, He does not expect us to live flawless lives. The word perfect as we see it in the New Testament rarely means "flawless". It usually means "focused, mature."
Many people quote Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." But, they drop verse 24, forgetting the second half of an important two-verse quote - "and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
When we sincerely ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we are justified, not by our own works, but by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I am "good" in the sight of God.
Yes, I still sin on occasion, but, my sin nature was given over to the Lord on the day I came to Christ (and I regularly renew that pledge). And I can honestly and humbly say that over time there has been a noticeable decline in the sin in my life. I provide the desire to change - He provides the power.
SpiritLedEd (SLE)
I think we become more aware of 'sin' as we walk on with Jesus.
it's like a red rag to a bull, it just pricks your heart, even little things, well there aren't any little sins really, they're all wrong.
I've heard my Mum come off with 'it's only a wee white lie' and her saved 17yrs, oh oh, I tell her Mum there's no such a thing, a lie is a lie, that is of the devil himself, making you believe it's a lesser lie.
Dear love her, she just never grew much, but with the Lord's enabling, in love, I try to steer her the way of the Master.
Some things I just can't get her to let go off, like superstition, she really won't and she'll say she's not superstitious, but she is really.
Crossing fingers, and touching wood, that makes me cringe, Mum said one time, 'you used to believe all those things once' and i agreed but told her then I met with Jesus who saved me, and I learned those things are stupid, and He hates them.
1 Corthinians 1 v 27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Think I got her to stop touching wood, as I'd say Mum 'trust God' nothing in wood can help.
sorry if I've veered of the thread here. Forgive me.
it's like a red rag to a bull, it just pricks your heart, even little things, well there aren't any little sins really, they're all wrong.
I've heard my Mum come off with 'it's only a wee white lie' and her saved 17yrs, oh oh, I tell her Mum there's no such a thing, a lie is a lie, that is of the devil himself, making you believe it's a lesser lie.
Dear love her, she just never grew much, but with the Lord's enabling, in love, I try to steer her the way of the Master.
Some things I just can't get her to let go off, like superstition, she really won't and she'll say she's not superstitious, but she is really.
Crossing fingers, and touching wood, that makes me cringe, Mum said one time, 'you used to believe all those things once' and i agreed but told her then I met with Jesus who saved me, and I learned those things are stupid, and He hates them.
1 Corthinians 1 v 27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Think I got her to stop touching wood, as I'd say Mum 'trust God' nothing in wood can help.
sorry if I've veered of the thread here. Forgive me.
You know it really opened my eyes reading through all that I mean wow ok I thought maybe yea I have broke a few of the commandments but not murder and serious ones like that so am surly better than murderers.
Now doing that shows actually am no better and have broken every single one of those commandments and God is not a corrupt God and I deserve to be punished and don't deserve a place in Heaven that really spoke to me.
Thanks goodness my debts have been paid :S
Thanks for sharing that with me it has shown me that all sin is sin to God large or small and that I am better than no one else in this world.
We are all equals when it comes to God and that has really opened my eyes.
Now doing that shows actually am no better and have broken every single one of those commandments and God is not a corrupt God and I deserve to be punished and don't deserve a place in Heaven that really spoke to me.
Thanks goodness my debts have been paid :S
Thanks for sharing that with me it has shown me that all sin is sin to God large or small and that I am better than no one else in this world.
We are all equals when it comes to God and that has really opened my eyes.
Free, free, I'm free at last
Thank God Almighty I'm free at last
Free, free, I'm free at last
Thank God Almighty I'm free
Cause I'm free, free at last
And I'm free, from my past, and I'm free
Free from sin, and I'm free
And I ain't going back again
Shackles had me down but He gave me a new sound
So reclaim my name from the lost and found
Ya see, something's got me jumpin'
And I think it's the way
That He can take a hard man
And turn him into soft clay
Out of the darkness, the Father has sparked this
The spirit's alive while the flesh is a carcass
If you're seriously curious about my past
Well I once was lost but I'm free at last!
Oppression was in session and my life was the term
But when I heard about the Word I was willing to learn
About a flavor I could savor and a brighter tomorrow
Cause this could never be endeavored by a wish on a star
The Father first receives us, the Truth then frees us
Forgiven, now I'm living like a man full of Jesus
It was hell until I fell upon my knees and prayed
But now the yoke that I was totin' has been taken away
Cause I'm free, free at last, free
From my past, free from sin, and I'm free
And down on my knees when my life passed me by
And I ain't, no I ain't going back again
Out of the darkness, the Father has sparked this
The spirit's alive while the flesh is a carcass
If you're seriously curious about my past
Well I was once lost but I'm free at last
I'm here to tell you what he did for me and
I'm here to tell you that he set me free and
I know that He can do the same for you, too
He did it, I'm wit it, so come and get it
Be free at last!
from 'Free At Last' - DCTalk (Decent Christian Talk)
