The Doctrine of Predestination & the state im in.

[Seeker Of Jesus]

First and foremost my purpose for me asking this is because i have been troubled by this and not to bring about trouble and grief in any ones else's heart or to cause someone to doubt there salvation, because in my opinion to go through what i'm going thru is far worse than anything, this in my opinion is torture and i would never wish anyone to be in this place.

Predestination regarding someones salvation seems to be indisputable in the bible with verses like Mathew 24:22, Colossians 3:12, 2 Timothy 2:10, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-5, 1 Thessalonians 1:4. Spiritually i've been in a real bad state and hearing this does nothing but cause more confusion, pain, great grief in my heart. I know that we as sinners deserve absolutely NOTHING good from God, and the fact that we are even breathing right now at this moment in time is a sign of his mercy from Him but my goodness... to read something like this from the bible (which is the TRUTH because it was completely inspired and written by God thru humans) causes me to think and ask God, what is the purpose of those not "Chosen"? why even create us knowing that because of our nature and inherited infection (sin) all we can do is sin and nothing good is in us to then have them drown in there own sins and cast them to hell for something that YES we are completely guilty for but for something that we could help but to do? In my case why reveal the filth that is in me?, reveal just how deprived i am?, reveal the Gospel to me and tell me about Christ and about who and what we are apart from Him and say "I did not choose you so you can't have this". It's like me drowning in the pool because i can't swim and you throw a rope in the water, yell out to me that there is a rope and quickly remove it before i got to it or for what ever reason i couldn't use any part of my body to grab the rope but you knowing how to swim did not help but just told me that if only i knew to swim then i would be able to live.

Apart from these questions i wonder if this is why i've been struggling so much spiritually, why i've been wanting and praying to be saved and delivered from myself, my sins and from this horrific state that i'm in but nothing happens, is this why no matter how much i wanna do good and please God my desire to do wrong seems to be greater, is the reason that i'm not an elect the reason why i don't do anything that's good but everything thats bad, is that the reason why i can't seem to be able to trust in Christ like scriptures says even though i know that i can and that there is no reason to not trust Him, is that the reason why i feel like my heart is so hardened, is this the reason why if i was to die in this very moment i would breath my last and instantly be in hell awaiting to be judged and thrown in the lake of fire?

This state i'm in and been in for a while now is worse then torture, i can't imagine anything worse than the state im in (but i'm not ignorant regarding this, i know that there are people who are in far worse spiritual shape than i but it sure doesn't feel that way), my sins are so great, i even continue to do them even though i know it's wrong, deep down i wanna stop all my sins but i can't seem to and if i do it doesn't last long. This torture i feel is horrible i've even at times regret my very existence, suicide has crossed my mind but i don't allow it to stay in my mind very long plus if i am not an elect predestined for salvation then i would just be sentencing myself to hell much quicker, and why in the world would i do that. I confessed my sins to the Good Lord and repented (or at least i think i repented), they are also people that say that only God can bring about true repentance in a persons heart, that He does everything, then my question is why hasn't he. Jesus said that none can come to Him unless The Father draws them near to Him, has he not done this yet? is this why i can't seem to do anything no matter how much i try and ask Him?

If the the doctrine of predestination is not how i am understanding it then what in the world can i do then??? I know that I can do nothing and only God can help me but i can't seem to get Him to save me from all this, no matter my prayers. I rarely even pray anymore. I honestly don't see myself out of this spiritual ditch i'm in, i can't see myself being delivered, being the man that God wants me to be, being Holy. This seems completely impossible to me and yes i know that God does the impossible but i can't picture myself being that man.

 

[AbbysAunt]

Romans 10:11-13 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved".

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

Hello Seeker Of Jesus,
You wrote in regards to predestination and from the verses found that you have shown I can understand why you might be struggling, but know this that we are the predestined.. that anyone who calls upon the name of Lord will be saved because He is not willing that any should suffer but that all should come to Him through repentance. When a person who is lost calls on Jesus and takes Him as Lord and Savior of His life he then becomes saved and what this means is that he or she also becomes choosen or predestined to live their live in heaven forever with Jesus. Our Lord doesn't just pick a few of His children to take to heaven with Him, no He chooses them all because they called upon Him and He saved them...ANYONE who is saved is now choosen and will live eternal life in heaven with Him. In the verses above you see that our Lord is not willing that anyone suffer meaning He wants us to come to repentance in Him so we can be saved...this is why Jesus died that we could be free...He holds the keys to life and death...it is through the shedding of His blood that we are redeemed and forgiven and can reconciled to God...this is what our Father in heaven wants for us to be reconciled to Him so we can live with Him forever for eternity.

Ephesians 1: 13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in who also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the gaurantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Now, we being children of the Most High God having taken Him as Lord and Savior of our live are now choosen and we now get a gaurantee of this...God sends His Holy Spirit to abide in each of one us until the day we see Him face to face...until that blessed day we are sealed by Him with The Holy Spirit...this is our gaurentee my brother in Jesus. not only are we now by His grace saved and choosen but it comes with a gaurantee! What this means is we can know and believe beyond the shadow of any doubt that we will be with our Lord in heaven one day. All those who call upon the Lord He not only saves but gives His unconditional gaurantee...so we don't need to doubt or be afraid of our destination because our destination is with Him in paradise.

If you indeed have repented of your sins, and taken Jesus as Lord and Savior of you life then you too are now His choosen and you also have His gaurantee sealed with the Holy Spirit that now resides in you and you need not worry about your destination. Our Lord didn't throw us a lifeline just reel back and let us go...instead He keeps that life line there for all of us to hold on to and will not leave us or forsake us..He also promises that to us in the bible as well...this promise means He will be there till the very end till the day
we are called to be with Him in heaven for our the rest of our eternal lives.

Hebrews13: 5 For He Himself(Jesus) has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

These are the promises made to us by our Lord Jesus..ones that will stand the test of time, ones that He will not stop giving to us as long as we stand firm in our faith, and know that it is by His grace and mercy we are saved...there is nothing we can ever do to earn our salvation because it was already given to us the day Jesus laid down His life and died for us and when He said " It is finished" as He yielded up His Spirit...He was saying " your sin is finished and it is no more...you are forgiven" and all we have to do is simply love Him, ask for that forgiveness He gives and make Him Lord and Savior of our lives. Amazing how much Love Jesus has for us and how that love flows from us to each other. I do hope this has helped you and if you need you can pm me with any questions you might still have. God bless you now and always!

AA

 

[judge not]

The belief that God has already predetermined our lives, our rewards, and our punishments is a mistake.
There are two ways to look at predestination.
One way-assume God has everyone's life already planned out and He already knows what we are going to do.
The other way-God planned the purpose for human beings in the beginning (to become sons and daughters) although He doesn't know what each of us will do with our choices in life.
As God said in Deut 30 to the Israelites " choose life " He wants us to choose his way of life but doesn't know in advance what each of us will do. Otherwise why offer us choices if He already knows what our destiny is?

 

[gdemoss]

When I was 25, my life was a mess as I was homeless, jobless, wifeless and in every other kind of miserable condition you could think of. I found myself in a strange state that I had never been in, hitch hiking down the interstate. I looked up and said "If your there, I have had enough of this life. Come down here and face me like a man" or some stupid thing like that.

In about five minutes or so a van pulled over that was filled with men between the ages of 24 and 60. They offered me food, clothing, shelter, a job and spiritual guidance. I asked be dropped off immediately.

7 years later, I was still miserable. I was a Romans chapter one reprobate mind sinning Gentile without hope in the world. A servant of sin. Again I looked up. This time I was polite and asked God if he might help me. I was really at the end of myself. Nothing happened. No van. No nothing.

I kept praying as others were encouraging me to reach out to God for help. I did. I had no idea who God was but that he was an invisible entity who seemed to not want anything to do with me. I kept praying. People slowly came in to my life that had the next piece of the puzzle for me and they helped me put it in place. Over 5 years, after the second time I looked up, I had developed somewhat of a relationship with God through a 12 step program that encouraged me to fight hard to take serious inventory of my sin and strive to become willing to be free from it. I had become a more moral person but was ravaged by desires to do everything that was wrong.

A man came to the machine I was working at one day and wanted to talk to me about God. Our conversation lasted 20-30 minutes and at the end I told him that we needed to agree to disagree as I believed God to be unconditional but he was preaching Jesus Christ crucified. The words ate at me for 2 days. I was at home on my bed having just had many wicked thoughts continuously on my mind. And at that moment it all suddenly made sense. God was the God of the bible and Jesus was necessary. I cried out to God, seeking him and him alone. I wept bitterly over my sin and believe I felt true godly repentance of having wronged God.

I immediately had relief from all of my temptations. I felt like a new human being and had a sincere desire to go out and just love people, sharing the good news with them. I started reading the bible voraciously. I felt healed from everything. Completely free.

About 9 months later, as I had been studying in a baptist church that taught what I did had no effect upon my salvation, I began to court sin all over again. They had repeatedly taught me, not outright, that I was free to continue in sin as I couldn't actually live like Jesus and I believed them. I got caught up in fantasy and masturbation again and was surprised just how quickly it took me. I prayed for deliverance again. Didn't happen. I fought and fought to avoid sexual immorality but the desire was growing inside of me. At some point God had mercy upon me and I was granted relief again. I had not given up on praying and begging him to relieve me of the compulsion to sin.

I left the baptist church because the scriptures taught me that only those who actually obey Jesus and pick up their cross denying themselves would inherit eternal life. I have since learned that I am a 'soul' who has a 'body' that 'sin' dwells in and desires to have dominion over me. I also have a spirit, and my spirit is the only part of me that their is any hope in having freedom from sin. When I believed the Gospel, God sent his spirit to 'mark' me for future redemption of his purchased product but I still needed to be cleansed from all wickedness of the spirit and the flesh. The cleansing process has been sanctification by the washing of the water by the word also known as the washing of regeneration through the Holy Spirit.

My process began 9 years ago when I looked up for help. Today my spirit controls my eyes which no longer have a problem ceasing from sin. Sin still desires to have dominion over me but now I understand it and no longer think of it guiltily as if it is me but rather deny it access to my mind by bringing all thoughts into subjection to the anointing I have been given. I serve God in the spirit of my mind. It wasn't ever easy. Sin in my flesh was like a bodybuilder on steroids that pinned me to the mat before I could think or act.

Don't stop crying out to God. Learn to hate every sin you do and despise that sin dwells within and controls you. Cry out more and louder than before. Even Jesus had to be saved from death. He cried out with loud crying and tears unto the one who was able to save him from death because he feared. Don't stop crying out. Cry louder. God isn't deaf, but he appreciates your desperation to rely upon something other than your self as it is the self that must die if your going to live.

If I would have gotten tied up in all that predestination business, I would have probably died in my sin.

I pray that God will grant you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth followed by a life of chastening and scourging that keeps you before him blameless and spotless in love. The love of a father for his son.

Gary

Note: I had a difficult time remembering exact details of some of that which I stated above but have done my best to accurately present what transpired.

 

[Seeker Of Jesus]

Thanks to all of you for your replying to me. I must admit that i sometimes get mad at God because i don't understand why He does things, i feel like if He sees us begging Him and pleading with Him to save us from our selves, sin and this world then why does He leave us struggling so much? Does He like seeing us struggling spiritually, i sometimes get tired of begging Him. Although my earthly father passed away, i know that if i was to beg and plead with him to help and give me something that i desperately needed and was beneficial to me than he would do everything he can to help me and not watch me suffer and struggle just because He wants to see keep on begging Him, I know that Our Heavenly Father is Greater than my earthly father, as Jesus says He is greater than all, I know that my sins is the reason why i'm in this situation and that it's not His fault but He is the only one that can help me. I don't want 7, 9, 20 more years to pass and me either in the same or worse situation just because He wants me to keep on begging, hoping and having faith that He would deliver me.

I too have heard similar situations when all of a sudden a non believer feels this great conviction and then once he has cried out to God he feels this peace but i have never had this happen to me. Only God can bring out that kinda repentance in any heart but He hasn't done it to me. To be told to keep on asking and crying out to Him is a hard thing to swallow. How easy it is for me to feel the influence and evil of the evil one and his angels but how hard and at times impossible it seems to feel the Love, kindness, grace and mercy of God.

 

[Brother Mike]

Predestination.

Predestination is a false doctrine. It has been proven many times over and over in these forums.

you already see the torment it causes. IF you where really chosen to be an elect, then some sort of faith and endurance would be in you. It's not, so you could not possibly be chosen, but have just seen a gimps of your future fate. As the predestination doctrine state, it is fair for God to send you to hell, because you know some truth.

If God did not choose you, you can't follow the truth or even have faith for it, but you knew anyway, without being empowered to do so.

Your right, the way you believe God is, He has no mercy or grace, not for those he had not chosen. As it is written, I will have mercy on who I choose......

If you are not convinced your chosen, then you can not believe the scriptures concerning his grace and mercy toward you. Your cooked so to speak.

Now when your ready to start believing the word, and stop all this begging to God for something he already said to the "Whole World Every person living in the World." I more than want to help you brother.

 

[David777]

Thanks Mike.

Hello Seeker of Jesus, theology is not what the scriptures testify to.

God's revelation of His Son Jesus Christ is the message of the scriptures.

God's reconciliation of mankind to Himself.

If you submit to the Holy Spirit and accept the offer of forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
Then you will receive JOY and PEACE, not mental anguish.

God's offer is a gift to the ones He loves, that is everyone.

Read the following,

Romans 11:32

For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

Never assume anything is true, read the scriptures with the Holy Spirit
and you will be very surprised.

 

[Seeker Of Jesus]

How do i completely and totally submit myself to God? What actions must i take? I hate being in doubt, being in a place where i struggle to keep a constant praying life and being consistant in reading the word. At times it feels like i have to pick my flesh up to get on my knees and pray, or at times not even say to myself to read the bible but just pick it up and read it without a single thought because if i allow my self to just sit there and think about doing those things the little fire that lighted up wanting to do those things will quickly be put out. I hate that the enemy is having a ball with me.

I've appoligized to the Lord for blaming Him, and i apoligize to you guys if i offended any of you for me blaming Him so harshly as i was. I know that He is completely blameless in any of my problems and that my sins and the enemy are the true culprits. I want my life to have meaning, what better way to live ones life then to live it for Christ and be His servant and do everything to and for the Glory of Christ, i want my life to be something that He can use as He pleases, i don't wanna go to hell or if i go to heaven i don't wanna find out that i could've done far more greater things for the Lord. The day i die i wanna have absolutely no regrets in the way i lived my life the moment i was delivered by Christ.

This is the desire of my spirit and more but there is something that just doesn't let it happen, that quickly kills the desire to read the bible or to pray, something that is constantly bringing doubt and negativity to my mind and eventually my heart, maybe it's me, or the enemy i dont know, all i know is that i wanna be freed. How badly i want that peace that exceeds human understanding that Jesus promise to give to us.

The bible was not joking when it said that we are in a spiritual war, i have felt this stronger than ever and with every day, week, month, year i feel more and more of just how REAL this War is.

 

[David777]

Spiritual Warfare.

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end
with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

You will notice that even Paul struggled. You do not have to struggle, accept the joy and peace
that is available through the Holy Spirit. You will receive what you ask for Seeker of Jesus.

 

[Quasicentennium]

Like a detective with a large magnifying glass to look for clues in this seemingly clueless world where Jesus once walked the land and left the planet without leaving any trace of his home or possessions - my mind began to go on a journey to find the cause and effect of all our human suffering and how we must accept our invisible spiritual partner Jesus to transform our old human lives with our future new glorious minds of Christ when Jesus returns in the future, hopefully very soon, so that Satan will be defeated and sin will be deleted.
I pray that the supernatural faith of Jesus be in our hearts to constantly battle against this sin from Satan who was released on Earth since Adam and Eve had been deceived from Satan's 'pick it and taste it' forbidden fruit request for God's Tree Of Knowledge. It's a bit odd that God's punishment for Adam and Eve can stretch out as far as our family generations of the past, present and future - and where their punishment has become a 'double trouble' curse for all of us.
This generational curse will end when Jesus returns and I can imagine how Satan is struggling to find a human genius or supercomputer to discover the theory of time reversal: to turn back the clock to prevent the coming of our victorious Lord Jesus.
Unfortunately not only does God knows our future destiny, he also knows Satan's future destiny and there's nothing on Earth that Satan can do about it unless he has the supernatural intelligence of the mind of Christ.
We all look forward for our new minds of Christ where I believe that our millions of questions will be answered supernaturally like an instant computer download- together with the Word Of God - without lining up in a queue outside Christ's heavenly mansion or business meeting room in God's most modern and most massive place of community: the Kingdom Of God on a new planet Earth where the supernatural joy of Christ will keep our hearts so very positve and our faces so very smiling as we socialize together in peace and harmony with our deathless new lives of Christ .:*:.
:shade:

 

[Seeker Of Jesus]

You do not have to struggle, accept the joy and peace
that is available through the Holy Spirit. You will receive what you ask for Seeker of Jesus.

How do i accept this? Is it by just believing that i will receive it?

 

[David777]

Hello Seeker of Jesus.

It is a fruit of the Spirit, see Galatians 5:22.

Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Colossians 1:11
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

1 Thessalonians 1:6
And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit

Joy is very much a component of the Christian life.

 

[jari]

we are saved by grace this has nothing to do with what we are. as we are saved just as we are and the standard for salvation never changes.
the only requirement is to belive Jesus died for our sins , that's Gods LOVE towards us. we didnt ever do anything to earn it nor can we pay it back , its free gift of God.

i have some questions my self but this is something what i believe is good to start with.
Jesus is the cornerstone if we reject Jesus as our sovereign savior we are refuting the cornerstone. - and this is why we strugle if we think we have to save our self's or justify our selves.


God bless you i hope this helps.


Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes"?


Joh 10:9-11 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

 

[gdemoss]

the only requirement is to belive Jesus died for our sins , that's Gods LOVE towards us. we didnt ever do anything to earn it nor can we pay it back , its free gift of God.

If this is the Gods honest truth then why did Paul bear false witness of God when he said:

1 Corinthians 6
9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

He said you have to stop being a:

1. fornicator
2. idolater
3. adulter
4. effeminate
5. abuser of yourself with mankind (gay)
6. thief
7. covetous person
8. drunk
9. reviler
10. etortioner

Jari, why didn't these people just have to believe only? Why did the homosexual have to stop having sex with men in order to inherit the kingdom? If I believe in the saving blood of Jesus, why do I have to stop stealing to be saved?

Please take some time and answer my questions for me. I don't want to see scripture that you think says differently, I want you to explain what God means when he says what he said through Paul.

In Jesus Name,

Gary

 

[jari]

If this is the Gods honest truth then why did Paul bear false witness of God when he said:

1 Corinthians 6
9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

He said you have to stop being a:

1. fornicator
2. idolater
3. adulter
4. effeminate
5. abuser of yourself with mankind (gay)
6. thief
7. covetous person
8. drunk
9. reviler
10. etortioner

Jari, why didn't these people just have to believe only? Why did the homosexual have to stop having sex with men in order to inherit the kingdom? If I believe in the saving blood of Jesus, why do I have to stop stealing to be saved?

Please take some time and answer my questions for me. I don't want to see scripture that you think says differently, I want you to explain what God means when he says what he said through Paul.

In Jesus Name,

Gary

i believe the answer is Paul never told them to not be such, as listed. He was telling them not be deceived. Because Born again Christian has received New spirit that can overcome all these sins . i dont say christians cant do these sins which is why Paul told them not to be deceived and follow the example of the unsaved people who practice sins without ever thinking the consequences.

and in verse 20 Paul is stating that you have been bought and the reason to avoid these sins is to glorify God. Not to escape judgement.

20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Paul is clearly stating that Price has already been paid.

which i believe he made in reference to the sins listed, reminding the reader that they are not under condemnation over sins . And Bible says sins power is the law so if Paul would declare laws then the effect of grace would be removed and sin would have its power over believer if he had law again. 1Co 15:56

God bless you Gary

 

[gdemoss]

i believe the answer is Paul never told them to not be such, as listed. He was telling them not be deceived. Because Born again Christian has received New spirit that can overcome all these sins . i dont say christians cant do these sins which is why Paul told them not to be deceived and follow the example of the unsaved people who practice sins without ever thinking the consequences.

and in verse 20 Paul is stating that you have been bought and the reason to avoid these sins is to glorify God. Not to escape judgement.

20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Paul clearly stating that Price has already been paid.

which i believe he made in reference to the sins listed reminding the reader that they are not under condemnation over sins . And Bible says sins power is the law so if Paul would declare laws then the effect of grace would be removed and sin would have its power over believer if he had law again. 1Co 15:56

God bless you Gary

I cannot believe that you really believe what you have just said. I am amazed at this beyond belief that someone could possibly get this from the text. I give up Jari.

 

[David777]

Hello Jari.

I agree with what you said 100%.

Romans 7:21-25

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind,
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?


25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!


It is Jesus Christ who delivers the sinner from bondage to sin.

Can a Christian suppress their own sinful nature, no.

Sanctification is a process performed by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:11

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

See, the expulsion of the sinful acts occurs with the focus on Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit removes the sinful urges and acts over time.

This is all from God, we play a very small part, we focus on Jesus.

We hold to the salvation in Jesus Christ.

What I love about Jari's focus is that God is Soverein in the process.

This is what the scriptures declare so strongly.

We cannot deal with our own sins, that is impossible.

All is from God, He provides, He washes and has washed our dirty linen.

 

[brakelite]

Seeker of Jesus

Do you believe God loves you? Do you believe Jesus died in your place that you may live?
Do you believe Jesus words that life eternal is knowing God and Jesus whom He sent?
God is a person. And He loves you. Unconditionally head over heels crazy in love with YOU!!! And there is nothing you can say, do, think, or even dream that will change His mind. Nothing.
So even though you do not understand theology, even though you cannot feel His presence, even though you do not understand His plans for you, even though you cannot see His hand in your life, know this.
HE STILL LOVES YOU!!!!

Trust in that love, believe in that love, depend upon that love, surrender to that love. Immerse yourself in that love. Be assured that you would not be in this forum writing the way you are if God wasn't working right now in your life. He hears every word you say, sees every tear you cry. Trust Him to continue the work He has already begun in you. Trust Him to give you the power to stop sinning. He will. If there is any one thing He wants for you it is that you be free from the power of sin. He is doing that for you right now! If He weren't, you wouldn't be concerned over it. The fact that sin bothers you is all the evidence you need that God has begun a work in you...trust Him to finish it. He will. Continue praying. Continue reaching out to Him. Continue reading the word. And stay in this forum. You will find friends here. Amongst the rubbish written here are many gems. Ask God to give you discernment as to what to reject and what to accept. Check everything you read here with the scriptures. If they differ, reject what is written here.
Will be praying for you.
Brendan.

 

[gdemoss]

We cannot deal with our own sins, that is impossible.

Then God and Jesus both are just plain cruel liars.

God told Cain he could have dominion over sin. According to you he lied.

Jesus told the lady caught in adultery to never sin again, which according to you she couldn't do. That is cruel. I can't imagine her trying and trying but only losing the battle. Then thinking back to who told her to go and sin no more.

God is not a man that he should lie. Nor is he cruel telling people to go do things they cannot. You error not knowing the scriptures.

In Jesus Name,

Gary

 

[Brother Mike]

Let's keep in mind.

Can we pretend for a moment that on page 1 of the Counseling section Someone called Seeker of Jesus Posted and asked for help sorting some issues he was concerned with?

And by some mysterious thing we understand that debating doctrine with each other in the Counseling thread might not be the best place to debate.

And that by faith and Prayer, God is more than able to point out all the great scriptures and advice to Seeker of Jesus without anyone being concerned about who posted what.

This section is about helping others, not Proving we are right.

So, If I say I agree with one, then I must not agree with someone else, and if I post scriptures to prove someone else wrong, then right or wrong, what does this leave someone thinking who came here for Help?

Stay focused Children of God.

Jesus is Lord.