pg4Him

If people are capable of dying in unforgiven sin because they didn’t turn to God, it means their sin was not forgiven, which means not “every sin of the world” is forgiven...

Wait, so now we have to choose to display good fruits in keeping with our faith? When did that happen? I thought good works were evidence of a change we have no power to control. Do you suddenly believe Christians must endeavor to choose to obey the Holy Spirit?

What about the sin of not believing in Jesus? That’s what was really being asked. Will Jesus allow lifelong atheists into heaven on the basis that ‘every sin’ was forgiven on the cross? Or just the sins under the blood?

I’m not sure why anyone would need to “take heed” and make sure they are kind enough when it’s supposed to be God’s grace miraculously working kindness through them. If we are now expected to muster up kindness by making sure we act kind, sounds like doing a work. If someone isn’t kind enough, how can they be blamed when this merely means the Holy Spirit hasn’t seen fit to display kindness in them?

I don’t think people here appreciate the size of the hole that katie’s marriage fell into. Pull him aside and talk to him? Katie wouldn’t be here sounding so desperate if it were that simple. Her response about his spiritual condition is exactly what I expected to hear. No simple answers. We have no way of knowing what’s happening in this man’s head. Chemical imbalance in his brain? Chronic depression? Disappointment that the farming thing is not as financially viable as he hoped? One thing that is clear, he’s avoiding his home. This friend is his escape — his double life — his alter ego. He’s lost connection with his children, his wife feels like a stranger, and he’d rather be elswhere. We can all sit here and say he shouldn’t act this way, but it won’t change him. Katie, my advice is to buckle in for a rough ride ahead, pray for discernment to know what to do, and conduct yourself in piety. Maybe God will open his eyes and spare him. It’s been known to happen. Look for an online support group for farmers/homesteaders.

Well now let’s consider grandma’s point of view. She knows how much work it is to raise a baby. You can’t just stick a baby in the corner all day. It’s hard work for long hours, and a huge responsibility. Probably what’s happening here is that grandma doesn’t really want to be a full-time caretaker for another baby, so she’s jacked up her price to the point that she knows figureofeighty won’t pay her. Figureofeighty, let me tell you it gets very messy when grandma watches your baby all day every day — especially in a dysfunctional family. I’m sure your grandma is a kind woman, and I’m sure you trust her to watch your baby, and all of that, but lemme tell you, stuff happens. It gets complicated. There will be complaints and accusations that grandma isn’t available for other things, or grandma isn’t paid enough, or you’re the favorite granddaughter, etc. God may be allowing this obstacle to stop you from making a mistake with her. If I were you, I would go through the school to find childcare options. There’s probably some kind of program to connect students with low-cost caretakers.

Please hear me @Nadjeschda the Bible does say laziness is a sin, and there are some people who don’t want to work. Paul confronted this in the early church. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. — ‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:10-12‬ And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. — 1 Timothy‬ ‭5:13‬ The early church had rules on who could receive charity funds. Widows were rejected if they had other options. I agree with you that most Western Christians are living in decadence with money that could be better spent. However, the solution is not to give money foolishly for causes or programs that don’t follow God’s ways.

American Christians bemoan the horrible condition of our church system. We complain of dead churches, unregenerate believers, lack of Holy Spirit inspiration, and an overall sense of spiritual malaise. Yet, when you criticize any particular part of the church system, you get resistance. Somehow we are doing everything right while we complain that everything is wrong.

So what of hearing it from atheists? Even Christians say that. How many times on this very forum have people said we can’t rely on feelings when God seems distant, we feel like we’re not saved, we feel that the Bible isn’t fair to us, etc? I could just as easily say the same to atheists: their feelings about apparent injustice in the Bible are irrelevant. Their feeling of numbness to spiritual activity is irrelevant. Their impulse to have everything proven with video evidence is irrelevant.

We are in a 3D world trying to grasp a 4D spiritual kingdom. If you want to know that you belong to Christ, there are ways to know this. If you want to know what happens after this life, we only have glimpses. Paul wrote in Ephesians the richest of Christ are unsearchable.

Why can’t we just believe that these men were willing to be martyred? Why can’t we believe God gave that village peace about it? There were times when Paul escaped death to complete his mission, and then there was a time when he was ready to go home. Did the early Christians “stand by” while Peter, Paul, Stephen, and the others gave their lives. Would you say those words to Peter or John? That you have no respect for anyone who would stand by while Stephen was stoned, but if they can live with themselves you guess that’s ok? Please show me Scripture, anywhere, where a Christian used aggressive force to stop persecution. Had the early church taken your advice, Paul would have been killed before Jesus appeared to him. Show me Scripture on a Christian — just one — who took a swing at Paul when he was hunting them down.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. —‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13:7‬ I don’t see the USA exempt from this because so many conservatives are gun owners.

At the risk of sounding rude, this reminds me of David’s census that went horribly wrong in 2 Samuel 24. Christians have no business counting on laws, numbers, weapons, or other fleshly tools to secure our success. If God wills/allows persecution to purify us, He’s capable of making our little boomsticks useless. Job had all the human security measures in place, and he was steamrolled. We cannot win a spiritual battle in the flesh.

Peter had that same philosophy, and Jesus put the soldier’s ear back on. There’s a time to protect people, and there’s a time when it’s their time. If they felt like the Lord said it was their time, we shouldn’t judge them.

All of us are rich compared to someone else. The question is not whether you happen to have money, but whether you put your identity in your financial status. Also whether you are willing to cheat/steal in order to gain wealth. The rich men in James were paying slave wages to poor laborers out in the field so they could keep more for themselves. We all should be careful not to act that way. We shouldn’t try to low-ball people out of fair pay for their work, or look for excuses not to pay a bill, or take advantage of someone in hard times to pay them half what they deserve. We should be generous in every facet of life.

In my experience, there are three things which effectively evangelize the lost... 1) Complete and total honesty about what the Bible says — no spinning or sugarcoating. 2) A demonstration of effective power — not only signs/wonders but demonstrated evidence of walking in victory, having a peaceful home, and getting prayers answered. We really need to cut it with the ‘work in progress’ stuff and start showing fruit. 3) A sincere witness that you care about more than going to heaven. You care about Biblical principles, right living, hospitality, etc. Not just good works of being nice to each other, but showing the goodness of a healthy Christian household. Unbelievers really do notice when you’re different.

Unfortunately people these days can’t tell the real from the fake.

I’m just saying, it’s difficult to evangelize by Holy Spirit power when half the modern church says it’s heresy. Most of the major influencers on YouTube these days are strict cessationists. You built an evangelistic ministry on signs and wonders — just watch, Chris Rosebrough will be hot on your heels to call you an NAR wacko, and his thousands of fans of will gobble it up. No, what these use to prove God these days is a marketing plan.

Even when Christians display signs or wonders, half the church is waiting to quote Matthew 7:23 in an effort to discredit it.

Actually no, it wasn’t a vision. First it was a very calm, lucid conversation, then the next morning it was a man with His arm around me walking everywhere I went.

I serve Jesus because I met Him and He told me to serve Him. Pretty much as simple as that. If I told you I met a woman with blonde hair at the bank, you would accept it without demanding proof. You wouldn’t have to see her yourself in order to believe me. You would not labor to try to talk me out of it until I produced photographic evidence. You would accept that I met a blonde-haired woman you haven’t yet met. When faced with a personal testimony about meeting Jesus, unbelievers take one of two positions: 1) you’re a liar, or 2) you hallucinated. There’s no evidence of either of these conclusions, but they willingly accept it with no evidence because anything is a better option than believing a Christian. I’m not sure how it is that my personal experience needs your approval before it’s real, but that’s how unbelievers roll.

Wait, you mean we should actually strive for excellence and blamelessness on every point? Say it aint so!!! That kind of talk will get you shunned at most churches. Christians are supposed to be so blameless in front of the world that the mouth of the accuser is stopped against them. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world — Philippians‬ ‭2:15‬ Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. — ‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:12‬ For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — ‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:15‬

An atheist who hates God will reject Him no matter what we do. That’s for certain. Yes some people use Christian hypocrisy as an excuse. However, Scripture does warn us we can be responsible for making others stumble, especially young people trying to figure things out. The modern church system is a dysfunctional, money-driven mess that’s hurting people in serious ways. The Pharisees were judged for misrepresenting God’s word, and we must watch lest we incur the same wrath.

There is one simple reason why I became guarded about making new friends. At the end of the day, 95% of people do what they want to do and believe what they want to believe. This includes most Christians. They don’t take advice, they don’t receive correction, and they only tell you what they want you to know. Prayer requests are either too vague to make sense of or too one-sided to believe. They will find another Christian who agrees with what they want to do, and your input is no longer needed.

I resisted Christ for years in my youth because I’d met enough “Christians” to be highly skeptical. In Romans, Paul chastised the Jews for making God a punchline among the Gentiles — and Christians today are repeating the cycle. American Christianity went over the cliff about 60 years ago when it became a business model. Now, even among small local churches, policy is made by consumer spending research, marketing plans, and leadership seminars. With the right business model, they can keep this system running with or without the Holy Spirit. Pastors go in these days expecting six-figure incomes, benefits, severance packages, etc. They stack the deacon/elder boards with the five or six most financially successful men in the crowd (who are good tithers of course) and then the pastor is shocked when a change in business plans results in his firing. Meanwhile for the lay members, money is wasted on fruitless programs and shallow study books. The music hurts their ears, the ‘preaching’ is based on TV shows they’ve never seen, and the home group is run by an airhead who does not return phone calls. But when they complain, they are dismissed as selfish consumers only looking for what’s in it for them. You can only do this for so many Sundays in a row before you’re done. There’s a new church plant in every public school in my town. Same website design, same buzz words, same marketing language, same everything. ‘A new kind of church with authentic community for people who want to love God and serve others.’ When one goes financially bust, the ”pastor” moves down to the road to a new neighborhood development, rebrands himself, and plants another one.