SisterActs2

Hi Zach I believe Ephesians 2:8,9. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." The works follow salvation. I don't think making a decision for Christ could be called a "work". It is a decision. It is a choice. Works are things that we do that mark us as Christians. They are the fruit of being a Christian.

I agree WD. Where is this in the Word of God? Anyone can say anything these days and people just believe it. Test the spirits........ back in the 70s (when I was born again) right up to the 90s and beyond, so called "prophets" would give "prophecies" over people. I am wiser now. Thank the Lord. Ezra is right, too. We don't need this. Everything we need is in the Word of God.

Just having a read of this subject, people, and it occurs to me that we should always read the Bible in context. It seems to me that Rev. 18 is talking about Babylon the great......... I always thought Babylon was not necessarily a city or country, but the world's "system" of finances, trade, corruption etc. God does not want His people to be involved in the world's systems (Vs 4). Cletus, I believe Ezra is right as he appears to me to divide the Word of God correctly. Don't you agree that the USA is not the only country in the world to live in a way described in Rev. 18? Most western countries live like this, and a lot of eastern ones are beginning to as well. In verses 17 and 18 the merchants of the world are seeing the downfall of the system of trade and commerce, etc., and therefore their livelihoods will come crashing down. We can't take vs 8 out of the whole chapter and apply it to one country.

Hi truths33k3r One argument for the fact that Christianity is the truth, is a person's testimony - how they came to the revelation that Jesus Christ is the truth! I have a personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, His death on the cross and resurrection, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I spent a long time searching for the truth. I went down many roads but was never satisfied that any religion was the truth. I could not rest until I found Him (He found me). I got to a point where I could not resist the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. I had avoided Christianity because of childhood experiences of church where there was no life; only religion. Step by step, like links in the chain, God lead me to Him. I went to a church for the first time in many years where God gave me a revelation - Jesus Christ is the truth. All I can say is that you will never discover Him until you take that first step of believing. I was desperate for God. I cried out, "God, I want you in my life". Jeremiah 29:11-13 says: "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (emphasis mine). Although this was written to the exiled people of Israel, it is often quoted to people now to let them know that if you seek God with all your heart, you will find Him. Christianity is all about relationship with Christ our Saviour. There is some religion - I religiously get up in the morning, I religiously have my prayer time with the Lord, I religiously read the Word, I religiously go to prayer meetings at my church and church on Sunday. I don't do these things out of duty, but because I want to. When you love someone you want to be with them. The driving force is that He loved me enough to die for me - staggering, considering I was guttermost - and that He promises to "never leave me nor forsake me" and take me to the uttermost. As someone has said, "It's not about what we do, it's about what He has done.". No one else ever would, or even could, die for me. No "religion" promises salvation. I could go on and on, but I challenge you, truths33k3r, to do what I did. You will never want to go back to your old existence.

It is the same the world over. In a democratic country (or one which purports to be), if a candidate said someone was trying to influence voters, it would be written off as electioneering. People in some countries are afraid of saying anything about Islam, knowing that they will be branded racists. In a country like Indonesia, they just don't want Christians to have a voice at all!

Hi all The police are reportedly saying this is not an attack based on "idealogy or religion". ?? Christians here are praying for the driver of the van who presented himself to hospital with severe burns.

Hi MorningGlory Whilst not wanting to judge, a lot of Australians now have a humanistic world view. People are thinking that they don't want people to suffer with tortuous pain brought on by the end stages of cancer and other terminal diseases. They don't understand that the choices we make will determine where we spend eternity. Suicide is a very close enemy of mine, and I feel for people who want to end all the pain, but all these people see is release from the pain they are in, or their loved ones are in - not what happens beyond the grave.

Sorry people. I probably shouldn't have become involved in this trivia. Much worse, and of eternal significance, is the fact that the Victorian government is now considering a probable conscience vote on voluntary euthanasia next year. Where is this heading?

Oh my goodness! This sounds to me like what was termed "The Toronto blessing" in the 90s. I can't believe it is still going on; I haven't heard about it for years and thought it was all over and gone back to where it belongs. It is demonic, that's for sure. Why would God want anyone to behave like this? It is not His character to want people to do this. A good reason we should not look for signs and wonders but to the Master Himself. There is nothing in the Word that I know of that tells us to do this stuff. I have read the Word a few times in my nearly 40 years of being saved and can't understand why people get so fooled. How sad. We definitely need to test the spirits and make sure everything lines up with the Word before entertaining the idea that something could be scriptural. The Holy Spirit leads God's children into all truth.

Yes, I guess at the end of the day it is a bit silly really. A lot of stuff has no eternal significance. Actually I know of a couple of children named Justice. We have a system for errant children called "Juvenile Justice". Just imagine someone with this name ending up in "Juvy" as they call it.

I am so glad someone has done this. Lots of people are naming their boys with surnames. We have all sorts, like Henderson Hutchinson, Tyler etc. I feel so sorry for children with strange names. They are at a disadvantage from the start.

Hello Beebert Yes, all sinners are welcomed by Jesus to be saved! The sinner who comes to the Lord and confesses their sin and belief in Him, confesses belief in Jesus before men, repents and begins to live the life Jesus has planned for them, is desperate for a relationship with God, cries out to God with all their heart, God will hear. There will be a change where that person has the "born again" experience. The Holy Spirit will make that person alive in Christ. A new creation emerges. Jesus begins to have relationship with that person and continues to reveal Himself by the power of the Holy Spirit as time goes on. He speaks to us - through His Word, through preaching, through His people and through other means such as He uses. He has spoken to me audibly, through visions and confirmation of His Word. He often uses these experiences to let us know He is there. The born again experience with the Lord simply must happen before we die, as after death we no longer have the power to make the choice anymore. Jesus died for the whole world, or "whosever will may come" "the sinner who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out" (all in scripture but I would have to look it up to get you the book, chapter and verse references (just woke up)). My brother is a case in point. I was the only one saved in my family, and he was my only brother. He got prostate cancer and fought it for 10 years. During that time my husband and I witnessed to him; I sent him books and spoke to him quietly about God, all while battling the new age beliefs of his partner. She had an aversion to us talking about Jesus, so he warned us not to mention His name in front of her. I believe God was working in his life, because 10 days before he died he asked me to come and speak to him. In front of her, he committed his life to God. He had had all his life to do this but was on his deathbed before he did. How we rejoiced! I was such a sinner before I gave my life to God. It just must happen before we die! As long as we are alive God gives us the chance to accept Jesus.

Oh, Oakwood, you are so right (in my humble opinion) and according to the Word of God as I believe it. However, I respect the right of others to differ.

I agree with Behold. We are all sinners unless (or until) we become sinners saved by grace. Those who reject Jesus remain sinners and therefore cannot become born again. (How we all pray that they would change their minds before passing from this life.) Jesus said that, in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must be born again (John 3). A new conception occurs, if you will, when the Holy Spirit makes us alive in Him. Heaven, being a perfect place, cannot accept any sin (sinners). Jesus died, once for all, for the whole world and, if people choose to reject the one Who loved, bled and died for all of us they have made their choice. God has done everything in His power to show His great and marvellous love to an unworthy world culminating in the death and resurrection of His dear Son. The unforgiveable sin must therefore be rejection of belief in, and acceptance of, God's precious son Jesus, our Saviour. We must never give up praying for everyone - only God knows the way to a person's heart. Let's believe we can get as many as possible to come with us, home.