Brother Jeff

But if they accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior (blah blah blah) and all that, then why would they not be considered a Christian? What I have been trying to point out to you is that those people in prison who claim Christianity as their religion most probably have NOT ever accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. A person who has never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is NOT a Christian, regardless of any claims on their part to be one. Making a claim to be a Christian is one thing. Showing it with your life is quite another. Anyone claiming to be a Christian but showing no evidence of repentance from sin and a desire to serve God almost certainly has not genuinely been born again.

But doesn't Christianity teach that all sins are equal in the eyes of God? So unless you are a perfect being, completely without sin, then aren't you (along with all other Christians) essentially on par with the Christians in prison? Maybe their sins are more reprehensible from a human's persepective, but in the eyes of God (if I understand correctly), it is all the same. No. Just the fact that there is an unforgivable sin (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit) vs. all other sin which is forgiveable implies levels of sin to me. I stand ready to be corrected, but I don't think that sin is any more equal in the eyes of God than it is in the eyes of man. You missed my point, though. I was pointing out the fact that those masses in prison who claim to be Christian are almost certainly not truly born again believers. Their lives prove it. Claiming to be a Christian no more makes a person a Christian than a man standing in a garage claiming to be a car makes him a car. Truly born again, spiritually regenerated believers will show and prove their relationship to God with their lives.

Regarding the prison statistics, lots of people who really are not Christians claim to be. They are Christians in name only, not in practice. Those "Christians" in prison obviously were not following the teachings of Jesus or living for Him. If they were really practicing Christians, they wouldn't be there, would they? As Jesus said in Matthew 7:22, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord". Those who are truly born again and know God will show it witih their lives. "You shall know them by their fruits".

This is an updated link to my artwork, and there are a few additions as well! Enjoy! http://www.restoringfaithinjesus.com/2006/...an-artwork.html

Daave, We'll have to agree to disagree about the article I guess. What is not scriptural about putting on the whole armor of God? You keep telling me that it is not scriptural, and I keep reading Epesians 6:11 which says: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. I am in NO WAY upholding the teaching of confession as it is taught in the Word Faith movement. I am STRONGLY against that unbiblical movement. I was involved in it at one time, and as a result I found my faith shipwrecked. What followed was six years or so of angry, depressed atheism before I finally recently came back to Christ. I find a lot of very biblical and balanced teaching in the article. As a result of my experience I am very, very careful about what teachings I accept. I quite gladly and gratefully put on the whole armor of God every day!

Yes, it does! Jesus rose again physically. He has a glorified body of flesh and bone since he poured out His blood for us on the cross. Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Daave, There is nothing wrong with Greenwood's suggested confession or with confessing who we are in Christ. Confession, as they say, is good for the soul, and it reminds us of who and what we are in Christ. A worm complex is worse, considering who we are in Christ. Nonsense. It does nothing of the sort. Confessions such as his suggested one build up our faith and remind us of who we are in Christ! The article says nothing about the unbiblical "name it and claim it" doctrines of the Word Faith movement. How does putting on the whole armor of God (which we are commanded to do), take our focus off of Christ? I disagree. Knowing our power in Christ is important, but I agree that balanced teaching is important. I believe this article is balanced, or I wouldn't have posted it. How can knowing and focusing on Christ and our power in Him possibly lead to self-deception? Try being a little less critical, okay? It's a great article on the Armor of God!

I have a few questions about the ascension of Jesus that I hope are okay to ask. When Jesus was ascending, where exactly did He go? Where exactly is Heaven? Do we know? Does the Bible say where Heaven is located?

I found an excellent article on the Whole Armor of God here. I would paste some of it in, but it is long and the layout of the article makes it difficult to do so. I highly recommend reading it, though! http://www.tgm.org/aogWholeArmor.htm

This is some Christian artwork I have done that I would like to share. I hope everyone enjoys it! http://www.restoringfaithinjesus.com/2005_11_09_archive.html http://www.restoringfaithinjesus.com/images/2Cor521.jpg http://www.restoringfaithinjesus.com/images/John14-1.jpg