“What should I tell this friend?”

[GlidingWings]

Hi all. I have met a friend that has brought me a problem that I would like to ask about. Well you see about fifteen years ago more like 17 years ago since 1995 this friend heard about Jesus. He started reading the Bible back then. Though did not take the Bible really serious to study 2 years later in 1997.

This friend has attended Churches here and there. He is familiar with the Bible like others.

He says that although being able to handle some of his sins that he has not been able to handle them all.

That actually he says he has been a hypocrite. Among Christian believers that’s because for one thing he has been

addicted to porn. He’s has had several girlfriends and while unmarried sleeping with them and has engaged himself even with women that are married.

He now thinks that perhaps that even though to stop these sins that God may to accept him back. How does God accept the hypocrite he says? I mean it’s like this. For 17 years God has been standing right there saying look this is what it says in the Bible.

What you’re doing is sin against me. And you also know that these things can lead you into hell.

I know that God deals with forgetting people that have lied or stole. But how does God deal with the hypocrite Christian who suddenly wants to stop after all these years? Can God really accept and trust this person even after this person has been unfaithful all these years? It’s like saying this person has been saying no to Jesus after all these years and yet saying yes temptations all that time.

How can I tell my friend about how God can accept the person who has lived in sin among the Christian congregation?

Saying he was a Christian all these years but really was not because of not listening to God. He wants to know how I can explain to him why God would want him. Why would God want to save him after all these sins?

That’s because he is having strong feelings that God would not want to save such a person who has lived as a hypocrite and to stop sinning would not matter to God.

[nChrist]

It's all really up to your friend. The Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross is more than sufficient for all of the sins of mankind - for those who want to accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Look at what God did with the Apostle Paul. Jesus Christ is knocking on your friend's door. Tell your friend to open the door and let Jesus Christ into his heart.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Romans 10:8-10 KJV But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

[Fez]

Yes! Jesus is just waiting for your friend to come to his senses!

The operative word here will be repentance. Your friend needs to repent of the sins he has been committing and ask Jesus into his life 24/7.

Remember that repentance is turning your back on past sin. It is a 180 movement away from this sin.

Your friend, if saved, lives under the Grace of Jesus, and his sins will be forgiven him. Did he invite Jesus into his life in the first place, or has he just been seeking Jesus for all these years?

But as nChrist says, it is entirely up to him. Jesus knows his heart, and if he is truly repentant and asks forgiveness of these sins, and does not commit them again (or at the very least struggles to rid himself of them with a repentant heart until he does), Jesus has always been there and always will be.

[Isaiah 6:8]

Something I posted for another person on the new Worthy networks www.whatisachristian.info

Well I have good news. We all have had trouble with sin, and all have fallen short! Even Paul, who wrote 2/3 of the new testament had problems with sin! So I am going to walk you through a bit of Romans ( the whole book is incredible, but to long to post here! I am going to break down a bit of Romans Chapters 5-8. If you have time I highly suggest reading those chapters, as they explain it more eloquently then I ever could. Here are some highlights!

Its good to remember this, Jesus did not come to save Saints. He came to save sinners!

Romans 5:6-21(NKJV)

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

As you see, it says while we were still sinners! If we struggle, what does Paul say...

Romans 5:20-21

New King James Version (NKJV)

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Where Grace abounds even more! Not that we are to continue sinning to have more grace as he continues in chapter 6.

Romans 6:1-2 (NKJV)

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

But even this is hard to do, as Paul states later he even has a hard time...

Romans 7:15-20 (NKJV)

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

As you see, even Paul did sinful things. He struggled as well, lets see what he says the cure is...

Romans 7:21-25 (NKJV)

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 Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8 (NKJV)

Free from Indwelling Sin

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Sonship Through the Spirit

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtorsnot to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirsheirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

You see, as we walk in the spirit our sinful fleshly man, weakens and our spiritual man with strengthen.

Also Notice in Romans 8:1 It says There is therefore NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus

Yes we fall but we are not condemned, We may feel the effects of sin, or his gentle conviction guiding us away from sin, but we are not condemned, He is not standing there trying to beat us up.

Remember in Luke Chapter 14 it says

20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

He wants to revive you back with open arms and Party!

One last note, I wrote the following many years ago. I had done some dumb stupid sinful stuff. Right after returning from a missions school called a Discipleship Training School. I had gone on a missions trip and seen god do so many things, and then I did a sin that I had done before, and struggled with for years. So as I came to my senses again, feeling horrible and stupid, and condemned. I wrote this.

The True Meaning Of DTS

DTS What does that really mean?

Does it mean Discipleship Training School? Maybe

But what does it really mean?

There has to be something deeper

Maybe it means Die To Self?

I think that is what the true meaning is

Die To Self what a simple statement

Simple yes, but full of revelation

Simple to understand? Yes

But to follow through with? NO!

Dying To Self

Good Idea But how?

I know what is right

I know what is wrong

I don't do what is right

But I do what is wrong.

Why?

I want to do right

I want to please my Heavenly Father

I want to do what he wants me to do

In the end I want to hear

"Well done, my good and faithful servant"

But I do not do what is right

I do what I know is wrong

I hear His voice warning me

I hear him pleading with me to stop

I hear him crying as I ignore the voice

I know I am hurting the one who Loves me

I feel little or no remorse or regret

Why? Because my spirit is weak, but my flesh is strong

I say I will go to the ends of the world for you

I say I will die for you

I say I will do what ever you want me to

No matter the cost

But it is easier to go to the ends of the earth

It is easy to be brave for God

To stand up in the face of persecution

Yes even to be a Martyr for Christ is easy

But to Die To Self, that is the hard thing

To Die To Self is a daily thing

To die every day is hard

To fast is hard to pray and read the Word is hard

To spend time with God is hard

This all goes against self

How do die to self?

Can you die to self?

Yes you can!

How?

You need to starve self

Do not exercise self

Daily read the Word

Daily spend one on one with the Father

Fast and pray make your spirit strong

Then you will Die To Self

But do not stop feeding you spirit

Because if you do not you will not die to self

If you do keep your spirit strong,

You will Die To Self

-Isaiah- 1998

[Isaiah 6:8]

I also added..

Your welcome! Two more verses, along with my thoughts on what they mean. First off, as you are tempted God will give you a way of escape. Its our job to look for the way out.

1 Corinthians 10 (NKJV)

Old Testament Examples

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

As you see As Paul says, there will be a way of escape, and no temptation will be beyond your capability to handle!

As you do this, as you take your thought life and bring it to obedience to Christ, and start finding your ways of escape, you actually are doing spiritual warfare. You see spiritual warfare is not just casting out demons and such, but its our day to day walk and choices that we do battle with every day.

2 Corinthians 10 (NKJV)

The Spiritual War

1 Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2 But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

[nebula]

Some people have to get exhausted with their sin before they come around.

The Lord will take him back - but he has to repent (turn from) his sin.

[Isaiah 6:8]

Some people have to get exhausted with their sin before they come around.

The Lord will take him back - but he has to repent (turn from) his sin.

Very good point.

[joi]

1 John 1

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Unrighteousness - forgotten or unknown sins)

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

[Guest]

Hallelujah~!

[wyguy]

That’s because he is having strong feelings that God would not want to save such a person who has lived as a hypocrite and to stop sinning would not matter to God.

Have you "stopped" sinning?

Have any of us?

No.

None of us will stop sinning, even for one day, until we pass from this life.

That's what grace is all about. That's why the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin - past, present, and future.

Thank God our salvation isn't based on our ability to stop sinning. If it were, none of us would be saved.