mike2 Posted May 1, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 4 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 258 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/06/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted May 1, 2006 Is your salvation the only reason to become a Christian. As a non believer would you think it is kind of shallow to believe in God just to save your butt. I saw in a thread just the other day someone that would not accept God for that excuse, because, obviously, all they know of God is if you dont believe in Him you go to hell. With that in mind, believing in God for that reason, is, rightly, hypocritical. Why should we accept God other than for our salvation and should we be using those examples and reasons when we witness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marnie Posted May 1, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 811 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 7,338 Content Per Day: 1.08 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 2 Joined: 10/06/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted May 1, 2006 You wrote: As a non believer would you think it is kind of shallow to believe in God just to save your butt. My response: Not necessarily. I think people come to know Christ as their Savior for a variety of reasons, some out of love for Him, some out of fear of Hell. Who is to say which is the more correct motive? I think both are valid reasons. Not everybody responds to the "love message." The important thing is that each grow in the Faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tah Posted May 1, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 105 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,131 Content Per Day: 0.45 Reputation: 126 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/12/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted May 1, 2006 Fire insurance is not a bad thing... it IS necessary.. for whatever reason a person comes to Jesus our God is well able to build on that first step.. but if they never take the first step they will go to hell... the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom not the end of it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymba22 Posted May 1, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 588 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/14/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/06/1967 Share Posted May 1, 2006 What comes First, Salvation or a Christian Life Salvation...you cannot have a christian life without it...its a contridiction in terms. Is your salvation the only reason to become a Christian. As a non believer would you think it is kind of shallow to believe in God just to save your butt. I saw in a thread just the other day someone that would not accept God for that excuse, because, obviously, all they know of God is if you dont believe in Him you go to hell. With that in mind, believing in God for that reason, is, rightly, hypocritical. Why should we accept God other than for our salvation and should we be using those examples and reasons when we witness? No put that way...yes if you believe in him your saved, (thats what my Bible tells me). only hypocritical if you say you believe in him and dont walk the walk. you only used two reasons..lets look at the second one you wrote...salvation...your being saved from what? eternal damnation...so the second one differs from the first...how? Personally I chose Christ not for an excape route...or salvation...I chose him because he loved me enough before I was even thought of to die for something I had not yet done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apothanein kerdos Posted May 1, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 331 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 8,713 Content Per Day: 1.20 Reputation: 21 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted May 1, 2006 Before we can lead a Christian life, we have to be saved. We accept Christ to save us...that is the entire purpose. Not just from hell, but to restore us to what He intended us to be. That is the purpose of salvation. I do'nt see why accepting Christ on those premises would be wrong. Now you are correct that if we only believe for beliefs sake and show nothing of this belief in our daily lives, then yeah, it's a sorry excuse. I think that's the point you're trying to make? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Dillard Posted May 2, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 24 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 233 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/08/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/06/1987 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Hey Kerdos just wanted to say that I know people that have accepted God out of fear of going to hell, and that they are really good christians now and are really living for him. So I would have to say I am just happy they made that decision and it isin't really important why they made it, just that they did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apothanein kerdos Posted May 2, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 331 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 8,713 Content Per Day: 1.20 Reputation: 21 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted May 2, 2006 Hey Kerdos just wanted to say that I know people that have accepted God out of fear of going to hell, and that they are really good christians now and are really living for him. So I would have to say I am just happy they made that decision and it isin't really important why they made it, just that they did! I should probably differentiate between what I mean. Obviously when we accept Christ, there is some fear of hell. However, people who merely accept Christ for what we call "fire insurance" probably are not saved. We need to understand why Christ is saving us, and that answer goes much deeper than "from hell." That is part of the growing that occurs after one has become a Christian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanasimmons Posted May 2, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 10 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 335 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/24/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 06/05/1967 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Most people I know, including myself, didn't truly see themselves as wicked and hell bound, until after they got saved. I did all my verbal repenting in the months following as I learned through the Word, how sinful sin really was. Jesus said ,no one comes to Him, unless the Father draws them. God knows everyone and He knows How and when to call them to Himself. He's never too early or late, but right on time. When I pray for my unsaved family, I ask Him just to spare their lives, because I know some people take the long, hard road. I am willing to trust God that whatever it takes to save them, He will bring it to pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David from New Bern Posted May 2, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 75 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 527 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/21/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/03/1964 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I think the real issue is separation from God. The gain is the peace of being in right fellowship with our Creator. Of course heaven will be the permanent installation of that communion with God. I believe in a literal Lake of Fire, but regardless of that fact permanent from God would be miserable even without the torture of prophecy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giaour Posted May 2, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 179 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,941 Content Per Day: 0.55 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1964 Share Posted May 2, 2006 For me, I was called first. Like I was driven by an uncontrollable force to investigate this Jesus thing. Then I was saved. Then I was just as compelled to live the Christian life. I fail miserably sometimes but I keep picking myself up and trying again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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