grace222 Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 99 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 12 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 could it mean that they never were truly born again? I have great concern for my Mother in law, younger brother in law and sister in law who claimed to be christians. My Mother -in-law used to attend the church we went to, as did my brother in law who was baptised in our church. They lived very holy lives, but I never really saw much "fruit" and "love with my Mother in law. The same goes for my sister in law. I have heard all the right words that a christian would use but have always failed to see their true love for one another. Now, they have all stopped fellowshipping and all I hear is swearing. My brother in law recently got tattoos, spends weekends with his g/friend and supports communism. My Mother in law says she watches some (non christian tv shows) and in the past, she didn't watch them because she was "too churchy". They mix with unbelievers, attend parties and have gone back to drinking alcohol. Does this mean they were never truly born again, or have they just gone back into the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathqueen Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 962 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/26/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/16/1975 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Sounds to me like they have just gone back into the world. I don't know the condition of their heart, if they have actually forsaken the Lord and turned away from their belief in Him. Right now, only God knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunterpoet Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,704 Content Per Day: 0.44 Reputation: 25 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/29/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1950 Share Posted December 1, 2007 We cannot know a persons heart, only G-d knows. Our biggest problem is time...we always want instant and lasting results.....G-d doesn't have a clock or calendar. KJV uses the term longsuffering......which means to be patient. We must be willing to allow G-d to handle all things, and we must ask for the strength, patience and willingness to accept His bidding. G-d grant me the patience To accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom, to know the difference. Amen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,763 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 Yes. People can truly accept Christ into their hearts and keep Him in a very small box until their heart turns as hard as a rock once again. Does this mean that they lost their salvation? Were they ever saved in the first place? Nobody but God knows. All we can do is not judge them and love them as Jesus does. We are His people to do His will. This is one case where I would ask "What would Jesus do"? Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your actions and words when you are with these people. Do not start thumping them with Bible verses, but SHOW them love and acceptance. This does not mean that you agree with what they are doing, but accept them and love them as God has toward all sinners. OneLight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,763 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 If they see Christ in you, there are seeing the fruit of the Spirit. We can do nothing to prick their hearts, but the Spirit can. We must follow His leading. They will see: Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law Remember ... Ephesians 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. God Bless, Your Brother In Christ, OneLight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari21 Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 140 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,846 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/04/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/05/1987 Share Posted December 1, 2007 They very well could have had false conversions. Some feel that just saying the "magic words" will give then a "get out of hell free card." The true sign of repentance is a broken heart and spirit before the Lord. One who knows they have offended God by their sin and is truly sorry from the bottom of their heart, will throw themselves upon God's mercy, calling out for forgiveness, and then seek to change their ways. While we cannot do anything to "earn" our salvation, a true convert to Christ will indeed seek to do God's will. They will fail from time to time, we all do, but then instead of "going back like a dog to it's vomit," they will stand back up with the Lords help, and move forward once again. If they are truly acting as if they have no conscience in regard to their Christian walk, seek to have a sit down with them and present God's Holy law, (the 10 commandments) pointing out that they have trangressed God's law, and offended him, and are under the full penalty of his wrath. That at this moment, they are in rebellion against their creator and on the road that leads to damnation. Let them see their desparate situation in the light of God's word. And then tell them that the only hope they have is to seek God's mercy and forgiveness. That a full pardon is theirs if they are willing to truly repent and seek his face by accepting Christ as their saviour. Tell them that only true repentance is acceptable to the Lord, and that means they must "come out of her" (the world) and forsake a life of sin. Though we will never be sin free this side of glory, a true Christian does not seek to live a life of willful sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 1 John 1:6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. You might want to take a look at the "Examine Yourselves" Thread in Controversial Section. In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,763 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 1 John 1:6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. You might want to take a look at the "Examine Yourselves" Thread in Controversial Section. In His Love, Suzanne This is true Sister, but they do not claim to be in fellowship with Jesus. This verse, and the thread, is for someone to personally examine themselves. Greace222 is speaking of others. OneLight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greg Davies Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 This situation could demostrate the importance of a proper understanding of water baptism and the need for it. Assuming that their initial repentence was genuine and they received Jesus according to Rom. 10:9,10, then they were crucified with Christ and the"old man" was dead. They were "born of the Spirit" according to John 3:6 and Titus 3:5. According to Rom 6:3-6, the "old man" is buried in the waters of baptism, so we can be resurrected to walk in the newness of life. In Col 2:11,12, the "old man" is refered to as the "body of the sins of the flesh" (KJV) and needs to be cut away (circumcision of the heart) and left in the grave just as the Egyptians were destroyed and left in the Red Sea as a type of water baptism (I Cor. 10:1-4). When we understand the depth of what water baptism accomplishes for us, then we can have a faith that will overcome the flesh. We will know that we are completely "born again". Born not only of the Spirit, but also of the water (John 3:5). Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted December 1, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2007 She said that they claim to be Christians. The reason I suggested the other thread, is because I describe myself in much the same way as she is talking of her inlaws. I also describe the distinctions between before and after the REAL JESUS in my life! It sounds pretty applicable to me. In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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