Hell's Best Kept Secret (about committing to Christ for the right reasons)

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puzzleannie:
whatever happened to Once Saved Always Saved, which I was under the impression is a hallmark of the born-again view of justification held by evangelicals.
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They still hold it - It’s just that they teach that there’s no way to know who’s saved and who isn’t, and they have no real way of dealing with “Backsliders”.

20+ years ago, I ran out of the Church as fast as I could, largely because I had spent most of the previous 7 years being a Christian for the reasons our preacher said are bound to fail. After a series of trials, I couldn’t hang on, and I bailed, fast.

15 months ago, God used an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi to bring me back. I realize you can’t get much closer to the law than that. Good takes us back, and uses the most unusual means to do that. And this time, I’m “holding on to the parachute” for the right right reason, and I’m in a church where that reason is being preached from the pulpit.

I read the transcript, and now I’m listening to it, although the video didn’t work.

I also recommend reading The ScrewTape Letters by, C.S. Lewis. This “series of letters” says why we need to hold onto Jesus and His Word.

In Him, Michael
 
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jeffreedy789:
may we all work and pray for unity in the body of Christ.
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Amen! Christ is what is important. Instead of bickering with each other, we should all seek Him.
 
Traditional Ang:
They still hold it - It’s just that they teach that there’s no way to know who’s saved and who isn’t, and they have no real way of dealing with “Backsliders”.

20+ years ago, I ran out of the Church as fast as I could, largely because I had spent most of the previous 7 years being a Christian for the reasons our preacher said are bound to fail. After a series of trials, I couldn’t hang on, and I bailed, fast.

15 months ago, God used an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi to bring me back. I realize you can’t get much closer to the law than that. Good takes us back, and uses the most unusual means to do that. And this time, I’m “holding on to the parachute” for the right right reason, and I’m in a church where that reason is being preached from the pulpit.

I read the transcript, and now I’m listening to it, although the video didn’t work.

I also recommend reading The ScrewTape Letters by, C.S. Lewis. This “series of letters” says why we need to hold onto Jesus and His Word.

In Him, Michael
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I hope you enjoyed it. I hadn’t tried the video.

I’ll check out the Screw Tape Letters–I think we should all seek Jesus and His word.

I’ve long held great respect for many catholics and evangelicals alike. The disagree about alot of things, but I’ve found their love for Christ to be very similar (I’ve joked that it is like a sibling rivalry). I’d pick a sincere and devout person of either denomination over someone who is a catholic or evangelical “in name only” any day of the week.

Bless you.
 
This is why The Prayer of Jabez is so popular. I’ll take Dark Night of the Soul anytime and the Spiritual Exercises of St Igantius…
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Here is another example of a money grabber with no eternal benefit. Jesus did not sanction stuff like this, he shunned it. Why do you think he gave the Pharisees and Sadduccees such a hard time. They kept on trusting in traditions made by men instead of trusting in Yahveh. Why do you think he threw the money changers etc out of the temple. Why did He keep on insisting that the Father knows all and had ordained all, and told them to stop it. He went further than what was given in the Old Testament Law, (10 Commandments) and explained how they were to be applied and showed that there is no way that anyone except Him could fulfill them. He was and is the only who was sinless and proved it.
 
New Heart:
Here is another example of a money grabber with no eternal benefit. Jesus did not sanction stuff like this, he shunned it. Why do you think he gave the Pharisees and Sadduccees such a hard time. They kept on trusting in traditions made by men instead of trusting in Yahveh. Why do you think he threw the money changers etc out of the temple. Why did He keep on insisting that the Father knows all and had ordained all, and told them to stop it. He went further than what was given in the Old Testament Law, (10 Commandments) and explained how they were to be applied and showed that there is no way that anyone except Him could fulfill them. He was and is the only who was sinless and proved it.
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Absolutely. Alot of things i this world focus on incomplete aspects of God, and it is damaging.

The way I see it is the incomplete can be on either side. It is very popular to talk about how God is love, He is merciful, He is generous, etc. To talk about God’s love and not His wrath, His mercy and not His justice, His generousity and not His punishment–this is to completely disregard a significant part of God’s nature, and for many it turns into an entitlement to get what they want and do what they want without consequence or accountability. After all, a loving God would never send anyone to Hell, would he?

The flip side is far less popular, but still used. To talk about God’s wrath, justice, and punishment (fire, brimstone, and Hell) without talking about His love, mercy, and generousity (for He gave His only Son to die for our sins) can make people see God as a meanie, a tyrant–they may fear Him and behave out of that fear, but they may not see God as lovable and certainly won’t repent and be grateful for His mercy.

People truly need to a more complete picture of God. They need to know they are sinners, and the horrible consequences of that sin. But they also need to know that the very God who would punish them loved them enough to send His Son to redeem us–if we repent, and* turn from that sin. *

This is what so moved me about the sermon. First, sin and its consequences (repenting and behavior does matter). Second, salvation and its rewards (its a wonderful gift, not of this world, but of eternity for which we should be grateful). To preach one without the other is a backslider waiting to happen–because it is tough to obey a God who you think is only love, and it is tough to love a God that you think is only punishment.

Long, but I believe this is very important.

Blessings to all. 🙂 I hope everyone had a merry christmas.
 
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Jay74:
A merry christmas to you and your family as well.

By the way, are you near Windsor Ontario? My wife and I made friends from there on our honeymoon, and we plan to visit them there soon. Just curious.
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Code:
Windsor is about 3 hours down south from me. I live closer to Noagara Falls which is only about 30 minutes away.

Blessings,
Shoshana
 
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Shoshana:
Code:
Windsor is about 3 hours down south from me. I live closer to Noagara Falls which is only about 30 minutes away.

Blessings,
Shoshana
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Thanks for lettin me know. Saw where you were from, and made me think “small world” since my wife and I are going to ontario soon.

blessings,
 
See my other post re:“the good person thread”
that I just posted.
I like the overall approach of Ray Comfort. much more so than
the weak and empty approach of most other faith sharing
“techniques”, But know that there is a tiny bit of anti-Catholicism there.
Otherwise, it’s truly about converting for the right reason,
as long as you don’t get into the soteriological aspects that are
deeper in the course.
There’s a lot that Catholics would agree with, and should adopt
even. Just like there’s common ground with groups like
CRI, and others. You’ll just have to do some weeding out
of the bad elements. If longsuffering and charity aren’t one of your strongpoints then maybe not.

JB
 
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