V
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
F
haven't heard anything about that, but it's an interesting study...
I would want to see the research corroborated for myself before declaring it either true or false, though. There have been loads of "scientific studies" out there that have absolutely nothing to do with science and everything to do with propaganda.
examples include the studies on Aspartame being either safe or unsafe for human consumption (depending on which "scientist" you ask), Fluoride being safe (and even beneficial) for consumption, studies on water molecules having a "memory" or "conscience", and so many other pseudo-scientific studies that turn out in the end to be nothing more than stories designed to mislead.
In any case, some of the most intelligent people I have ever met are born-again christians, so even if our brains do shrink, we apparently don't miss whatever disappears.
I would want to see the research corroborated for myself before declaring it either true or false, though. There have been loads of "scientific studies" out there that have absolutely nothing to do with science and everything to do with propaganda.
examples include the studies on Aspartame being either safe or unsafe for human consumption (depending on which "scientist" you ask), Fluoride being safe (and even beneficial) for consumption, studies on water molecules having a "memory" or "conscience", and so many other pseudo-scientific studies that turn out in the end to be nothing more than stories designed to mislead.
In any case, some of the most intelligent people I have ever met are born-again christians, so even if our brains do shrink, we apparently don't miss whatever disappears.
There is far more brain atrophy in pot-smoking, alcoholism, video-gaming, social-networking, reality-television, and pornography, than turning one's life to God.
But the secular/progressive world we live in would never want to admit it.
To them, Kim Kardashian, marijuana, and Facebook are far healthier than devoting your life to Christ.
Surprised?
But the secular/progressive world we live in would never want to admit it.
To them, Kim Kardashian, marijuana, and Facebook are far healthier than devoting your life to Christ.
Surprised?
V
Foxxtale, my very first thoughts on this subject was, hmm, I wonder how biased the evidence is. Did they properly do the research or did the purposely look for certain subjects and create misleading evidence.
----------
By the way, for those who didn't catch it, in the title of this thread I was being just slightly sarcastic.
----------
By the way, for those who didn't catch it, in the title of this thread I was being just slightly sarcastic.
Interesting title for the article, considering they found the same thing in non-believers:
According to the study, people who said they were a "born-again" Protestant or Catholic, or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.
According to the study, people who said they were a "born-again" Protestant or Catholic, or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.
People who aren’t born again have minds that understand and live with the physical earthly side of life. Being born again changes the value system of that person and opens up understanding of a completely new way of being.
I don’t think that someone completely immersed in worldly values without understanding of God can comprehend enough of the born again person to be able to even understand the study.
I don’t think that someone completely immersed in worldly values without understanding of God can comprehend enough of the born again person to be able to even understand the study.
Have you REALLY Come to Christ?
By: Mike DeSario
By: Mike DeSario
2Cor13:5 "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you know that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you are disqualified."
Many suppose themselves to be 'saved' because they have claimed a few select portions of scripture that contain the word 'believe' and have followed a simple three or four step plan outlined on a Bible Tract. They rest their faith on sound doctrinal truth about the Lord Jesus Christ, proclaim His Deity, Resurrection and Ascension. But their lives are devoid of any evidence of Soul Saving Faith.
Many mistake Self Confidence for Spiritual assurance. It is common among professing Christians to continue in outward rebellion to the Lord Jesus Christ and still claim Him as Savior. The delusion is reinforced by false teachers peddling a Gospel that soothes the conscience but NEVER Purifies the heart.
The Lord Himself confirmed the frightening truth that SOME would possess faith enough to 'Preach', Cast out demons and Perform Miracles, but NOT Faith that SAVES the Soul! Matt7:21-23
This Warning must have been ringing in the ears of the great Apostle when he Challenged us to 'PROVE' our Faith. Who could understand better the Pure Godly Dynamics of Soul Saving Faith, than Paul? He told us time and again throughout the New Testament that the true EVIDENCE of genuine Salvation is a NEW HEART! 2Cor5:17
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW Creation. Old things have passed away, behold ALL things become new." This is NOT an optional feature of the gospel.
The New Birth Transforms the heart and sets you on the path of Righteousness. Eph4:24 Your heart is Purified by Obedience to the Truth! 1Pet1:22 You Walk in Newness of Life by Faith. Rom6:4 Dead to Sin & Self, Alive to God & Truth! Rom6:16-18
By Definitions Faith is Both Substance & Evidence. Heb11:1Therefore when you Believe & Confess, Rom10:9-10 You Follow & Obey. Matt7:13-14
What is the Evidence of Soul Saving Faith?
How then can you KNOW you are in Christ and not Disqualified from as those described in Matt7? It would behoove you to EXAMINE the facts.If indeed we have escaped the pollutions that are in the world through Lust. 2Pet2:20 And have been Renewed in the knowledge of Christ. Col3:9 And the Flesh has been 'crucified'! Gal5:24
Ought not your CONDUCT be Transformed!?
Thus you have the Dynamic of Soul Saving Faith: Repentance, Self Denial & Faithful Obedience to Christ. Short of that, you have Nothing.The First Sure Sign of Genuine Salvation is a Genuine Hatred for Sin. Psa97:10, Prv8:13. God has Put in a New Heart & taken away the old. Ezk36:26 The true believer despises Sin in himself and in others, because it dishonors God. Spiritual Warfare is now taking place inside the soul. Gal5:16-17 Without it, NO Salvation has taken place.
Next the Genuine Convert will have a deep desire for the Word of God. 1Thess2:13, 2Tim3:16-17
Nothing satisfies a Christ Centered Life like the Words of Life. His Word is our Armor against the fiery darts of the wicked one. Eph6:16-17 And our Sword to cast down every argument & high thing that tries to exalt itself against the Knowledge of God. 1Cor10:5
The Genuine Believer will set his mind on the Things above. Phil4:8 And Purify his Soul through obedience to the Truth. 1Pet1:22-23
The professing Christian who has no Desire to Study the Word of God has believed in vain.
Third the man who claims to be Born Again will have a New found LOVE for Jesus Christ. 1John4:19 It is a contradiction in terms to say we are Born of God and NOT Keep His Commandants. Love is obedience!
"By this we know that we know Him, If we KEEP His commandants. He who says, I know Him, and keeps NOT His Commandants is a lair and the truth is not in him. 1John2:3-4
Fourth you should expect to have a new found Love for other True Christians. 1John4:20 Your Spirit will bare witness with others Born of God and testify you all belong in the same family. Rom8:16 You will notice a built in sensibility to the people of God and His Love will overflow in your heart. Gal6:10
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God & Keep His Commandants."1Jh5:3
As Love & Obedience are inseparable Evidence of the New Birth, so Purity of Heart is imparted to every true believer in Christ. "Since you have Purified your souls in OBEYING the truth through the Spirit." 1Pet1:22 This Purity is therefore EVIDENT in your conduct. First your 'Conscience' is cleansed from self-will & self seeking. Next the will is purified from all that is evil and last the understanding is enlightened by the Divine Light, thereby cleansing it from error.
Soul Saving Faith is Always Evident by a Humble Heart that exalts Christ as Supreme Lord, Despises Sin and walks in faithful obedience to the Truth. Faith empties a man of self-conceit, self-confidence and self-righteousness. Christ is all in all. Eph1:23 The Greatest Faith is ALWAYS accompanied by the greatest humility.
Saving faith is rooted in the heart, grows & spreads in all branches of obedience, and is filled with the fruits of righteousness. Phil1:11 Otherwise it's NOT Faith.
Another sure sign of Genuine Salvation is the fervent desire to Pray. Rom5:1, Heb4:16
The young convert has instant access to the throne of Grace and uses it to commune with God. A non-praying Christian is a contradiction in terms. If you are a New Creation in Christ, 2Cor5:17, we will Walk with Him in prayer.
Saving Faith is always accompanied by Spiritual growth. The life of a genuine Christian is not static. As an infant does not remain in infancy forever, so a new convert grows in grace quickly. 1Pet:2:2-3, 2Pet3:18
Growth assures us we belong to Him and keeps us from being blown by every wind of doctrine or the tricky of men who seek to pervert the grace of God into license to sin. Eph4:14-15, 2Pet2:19, Jude4 The young convert must beware least he fall away from Christ into the error of the wicked. 2Pet3:17
Since the REAL possibility exists of 'departing' from the faith, 1Tim1:5-6, the true believer in Christ MUST guard himself from temptation and especially 'sexual immorality!' 1Tim6:11,20-21, 1Cor6:18
Paul warned the 'believers' time and again about the danger of trifling with sin. He told them, "Let no one deceive you with empty words! Those who practice such things will not inheritthe Kingdom of God!"Eph5:5-6
What are the 'things' he said would keep you OUT of the Kingdom? Read them:
"Fornication, uncleanness, covetous, idolatry, filthiness, foolish talking coarse jesting, drunkenness, homosexuality, sorcery, hatred, selfish ambition, murder & heresies."
Eph5:3-6, Gal5:20-21
Those Born Again will have an unshakable Love of the truth. Jn8:32,14:17
In sin we loved darkness and hated light, believed a lie and hated TRUTH. The New Birth is a Total Reversal of this process. Those in Christ reject false doctrine and cast-down all arguments & high things that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing EVERY thought into captivity to the Obedience of Christ! 2Cor10:4-5
If you are still resisting the Truth of Scripture you have NOT been Born Again, you are under conviction for sin.
Saving Faith Works by Love. Gal5:6. It is dynamic not passive. Faith is the principle of life by which the True Christian lives unto God, Stays on the Narrow Pathway, on the highway of holiness and has Victory over the World, the flesh and the devil. True Faith is always rooted in Loving Obedience to Christ and bares the Fruit of righteousness. Rom6:22
You DO NOT possess saving Faith if you are indifferent to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. If you refuse the Yoke of Obedience, you reject Christ as Lord. And He cannot be Savior if He is NOT first made LORD.Matt11:28
Another sure sign of Saving Faith is your 'worldview' will be transformed. You will no longer judge matters based solely on your understanding of right & wrong. Your reasoning will be based on God's Truth as revealed in His Word. 2Cor5:17 You will begin to compare 'Spiritual' things with 'Spiritual' things, because you are 'Taught' by the Spirit of God. 1Cor2:12-15 Your moral view of the world will have a brand new perspective and the 'hidden' things will come to light in your heart. 1Cor4:5
"He who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by on one." 1Cor2:15
In your heart will be the Joyous song of Salvation. Without Joy, WHERE is freedom from sin!? Gal5:22 The new convert will Praise God for deliverance from the corrupting influence of sin. 2Pet1:4 His heart will have a deep felt appreciation for being released from bondage. "Where the Spirit of Lord is there is Liberty!" 2Cor3:17
To the true believer that Liberty is NEVER License! Rom6:15
The Condition of this saving faith remains. GOD IS NOT MOCKED! Those who sow to please the Spirit, will of the Spirit reap life everlasting. But those who sow to please the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. Gal6:7-8 So DO NOT grow weary in well doing for the Lord, for in due season you shall reap IF you do not give up! Gal6:9
His Grace is sufficient for you "If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast and are NOT moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul, became a minister." Col1:23
Another Great Joys the New Believer will experience is anxiously expecting the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom8:23-25, 2Tim4:8 What more glorious expectation does the Child of God have then to SEE Jesus Face to Face! 1Cor13:9-12
So keep your lamp burning at all times and watch. Be prepared for His return! Don't be caught unaware like the five foolish virgins who allowed their lamps to run out of oil. Matt25 You have the 'lamp' of His love burning inside you. But you must Abide in his Truth to keep it burning until the end.
The Real possibility of 'falling away' made the Apostle Peter proclaim,
"MAKE YOUR CALLING & ELECTION SURE!" 2Pet1:10 "For IF you do these things, you will NEVER stumble and fall down!"
How well he knew what it meant to 'deny' his Lord. Matt27:69-75 And how fatally serious that denial was to his soul, unless he repented. Matt10:32-33
"So Examine Yourself and Prove you are in the Faith!" Said Paul 2Cor13:5
"For you have become Partakers of Christ IF you hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end!" Heb3:14
Have you indeed COME to Christ?
What Evidence can you show forth that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Does your daily life show NO respect for His Godly example? Do you Love His Truth, Seek His Word, Hate your sin and long for His Purity? Is the Divine Nature of God at work in your soul delivering you from the corruption that is in the world through lust? If none of these are present within your heart you either 'Believed' in Vain', or 'Departed' from the faith.
The New Birth is a Miracle of God's Grace that Transforms the heart and brings YOU into compliance with His commandants. It does not happen by repeating a few words or following a formula outlined in a tract. That's why Jesus said the WAY is NARROW and FEW there be that find it. SO STRIVE to enter, for many will try and not be able. Matt7:13-14, Luke13:24
I know this goes against the modern grain. But Truth usually does. Salvation is Total transformation of the human soul and will effect 100% of your life. If it doesn't WHO are you trying to kid? The scripture says you can be 'self deceived', James 1:22
The Way of God's Salvation is almost entirely unknown among today's evangelists. The true nature of Soul Saving Faith has been misrepresented and therefore misunderstood by multitudes of 'church' goers. The Gospel that is now being proclaimed far and wide across our great land is sadly deficient of the Divine Power to Save the Soul! It is a gospel that teaches men & women they can SIN their way into the Kingdom. NOTHING could be further from the truth.
People are told they posses the imputed righteousness of Christ when they have not ONE Shred of Obedience apparent in their lives!. The delusion is sealed by pundits of OSAS and thousands are hastening to hell as fast as time will take them convinced they are right!
I beseech you therefore to turn from your 'idols', forsake your sin and surrender your life to Christ. Seek Him until you find REAL assurance in His Soul Saving faith.
"He is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all those who OBEY Him." Heb5:9
"IF you LOVE ME, KEEP My Commandants!" John14:15
"His Name shall be called JESUS and He will Save His people FROM their sins." Matt1:21 Not IN them!
standingthegap.org
^^ I think my brain shrunk scrolling past Tommy's wall of text.
I'd agree with this.
Besides, it doesn't matter to me what "scientists" say happens when you are born-again. They could come out with a study that says that born-again Christians are more inclined to look like pickles, I'd still choose Jesus. And I don't like pickles!
Interesting link, though, violakat. Sometimes I'm amazed at the studies people come up with!
I'd agree with this.
Besides, it doesn't matter to me what "scientists" say happens when you are born-again. They could come out with a study that says that born-again Christians are more inclined to look like pickles, I'd still choose Jesus.
And I don't like pickles!Interesting link, though, violakat.
Sometimes I'm amazed at the studies people come up with!
M
Reminds me of when I was growing up, they would have a story
on the radio like this, "Man killed his wife and cat and dog...
he was a "born again Christian" "
Guess, people got tired of that so they pursue pseudo-scientific
studies...
Oh yeah and BTW your tax dollars paid for that study.
Project was funded by National Institutes of Health grants MH54846, MH60451, and MH70027
1 Timothy 6:19-21 (King James Version) ....
... avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called
on the radio like this, "Man killed his wife and cat and dog...
he was a "born again Christian" "
Guess, people got tired of that so they pursue pseudo-scientific
studies...
Oh yeah and BTW your tax dollars paid for that study.
Project was funded by National Institutes of Health grants MH54846, MH60451, and MH70027
1 Timothy 6:19-21 (King James Version) ....
... avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called
M
Here is a plan.
Let do something about this!!
NIH Contact Page
Tell them this is in response to: Health grants MH54846, MH60451, and MH70027
And that you do not appreciate your tax dollars funding studies
that attack your faith!
Click the above link and get busy people!
Let do something about this!!
NIH Contact Page
Tell them this is in response to: Health grants MH54846, MH60451, and MH70027
And that you do not appreciate your tax dollars funding studies
that attack your faith!
Click the above link and get busy people!
Last edited:
