-
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.
Think about the fact that before Jesus came and died on the cross., the veil was not "rent in two"., the Holy Spirit was not yet given to seal believers., The covenant of law was replaced by the covenant of grace. The disciples were not all saved. We have to be educated as Christians that there is a major difference before the cross and after the cross. Everything changed.
I'm sorry to hear about your nephew. But I also think that happens a lot to believers. We are frail people in our flesh especially when we are not abiding on the Vine. We are devoured by the enemy when we don't know the truth. The devil counts on us being overcome by our human reasoning power.
Did you ever notice that psychiatrists have a high rate of suicide? It's because they think they understand life and human behavior. So when they see none of it matters anyway no matter how much they get good at life and understanding it., what good does it do in the end? They die just like the bad guy and the wacky guy. Worldly smart people don't factor in Jesus Christ at all. We can have all the understanding of human behavior but miss the truth without Jesus as the way on the path of life.
Many believers suffer from depression and anxiety. Many are on medications. (many are sick and weak and many sleep) There are lot's of reasons for this but one of the reasons is; they don't know or believe God loves them unconditionally. And if they don't get good teaching after they are saved they will be open to the fiery arrows of the enemy. he comes to kill., steal and destroy us. Many Christians commit suicide because they don't know the truth. The Bible says my people die for lack of knowledge.
We've been warned about our enemy's schemes but I've discovered in my own life too that he has had years to use our own minds and emotions against us weak humans. And if we don't know the truth that Jesus came to save us and bring us out of death into life making us new creations., never leaving us or forsaking us., giving us a new nature and a new way of life, we can fall into devastation by what we see in this life and how we feel about what we see and know.
So it doesn't surprise me your nephew and many other Christians are disappointed in Jesus and what they used to believe about Him. There is more your nephew and others like him need to learn about Jesus but they have been derailed in their faith and are still running. The Bible says even if a sheep falls and goes astray the Good Shepherd will get them. This life is a tiny portion of what is actually going on. Living life as a Christian and living well as a Christian with joy and peace are 2 very different things. Many believers are bitter angry people who are at the root of their lives afraid. Fear is a spirit and the Bible says God has not given us the spirit of fear... But He has given us power and love and a sound mind. We each have to access the truth of that and what it means for each one of us personally.
Last edited:
Disciples and Sons are two different sets of people. There were many disciples but there were many that turned away from His teaching and Him. Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and follow Me. We don't get to see the end result of who the wheat and tares are. So they grow together. But if you are a sheep, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Until the day of redemption. There are many tares that are good church goers and good rule and law keepers who never do bad things on the surface of life. On the outside they are good moral people. But religion doesn't save people. Jesus does.
I'm so thankful that Jesus saves us and we don't save ourselves by following a set of rules and commandments to keep us saved. I'm so thankful that our righteousness is a GIFT we receive., and by receiving we are changed into new creations and gone from death unto life. (that is a major change of places)
I've had many years of being derailed as a believer. Because of this flesh., we are weak and susceptible to temptation of the enemy. We can be fooled and tricked into thinking God is not good and is schizophrenic and unworthy for us to follow. We start seeing Him as one of those wacky Greek gods up on Mt. Olympus playing games with the minds and hearts of people. satan counts on that.
Christians need to be educated by the truth in the Bible and the Holy Spirit who teaches truth. We are told to abide on the Vine and when we don't we are susceptible to the lies fiery arrows enough so they can destroy our bodies but not our eternal souls.
Hey thanks Sissy!! We are passionate about the truth of the security of the believer. Especially those of us who know how inept we are in this life. We know how far a fall we can take and we know the One who gets us up out of the hole. It is a passion for us to tell others the truth that Jesus saves to the uttermost. When we see how the spirit of confusion can mess us up to such a degree it ruins our life here on earth., we will come to know intimately about the grace and truth Jesus brought us.
Unmerited...unearned...undeserving is what WE ALL are. There is no "well earned" rest or victory for us. It's all in Jesus. So when people talk about losing what we never earned in the first.., place it's difficult to not take the time to set the record straight for those who know how hopeless they are in them selves.
Unmerited...unearned...undeserving is what WE ALL are. There is no "well earned" rest or victory for us. It's all in Jesus. So when people talk about losing what we never earned in the first.., place it's difficult to not take the time to set the record straight for those who know how hopeless they are in them selves.
Of course. Because if a person was saved they were saved by Jesus and not their good intentions or their good works stemming from their good intentions. So if they start doing or saying stupid idiotic things they do it as stupid idiotic sheep. There are many of us around who got rescued by the Good Shepherd and are so thankful we didn't have to lose our lives over our stupidity.
Amen...you know I heard this guy say that God will let one fall to keep them from boasting about self. I kinda think he has a point there.
Anywho...here is a scripture I love.
Rejoice not against me O mine enemy, for when I fall I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord Himself will be my light.
This got me through darkness at one point of life.
Anywho...here is a scripture I love.
Rejoice not against me O mine enemy, for when I fall I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord Himself will be my light.
This got me through darkness at one point of life.
Ok, so "Joe" goes to church and confesses Christ as his savior. For 20 years Joe faithfully walks the walk. Then something happens that causes Joe to say there is no God and Christ is a lie.
Was/is Joe
a) never saved despite his 2 decades of faith
b) still saved because of his previous confession (OSAS)
?
Was/is Joe
a) never saved despite his 2 decades of faith
b) still saved because of his previous confession (OSAS)
?
If Joe is saved it's not because of his 2 decades of faith. Joe is saved because he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior back 20yrs ago and Jesus did what He promised to do. This doesn't have to be difficult. Be like a child and believe without worry. Take that step over the line and believe that Jesus will do what He promises to do no matter what we do., His promises are not based on how faithful we are but how faithful He is. Saved by grace through faith.