Honesty Is The Best Policy

I have to be open and up front about my position with christianity. Yes I have been having a great deal of trouble and problems with my faith for 3 years and I have tried my best to resolve my faith issues but the opposite has happend. All I can do is admit to myself, this is over I have taken this as far as it can go. I am not writting this to ask people to join me or warn them I will be a pain in the neck. I wrote this so people wont be confused if I don't bring god or faith into the forums. I think that someone like myself might bring something diffrent to the table and we can all learn, as I have been doing so.
 
I believe in not knowing what I believe.

Do you realize how silly that sounds?

If you have received Jesus, you have received Jesus. If you have not received Jesus, you have not received Jesus. If you have heard God speak to you, you have heard God. If you have not heard God, you have not heard God. A Christian has received and tasted of Jesus (Col 2:6). A Christian hears God voice (John 10:27).

Either you are now returning to the world (2 Pet 2:22) or were never one who received Jesus. Which is it? You need to be dead honest with yourself! As I explain to atheists, there is simply no such thing as an atheist who was ex-Christian.

The devil is smart. He knows how to sway our minds and thoughts. Before we know it we are in a dangerous boat possibly heading for hell.

Hence many encouragements for us to hang in there. The one I remind myself of is, Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 2:4 warns of us losing our first love. The question of course is, was He ever our first love?

Make some quiet time available and get on your knees asap Chris. Challenge yourself properly before God.
 
Do you realize how silly that sounds?

If you have received Jesus, you have received Jesus. If you have not received Jesus, you have not received Jesus. If you have heard God speak to you, you have heard God. If you have not heard God, you have not heard God. A Christian has received and tasted of Jesus (Col 2:6). A Christian hears God voice (John 10:27).

Either you are now returning to the world (2 Pet 2:22) or were never one who received Jesus. Which is it? You need to be dead honest with yourself! As I explain to atheists, there is simply no such thing as an atheist who was ex-Christian.

The devil is smart. He knows how to sway our minds and thoughts. Before we know it we are in a dangerous boat possibly heading for hell.

Hence many encouragements for us to hang in there. The one I remind myself of is, Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 2:4 warns of us losing our first love. The question of course is, was He ever our first love?

Make some quiet time available and get on your knees asap Chris. Challenge yourself properly before God.

What do you want me to say, I have done everything possible to turn the tide of my doubts. In the end there was only one option.
 
" I believe in not knowing what I believe. "

He's a Unitarian. :p The only church whose doctrine is that they have no doctrine.
First rule: follow all rules. Second rule: there are no rules.
 
What do you want me to say, I have done everything possible to turn the tide of my doubts. In the end there was only one option.
What you need to do is meditate long and hard on the story of the young rich man and similar. His situation is so applicable to us because it speaks of how we hold onto the world with one hand and stretch the other out to grab Jesus. If we can't let go of the world and grab Jesus with both hands we don't deserve Him and will not receive Him. It is between YOU and Jesus. You can only be lead to the water. It is up to you to drink.

If you are not attracted to Jesus. You are not attracted to Jesus. If you are attracted to Jesus, you will do everything you can and not give up until you have Him in your grasp. He has done that for us, He expects the same of us.

The Rich Young Man
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18“Which ones?” the man inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,’d and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’e
20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or motherf or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
 
Chris, maybe you should go read how others came to the Lord or even how others went through near-death experiences. Not too long ago there was a teen who had several near-death experiences and made a youtube video where he held up placards describing his life/death situation. At the end of his video he asks"Do you believe in God? " then says "I do". He died shortly after that video.
A book I read some years ago was written by a brilliant christian, C.S.Lewis titled Mere Christianity. He describes the choices he was faced with as an ardent atheist and his journey to the Lord. It might help in the battle in your mind for your soul.
If you feed the darkness, it only becomes darker. If you feed the tiny mustard seed, it will grow and overcome the darkness. Real simple. It's your choice.
 
Chris, maybe you should go read how others came to the Lord or even how others went through near-death experiences. Not too long ago there was a teen who had several near-death experiences and made a youtube video where he held up placards describing his life/death situation. At the end of his video he asks"Do you believe in God? " then says "I do". He died shortly after that video.
A book I read some years ago was written by a brilliant christian, C.S.Lewis titled Mere Christianity. He describes the choices he was faced with as an ardent atheist and his journey to the Lord. It might help in the battle in your mind for your soul.
If you feed the darkness, it only becomes darker. If you feed the tiny mustard seed, it will grow and overcome the darkness. Real simple. It's your choice.

Wonderfully composed, wonderfully indepth. But what if the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness would be.
 
Well, I thought of you last night in my prayers and gathered this..... You have been flaky for a while! You either accept Jesus or you don't. Which is it??? Saying things like you are is childish and dodging the T-junction before you at an extremity.

God sees through all the smoke screens we put up that others can't. Only you and God know your hearts intention.

If God has not revealed Himself to you, He has not revealed Himself for a reason. Think long on that.
 
Chris, just from my gut, I don't think this is you not believing. I think you know deep, deep down what is real, but that you are struggling with things that have made you question your faith. I too have dealt with horrible, dark thoughts. I too have questioned my faith. I have thought I'm going to hell countless times and that this is all a joke because at the end of the day, God wont save me. I've thought, "Yeah, I can keep trying, but deep down he knows I doubt."

I get it. I've been there. I am there. Though, deep, deep down I KNOW he is real. Why? Well, I had a crazy thing happen to me that I could never explain well enough to express the magnitude it had on my faith. Again though, I still struggle with feeling as thought I am saved.

Here's the thing: I might never see heaven, but I do know one thing for sure....God and Jesus are real. I kind of know you do too.

I have faith you will figure this out.
 
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