A friend says Jesus has changed his life. He is "born again"
I asked this guy: Have you stopped doing the stuff that made your life so bad, booze, drugs, etc;?
He said yes. Jesus gave him the strength to that.
My argument is that Jesus did zip.
My friend may as well have believed in a cockroach and it would have the same affect
2006-08-26 12:43:36 · 13 answers · asked by Atheist 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I particularly enjoy when people "try and try to quit drinking (or doing drugs, etc.)" and can't, but when they go into rehab and get help (from trained professionals, not Jesus), they can. Why couldn't Jesus just help the first time?
2006-08-26 12:47:25 · answer #1 · answered by drink_more_powerade 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've witnessed many born again Christians turn their life around after they gave their life to Christ. When the Holy Spirit enters you, He not only gives you strength but you want to change these aspects about you because you now know, with the help of God, it is the right thing to do.
I'm sorry you do not believe your friend. If he is a good friend, maybe you should give his experience a chance and listen to him. You may have your opinion but it wouldn't hurt to listen. I could ask you this: Have you ever known anyone who has changed their life in this way because they believed in someone/something else (i.e. a cockroach) other than Christ? Think about it.
2006-08-26 21:46:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess the difference, in this case, between Jesus and a cockroach is that believing in a cockroach can indeed make your life better. But only Jesus can make a dead person alive. The purpose of Jesus dying and resurrecting was not to make our lives better. It wasn't even to help us sin less. It was to make a way for people who had cut themselves off from their life source to get plugged back in. That does give us power to leave the things behind that tied us up (like the things you list.) But beyond that, it gives eternal life in a world untouched by that stuff. How would you like to think, create, build, sing, dance in perfect unity with your fellow humans in the light of your Creator? A cockroach can't do that. The downside, of course, is that we have to let go of this thing that we think is our life to embrace the real life offered by Christ. If you can call that a downside.
2006-08-26 20:45:11 · answer #3 · answered by marshwiggle 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you become a Christian you begin to see things in a different manner. God helps you to change the things that you could not change yourself. It's not just stopping what you are doing but looking at it from a different angle and realizing that God loves you despite what others think. And believing in a cockroach would not have the same effect.
2006-08-26 19:54:45 · answer #4 · answered by MJ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some people get the strength that they need right away to quit different weaknessess.
For the majority of us, its a life long process. My weaknessess still exist, I still feel the pull toward some of them and some of them I feel no pull towards at all anymore.
I get my strength to resist from God. I submit to his will and pray for the strength to quell my own self will. What my flesh desires is not what God desires from me, so it will be continuing battle for me and yes, also for your friend.
Your friend knows , as I do, that staying away from the things that tempt us to give into desires of the flesh is still highly important. You do not send an alcoholic into a bar to give a testimony any more than you send a recovering drug addict into a crack house. You do not send a recovering food addict into a buffet, etc.
2006-08-26 20:21:33 · answer #5 · answered by cindy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why do non-believers have to argue with everyone? Is there anything you'll believe in besides yourself? And to answer your question, yes. When I started living for the Lord, He ( not I ) took the bad desires away. If you don't believe He can change people with drug and alcohol problems, go talk to someone at Teen Challenge.
2006-08-26 19:51:52 · answer #6 · answered by Papa John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You my friend are wrong.........Jesus did give your friend strength to quit the booze and drugs......Jesus saved your friends life and Im very happy for him because I have come to know the saving grace of Jesus and can tell you its like nothing you will ever experience in your life. Its a wonderful fulfilling thing and I wouldnt trade my Jesus for anything in the world.
There are things we as humans cant over come by ourselves.......at one time noone could save me and I couldnt save myself, but Jesus reached in and saved me ......noone else could of done that for me......He loved me and loves me so much He died on the cross for me and all He asks in return is that I love Him and and accept His gift and make him Lord of my life. I happy to say I have indeed made him Lord of my life.
When a person is saved and reborn ....yes they turn away from the life they once lived and do their very best to live a life pleasing to Jesus. Noone is perfect and yes we continue to make mistakes, but that doesnt mean we dont strive to live our lives as Jesus wants for us to live them and having Him by our side makes it a whole lot easier. He helps us over come the temptations that are out there......I dont know what I would do without Jesus.
Jesus Loves YOU and wants you to have a personal relationship with Him just as your friend does.
All things are possible Through Jesus, but nothing is possible without Him.
2006-08-26 20:25:22 · answer #7 · answered by wendyceline2001 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe what you want, but I would guess one day that when you find yourself in a world of trouble, it won't be the cockroach under the fridge you ask for help.
2006-08-26 20:01:22 · answer #8 · answered by Christina D 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If a believer wants to break a bondage to something, or stop doing something he used to do, if there is no human strength to overcome it Christ does give the power to succeed. A fact. Whether you believe it or not really doesn't make any difference.
2006-08-26 19:54:24 · answer #9 · answered by novalee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, a cockroach doesn't have any power to help. Your friend went to the right source.
2006-08-26 20:51:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋