As I understand salvation, becoming a Christian through faith in the sacrificial work of Christ, such a person is supernaturally "born again", becoming a "new creation", indwelt by the Spirit of God and being led in the law of love-- while continuously being changed more and more into the likeness of Jesus.
Can a true believer, who has repented from his past way of life, really stay the same old nasty person?
2007-03-30 05:40:22 · 8 answers · asked by John 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A Christian should change with salvation, they will have a new spirit within them. That spirit is of love and not bitterness. However some people refuse to give up the old bitter self they put away. There are lots of people who, even though they say they are Christians are living a "carnal" life. They never get rid of the old self and hang on to it like an old dirty rag. That is not God's intention for them. Those people miss out of many blessings because of their stubbornness. Even though they have made a choice to follow Christ, God will not turn them into happy robots. They will live with the choices they make and the consequences of their sin. I know lots of people like that. It is sad and we should pray for them. I think a lot of them write nasty stuff here on y/a. As for their salvation, only God and they know the true condition of their hearts. I can't judge that.
2007-03-30 05:59:01 · answer #1 · answered by Yo C 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question....
Every person is made up of three parts and two natures.
Each human as a body which interacts with the physical realm, and a spirit which interacts with the spiritual realm. Between those two is the soul, which consist of the mind, emotions and will.
The soul receives information from both the body and spirit, processes the information and then acts on it. When the soul works with the body, the Bible calls that nature "the flesh". When the soul works with the spirit, the Bible calls that nature "the heart".
When a person is "born again", their spirit is reborn. Jesus referred to it in John 3 when he said "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit". Neither the soul or the body are "reborn".
As a result, the spirit can now hear God, see in the spiritual, and send new information to the soul. But it is still up to the soul whether it ACTS on that information. The soul can decide to ignore that information and be the same "old nasty person" that it was before.
Doing that is a sin, and the person will face the consequences of remaining in that lifestyle - especially after they know better. But they can do it. (Called freewill).
CS Lewis once asked God a similar question. He wanted to know why the banker who lived by him was kind and generous, but did not believe in Christ, while the groceryman down the road was sour and quick tempered, even though he went to church daily.
God's answer was that the banker was born with a nice deposition. But had never done anything to improve it. He had never grown in his morals or manners. While the groceryman was born with a weak stomach that pained him consently. He had suffered years of abuse from his father because of his ill health, and struggled daily to be as "good" as he was. The groceryman had actual grown greatly in his morals from where he would have been without his faith. It is just that he started further down then the banker.
So when we wonder why others may still be "old and nasty" after they profess to be a Christian, it may be that they were starting so far down, that it is taking them a while to reach "new and nice".
Such people are better served by prayer then criticism. (Not meant as a personal attack against you).
2007-03-30 05:57:17 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That Christian will change again. there are cases that the historic fathers called "dry bones" spiritually. that's a momentary time, and temptation. once you examine and pray extra, you'll change again. Our merciful Lord takes us to Himself at the same time as He sees we are on the perfect we can ever be, because out of love for us, He needs us to be at our ideal when we stand for the judgment of our souls. So if someone continues to be alive in this earth, it potential God is conscious the guy has extra gaining knowledge of and growing to do. That individual will nonetheless be recuperating, or God could have taken him to heaven already. The Holy Spirit is each the position modern and fills all issues. So easily the Holy Spirit continues to be with someone who would not sense as even with the reality that they are replacing. possibly that's that the guy has developed a lot humility that they could't see how they're replacing for the extra valuable. that is a superior ingredient. possibly the guy is being tempted with a dry bones spell, for God to work out how they save the religion without seeing any non secular info of it. you should do what all of us understand to do no count number number what else is occurring. that is like having to upward push up and visit artwork in undesirable climate. we've the responsibility to upward push up and visit artwork no matter if the elements is solid or undesirable. we've the responsibility to wish, to worship, to artwork on overcoming evil interior of ourselves, and exhibiting love and compassion at the same time as quickly as we do not sense like, no matter if we've "non secular rain or sunshine," with the purpose to talk. we could save going no count number number what our non secular state is, and believe that God will education guide us and direct us.
2016-12-03 00:52:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems to me that you would hardly notice the difference in me. but I do and I certainly live differently more of the time and perhaps most of all I notice I want to do better and have conversations spiritually with my spirit and God's spirit 'I call that prayer' in regard to how I live and act . I testify that He does interact with me continuously.and there have been absolute interactions several times........The best part of that is they are just minor miracles that no one else can be aware of., thus no one else can be MADE to believe. In spite of all that I am amazed at how badly I can act,and I am so sorry, I rationalize " if we were perfect we would already be gone from here"
2007-03-30 06:00:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course not! That's the whole point! Unfortunately, the Old Man of sin is something which we all have to battle with mixed success throughout our lives.
2007-03-30 05:47:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are TRULY born again, God will slowly change you to become more like Him. It is not possible to stay the same.
2007-03-30 05:49:41 · answer #6 · answered by Minx 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If they have, then I'm guessing they haven't quite grasped the meaning of being born again. Old habits are hard to break.
2007-03-30 05:46:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think people can change to a certain extent, but at one's core...you just are who you are. In this instance, faith is irrelevant.
2007-03-30 05:44:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋