Let Jesus into your heart? Hand your will over to Jesus? Why? Why are Christians so affraid of themselves? Do you really believe people can't control their urges to sin if it were not for religion? So many questions... I know. It just seems trivial that the free will to think for yourself has to be given up to be considered good in God's eyes.
2007-11-01 09:51:52 · 6 answers · asked by BIRDY85 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I will try to dissect a few things here.
First, Christians are afraid of themselves because they are afraid of the consequences of their actions. The most dire of which is hell. Or, that god might be angry and unload vengeance upon them (as their bible so often states).
Second, sin is only sin when a particular structure or tradition states that it is sin. If one controls their "urges" they are simply controlling an action that will lead to an outcome. Some actions are good and others are bad. Both lead in very different directions.
Third, I agree that your ability to think for yourself is given up when one becomes a Christian. Much of what one can think is confined to a Christian "box". To move outside this box is a liability, not a benefit. Thank goodness there have been those throughout history who have thought outside the box and abandoned closed Christian thinking.
2007-11-01 10:03:15 · answer #1 · answered by fierce beard 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What DID Jesus do?
The second a person believes in Jesus, his selfish nature is out the window, and Jesus comes in.
I'm not saying that the person will be completely free of sin from that point on.
It's the opposite.. the person will struggle more than ever as he tries to follow God.
But Jesus did it all before us, and we can do it too as long as Jesus leads us. Not us leading ourselves.
2007-11-01 17:09:45 · answer #2 · answered by Andy L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no one on this planet that hasn't sinned... And I'm not talking about the original sin perpetrated by Adam and Eve, I'm talking about Men and Women sinning for themselves. All fall short of the glory of God. It's a consequence of our fallen, mortal state.
In order to be redeemed from this state we needed a Savior.
2007-11-01 16:58:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are afraid to assume control.
2007-11-01 16:56:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is only "The WILL", What you call free-will is the choice to "know" The WILL or not!
2007-11-01 16:59:43 · answer #5 · answered by Premaholic 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We still have free will to disobey God whenever we want.
But you ARE RIGHT , when you say that about giving up everything!
In order for a person to be everything that God wants him/her to be-we DO have to totally surrender EVERYTHING that we are-body, soul, & mind, to the ONLY one who IS worthy of everything that we are-Christ Jesus. He demands NOTHING less!
I think that this is why people have so much trouble in wanting to believe in God. It's that they are NOT willing to surrender EVERYTHING that they are to someone who they think is controling them.
But God ISN'T controlling us-He is SHAPING us to be everything that HE-NOT ourselves-were MEANT to be!
We still have free will to disobey God anytime that we want. But when we SURRENDER our lives to GOD's control-We, (who DO know Jesus), have discovered that our lives have so much more meaning, including what are known as the FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, as we read in:
Galatians 5:21-23 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Man is only capable of only cheap imitations of these "fruits". When GOD is in control of our lives, these gifts become more real to us than any kind of man made imitations!
Jesus Himself said in:
John 10:10 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
It all about having a reason to live, a purpose to live, a reason for why we are here-to worship Him, to lead others to a saving knowledge of Him, & to rejoice in all that is promised to us-an eternity in the presence of the Creator of the entire universe, the one who loves us more , that ANYONE else could ever possibly love us!
Here is what God has done in my life-things that I could NEVER do by myself! This is why I choose Christ:
I was raised A "HARDCORE" Catholic for the first 18 years of my life. But I grew very tired of the same old routine, every Sunday. It wasn't until, a member of my church choir gave me a book called "666", by Salem Kirban, that my life would change forever! In the back of that book was the Salvation Invitation. After reading the book, (& being totally freaked-out by it!), I signed my name after the prayer, & became a Believer. That was 1973!
All through college, I was actively involved in both Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, & Campus Crusade for Christ. I really made some very close friends during those years!
It wasn't until after I had graduated from college, (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Class of December '79), that things really went "south" for me!
After my one & only job in my major, (Bachelor of Fine Arts-Technical Theatre), bombed, I started working at another place. I met a girl there, who when I told her that I was still a virgin-well, that was all she needed! She lead me around like the proverbial "bull-with-a-ring-through-it's-nose". (Remember, I had been a HARDCORE Catholic for my first 18 years, & was taught those 18 years-that if I even LOOKED at a woman, I was going to Hell, & then I was a Believer for over, at that time, 4 years-so still no sex). She kept promising me sex, but as I was to discover, she never had any intention of fufilling that "promise". When she dumped me, to say I was devastated, would be an understatement!
Looking back on all this, I think the reason I fell away from my Lord for so long, was because, I didn't have the close Christian fellowship, that I had had at college!
I fell away from the Lord hard after that! Over 20+years, to be exact!
I was extremely racist, I had a hatred for woman, that was, (to say the least), unflattering, I had a mouth that would make most gangsta' rappers cringe, & most of all-I had a hatred for God, that lead to my practically cursing Him 24/7! Not a pretty picture, is it?
Oh yes-I also tried to kill myself over 2 dozen time, as well! Everything from Pills, to knives, to carbon Monoxide, even to dousing myself with gasoline & being within millimeters of striking the match!
My job situation wasn't any better! I went from one job to the next, never setting down roots anywhere for very long!
Well, I had a job, (this was after I moved to Madison), that I thought was ideal! Everybody was very happy with the work that I was doing, & I felt, for the first time in my life-satisfied with my life. Well, I was unjustly accused of something at this job, & that was the straw that broke the proverbial "camels" back! I ended up swallowing 30 sleeping pills, & ended up in the emergency room of one of the hospitals here! And what did I get out of it-a $1400 hospital bill, that it took FOREVER to pay off!
Looking back on this, I DO realize that it was indeed the Lord, telling me to get my rear-end over to the hospital, although I didn't realize it at the time.
Well, after a long string of temp jobs, I was ready to try suicide again, & this time, I was determined to get it right! I had hit rock bottom. No money, no job, nothing! In my apartment building, I had discovered the internet, because they have a small computer lab here. I now know that it WAS indeed the Lords leading here as well, when I came across a Christian website called Theology Online. Eventually, after trying to disprove Christianity, unsuccessfully I might add, I finally mustered enough courage to ask the people there to pray for me, which they did, because I was really depressed! As I said earlier, it was the Lord that lead me to TOL as well! What surprised me was I even interested in a Christian website, when I hated God so much! Well, HE didn't hate me!
Finally, I was ready to get the whole suicide thing right one & for all! I told the Lord that I would give Him one more chance to help me, if He even cared!
Well, the Lord again, (Although again, I didn't realize it at the time-sound familiar?), lead me to look in the Yellow pages for a church that had, of all things, a Satuday night service, which I thought was little bit strange. That church was Evangel Life Center-the same church that I am still attending, almost 3 years later! I went there, & sat in the back of the sanctuary. I wasn't there more than 10-15 minutes, when 3 wonderful women came over to talk to me. I told them why I was there, & what I was planning to do. They both prayed for & with me, & like the proverbial "prodigal son, THIS prodigal son finally came back to the the Family of God! That date was 1/11/03-a date that I will never forget!
Since that time I have had both ups & downs, like we all have. The "ups" side was fantastic! I had gained an absolutely fearlessness in witnessing-eventually, which lead to my witnessing not just to one person, but to groups of people, both at work & at my apartment building as well! What was really cool, was that I just knew exactly what to say! I KNOW that that was the Lord working through me, because I was so totally surrendered to the Lord, it was the greatest experience in my life, that 2 of the people that I had a chance to witness to actually received the Lord as Lord & Savior ON THE SAME DAY! *WOW*
But I also have had some major "down" times as well! I did backslide for 6-7 months, I turned my back on God's calling to become a minister,were the top ones!
Yet even through that, I will NOT fall away from my Lord again! I have no intention of living that kind of life!
That's what it's all about, my beloved Brothers & Sister in Christ-humbling ourselves to an Almighty God-admitting to Him that we cannot do ANYTHING without His help! I'm have as much as possible faith that the Lord WILL provide for my needs, as He has done so in the past! He HAS never let me down, even when I WAS unfaithful to Him!
It is my one & only desire, (outside of my wanting to be more like my Savior), to be, above all-an encouragement to everyone here! The Bible says, "Delight thyself in the Lord, & He will give thee the desires of thy heart". (Psalm 37:4) That is my one & only desire-to serve Him & be an encouragement to all of you!
God Bless!
2007-11-01 17:14:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋