Rejection of Sin

[B Strong]

In my pov, the lesson of the Bible and the life of Jesus and his teachings isn't so much what is sin and who is a sinnin' and we've got to blah, blah, fill in the blank. But demonstrating through your acts as a individual that you have taken the teachings of God to heart - how do you treat people? are you honest and trustworthy? Will you think of others and treat them and conduct yourself with dignity and respect? will you show love to your family and help them in any way possible? Will you sacrifice material comforts to help your own family or others that you know are in need?

If the only thing someone thinks about in relation to faith is who's sinning and what sin are they guilty of, I've never seen any utility in that. I'm moved by my faith to try and live the most honest, decent life I can and make sure the people that I love know it and they know they can depend on me to be there for them in their lives. If along the way by my behavior I can positively influence someone to make positive changes in their life and bring them into faith at whatever level, I'm doing the right thing for myself, my family and society at large.

ymmv.

[Not a Cook]

In my pov, the lesson of the Bible and the life of Jesus and his teachings isn't so much what is sin and who is a sinnin' and we've got to blah, blah, fill in the blank. But demonstrating through your acts as a individual that you have taken the teachings of God to heart - how do you treat people? are you honest and trustworthy? Will you think of others and treat them and conduct yourself with dignity and respect? will you show love to your family and help them in any way possible? Will you sacrifice material comforts to help your own family or others that you know are in need?

If the only thing someone thinks about in relation to faith is who's sinning and what sin are they guilty of, I've never seen any utility in that. I'm moved by my faith to try and live the most honest, decent life I can and make sure the people that I love know it and they know they can depend on me to be there for them in their lives. If along the way by my behavior I can positively influence someone to make positive changes in their life and bring them into faith at whatever level, I'm doing the right thing for myself, my family and society at large.

ymmv.

The lesson of the Bible is one whereby:
- we are taught who the true God (YHVH) is;
- we are taught how God is;
- we are shown that we are sinners in need of salvation;
- we are given the good news that God loves us in spite of the fact that we are sinner and that He has given His beloved Son as the propitiation for our sins;
- we are called to repent of our sins and follow Christ;
- and we are promised that we will get to enjoy fellowship with the living God for all eternity in a real place called the New Jerusalem if we heed His call to follow Him.

Yes, Christ told us that the greatest commandment of all is to love the one true God (YHVH), and the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves. But He was concerned for our eternal destinies. He and most of the apostles laid down their lives (literally) to spread the message of the gospel - not to improve the world, but to save souls.

Christ regularly warned people to flee from the wrath to come. He didn't mince words. He warned people to flee destruction, called them to repent of their sins, and to come follow Him. He didn't come so that we could just live better lives; He came to make propitiation for our sins and save us. He didn't treat sin lightly. He wasn't afraid to warn people of literal destruction.

The message of the Bible isn't to "live a better life", or to "do better". The message of the Bible is that we deserve destruction, yet God loves us and has graciously sacrificed His beloved Son to save us, and He wants us to follow Christ and receive the salvation He is graciously offering. He doesn't call us to "improve ourselves"; rather, He instructs us to die to ourselves, and lay down our lives for His sake. To lose our lives for Christ's sake.

[Not a Cook]

Rant to follow:

I never got how suicide is awful (sin) and damns a person to hell but Jesus committed assisted suicide and that's totally fine, actually ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the father. He knew he was being betrayed and was going to be killed but no, that's not suicide because it was done for the people of the world to forgive us for our sins. That's one crazy story, how does that makes sense? Furthermore, how can you believe one half of the bible completely and disregard the first half? Jesus was Jewish, even he knew the first half and must have believed it...

Hmm... so you're conflating two different things. Suicide is murdering yourself. Sacrificing yourself to save someone else is another thing - but it is definitely not suicide. When a person jumps in front of a moving vehicle to push someone else out of the way and ends up getting run over and killed, that's self-sacrifice, that's NOT suicide. When a soldier throws himself on a grenade to save his buddies, that's self-sacrifice, NOT suicide. If you have trouble telling the difference, take this test: what's the motivation? Suicide is motivated by selfishness. Self-sacrifice is motivated by selflessness. Suicide = selfish. Self-sacrifice = selfless. All the difference in the world. Christ selflessly gave Himself as a sacrifice, NOT a suicide.

RE: Christ being Jewish - of course! He was Jewish, He knew the Old Testament, and He believed the Old Testament. He even taught the Old Testament. He never contradicted it. Rather, he FULFILLED it. The Old Testament prophecies promised a messiah who would come and save the faithful from both Israel and the gentile nations. Christ is that messiah. In fact, the term "Christ" is a greek title, that is the equivalent of the Hebrew term "messiah". That said... I don't follow what you're trying to say. Are you under the impression that Christians don't believe the Old Testament? If so, you're mistaken. I study the Old Testament, along with the New Testament. I study all 66 books of the Bible. It's all the Word of God. Christians are called to study the whole Word of God - all 66 books. I don't "disregard half".

[mif_slim]

OP should also understand that hardening Pharaohs heart doesn't mean "control". He(Pharaoh) could of let go of his ego and it would have been done with no killings and death. Kind of like, the 10 day waiting period...gives you 10 days to rethink about why your purchasing a gun, and for a angry person, 10 days to cool off. Haha.

The mass "murder" you read about in the OT all happened because they (the ones being killed) choose not to turn from immorality.

Think of it like this, the start of Exodus states that a new Pharaoh who forgot about the Israelite made them slaves, killed all the baby boy (or tried to with maids) then ultimately went out and killed all the first born sons (resulting in Moses in the basket). Then you get the Amorites, Cananites, etc in the Promised Land (Book of Joshua) that heard of the Israelite and their God, yet they still practiced their traditions (offering human sacrifice) which is an abomination in God's eyes.

During the Exodus, all the known world heard of the Israelite. Those who accepted them were saved (Rahab) who is a great great great mother of Jesus Christ (Mathews 1:5) so, you see that God is merciful. Using a prostitute and having her be part of the lineage of Christ Jesus.

You also have to look at Ruth, same type of story, she turned from her traditional ways and took part in the Israel God. You also see her name in the lineage of Christ Jesus (mat. 1:5)

You see, when we read the bible today, we think the events happen a few hours apart or even minutes if you read fast, but when you put it in real timeline, it took decade's. Enough time for unbelievers of that time to rethink their position and start learning about the Israel God, but they chose not to. It would of taken 40 years for people in the known world to know God, and another 30 years (Joshua conquest) for them to rethink... yet they didnt, so it happen as written.

All this is, is ego. Man not letting their sinful ways go and turning to God. The result is punishment.

[Watchur6]

In regards to hardening the heart, understand that God alone did not harden Pharoahs heart until the end, pharaoh spent a life time hardening his own heart and God reinforced it. As some of you have hardened your hearts and unfortunately some have been hardened too far that the Word of God means nothing. "You cannot serve two master, you will love one and hate the other..."
The more you reject God and purposefully go against His Word the more you will harden and the less likely you will be saved.
At least that is the way I understand. If I am wrong I'm sure someone else will chime in and correct me. I hope this helps in some way or another.

[FX-05 Xiuhcoatl]

Looks like God is hardening your heart in this subject.

[mif_slim]

In regards to hardening the heart, understand that God alone did not harden Pharoahs heart until the end, pharaoh spent a life time hardening his own heart and God reinforced it. As some of you have hardened your hearts and unfortunately some have been hardened too far that the Word of God means nothing. "You cannot serve two master, you will love one and hate the other..."
The more you reject God and purposefully go against His Word the more you will harden and the less likely you will be saved.
At least that is the way I understand. If I am wrong I'm sure someone else will chime in and correct me. I hope this helps in some way or another.

It depends. Saul rejected the Gospel until Jesus showed Himself to him. The good thing about God is that theres not only one way to salvation....Just like healing the blind men in the Gospel, two with a touch (Matthew 9:27-31), one with spit (Mark 8:22-25), one with word (Mark 10:45-47) and one with mud (John 9). All could have been done the same, but Jesus chose to do it differently.

[Not a Cook]

It depends. Saul rejected the Gospel until Jesus showed Himself to him. The good thing about God is that theres not only one way to salvation....Just like healing the blind men in the Gospel, two with a touch (Matthew 9:27-31), one with spit (Mark 8:22-25), one with word (Mark 10:45-47) and one with mud (John 9). All could have been done the same, but Jesus chose to do it differently.

Thank you (and the other posters) for jumping in. Just want to clarify one thing so that no one reading your post misunderstands what you meant. Christ is the only Way to God, there is no other. However, as you eloquently alluded to, He chooses to use different circumstances to reach each one of us, but we are saved only through Him.

John 14:6 -

Acts 4:12 - "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

[Bill Carson]

Thank you (and the other posters) for jumping in. Just want to clarify one thing so that no one reading your post misunderstands what you meant. Christ is the only Way to God, there is no other. However, as you eloquently alluded to, He chooses to use different circumstances to reach each one of us, but we are saved only through Him.

John 14:6 -

Acts 4:12 - "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

This

[mif_slim]

Yes. Thanks for that.. should clarify myself on that part.

[colossians323]

tagged for when I have a little time

[Bill Carson]

I think the title of this thread should be rejection of God not rejection of sin.

[Not a Cook]

I think the title of this thread should be rejection of God not rejection of sin.

Yes; that would seem more appropriate.

[Fate]

I know one thing for sure. One day bigmike82 will stand before God for judgement ...

You don't know that for sure. It is impossible to prove it without relying on the words written in the Bible or "feelings."

Yeah, you have faith. Faith that those words were written by a messenger of God and not some science fiction author.

But faith is not automatically fact.

[Barang]

Ezekiel 33: 11Joel 2: 13 ... for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, and He will certainly feel regret on account of the calamity.

Revelation 3: 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears My Voice and opens the door, I will come into his [ house ] and take the evening meal with him and he with Me.

For those who are searching and still on the fence. God is pleading in your heart, please listen to Him. He doesn't want you to get separated from Him eternally and be in eternal punishment.

If people continue to reject Him after all the warnings, messages through
mediums, people from old 'till present, etc. Then they are in danger of God giving them up for their wickedness and He will send them strong delusion and that is without remedy.

Consider your final destiny. Choose wisely.