Why Are You A Christian?

[Lifelong_sinner]

How much do you trust Jesus whom you see as your judge, rather than your savior? How much do you trust a god whom you think planned to torture you since the beginning of time?

oh i trust Jesus very much. There was never a lack of trust, He will judge everyone; i trust very much that He’ll be sending me to hell for how i lived this life. I cant think of a scarier situation than me standing in front of Him, trying to explain why i did what i did. I picture He will be very angry with me, and i assume His angels wont be too kind when throwing me over into hell.

 

[Lambano]

oh i trust Jesus very much. There was never a lack of trust, He will judge everyone; i trust very much that He’ll be sending me to hell for how i lived this life. I cant think of a scarier situation than me standing in front of Him, trying to explain why i did what i did. I picture He will be very angry with me, and i assume His angels wont be too kind when throwing me over into hell.

But you won’t trust Him to save you?

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

I saw both a yes and a no there. Could you clarify?

Any following of Jesus would be done because of a threat. Doesnt matter the reason, the end result would be the same, i do what He says out of fear of hell.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

But you won’t trust Him to save you?

i havent given Him reason to save me. You cant live a life of decadence and expect salvation just because you want Him to. Thats now how this thing works.

 

[Lambano]

Any following of Jesus would be done because of a threat. Doesnt matter the reason, the end result would be the same, i do what He says out of fear of hell.

Would you follow Jesus out of fear of non-existence was the question.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

Heres an example, when we think of billy graham, is there any christian who would have said, well he went to hell. No! We all know he made it to Heaven. How do we know? By how he lived.
I definitely cant say that for me.

 

[Lambano]

i havent given Him reason to save me. You cant live a life of decadence and expect salvation just because you want Him to. Thats now how this thing works.

What if His reason for saving you was His own grace, mercy, and love?

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

Would you follow Jesus out of fear of non-existence was the question.

i dont think so. If i was non existent, i wouldnt know, nor would i be burning in hell or tortured by demons.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

What if His reason for saving you was His own grace, mercy, and love?

i wouldnt understand that. If i were Jesus, i wouldnt save me. Having someone like me walking around in Heaven?? I cant picture that.

 

[Lambano]

i wouldnt understand that. If i were Jesus, i wouldnt save me. Having someone like me walking around in Heaven?? I cant picture that.

Thank God you’re not Jesus! Can I get an “amen” from the congregation?

 

[Lambano]

I suppose you want to earn your salvation. The doctrine says you can’t.

 

[Lambano]

I suppose you want to earn your salvation. The doctrine says you can’t.

It says, “By grace you are saved, through faith.”

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

I suppose you want to earn your salvation. The doctrine says you can’t.

i know i cant earn it, but i also know i cant change. If He wanted me to change, He would have answered my prayers years ago. Majority of mankind will end up in hell, im just another number of those going there.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

It says, “By grace you are saved, through faith.”

apparently then, i dont have enough faith.

 

[Lambano]

apparently then, i dont have enough faith.

I don’t see that you have any choice but to trust Him. (Nor does anyone else on this board, including me.) You know you can’t earn it. If He saves you so that He might heal you, it is so we may glorify His power; if He saves you without healing you, it is so we may glorify Him for His grace. I have reason to believe He is gracious, merciful, and loving. The Bible tells me so.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

I don’t see that you have any choice but to trust Him. (Nor does anyone else on this board, including me.) You know you can’t earn it. If He saves you so that He might heal you, it is so we may glorify His power; if He saves you without healing you, it is so we may glorify Him for His grace. I have reason to believe He is gracious, merciful, and loving. The Bible tells me so.

i believe Jesus dying on the cross for us was gracious, merciful, and loving. His atonement provided the possibility of salvation, but His role of Saviour was finished when He arose from the dead. Now His role is as judge of us.

 

[Lambano]

i believe Jesus dying on the cross for us was gracious, merciful, and loving.

Keep going, you’re heading in the right direction. You said “us”. That means you. He died for you “while we were yet sinners”. That demonstrates God’s love for you. And us. I’m asking you to trust that love.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

Keep going, you’re heading in the right direction. You said “us”. That means you. He died for you “while we were yet sinners”. That demonstrates God’s love for you. And us. I’m asking you to trust that love.

well, technically His death was only for the elect, otherwise if He had actually died for everyone, then no one would goto hell.
I agree that Him dying while we were still sinners showed His love for His elect. But if a person doesnt change after believing, then the Holy Spirit didnt take the wheel so to speak. Just because one asks Jesus to save them doesnt mean He actually did.

 

[Pearl]

I was once a sinner. But now I am not a sinner. I am glad that God has forgiven my sin and has made me a saint through the blood of Jesus. Christians are not life-long sinners. And I hope you who call yourself by that name will one day be able to believe that your sins are forgiven through the work of the cross.

 

[Lambano]

Just because one asks Jesus to save them doesnt mean He actually did.

Well, you’re just going to have to trust Him to save you. Whether He decides to clean up your life or glorify Himself by showing us His grace, mercy, and love for you, that’s His sovereign decision, and you don’t get a say in the matter. Your job is to trust Him.