rsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Rena L Smith) (04/25/91)
I am a new baby Christian and I would like to asksome questions of some
more experienced Christians.
My fiance and I are both new Christians(although he has known the Lord
before and has now comeback) and we both pray and read the Bible for at
least 2 hours everyday, but sometimes I may do things that are considered
sin according to the Bible. For example someone asked me if I took a class
that they recommeded I didn't want to tell them that I did not take the
class so I lied and said I did. After I realized what I had said I corrected
it and repented for it but I still felt gulity. Do other people experience
the same thing?
Do any of you out there believe in laying hands on people for healing,
prayer, etc.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) (04/29/91)
In article <Apr.24.23.09.20.1991.10887@athos.rutgers.edu> rsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Rena L Smith) writes: > > I am a new baby Christian and I would like to asksome questions of some > more experienced Christians. Hi! Welcome to the family! (Like we know the answers. ;-) ) > My fiance and I are both new Christians(although he has known the Lord > before and has now comeback) and we both pray and read the Bible for at >least 2 hours everyday, but sometimes I may do things that are considered >sin according to the Bible. For example someone asked me if I took a class >that they recommeded I didn't want to tell them that I did not take the >class so I lied and said I did. After I realized what I had said I corrected >it and repented for it but I still felt gulity. Do other people experience >the same thing? Yes! None of us is perfect, (as you will find out.) We believe that Jesus was perfect. If you think we're perfect, when you find out that we're not you will feel betrayed, so be under no illusions. Christians are sinners. But at least we're trying to do something about our sinfulness. Check out Paul's letter to the Romans... Romans 7:14,15 14 We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a mortal man, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do; for I don't do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate. ... you see? Paul finds himself in the same predicament. He does those very things that he knows are wrong. He feels that as a mortal man he is a slave to sin, and only Jesus can make up the difference. (No matter how hard he tries, he cannot save himself, he must be saved through the grace of Jesus Christ.) (The folks who layed out the books in the New Testament knew what they were doing. First the Gospels, then the Acts of the Apostles, then Romans. I'd strongly suggest reading those books in that order.) > Do any of you out there believe in laying hands on people for healing, >prayer, etc. Well, I've never experienced a physical laying on of hands, but I have experienced the power of a laying on of hands, and I definately believe in the power of prayer, (having seen it demonstrated a number of times.) > Thanks in advance for your replies. You're most welcome. I trust you have a congregation. While some may find Christ through individual contemplation, I truly believe that a community of believers is the route for most. Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton
emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) (04/29/91)
> I am a new baby Christian and I would like to asksome questions of some > more experienced Christians. Congratulations Rena, and welcome to the family! > My fiance and I are both new Christians(although he has known the Lord > before and has now comeback) and we both pray and read the Bible for at >least 2 hours everyday, but sometimes I may do things that are considered >sin according to the Bible. For example someone asked me if I took a class >that they recommeded I didn't want to tell them that I did not take the >class so I lied and said I did. After I realized what I had said I corrected >it and repented for it but I still felt gulity. Do other people experience >the same thing? Yes. Everyone one of us. There is only One who is without sin, and that is Jesus Christ: the One through whom all your sins are forgiven. Reading the Bible and praying are the best ways to keep in communion with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. You will find all the answers to questions like these in the Bible. For instance, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9) It's so easy to believe our feelings, even after we have repented from the sin. But the correct thing to do is to *choose* to believe God's promise of your forgiveness. Look at it this way, God WANTS to forgive your sins more than you want to sin. If not, He wouldn't have sent Jesus to pay for your sin on the cross. I like this verse: "For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam in the garden) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:19-20) In other words, the more you sin, the more grace there is for you. Not just because, but because Jesus lived an obedient life for you! So you can have confidence that He is waiting to forgive you when you repent. > Do any of you out there believe in laying hands on people for healing, >prayer, etc. Yes! Once again, welcome to the wonderful family of God! John Emery emery@tc.fluke.COM
bob@morningstar.com (Bob Sutterfield) (05/02/91)
From: rsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Rena L Smith) Date: 25 Apr 91 03:09:22 GMT ...After I realized what I had said I corrected it and repented for it but I still felt gulity. Do other people experience the same thing? Sure, all the time. You're in good company - read Paul's comments in his letter to the Romans, chapters 7 and 8, especially 7:14 through 8:11, particularly 7:24-25: "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." The christian life is one of tensions: the flesh vs the spirit, being vs becoming, saved vs sanctified, already part of the Kingdom but not yet in Heaven. If anyone tells you that they have it all under control, don't believe them. This is not an excuse to get complacent, but it's a good reason not to feel guilty. Do any of you out there believe in laying hands on people for healing, prayer, etc. Yes, but I don't see much of it except in exceptional circumstances. I'm not comfortable with the amount of emphasis the practice receives in some segments of the Church.
2fntnougat@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (05/03/91)
In article <Apr.28.19.30.52.1991.21000@athos.rutgers.edu>, emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) writes: > In other words, the more you sin, the more grace there is for you. Not > just because, but because Jesus lived an obedient life for you! So you > can have confidence that He is waiting to forgive you when you repent. Note that this is *not* a license to sin. "So the, are we to say, "Let's keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace"? Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it? Don't you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Jesus have been immersed into his death? Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life." - Romans 6:1-4 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such 'faith' able to save him?" - James 2:14. (see also James 2:18-20) (Not saying that you are actually advocating this as a license to sin, but just to clarify in case of misunderstanding.) Ian