? A Question For All Former Christians Who Fell Away ?

[YahDough]

This is a question addressed only to former Christians who have left the faith.

Why did you become a Christian?
[/b]

[help3434]

I believed in Christ because I thought that I felt the Spirit telling me that He was my Savior and that He loves me. Now I realize that those with mutually exclusive religious have the same sort of feelings. Thus, it seems for more likely that such feelings are a quirk of human psychology rather than a divine testament of truth.

[Goat]

[Replying to post 28 by Goat]

The Romans were the secular rulers. The Jewish leaders were not allowed to administer their own capital punishment. They had to get the Romans to do it for them.

Care to back that up with references? Can you show primary sources that show that to be the case, or is it just Christian references?

[YahDough]

I believed in Christ because I thought that I felt the Spirit telling me that He was my Savior and that He loves me.

You thought? You never knew? Did you repent and get get baptized into Christ as a believer?

[help3434]

[Replying to post 32 by Goat]

You mean primary sources that show that the Jews in did not have the authority to execute someone on their own? Hmm. I'll look into it.

[help3434]

[Replying to post 33 by YahDough]

Well, I thought I knew. How do you know that you know? I was baptized at age 8.

[YahDough]

[Replying to post 33 by YahDough]

Well, I thought I knew. How do you know that you know? I was baptized at age 8.

I've been telling people to do just as Peter told the new converts.

Acts:2:38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jump in the tub and do it yourself if you want. That's what I did. The Spirit and the water will bear witness to your testimony.

1Jn:5:8: And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

[Goat]

[Replying to post 32 by Goat]

You mean primary sources that show that the Jews in did not have the authority to execute someone on their own? Hmm. I'll look into it.

According to Here, there is no evidence that the Sanhedrin did not have the authority to execute people.

[we-live-now]

This is a question addressed only to former Christians who have left the faith.

Why did you become a Christian?

Hi,

I am new here, so go easy on me. Let me tell you first that I am a believer and believe the bible to be 100% true in the original languages of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. We often lose things in translation and sometimes the translators themselves insert their own biases.

I was very intrigued by this forum question and wanted to write a post even though it is a few weeks old already. I find much of the bible to be fairly easy to understand (yet impossible to believe w/o God) so allow me to mention a few points:

1) Everyone who was born as a human is called "natural" until they believe and become a Christian (Christ follower or "little Christ"). All of us were natural at one time even if we believe now. Once we believe, we become a new spiritual being just placed inside our natural body to finish our existence here until the body dies. However, when we are in our natural state, we can not accept nor understand the things of God. See 1 Cor 2:14

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."

It is for this reason that all of us at one time (myself included) thought the things of God were complete foolishness. We don't have the capability of ourselves to understand them. God has to "turn on the lights" so we can "see" as Jesus said. Until that happens we are a blind person trying to see.

2) Only those that Father God chooses to be saved in this life will believe and be saved. These are called the elect or "firstborn" who will reign with Christ during the next life of the millennial age. Jesus tells his disciples, who were part of the elect, that they were given the secrets of the kingdom directly but the rest in the crowds heard parables. That way only the elect in the crowd would understand along with the disciples. See Matt 13:11 where Jesus is talking to his disciples privately - "Jesus answered them, 'To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.'"

The rest (them) remained "blind" as Jesus said. Also, the ones who were to become believers in this life (the elect) were chosen before the world was even created.

See Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love"

And Romans 8:29: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;"

And Eph 1:11 "also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,"

Those who will believe in this life are called the elect and they were chosen before the world was even created. God has a special purpose for them.

3) Until the father gives the elect (or anyone) a gift of faith they can not believe. See John 6:44:

" No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."

Also, see John 6:65 "And He was saying, 'For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.'"

So, all of us are born with natural minds that think the things of God are complete foolishness. I agree and remember those days myself. This will not change in this life unless we are one of the elect that will at one point believe when God enables our faith. (Don't worry, I am not a Calvinist who believes a loving God would create people just to send them to Hell!) For those that don't believe in this life, an amazing thing will happen that most of Christianity has completely missed at the end of time. It's amazingly good but I don't want to get off topic.

Scripture is pretty clear that we can't believe unless it is God's will for us to believe. It will happen if it's meant to and once it does the person is a TOTALLY NEW person Spirit and SOUL but still confined to the same fallen/natural body. This is a SPIRITUAL change that the person themselves DOES NOTHING to make it happen other than accept the amazingly irresistible gift of faith. When they accept it (and they will accept it), they are BRAND NEW and they can't change it. They can't run away if they tried because they have literally been moved/translated to a different realm - The (Spiritual) realm of Christ. They are actually really in heaven as soon as they believe but will continue (in this life) using their natural bodies to still interact with the physical realm. It's AMAZING! All sin is completely unattached from their soul and spirit (their REAL person) but confined/quarantined to their body only to die with their fallen body. This is how God separates us from our sin "as far as the east is from the west". That's how far apart the Spiritual realm of Christ is from the natural realm of the Earth.

So, it literally is impossible for them to become "unsaved" or to "fall away". They can NOT undo the amazing SPIRITUAL change that GOD has done inside them moving them to a completely different realm. God is literally inside the Christian and they are a new person/creation that is actually Christ himself. They have a completely NEW software program (Spirit) that wants to do what pleases the father. Jesus tells us over and over that "no one can snatch anyone out of my hand or the fathers hand (who is even greater than Jesus)". Man can NOT undo a thing that God did. That is the BIG LIE (of losing salvation or falling away) that is placed in their mind to scare them. This is so they don't see the truth of what happened when they believe and who they actually are now! If they don't believe or know the TRUTH they will not experience it! This is a very clever trick of the enemy. Most of mainstream Christianity is blinded mostly to this truth (of new birth) and they are often ministering death and condemnation to their members when they don't understand what occurred at new birth. It is terrible and it's no wonder unbelievers turn away from the Church! I was actually KICKED out of my mainstream non-denomination church because I believed what the Bible says about these things! Crazy, huh?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

we-live-now

[help3434]

So, it literally is impossible for them to become "unsaved" or to "fall away". They can NOT undo the amazing SPIRITUAL change that GOD has done inside them moving them to a completely different realm. God is literally inside the Christian and they are a new person/creation that is actually Christ himself. They have a completely NEW software program (Spirit) that wants to do what pleases the father. Jesus tells us over and over that "no one can snatch anyone out of my hand or the fathers hand (who is even greater than Jesus)". Man can NOT undo a thing that God did. That is the BIG LIE (of losing salvation or falling away) that is placed in their mind to scare them. This is so they don't see the truth of what happened when they believe and who they actually are now! If they don't believe or know the TRUTH they will not experience it! This is a very clever trick of the enemy. Most of mainstream Christianity is blinded mostly to this truth (of new birth) and they are often ministering death and condemnation to their members when they don't understand what occurred at new birth. It is terrible and it's no wonder unbelievers turn away from the Church! I was actually KICKED out of my mainstream non-denomination church because I believed what the Bible says about these things! Crazy, huh?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

we-live-now

That is not true according to Hebrews. In Hebrews 6:4-6 is says:It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word and the powers of the coming age,,if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."

According to this scripture it is forgiveness after falling away that is impossible, not falling away itself.

[YahDough]

This is a question addressed only to former Christians who have left the faith.

Why did you become a Christian?

Hi,

I am new here, so go easy on me. Let me tell you first that I am a believer and believe the bible to be 100% true in the original languages of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. We often lose things in translation and sometimes the translators themselves insert their own biases.

I was very intrigued by this forum question and wanted to write a post even though it is a few weeks old already. I find much of the bible to be fairly easy to understand (yet impossible to believe w/o God) so allow me to mention a few points:

1) Everyone who was born as a human is called "natural" until they believe and become a Christian (Christ follower or "little Christ"). All of us were natural at one time even if we believe now. Once we believe, we become a new spiritual being just placed inside our natural body to finish our existence here until the body dies. However, when we are in our natural state, we can not accept nor understand the things of God. See 1 Cor 2:14

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."

It is for this reason that all of us at one time (myself included) thought the things of God were complete foolishness. We don't have the capability of ourselves to understand them. God has to "turn on the lights" so we can "see" as Jesus said. Until that happens we are a blind person trying to see.

2) Only those that Father God chooses to be saved in this life will believe and be saved. These are called the elect or "firstborn" who will reign with Christ during the next life of the millennial age. Jesus tells his disciples, who were part of the elect, that they were given the secrets of the kingdom directly but the rest in the crowds heard parables. That way only the elect in the crowd would understand along with the disciples. See Matt 13:11 where Jesus is talking to his disciples privately - "Jesus answered them, 'To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.'"

The rest (them) remained "blind" as Jesus said. Also, the ones who were to become believers in this life (the elect) were chosen before the world was even created.

See Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love"

And Romans 8:29: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;"

And Eph 1:11 "also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,"

Those who will believe in this life are called the elect and they were chosen before the world was even created. God has a special purpose for them.

3) Until the father gives the elect (or anyone) a gift of faith they can not believe. See John 6:44:

" No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."

Also, see John 6:65 "And He was saying, 'For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.'"

So, all of us are born with natural minds that think the things of God are complete foolishness. I agree and remember those days myself. This will not change in this life unless we are one of the elect that will at one point believe when God enables our faith. (Don't worry, I am not a Calvinist who believes a loving God would create people just to send them to Hell!) For those that don't believe in this life, an amazing thing will happen that most of Christianity has completely missed at the end of time. It's amazingly good but I don't want to get off topic.

Scripture is pretty clear that we can't believe unless it is God's will for us to believe. It will happen if it's meant to and once it does the person is a TOTALLY NEW person Spirit and SOUL but still confined to the same fallen/natural body. This is a SPIRITUAL change that the person themselves DOES NOTHING to make it happen other than accept the amazingly irresistible gift of faith. When they accept it (and they will accept it), they are BRAND NEW and they can't change it. They can't run away if they tried because they have literally been moved/translated to a different realm - The (Spiritual) realm of Christ. They are actually really in heaven as soon as they believe but will continue (in this life) using their natural bodies to still interact with the physical realm. It's AMAZING! All sin is completely unattached from their soul and spirit (their REAL person) but confined/quarantined to their body only to die with their fallen body. This is how God separates us from our sin "as far as the east is from the west". That's how far apart the Spiritual realm of Christ is from the natural realm of the Earth.

So, it literally is impossible for them to become "unsaved" or to "fall away". They can NOT undo the amazing SPIRITUAL change that GOD has done inside them moving them to a completely different realm. God is literally inside the Christian and they are a new person/creation that is actually Christ himself. They have a completely NEW software program (Spirit) that wants to do what pleases the father. Jesus tells us over and over that "no one can snatch anyone out of my hand or the fathers hand (who is even greater than Jesus)". Man can NOT undo a thing that God did. That is the BIG LIE (of losing salvation or falling away) that is placed in their mind to scare them. This is so they don't see the truth of what happened when they believe and who they actually are now! If they don't believe or know the TRUTH they will not experience it! This is a very clever trick of the enemy. Most of mainstream Christianity is blinded mostly to this truth (of new birth) and they are often ministering death and condemnation to their members when they don't understand what occurred at new birth. It is terrible and it's no wonder unbelievers turn away from the Church! I was actually KICKED out of my mainstream non-denomination church because I believed what the Bible says about these things! Crazy, huh?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

we-live-now

This was a nice post that shows you love mercy.

Micah:6:8: He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

When I was young I thought God would save everybody in the end. While I would say that this is "possible", (Mk:9:23: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.) it does not seem likely.

Jesus said:
Mk:16:16: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The problem/disagreement people have with this statement by Jesus is not understanding what being "damned" means. It's a scary concept that has been falsely discerned, even by church people.

Myth has deceived people into thinking heaven to be everlasting ecstacy and hell to be everlasting torment. In truth, heaven is just everlasting life and hell is just death. (I'm speaking in simple terms here for easier understanding, (I hope )).

So the concept of "damnation" is the process of death, not everlasting torment, although torment may be associated with it just as joy may also be associated with it. But it is rightly called "damned", because it ends in death. But in this process God will reconcile all things to Himself and those who are not saved will go to oblivion in peace. This is how I see it, but I know God can do it any way He likes. Everything comes from Him so I figure everything will return to Him, one way or another.

Thanks for your refreshing thoughts.