[RnMomof7]

A quick check for believers ......

[RnMomof7]

ping

[ladyinred]

What kind of Baptist would I be if I weren't?

[mercy]

The problem with this sort of writing is that an unbeliever who is convicted and might be actually on the verge of seeking God, reads this and is beaten before they start.

And to tell the truth I don't think it does the believer all that much good either. The Blood of Christ is a far more efficacious cleanser and refurbisher of the human soul than holding oneself to a check list. What does Christ say to one of the 'slipping' churches in The Revelation."You have forgotten your first love. Go back and do the things you did at first." Or thereabouts.

I can never see myself as anything other than the poor begger beating his breast in the back of the synagoge, afraid to even aproach the front, saying, "God have mercy upon me, wretch that I am." And then I see the Blood of my Lord poured out on the ground and over me that has washed me and given me entry to the presence of God.

This is so much more powerful than a preacher's measuring rod of dos and dont's. This gives me power to have faith that I am acceptable to God and able to turn from sin. The Blood of Christ is true power. It never stops changing us. It is so much more effective than anything WE can ever do.

[alancarp]

Yes. Unequivocally and irrevocably.

[nobdysfool]

March 13, 1971... a date which will live...oh, sorry, wrong speech...uh, a day I will never forget. Newman Chapel, Kent State University campus, about 2 am, with some friends and a very dear friend to me, Phil Keaggy. I've had my ups and downs since then, but Jesus has never let me go...:o)

[zbogwan2]

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" — John 3:3.

More poppycock from the Born Again Mob?

[ravinson]

Jesus Christ says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" — John 3:3.

So what you are suggesting is that Jesus Christ believed in reincarnation. So do I.

[Guenevere]

Yes :)

Does that mean I am sin-free?.....No---but my sins offend me!

The difference is I am no longer a slave to sin ......by God's grace.

I like Ryle........he visited our town several years ago.
Powerful teacher/preacher

[StDonTheBaptist]

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

[2sheep]

>But still after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God. Here is an inspired Apostle writing one of the last general epistles to the Church of Christ, telling us that a man born of God,

1.  Does not commit sin,
2.  Believes that Jesus is the Christ,
3.  Does righteousness,
4.  Loves the brethren,
5.  Overcomes the world, and
6.  Keeps himself.

I ask the reader to observe all this.

Wonderful!  And it is so simple:  Repent, receive Him, ask to receive His Spirit and then choose to yield to His Spirit rather than the spirit of this world every day as one continues in the Word in faith.   Jos 24:15.  Rom 6:16.  John 8:31-34.

[LeeMcCoy]

"Now he hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, counts it his greatest plague, groans under the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be delivered from it altogether."

Isn't this the truth! Thanks for posting this mom...

enfield, I will say a prayer that you will find the peace you are looking for. Although, I feel confidant that the Lord is already smiling because you are searching. :)

[AppyPappy]

A good analogy for non-believers:

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

[WhiteGuy]

Yes indeed!!!

in 1980 I knelt down and accecpted

Bill Walsh as my personal Head Coach

I accepted Joe Montana as my personal Quarterback

I welcomed the winning spirit into my life!!!!

GO NINERS!!!!

[wewillnotfail]

From the home page of this site..."we are a political discussion forum"

How do you figure this thread fits into that description? There are other ongoing threads in which you can witness, Why start another vanity on a subject that is not political? Free Republic was not created to be a "quick check for believers".

[Jerry_M]

"Now he hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, counts it his greatest plague, groans under the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be delivered from it altogether. In one word, sin no longer pleases him, nor is even a matter of indifference; it has become the abominable thing which he hates. He cannot prevent its dwelling within him. If he said he had no sin, there would be no truth in him (1 John 1:8). But he can say that he cordially abhors it, and the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts arising within him, and short-comings, omissions, and defects appearing, both in his words and actions. He knew, as James says, that "In many things we offend all" (James 3:2). But he can say truly, and as in the sight of God, that things are a daily grief and sorrow to him, and that his whole nature does not consent unto them."

Now can you see why I self-identify myself as a filthy, rotten, sinner?

[gonewt]

I'm always somewhat wary of over-reliance on John, as opposed to Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Remember that John's words came long after Jesus's death, and therefore there's reason to believe that he had other influences, such as the society of the time.

[cschroe]

Don't consider myself "born again", but have experinced my own prodigal son experience with Jesus welcoming me back with open arms after many years in the wilderness.

[stuartcr]

I am not born again because I don't believe I've died yet.

[KillerWabbit]

A man born again, or regenerate, does not commit sin as a habit. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination, as an unregenerate man does.

The kind of well-intentioned message can be discouraging and misleading. Some may mistakenly start looking at their own behavior (rather than the sure word of God) as the final arbiter as to whether they are saved or not.

There was a time in my life -- after I was saved -- that I went after sin about as enthusiastically as any unsaved man. There were probably many unsaved people living better than I was.

I had to learn later that my own behavior was a pretty unreliable place to look for any sort of assurance that I was saved. The only completely reliable and trustworthy place to look -- and trust --, I found, is God's word.

It was there I found that if I invited Him into my heart -- which I did -- He indeed came into my heart and saved me.

And God's word -- not behavior, not goodnesses or such -- is the only place anyone will ever get assurance they are saved -- assurance that will last, and not rise and fall with fickle feelings or one's sanctimonious piety on any given day.

[Weatherman123]

I'm born again every Sunday when I sanctify myself before our Lord and take Eucharist.

Luke 22:18-20
Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you."

1 Corinthians 23-29
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself.