colorcountry asked:
Are you willing to lose your life?
I ask:
As an agnostic,I tell you that I don’t know what you mean by “lose your life” and what I would lose it for. The radical Muslims say that, but I don’t want to die in their way. The Taoists and Buddhists also say that in order for one to find his life, he must lose it.” What do you mean? I have even heard some Native Americans who practice the old religion say that, as well as many New Agers.
Christ often spoke in parables.
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
I’m going to do something I should have done right from the start, I’m going to tell you a true story.
I was born and raised Mormon - six generations worth. I grew up in the belief that Jesus Christ was my older spirit brother, one of God’s children - just like me. I was raised with the understanding that God sent me to earth as a test so that I could earn my way back to him and thereby “prove” my worthiness to become a wife of a god in eternity.
Years of trying and trying, left me tired, hopeless and lacking peace. As a young girl I remember feeling the love of Christ and knew that my Heavenly Father knew what was in my heart - my heart was wicked! No matter how hard I tried, I knew that I was evil and sinful.
Eventually I quit believing in the Mormon kind of man-god that constantly tests and judges you. I became agnostic. However there was this huge, gaping, empty hole in my being - it yawned dark and wide. My life without God was empty, self-involved, stressful, sordid and ugly. I crossed paths with a few Christians - they seemed like nice people, but I concluded they were as deluded as the Mormons. Eventually I decided I would end my life - I didn’t really believe in God, so what did it matter? No one seemed to really care about me anyway.
Committing suicide is hard. I had a plan, a time and a place, but when it came down to it, I was just scared and alone. Tears streamed down my face and I fell to my knees before the heavens in prayer to a God I didn’t even know. I decided I would try one thing I had never thought of trying. I went to a Christian Church. It didn’t really matter what denomination - it was a “Bible” Church.
Those good people actually took me in their arms and spoke of a God who loved me enough to die for me. I was resistant to their message, but interested enough to keep going back.
#1. God cannot abide sin. He cannot stand it, nor be in its presence.
#2. No matter how hard you try, you WILL sin - yep, even you, urroner.
#3. the constant struggle against sin that pits your own strength against your own weakness will only lead to death (or a life with no joy)
#4. God loves you and as proof, he died for you. Christ died on the cross - a living sacrifice for you - even while you were still sinful (remember sacrifices in the Old Testament? They were a shadow of Christ’s sacrifice)
#5. Do you believe he died for your sin? If you did, would it free you from your own preoccupation with your works at being perfect?
#6. If you believe Christ paid the penalty for your sins, would you love Him? Would you trust Him? Would you live your life in worship of a God that set you free?
The first step in understanding God, is acknowledging how much you offend God every single day. Read the Bible - don’t even go to a Church if your think a certain denomination is the answer. The answer is Christ. Find Him and He will guide you where He wants you to go. I promise.