Posted on 06/04/2015 2:34:39 AM PDT by Morgana
Ask any sidewalk counselor. Odds are he or she has heard some version of this from those heading into the abortion clinic: “I know it's wrong. But I'm a Christian and I've prayed about it and I know God will forgive. His grace is greater than all my sin.”
What's wrong with this picture? (Other than the fact that a baby is about to be deliberately put to death.) Most Christians instinctively sense something's desperately out of whack here. But what?
Sadly, few seem able to put their finger on it. Sadder still is that after they sift through their own thoughts on the matter, nine times out of 10 they wind up less sure that, from a biblical standpoint, there really is anything substantially wrong with such statements. They know murder is wrong, but they also know the Bible teaches that God can forgive any sin.* Their reasoning often runs along these lines:
“It is true God can forgive any sin. And it's true Christ died for all sins, past, present, and future. And it's true God will forgive anyone who truly repents and asks for forgiveness. And this person really does seem to be a Christian who's in a difficult situation. So, even though it's terribly tragic that they feel the need to abort their child, technically they are correct: God will forgive them.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breakpoint.org ...
God destroys those civilizations that practice child sacrifice. I believe that will happen here.
Romans 6: 1-18 gives us guidance on this:
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
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This is a tough one. My understanding of Scripture is that the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, indicating your salvation cannot be broken (lost). This is the new Covenant.
However, many people will counter by questioning whether a person who so cavalierly does evil was truly saved in the first place. That’s a fair, but ultimately unanswerable question. It is hard to imagine that anyone who is truly born of the Spirit of God (born again) could kill their own child.
I agree with Paulie; a woman who knows Christ will not abort her child. Jesus represents life, living, love, and light, not darkness, depression, despair, and death.
While God will, in fact, forgive any sin where the sinner is truly repentant, will the person who presumes upon God's mercy before the sin is committed and, knowing full well that the act is sinful commits it anyway, be truly and sincerely repentant afterwards? Certainly it's possible, but how many people fool themselves that the sin is forgiven without actually repenting of that sin?
You need repentance. By going into the clinic you are obviously not repentant.
That's my take on it also, brother.
Just last Saturday we got: "hey, we're Christians, we go to church - so go F*** yourselves" - from a young couple going in.
"By their fruits you will know them".
People have an infinite ability to rationalize their own misbehavior. Might I suggest a diffetent approach? One thing negotiators are taught is when you get to an impasse, put something new on the table to change the dynamic. If we really want to stop the person in question, why not pull out a stack of 20’s and start counting them out? Its amazing what behaviors will change and how quickly you can get to an agreement when cash is put on the table. And it would be a lot less cheaper than the money spent supporting ProLife, Inc.
Lots of people claim to be Christian.
Anyone who walks into an abortion clinic with that kind of attitude does not really know Christ.
It's incomprehensible that a true believer would have that kind of attitude about sin.
IOW, I don't believe for one minute they're Christian.
However, many people will counter by questioning whether a person who so cavalierly does evil was truly saved in the first place. That’s a fair, but ultimately unanswerable question. It is hard to imagine that anyone who is truly born of the Spirit of God (born again) could kill their own child.
You NAILED it.
Thank you for putting it so succinctly.
So a person -— like this abortion-bound woman -— could go for years thinking they’re saved, and they’re not and never were?
Repentance requires both true sorrow for what has been done and a commitment by the sinner that he/she will not commit that act again. Christ’s atonement was not an endless supply of “Get Out of Jail Free” cards for serial transgressors. Attitude counts.
No. If you are truly saved by Christ, He says no one can snatch them from His hand. He also said in the parable of the farmer who spread seed that not all seed falls on good soil and comes to growth. Some seed, in fact, dies. These people heard the Word of God, but the cares of this life and the lies of sin and riches prevented them from accepting Christ. I personally believe there are a lot of “going throught the motions” people who are Christians in name only.
So if a person is a Christian-in-name-only, they might THINK they're saved, but they're not?
And that's what I was asking about:
"So a person -— like this abortion-bound woman -— could go for years thinking they’re saved, and they’re not and never were?"The answer, you said, is "No," but your explanation says "Yes".
Excellent response to Mrs Don-o - thanks, brother.
I can't agree in part. The commitment to not sin again doesn't mean that the sinner won't sin again. Christ's atonement is endless. Peter denied Christ 3 times. Should he have only been forgiven for the first one or two?
This is a tough question. Personally I do not think that a converted woman would abort her child.. I think the weight of that offense against God and His sovereignty would not allow for it. .
Sky I agree that there are many that would call themselves a "Christian " because they go through the motions hoping that is enough ..
As Christians we sin all the time...and feel the weight of that offense against God.. this sin takes much time and planning ...
But we must also remember David, a man after God own heart that murdered . God had him confronted with his sin and he repented.. Jesus offered forgiveness to the men that crucified Him
So Does God forgive abortion, yes...
Do you agree with Sky Pilot's statement that "I personally believe there are a lot of “going through the motions” people who are Christians in name only."
If that is so, then there are a lot of people who think they are saved, have thought for years that they are saved, and are not. Doesn't that follow from the definitions?
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