To understand Christians and why do they act the way they do
and how did they get that way. First you must understand that just because
people call themselves a Christian does not make them one. Gandhi called
himself a Christian, Muslim and Hindu. As great a man as he was he was neither
of the three. No amount of claiming could make it true. Each belief system is
opposite the other.
To understand what makes a Christian we must go back to the very beginning. In the book of Genesis 1:26, God said, "Let Us make man (kind) in Our image, according to Our likeness." God is a three in one being, so we are created a trinity (body, soul, and spirit), Deuteronomy 6:5. In the garden God commanded Adam not to eat of the "Tree of Knowledge" or he would die that day. {Genesis chapter 2} Adam did eat of the fruit. Did he die? No! Did God lie? No! The spirit-part of man died therefore killing the part of man that God fellowships with. Man's soul (the mind) becomes cursed and corrupt therefore corrupting the body causing physical death and an eternity separated from the God that loves him.
To this day all mankind is born with a dead spirit that is unable to have "real" fellowship with God. But God knew this and had a plan. He came down as His Son Jesus, who was all God and all man, to become a sacrifice for all mankind. One man (Adam) brought death. One man would bring life. Through this sacrifice a person's spirit could be "Born Again" (John 3) and be made right before God.
This event of being born again is the process by which God draws a person to
Himself. The Holy Spirit convicts the person of his need for God and Christ' sacrifice on the cross-purchasing redemption for the convert. All three of the "ONE" is involved. All the person has to do is to repent (change his way of thinking about his condition) and have an open heart for God to work and ask the Lord to complete the process.
Now that you see how the person became a Christian, why does he act the way he does? The person now being perfected in spirit now spends his life on the salvation of the soul and body. The soul, which is mankind's mind and emotions, is in constant need of "renewing". It is in never-ending conflict between the spirit's desiring to please God and worldly influences that separate him from spiritual growth in his relationship with God.
The Lord knew this and therefore made a way for mankind to overcome this conflict. He created a way for the Holy Spirit to "fill" the believer, giving them the power to renew the mind and to overcome desires. (Read Acts Chapter 2 for more details) Now if a Christian is not tending to the renewing of his mind, he starts occupying his time with other pursuits. Sports, TV and other-things that are not bad in them-selves but when overdone can hinder the spiritual growth of a Christian. When a Christian reads the TV Guide (Backslider's Bible) more than his Bible or memorizes sport stats more than Bible verses, he has a problem. When a Christian lives by the desires of the natural soul, they are known as being "soulish".
Then we have the saving of the body. That's why most Christians do not drink or smoke. They are taught to see their bodies as the Temple of the Holy Spirit and should protect it as such. The body is also in conflict with the spirit. Most of the body's desires are formed in the mind. That's why it is important to renew it as much as possible. A Christian living to fill his bodily desires is known as being "fleshly" or "carnal". This is confusing to most non-believers, but the hope that we have is that when death comes, we have nothing to fear. We will have everlasting Joy in Body, Soul and Spirit. No other religion promises this.
You may wonder where all this so-called JOY is and why you do not see much of it in that Christian you work with. The answer is simple. While you, the non-believer, goes through life without a care for your soul or eternal destination, the Christian has an uncontrollable desire to share with you how you may have this relationship with the Lord. He has a desire to see you restored to Christ and at the same time has a fear of being rejected by you or even worst, offend you.
The only way to control these desires is to either share with you and risk being rejected and offending you or talk to you only about sports and TV shows, anything to keep his mind off your eternal destination.
When you make comments about "all the hypocrites at church", you do not realize the battle that goes on in that Christian for your happiness. Most Christians care very deeply about you, their co-worker, and grieve when you grieve. They know what you're looking for in life. He has it and may not know how to share it with you. When they became "Born Again" they made an enemy of a dangerous foe that watches over you and would do anything to keep you theirs. I speak of evil spirits doomed to hell that are trying to keep you from God so you can join them. They live to plague the Christian and keep him beat down so that he really believes that it would be better to let you slip into Hell than to risk offending you or face rejection. Most do not know they have the power from the Holy Spirit to overcome the Evil One and share with you; the greatest of gifts.
I hope this explains why Christians act totally out of this world. It's because they are. Next time a Christian sticks a tract in your face, flashes you with the latest Christian T-shirt or quotes a Bible verse to you. Look at him the way God sees them. A lost child of His that was found. That is trying to show you the best way he can that you are loved and there is joy in serving the Lord. They are like the butterfly, a totally new creature from what they were. In their awkward way they are trying to show you God's love and lead you to Him.
To better understand that Christian you work with, spend some time with them and ask them why he or she is a Christian. Only then will you truly understand where they come from.
If you would like to experience this new life that I have found, just find a spot that you can get alone with Jesus (restroom, bedroom or closet) and confess to Him that you are sinful and ask His forgiveness. Believing that He died to pay for your sins and that He heard you and that He has forgiven you. Then, turn from your sins and follow Him. You follow Him by staying in constant prayer with Him and learning His will through the reading of the Bible. Also, join a local church that He leads you to and become active in that community of believers. A sheep separated from the flock (the Church) is the best target for the enemy (Satan).
Here is an outline with Bible verses that my help:
1. Repenting from your sins. Mark 1: 15: for without turning from your sins there is no Salvation.
2. Receiving forgiveness of sins by faith Ephesians 1: 7
Like any free gift, you must receive it for it to be yours.
3. Confessing with mouth and believing with your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9:
for it is your heart you must believe with and not just your mind. And with your mouth you confess your salvation.
You may use the prayer in Psalms 51 to pray to God with. King David prayed it to ask forgiveness of adultery and murder and God heard him and forgave him.
To understand what makes a Christian we must go back to the very beginning. In the book of Genesis 1:26, God said, "Let Us make man (kind) in Our image, according to Our likeness." God is a three in one being, so we are created a trinity (body, soul, and spirit), Deuteronomy 6:5. In the garden God commanded Adam not to eat of the "Tree of Knowledge" or he would die that day. {Genesis chapter 2} Adam did eat of the fruit. Did he die? No! Did God lie? No! The spirit-part of man died therefore killing the part of man that God fellowships with. Man's soul (the mind) becomes cursed and corrupt therefore corrupting the body causing physical death and an eternity separated from the God that loves him.
To this day all mankind is born with a dead spirit that is unable to have "real" fellowship with God. But God knew this and had a plan. He came down as His Son Jesus, who was all God and all man, to become a sacrifice for all mankind. One man (Adam) brought death. One man would bring life. Through this sacrifice a person's spirit could be "Born Again" (John 3) and be made right before God.
This event of being born again is the process by which God draws a person to
Himself. The Holy Spirit convicts the person of his need for God and Christ' sacrifice on the cross-purchasing redemption for the convert. All three of the "ONE" is involved. All the person has to do is to repent (change his way of thinking about his condition) and have an open heart for God to work and ask the Lord to complete the process.
Now that you see how the person became a Christian, why does he act the way he does? The person now being perfected in spirit now spends his life on the salvation of the soul and body. The soul, which is mankind's mind and emotions, is in constant need of "renewing". It is in never-ending conflict between the spirit's desiring to please God and worldly influences that separate him from spiritual growth in his relationship with God.
The Lord knew this and therefore made a way for mankind to overcome this conflict. He created a way for the Holy Spirit to "fill" the believer, giving them the power to renew the mind and to overcome desires. (Read Acts Chapter 2 for more details) Now if a Christian is not tending to the renewing of his mind, he starts occupying his time with other pursuits. Sports, TV and other-things that are not bad in them-selves but when overdone can hinder the spiritual growth of a Christian. When a Christian reads the TV Guide (Backslider's Bible) more than his Bible or memorizes sport stats more than Bible verses, he has a problem. When a Christian lives by the desires of the natural soul, they are known as being "soulish".
Then we have the saving of the body. That's why most Christians do not drink or smoke. They are taught to see their bodies as the Temple of the Holy Spirit and should protect it as such. The body is also in conflict with the spirit. Most of the body's desires are formed in the mind. That's why it is important to renew it as much as possible. A Christian living to fill his bodily desires is known as being "fleshly" or "carnal". This is confusing to most non-believers, but the hope that we have is that when death comes, we have nothing to fear. We will have everlasting Joy in Body, Soul and Spirit. No other religion promises this.
You may wonder where all this so-called JOY is and why you do not see much of it in that Christian you work with. The answer is simple. While you, the non-believer, goes through life without a care for your soul or eternal destination, the Christian has an uncontrollable desire to share with you how you may have this relationship with the Lord. He has a desire to see you restored to Christ and at the same time has a fear of being rejected by you or even worst, offend you.
The only way to control these desires is to either share with you and risk being rejected and offending you or talk to you only about sports and TV shows, anything to keep his mind off your eternal destination.
When you make comments about "all the hypocrites at church", you do not realize the battle that goes on in that Christian for your happiness. Most Christians care very deeply about you, their co-worker, and grieve when you grieve. They know what you're looking for in life. He has it and may not know how to share it with you. When they became "Born Again" they made an enemy of a dangerous foe that watches over you and would do anything to keep you theirs. I speak of evil spirits doomed to hell that are trying to keep you from God so you can join them. They live to plague the Christian and keep him beat down so that he really believes that it would be better to let you slip into Hell than to risk offending you or face rejection. Most do not know they have the power from the Holy Spirit to overcome the Evil One and share with you; the greatest of gifts.
I hope this explains why Christians act totally out of this world. It's because they are. Next time a Christian sticks a tract in your face, flashes you with the latest Christian T-shirt or quotes a Bible verse to you. Look at him the way God sees them. A lost child of His that was found. That is trying to show you the best way he can that you are loved and there is joy in serving the Lord. They are like the butterfly, a totally new creature from what they were. In their awkward way they are trying to show you God's love and lead you to Him.
To better understand that Christian you work with, spend some time with them and ask them why he or she is a Christian. Only then will you truly understand where they come from.
If you would like to experience this new life that I have found, just find a spot that you can get alone with Jesus (restroom, bedroom or closet) and confess to Him that you are sinful and ask His forgiveness. Believing that He died to pay for your sins and that He heard you and that He has forgiven you. Then, turn from your sins and follow Him. You follow Him by staying in constant prayer with Him and learning His will through the reading of the Bible. Also, join a local church that He leads you to and become active in that community of believers. A sheep separated from the flock (the Church) is the best target for the enemy (Satan).
Here is an outline with Bible verses that my help:
1. Repenting from your sins. Mark 1: 15: for without turning from your sins there is no Salvation.
2. Receiving forgiveness of sins by faith Ephesians 1: 7
Like any free gift, you must receive it for it to be yours.
3. Confessing with mouth and believing with your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9:
for it is your heart you must believe with and not just your mind. And with your mouth you confess your salvation.
You may use the prayer in Psalms 51 to pray to God with. King David prayed it to ask forgiveness of adultery and murder and God heard him and forgave him.
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