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| My Back-sliding | | Hi all. Your help would be much appreciated.
I used to believe very strongly that I was a Christian, until recently. There is one sin which has plagued me for over 7 years now (I am only 16) and even once I became a Christian I have never been able to shake it off.
Having heard people talk on this subject in the past, one way to determine whether you are actually saved is if you see a change in your life, and that you want to get closer with God and glorify his name.
I believe that I have the above. But I cannot help but wonder, if I was truly a Christian would I have shaken this sin off years ago? I believe that the difficulty may have gone back to my days as a child, and in my church I believe that the act of repentance has been watered down too much. I was always taught that it was just saying sorry, although I now know that is not the end of it. You also have to turn and leave that sin which has been repented for.
Please help me! Any advice, thoughts or Bible verses would be much appreciated.
God bless |
| 2006/6/30 10:44 | | Logic Member

Joined: 2005/7/17 Posts: 1791
| Re: My Back-sliding | | There are diferent kinds of sin with diferent degrees, please tell what sin has plagued you? |
| 2006/6/30 11:18 | Profile |
| Re: | | Within the body (1 Corinthians 6:12-20) |
| 2006/6/30 11:20 | | sermonindex Moderator

Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | | 2006/6/30 11:30 | Profile | PaulWest Member

Joined: 2006/6/28 Posts: 3405 Dallas, Texas
| Re: My Back-sliding | | Hi richard,
I know what you mean about back-sliding. Never feel as though you're alone. All of us still struggle with something. This is especially so with preachers and ministers! I've found that to teach us to grow in grace, God will often allow a temptation to remain. It may be a temptation that has to do with a pet sin you had before you were born-again. For example, when I got saved, God set me free from alcohol, pot smoking and cigarettes. Instantly. And I'm not tempted to go back to any of them. But, I still struggle with lust, and I fight this battle everyday. I think that if God took everything away all at once, we'd become too prideful, too self-righteous, condemning others who give in to temptation and who haven't "arrived" like we have.
Verses that help me battle sin are Galatians 5:16: "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh," I Corinthians 10:13: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it," and James 4:7: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
I've found that (and please learn from my struggles and failures!) if you want to have continued victory over sin and keep from backsliding, you need to immerse yourself in the Word of God, discipline yourself to feed upon it daily, meditating on the vast riches it contains. If you begin to do this, you will see immediate results, your entire life will be transformed (see Psalms 1 and 119).
Since you're quite young, I don't know if you'll take to a book I'd like to recommed, but I'll do it all the same: It's called "A Lifting Up for the Downcast" and it's written by William Bridge, an old Puritan writer. It is a bit weighty, but full of marvellous wisdom and advice for those that are struggling with "great sins." Also, one of all-time favorites, "The Chritian in Complete Armour," by William Gurnall, another Puritan. The latter book is a very easy read and replete with such wisdom like you've never encountered in a book outside the Bible.
I hope some of this stuff helps you! Again, don't ever feel alone or defeated! Jesus has the power to lift you up when you surrender your life to him!
Paul _________________ Paul Frederick West
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| 2006/6/30 12:04 | Profile | dohzman Member

Joined: 2004/10/13 Posts: 2132
| LOOK UP | | Heb 12:1 Let *us* also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us, Heb 12:2 looking stedfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith: who, in view of the joy lying before him, endured the cross, having despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.(darby)
Especially during times of temptations, or failures, sins of omission, sins of co-mission, times of chosing the cares of this world over the call of God to follow Him, or just the cares of life, sins of dead works or dead words, Look Up, set you mind on Jesus, your full attention, all your heart on Jesus Christ, and wait there until you see Him see you. It'll be alright. God Bless. _________________ D.Miller
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| 2006/6/30 12:38 | Profile | roadsign Member

Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: Some helpful sermons | | Quote:
There are diferent kinds of sin with diferent degrees, please tell what sin has plagued you?
This question is out of line. First of all, you will have a hard time making a "degree" chart from the Bible. David counting his men was a gross sin in God's eye. Peter eating with his buddies in order to give a "proper" impression was also a serious violation and threat to the entire church. Yet we see it all the time, and fail to bat an eyelash. We can't assume to know the "degree" of various sins.
Also, a public forum is not a therapy medium.
However, we can seek the Spirit for any enlightenment God may wish to shed in order for us to guide our brother.
Richard, you may find some help here: [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=437]sermons by Earnest O'neill[/url] includes: A Clean Heart, A New Start, and many more messages about victory over the fleshly nature.
May God bless you as you continue to seek after him. He will indeed lead you to victory!
Diane _________________ Diane
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| 2006/6/30 12:40 | Profile | Tears_of_joy Member

Joined: 2003/10/30 Posts: 1554
| Re: My Back-sliding | | richard, God bless you brother. While other teenagers seek worldly pleasures and entertainment, you seek the Lord, brother. You will see mighty power which will set you free from sin, I believe God will show you his majesty and glory. Just press on and open your heart.
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| 2006/6/30 14:27 | Profile |
| Re: My Back-sliding | | Quote:
please tell what sin has plagued you?
This question is out of line.
Yes it is.Quote:
a public forum is not a therapy medium
Further, even in private therapy, this question would not be asked except after many other ways of 'hearing' the 'problem' had been explored. |
| 2006/7/1 10:12 | | murdog Member

Joined: 2006/2/4 Posts: 352 Fort Frances, Ontario
| Re: | | SI members
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" James 5:16
Murray _________________ Murray Beninger
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| 2006/7/1 11:32 | Profile |
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