Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Christianity Questions Message-ID: Date: 28 Apr 91 23:30:54 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 61 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu > I am a new baby Christian and I would like to asksome questions of some > more experienced Christians. Congratulations Rena, and welcome to the family! > My fiance and I are both new Christians(although he has known the Lord > before and has now comeback) and we both pray and read the Bible for at >least 2 hours everyday, but sometimes I may do things that are considered >sin according to the Bible. For example someone asked me if I took a class >that they recommeded I didn't want to tell them that I did not take the >class so I lied and said I did. After I realized what I had said I corrected >it and repented for it but I still felt gulity. Do other people experience >the same thing? Yes. Everyone one of us. There is only One who is without sin, and that is Jesus Christ: the One through whom all your sins are forgiven. Reading the Bible and praying are the best ways to keep in communion with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. You will find all the answers to questions like these in the Bible. For instance, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9) It's so easy to believe our feelings, even after we have repented from the sin. But the correct thing to do is to *choose* to believe God's promise of your forgiveness. Look at it this way, God WANTS to forgive your sins more than you want to sin. If not, He wouldn't have sent Jesus to pay for your sin on the cross. I like this verse: "For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam in the garden) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:19-20) In other words, the more you sin, the more grace there is for you. Not just because, but because Jesus lived an obedient life for you! So you can have confidence that He is waiting to forgive you when you repent. > Do any of you out there believe in laying hands on people for healing, >prayer, etc. Yes! Once again, welcome to the wonderful family of God! John Emery emery@tc.fluke.COM