~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~
Question: My parents and I are evangelical Christians and I love the Lord and am trying to do His will at my best, praying and studying His Word daily, giving Him thanks for everything He does for us. In the past, and for many years, I have been living a sinful life, practicing fornication, idolatry, lust and many horrible sins. I didn't care to listen to the Lord, I just wanted to do whatever I liked. But, thanks to God, it's about a year now that I have accepted Jesus as my savior and have abandoned those sins and am trying to do His will. The problem is, every now and then I still find myself involved in some of those old sins, KNOWING that I'm sinning; I can't keep myself away from them for more than a few weeks! I feel so unworthy. I am continuously crying and praying the Lord to deliver me from those things forever, but when I think I'm finally free, I fall again. Today I read Hebrews 6:4-6, and in particular 2 Peter 2:20-22:"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."
I feel condemned, confused, lost. Am I still saved? Does the Lord still love me? PLEASE help me!
Answer: I am certainly glad that you wrote to us. I am so happy to hear that you have committed your life to Jesus Christ. About your questions. The last question that you asked is easy to answer! Does God still love you? The Bible gives us the answer to that. Read Romans 8: 35-39 and Jeremiah 31:3 God's love is 'agape' love; that means unconditional! Praise God! This does not mean that God approves of our sin when we do sin. It means that God looks beyond our sin so that He might meet our greatest need, that being deliverance from the penalty, power and practice of sin!
Sin is a powerful thing. Much more powerful then we are. It conquers us, not us conquering it! But there is one that did conquer sin, and His name was Jesus! Praise God! He died for sin that we might be able to be delivered from all these aspects of sin. Not just it's penalty, but also it's power! You need to read and study the 6th, 7th & 8th chapters of Romans. Paul the Apostle deals with many of your questions.
I want to leave you with 2 other passages and also some comments. The verses are: Psalms 119:9, 11 and 1 John 2:1-3
The comments: God has a great plan for your life, and the devil knows it. You are in a struggle now against the powers of darkness. You will overcome through faith in Jesus. You are not able to live above these sins in your own strength! Daily you must hide God's word in your heart that you might not sin against God! Thank God that when we do sin, we have still an Advocate with the Father, that being Jesus! Repentance is not just for the sinner who has not yet received Jesus as their Savior, but also for the saint of God who falls at times [1 John 1:7-9]. God is able to keep you from falling [Jude 24]. Keep doing what you know is right, pray, fast, go to church, read your Bible. But most of all, Have faith in God and His power to deliver you & keep you!
In addition to these verses from the Bible, may I recommend to you the books written by A.W. Tozer. Any Christian book store can supply you with a list of his books, which have been an encouragement to thousands of Christians just like you!
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This page was last updated October 10, 2012.
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