Feeling Guilty and Redemption

cogmob · 2019-07-22T08:30:00+00:00

you can absolutely be redeemed, look at the parable of the prodigal son

there will be consequences and sadness in this life as a result of sin, but God can help you through this

seeking God's forgiveness isn't going to offend him, he is your heavenly father. what will have offended him is your going away from him. you are worthy of his judgement, no two ways about it. but amazingly, even while you were sinning and rebelling, he loved you still and even sent Jesus as a way that you can be forgiven

helaughsinhidden · 2019-07-22T14:16:28+00:00

I've recently been feeling different after a couple of life events and realize that I hate the person that I've become.

Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, God is moving in your life.

I want to change and be a more Godly person, but I don't know if I deserve it after all of these transgressions towards God.

You're right, you don't deserve it. That is why salvation is a gift and it's of grace. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us to be the sacrifice for our sins so we could be saved and have eternal life.

flip-flopping so much in belief and actions I've taken

This is par for the course, especially as you are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. It's a process of maturation. See what Paul said of his own walk:

Romans 7:15-20

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Deep_Strength · 2019-07-22T17:24:05+00:00

It looks like some good advice has been given on the topic of repentance. Here's something about the other situation:

My buddies were almost all atheists and let me know that my beliefs were stupid.

I diverged from the faith and shrugged my shoulders with partaking in sins (pre-marital sex with multiple women, lying, stealing, watching and looking at porn, masturbating, etc).

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

You need some good Christian friends. Often when you become a Christian you will start to naturally drift away from your non-Christian friends anyway.

If they are encouraging you to sin they're not friends they're bullies. They should be respectful of your beliefs if they were true friends, even if you changed drastically (often positively as a Christian)

rocknrollchuck · 2019-07-22T17:29:18+00:00

Welcome!

I've recently been feeling different after a couple of life events and realize that I hate the person that I've become.

Amen! That's the Holy Spirit convicting you of your need to change and drawing you toward God.

I want to change and be a more Godly person, but I don't know if I deserve it after all of these transgressions towards God.

NONE OF US deserve it! Period. We all deserve to burn in the Lake of Fire for all eternity. It is only through God's provision in Jesus Christ's sacrifice that we have any chance to be forgiven and gain eternal life. So it sounds like you believe, but are not sure you have saving faith, would that be correct?

Do you know for sure that you will go to heaven when you die? And when you stand before Holy God, and He asks "Why should I let you into My heaven?", what reason will you give? What are the requirements for getting into heaven anyway? Jesus said in John 3: 3, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." So isn't going to church, being sorry for your sins and asking forgiveness enough? No, and here's why: we have all broken God's Law, the Ten Commandments. Who hasn't told a lie, stolen, used God's name in vain, or lusted after another person?

We will all stand before God on Judgment Day, just like standing before a judge in a courtroom, and answer for everything we have ever done. Everyone must pay for their crimes, and God's standard is total perfection in everything we say, do and think. None of us measure up. Then the Judge will pass sentence—even if we ask for forgiveness, because the Judge is bound by the Law to see that justice is done. Those that are guilty of the crime will do the time, and will end up in God's prison, which is hell. So what can we do?

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins in His life's blood. You broke God's Law, Jesus paid your fine. That means your case can legally be dismissed and you can walk free from the courtroom on the Day of Judgment. But what you must do to receive this free gift is trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you, like the kind of trust you have in the pilot of an airplane when you fly. Then God will enable you to repent—this is more than just telling God you are sorry and ask for forgiveness; He will enable you to turn from your sinful life and begin to live for Him instead.

What does this look like? Suppose you’re sailing your boat out on the ocean when a big storm comes up. Your boat begins to fall apart and you find yourself in the water, hanging onto one little piece of wood with the waves crashing over you. You’re about to drown when a Coast Guard cutter comes up and the captain leans over the railing and yells, “I’m throwing you a life preserver. Grab on and we’ll pull you to safety!” One of the crew throws a life preserver into the water, right next to you. The only way you can grab the life preserver is to first let go of the waterlogged piece of rotten wood that was keeping you afloat. And so it is with repentance. Jesus throws the life preserver of eternal life, and after placing our trust in Him we must let go of our old life and grab onto the new life that He offers, living for Him instead of ourselves.

As soon as you do that, God will forgive every sin you have ever committed and you will be made righteous in His sight. Romans 8:16 says "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." What this means is that the Holy Spirit will come to live inside you, and will help you change your life to be an obedient follower of Jesus Christ. You will know you have been changed like nothing else you have ever known before.

The truth is, you don't clean up your life first and then come to Jesus. We can never be good enough for God to save us based on our actions. You come to Jesus first and He takes control of your life and begins to clean it up for you. The more you are obedient, the more you will see the old life slip away and be replaced by one that honors Christ. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. Ephesians 2: 8-9 says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Good works are only proof that you really are a Christian.

There are many people today who "believe in God" or have "asked Jesus into their heart" or are "religious" but have never repented of their sins or been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they continue to live just as they did before they were "saved." Jesus talks about these kinds of people in Matthew 7: 21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'"

Many people want the benefit of going to heaven without turning from their sin. They want to have their cake and eat it too. But following Christ means giving your life to Him to do with as He wants to. The truth is, when we repent, it doesn't mean that we will never sin again. It means that we try our best not to sin because we want to please God, and that we regret it when we do sin and then confess and forsake it. But God enables us to repent through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that is given to us when we trust in Christ.

Once you are a born again Christian, then 1 John 1:9 applies to you as well "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is a promise for the Christian, not for just anyone. God will take your broken life and transform you day by day to be more like Jesus. But you have to completely sell out to Him and trust in Jesus alone to save you, and then repent of your sins. In Luke 15:10, Jesus says "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Does this make sense to you? If so, you can pray to receive Christ right now and have eternal life. You could pray something like this, in your own words, "God, I am sorry for all my sins against You. I turn from my sinful life right now and ask for Your forgiveness. Please save me and help me live a life that is obedient to Your Word, the Bible. I place my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Thank You, Father, for the gift of everlasting life! Amen."

Your prayer will be shown to be real by your obedience to God's Word, so get a Bible and read it every day, starting with the gospel of John. You can also read or hear the Bible online at www.youversion.com , or download the Youversion Bible app if you have a smartphone. Find a good Bible-believing church to attend so you can fellowship with other believers, be encouraged and grow in faith. Also, begin to share your faith with others so they can have eternal life as well, and God will never let you down!

Now maybe you were in church all that time, but did you ever truly become born again? If not, then that's what you need to do. If so, let me know and we'll figure it out together.

Red-Curious · 2019-07-22T14:39:45+00:00

Have you gotten through the 400 series yet?

veritourist · 2019-07-22T16:03:52+00:00

You already have been redeemed from all the bad you’ve done.

God faced down the powers and principalities governing the realm of the Dead and deceived them into lifting him up onto the cross in an attempt to capture and contain the Word made Flesh. Christ then broke free from that realm opening the path of escape for all who are willing to trust in and rely upon the safety and security of His path.

We conform our behavior to His standards of Holiness, not our of fear that our Salvation will be lost, but instead out of Gratitude for the Gift we’ve been given.

Sinful behavior from a Christian demonstrates our immature understanding of the Gift already in our possession.

Christian Sin is a display of Ingratitude for the Gift of Salvation not an indicator that we have lost or rejected that Gift.

The more we understand Salvation the more Gratitude we will experience and the more motivated we become to conform our behavior to His standards.

The paradox is that the more we understand the Gift, the more we likely we are to be unforgiving of ourselves when we behave in ways that display our Ingratitude.

Who are you going to trust?

The condemnation from your heart or the message of the Gospel which is if our hearts condemn us, God is bigger than our hearts and He knows everything.

Trust God or Trust Yourself?

thetotalpackage7 · 2019-07-22T18:40:33+00:00

You can't change the past, but you can start now and change the ending.

Willow-girl · 2019-07-23T04:05:15+00:00

If He can use me, He can use you, my friend ...

Title	Feeling Guilty and Redemption
Author	NakieNeck
Upvotes	10
Comments	8
Date	July 22, 2019 7:50 AM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RPChristians
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RPChristians/comments/cga9zh/feeling_guilty_and_redemption/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RPChristians/feeling-guilty-and-redemption.301193 https://theredarchive.com/post/301193

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