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Daughter-In-Law Problems
	I understand prayer is all we have my problem is my thoughts are unhealthy as I say a thorn in my side to keep me humble

Ten Commandments In Force

Christ taught that we should love God and love our neighbor as our self. He then also taught that all the "law and prophets" hang on these two great principles of love. So, as I take it, though the letter of the mosaic or OT rabbinical type law may not be in force, it seems that Christ is saying that the teachings of the law and prophets are probably still applicable. How can you love your neighbor while stealing from him, or killing him? How can you love God while doing those things that he abhors?

Can God Forgive Repeated Sins

When I repeat the same sin, I do not consider myself as having been sufficiently repentant the first time and feel that my love of Christ and his word is perhaps still too weak. How can I know or love the master that I do not serve? All of us struggle to overcome bad habits and bad traits. I'm not sure if my heart is completely right with God, if I would in my weakness rather do my own will (or the devil's). I am hoping that there is enough mercy wipe away my sin, when God sees me struggling to become a better person. Meanwhile I work to be a better person in hopes that someday, my repentance will be sincere enough and deep enough to keep me from repeating my sins.

How To Identify Cults

The better question is how do we identify truth. Once we do that, anything that is not the truth needs to be personally rejected by us. We can usually do this while respecting others. My concern with the word "cult" is that it seems the intent is automatically to disrespect someone else (call them a name), rather than to just state what you believe and why in a loving and christian way. And, I do believe we can actually disagree and point out what we see as points of error in someone else's beliefs or understanding, but unless the person is acting with evil intentions, I do not believe we are justified in doing this in any other way than with respect.

My Husband Will Not Work

My dad had the same problem, but my mom did not work either because she had 4 kids to take care of. When it came time that the power, water, and gas bills were so late that they were going to be cut off, and the food was running out (she had stored lots of dryed goods) the church we were attending wanted to step in and pay the bills. She would not allow them to do this, and all utilities were cut off. She also locked up and hid all the food, and would only let the kids eat. It only took a few days of this and he had a job, and kept a job all the way to retirement. "If you don't work you don't eat."

Cheated On Wife And Want Help
	then you are not a true christian.dont get married if you cant control yourself

Are You A Born Again Christian

MarkV, Maybe the terminology is not perfect, but what I mean is that if we know something is wrong and then we do it anyway, we are willfully doing wrong or willfully sinning. That is different from someone who desires to do right, but is misguided in his thinking. I have heard some say that I should use the term "transgress" for those times someone mistakenly does something wrong, but has no wrong intentions.

Are You A Born Again Christian

I'm not seeing the word "practices" in my bibles (1 John 3:9,10 reference below). Does that appear in some translations? If not I think it is best not to add to the bible. John does seem to be clearly stating that you cannot sin while you say you believe, unless you are a liar. This is also very similar to how James sees the subject. For John, born again seems to mean that you are truly a new person that no longer desires to sin, which is contrary to how many "born agains" live their lives. Now as to "mosaic practices" like sacrifices, I think that sometimes Paul is talking of these when he is saying that these works cannot save you, but I don't think Paul is saying that you can willfully sin.

Are Catholics Christians

Hector, I'm not Catholic, but I believe that Catholics are christian. This whole "who is a christian" thing is driving me crazy. If you want to say you are right and they are wrong on certain points, that is fine, but lets quit trying to grab the "christian" label for ourselves and instead realize that the "christian" label is broader than what is correct. It seems like we are like children arguing over what breed of dog is a dog (puddles or pugs). "Christian" is a broad term that is used to define a broad group of people, churches and beliefs that center on the teachings of Christ.

Friend Becoming A Mormon

I'm unclear, so is Laurie saying that because she and mormons disagree on their concepts about Christ that she gets to call herself a christian and exclude mormons from being called such. Who made her in charge of definitions? Why can't mormons do the same to her. Kind of like how there use to be 3 popes at once and they all excommunicated each other. Who has the authority to speak for God. I'm not sure that any of us do. It does seem funny to call someone a "non-christian" that lives like a christian and says they believe in Christ and their church is named after Christ (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)and can quote numerous biblical references to back themselves up.

Can A Woman Be A Pastor

We are all man in the spirit we all have the same spirit of God we are just divided into male and female. God can ordain whom ever he pleases but we need to get out of this religious thinking you people are acting like the Scribes and Pharriesees do you read the text it clearly states we have been redeemed from the law and plus enough men dont go to church and actively pursue God with open heart and mind so God have to use our Godly women to share his message so in closing a woman can be a Pastor because we all are man just spit into male and female God bless but we need to stop fighting over futile stuff and start getting this Gospel out here and stop playing church because this new generation barely knows Christ.

Can You Be Saved At Age 5

I'm not sure what a 3 year would be saved from. Does a 3 year old have a full enough understanding of consequences and sin to be held accountable for sin? Didn't Christ teach that we needed to all become like little children in order to be acceptable to him. Sounds like little children may have already been acceptable to him due to their general innocence. Perhaps his salvation automatically extends to innocents.

Friend Becoming A Mormon

Laurie, I think it is fine to love, invite and share things with friends, and most of us who act out of love, find ways to lovingly share things. I really don't fault what you say, because at times frank or even harsh words may be necessary, but 9 times out of 10, once we have soured a relationship with harsh or irritating words, the ability to share the truth with a friend, neighbor or associate is lost along with the relationship. They will not listen if they don't think we are about them, but only care about showing how we are right.

Friend Becoming A Mormon

Laurie, I purposely avoided making comments about what religion is more correct than another. I have my opinion on this, but I become more concerned with those who desire to belittle, condemen others, judge others and otherwise act un-christian towards others all in the name of Christianity. When you act like a monster when carrying the banner of christianity, is it any wonder that people turn and run, rather than listen. Now, I am not saying this of you, Laurie, but I often get the feeling that many become more zealous about being puffed up, than about loving their neighbor and perhaps using that love to bring in their lost neighbor.

Friend Becoming A Mormon

Laurie, I mostly agree with you, but felt you went too far saying mormon's part from the "christian community" as if there were a specific "community". Catholics believe in a pope and have a form of worship for saints and Mary. Baptists and Mormons reject this, does that make Baptists and Mormons Christians and RCC as being outside the "community"? To define Christianity as being only those that think just like you, makes the word "Christianity" meaningless. Some mormon concepts are not biblical, but likewise some baptist, lutheran or RCC concepts are non-biblical. Read the Gospels over and over and you will see that few, if any of the organized churches follow all Christ's teachings.

Mormons And Joseph Smith

Why do so many people believe in Hinduism, Buddahism, Catholism, Judaism, etc. They believe because it resonates with something in them. It may resonate with the familiar things they were brought up with. It may resonate with certain basic beliefs that have individual meaning in their life. Most belief systems are not believed because of the physical truths, but because of the emotional, spiritual and philosophical type truths that they teach or because of the church organization and how it makes the person feel like it is the right place for them (which it may be). There are some things in every religion's "historical facts" that seems doubtful, but like I say it is not these things that matter most to these believers.

Friend Becoming A Mormon

Our duty is to do your best to find the truth and follow it. I'm not against organized religions, but they tend to have a sub group that too dogmatic. I have a diverse christian heritage: a set of grandparents that were Mormon a set that were Catholic, two aunts that are Baptist, my favorite cousin is non-denomenational and my freinds and neighbors growing up were primarily SDA and RCC. I have admired all these people for their Christian goodness and their love and concern. Some tried to influence my beliefs, but all have accepted me and always wished for me to only do what I felt was right. I believe their actions were correct, otherwise they may have driven me away from Christianity altogether.

Is The Trinity Concept Made Up

Thanks for your posts, especially KENRANK. I keep reading through my New Testament, and I keep getting the feeling that the Christ of Matthew, Mark and Luke is not a trinitarian type entity and in John He may be. Acts which is written by Luke (at least so I have been taught) has Steven's vision (Acts 7:55, 56) where Christ is seen as being a distinctly separate entity in heaven standing next to God the Father. I think the most probable explanation is the one that fits the typical changes in most religions over time. Earliest bible (creation accounts) is polytheistic. Later bible is mono-theistic. Christ comes and as is typical of us humans, we tend to first admire, then honor, the diefy those we most look up to.

Death Penalty Biblical Today

Manny, If we take the "do not judge" route you speak of, then we must do away with all laws and all punishments (not just for big issues like murder). While we are at, we would have to stop judging who to marry, who to vote for, who to babysit our kids, who to go to for advice, etc.. Oh, and you would even have to stop judging who is and isn't appropriately using the bible, which means you will have to stop judging others even as to whether their beliefs and actions are biblical. And once you can't judge someone else as being wrong for beliefs that contradict yours, it means your beliefs are of no value and have no standing.

Death Penalty Biblical Today

The death penality in clear cut murder cases is merely what murderers deserve. Capital punishment is not a deterent? Give me a break. For any half reasonable person punishments are a deterent and the more severe the punishment the better it is as a deterent. Secondly, even if it's not a deterent to others, it's the ultimate deterent to the one punished. The punished person in this case will never kill again. Remember that every year murders murder several people behind prison bars, its just that we don't care because they are murdering other murderers. Also remember that every year there are several prison escapees, and we often hear of the murders they quickly commit. Stop feeling so sorry for murderers. Start caringr more for the innocent.