- Is the Writer of these, a good Christian?
I would say yes and no. 1st and foremost, no Christian is perfect. All of us believe that we are all of them are sinners or sinners before. Christians will outright acknowledge that they will have flaws in themselves as only God is perfect.
There was a long stage of my life when I had refused to go to Church and took things head on without the need for spiritual help. Typically you can say is backsliding. Although I did stopped praying during one time, I had never failed to acknowledge that Christ is Lord.
Strangely during my backsliding days, I actually shared to my girlfriend about Christ and she converted and she was the one who encouraged me to go back to church. It was only when I start realizing the real reason for backsliding:
“A man rejects God neither because of intellectual demands nor because of the scarcity of evidence. A man rejects God because of moral resistance that refuses to admit his need for God." - Zacharias
I was quite egoistic back then when things start to go from bad to worst. Faced with a bad superior back then and the many to problems piling up to my work, I actually turned away from Christ, stopped my daily prayer just to sort out my stuffs. I somehow so determined to do things all alone. Remember Chuck Colson whom had once occupied the office next to the President of the United States? He thought he could do well without God and paid the price. (http://www.y-jesus.com/why_jesus8.php)
I experience that as well so always remember never to forsake the Lord. And as you had read the posts on different churches rules, I actually put a very nice quote of the greatest gift of Christians:
Remember that the greatest gift of Christians is ‘Prayer’ as God hears us. But it is also the greatest failure of Christians when we fail to pray.
But remember is never too late to go back to God and he will bless you. Look at Chuck Colson coming out of the Watergates Scandal to become one of the most successful and recognized person after he acknowledges God into his life:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Colson
Miracle as you can say, during my most down days of my career, facing with overloaded work and a bulling superior, God send another superior to speak to me not once but twice out of the blue. I didn’t show any signs of break-down nor had I been complaining of my bad immediate superior to anyone. This God-send superior of mine just he experienced a “calling from God” to talk to me sensing that there might be a problem that I am facing which I had never shared. ?????????? I still can’t explain in science how did it happen. Saying miracles happens in many ways we really cannot see, this can describes it. Is a sign that even though you might not remember God, God will always remember you! I started to pray and things got better.
But being a Christian, obeying God’s law is important. Remembering that God does not want us to bear any hatred as this will be judged in his eyes. Furthermore, as Jesus had said (From JOHN 13:34) a new commandment I give unto you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
God has forgiven us from sins we done and wants us to forgive others and love one another as he had loved and forgave us. I believe this commandment is the hardest to fulfill as we tend to go for an eye for an eye, hate and curse those who did wrong to you. I admit that I still find it hard to totally forgive some friends who deeply betrayed my friendship with them. I used to think although I am quick tempered, I have big heart for forgiving as I forgiven friends whom I had fought with despite getting lots of bruises and bleeding. So God tested me not once but twice from close friends betrayal to make me realize that there is still much to learn.
This also made me realized that the past cannot be erased as it will live as part of memory with you. I used to naively think when I was younger that by resetting your friends, changing your environment will make you forget all the wrongdoings you had in your life. But unfortunately, all will eventually come back to you as that is the way of life. What you had did wrong in you life cannot be erase.
But not to worry as it is never too late. By accepting your past and repent is the way of Christ and is the road I am seeking to walk. You’ll see life much better as how I see them now, like many had before me and many will after me.
And towards my thoughts about Christian Religion, on the whole:
To be frank with the readers, I have never seen such a religion that made so much impact into individual lives. On top of the many unexplained miracles happening today of miracle healing of cancers and other chronic illnesses, across the globe endless stories of repentances from ex-criminals, convicts, juvenile offenders to come out of their darkness of life to see light and inspires others to walk the way of light. What more there were many who came out of devastated situations in life such as terminal illness, suicidal individuals had eventually find peace within. Most of them claimed that Christianity is what really changed their life and many saved actually constantly reaching out for others.
Thursday, February 12, 2009 ; 9:28 AM