| Author | Message | ||
| Bob_2 (Bob_2) |
To get started, was you belief in an eternal (non-consuming, tormenting Hell) instrumental in leading you to a meaningful relationship with Christ? Bob_2 | ||
| Doc (Doc) |
Just to answer, No! I don't think it played a part at all in my conversion. It was a realisation I needed Christ first of all in this present life, then when I met Him, I realised more and more what he had done for me, so I wanted to serve him out of love, so that others would come to know him. God bless, Doc | ||
| Bob_2 (Bob_2) |
Doc, so if in your mind there was a consuming Hell and not a non-consuming Hell it would not have made a difference in your attraction to Christ? Bob_2 | ||
| Bob_2 (Bob_2) |
I'm sorry, I meant to say, so if in your mind there was a non-consuming Hell and not a consuming Hell would it have made a difference in your attraction to Christ. By the way Doc, where do you hail from. I live in St. Louis, Missouri. Bob_2 | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Bob, anihilation can't be any picnic either! It never was the dread of punishment that drew me to Christ, it was the dreadful awareness of how evil and dirty I was and how unable I was to do anything about it. I knew that only Jesus was capable of helping me, and I was going to end up in eternal torment or eternal anihilation as a result, the particular outcome wasn't important to me at my conversion (re-conversion from MAJOR LEAGUE backslider). Made no difference to me how I would ultimately be dealt with by God, I just knew I was taking myself in the wrong direction and I desperately needed help to get it turned around. Thank God He answered me! | ||
| Bob_2 (Bob_2) |
Freeatlast, So knowing you were totally depraved as a human being was helpful in desiring to seek a solution? Do you believe a good person who after reading the Bible and finding out there is only one way to salvation, that is knowing Jesus and accepting Him, can be attracted to Him because he "selfishly" wants eternal life? Bob_2 | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Yes, Bob, my desire was to be changed in ways I knew I could not change myself. Not just WHAT I DO, but WHO I AM. I finally came to the awful realization that the evil I do comes from the evil person that I am and not the other way around. I didn't want to be evil anymore. Not because I desired eternal life (although that was certainly something I knew that I was going to miss out on unless I became a new man). Eternal life was never my primary motivator for coming back to Christ. In fact, the thought of living forever as the person I was is horrifying to me, even today. There is only pain and suffering to be gained in that life, for me and those around me. I am only interested in living eternally if it is as a changed man. | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Realizing that I was hopelessly sinful and that I couldn't control it no matter how moral I was or how hard I tried was what started me on the road to finding out the truth about Jesus. It really had nothing to do with the thought of eternal life or not. Colleen | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
"for Godly sorrow leadeth to repentance." I think that one form of unGodly repentance occurs when a man places a higher value on eternal life simply for the sake of perpetual existence than on becoming a reformed inner man as he clings to Christ. | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Freeatlast, I agree that the prospect of living forever in our sinful state is a horrifying thought for sure. It is such a comforting thought to realize that God's love for me goes so much further than the things I do. Its the only thing that gives me hope. Thanks for sharing that. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Doc (Doc) |
Bob, as far as I remember, the nature of hell played no part at all in my conversion process. I knew I needed Jesus to come into my life and sort out the mess, and when I turned to Him, He got started. I am from northern England, not far from Manchester. I now live in western Hungary. God bless, doc | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
Bob, I was only 7 when I was saved. To me it was the idea that I wanted to spend eternity with Jesus. Even that young I understood that in my own power I could never be "good" enough to spend time in the presence of God, that I needed what Christ had done for me. I don't recall that the idea of hell ever came into the picture. My husband says that his salvation experience came as a result of hearing the verse, "I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly". He wanted meaning in his life. I've heard several folks at our church say that many people had told them that they were doomed to hell for the way they were living. It never had an effect on their thinking, more than one has said their response was, "yeah, whatever..." What got their attention was when someone shared with them that God loved them and wanted to enter into a relationship with them. Is their a point to your question? | ||
| Angie (Angie) |
I was in a back-sliden state when 911 happened.I had been thinking about living right several weeks before.When that happened,it made me take a closer look at my life.I didn't really say,oh I better do something,before I burn in Hell forever.But I thought back to when I was right with God,and wanted that peace you can only get in Jesus.Howcould someone TRULY have faith,if it was only fear that led them to Jesus??? YES,do you have a point??? Angie |
