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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Converting to Christianity means becoming a follower of Jesus by faith (John 10:26-30). Crowds flocked to Jesus, but most were not His true followers. They just wanted to experience healing of thei...
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Nathan Toronga
Supporter
I think an alternative question would be, 'If our house was burning, and I ran out, my family would hate me. Should I escape or burn inside?' I suppose the answer would be, "yes, run for your life, and snatch as many of your family members as you can, in your flight". Because outside of Christ, it is SURE DEATH. There are no alternatives there. I understand there are some religions which direct that if a member should leave, the family and former friends must shun him. It is also true of some cults like the watchtower. But you want to ask yourself, who is more important to you - family or God? I'm sure it's God, so follow Him. In due course, who knows, some or all of your family members may get saved also. What's more, the philosophy of fear has some strange characteristics. Maybe several of your family members are thinking the same thing, but each is afraid of the other. In a way, that's how the doctrine of fear is designed to work. Each prisoner is his fellow's captor, so that as many as the prisoners - so are the captors. Each wants freedom, but is afraid of the next person. So you may find that some of your family are afraid of YOU just as you are afraid of them! You therefore must make the first move to break the ice. God has surely called you. The devil cannot give you such a thought, he only fights it. So take the next bold step - get baptized (in water, of course). Then make every effort, God helping you, to deliver every one of your family members. All who will be saved will be grateful to you. And there's a reward for those who lead others to righteousness. Daniel 12:3 God bless you as you take that bold, necessary step to eternal life.
Jeanetta Bass
Supporter
The very fact that u have asked this question is awesome. Many don't ask it nor do they pursue it, but u have. Many die for less and gain nothing. If ur family denies u, and if is most definitely possible that they will is it worth it for you. God is now nudging at ur heart. Your destiny is for service is being made available to you because someone or something has caused u to want to move forward in this new found love and relationship. The reality is r u ready the cost of love is extremely high but for the joy set before u is awesome. People have often made a statement to try God but I say to you do God be the god that He has called u to be for Him. That earthly king priest He is working in you. I'm excited for you. What you have Godly in you we as the people of God need. You apparently have some heavy things going on and for that I am sorry personally I have never had that issue my choice is my choice even what religion which I have chosen. None Just a relationship with The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Christian yes for without Christ I am nothing and so will u be. Counting all lost, dung, as nothing without Christ. You will be so Amazed He'll take ur breathe away. Everyone has to make that choice. The work comes afterwards with renewing the mind. Now that's really hard if u have a lot of philosophies of man. My prayer is that u make the right one. Grace and mercy falling in ur every footstep. Blessing and Shalom to you. Could u be the next Paul for our day. What a price he paid yet what results for a now generation
Lawrence wong
Supporter
What excellent responses! Following Jesus the Christ is a revolutionary and most radical step anyone can make! Muslims who convert to following Jesus as His disciples are cut from their families - a husband from his wife and children who may be kidnapped and spirited away. We who live in the Western world are spoiled by materialism, and, by a multitude of choices of the type of Christianity we desire. We are crippled, we are compromised! But we must remind ourselves not to agape, sacrifice ourselves for the world, for anything in it (1 Jo 2: 15-17) Islam is monotheistic, but worship Allah and live by Mohammad's words. We may classify the religion as another which rejects the divinity of Jesus the Christ who rose from the dead, is glorified, and our Father sent the Holy Spirit into the world to inhabit our temples - the body. Our Father's name is Alohim (Hebrew Alhym, phonetic spelling "Alo-heem) Gen 1:1. In Gen 2:4 He adds YHWH to Alohim. YHWH is the "I AM, I AM" greatly feared by the Ancient Near East nations at the time of Moses and Joshua (Jos 2:11) because of His mighty acts of 10 Great plagues against Pharoah. Alohim, who is Theos or Theou in Greek, is a loving Father who wants the best for each one of us, Muslims included. Jesus revealed that, in private conversation that He called the Father, Daddy, ABBA (Mk 14:36). Each one of us can call Him Abba as a natural response to His amazing agape to each one of us, those He has called and is calling to Himself, into His home (Heb 3:6). His name is not Allah, LORD Buddha, or any other god in this world. Whilst we may be revulsed by the violence of beheadings, rape, killings, massive destruction of towns and cities we witness in the TV news by ISIS, Abba is witnessing Himself to Muslims through His faithful servants, and supernaturally. This must inspire us to walk the Calvary Road, to carry our own crosses to remind ourselves that we must die to self so that "in Him we move and have our being" continuously, 24/7 (Ac 17:28). Satan is at war against Alohim, Jesus, our Abba (Eph 6, 2 Cor10:1-6) and he just wants to lead as many as possible to Hell. The battlefront is where we live, at home, raging over our bodies, the Temple of the living Jesus, for our minds (2 Cor 10:5), not just overseas in some far flung place we barely know about. Oh that we will have Abba's heart towards all, to show His agape for the world - but closer to home to our loved ones, to our neighbours, our friends, and whoever - those Abba is calling to Himself.(Ac 2:47) Jesus said and says to each one: "Come, follow Me (continuously) and I will make you fishers of men" (Mt 4: 19). "I am the way, the truth, and the life,. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Jo 14:6). Our first step is to obey Him, His words, JESUS! "Come out from among them and be separate, says the LORD, (YHWH). Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. Therefore having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of Theos (Alohim) " (2 Cor 6:17- 7:1) The goal is the Father, ABBA. to glorify His name, to be holy as He is holy! (1 Pe 1:15) Lawrence NZ
Bruce Lyon
Supporter
If one comes to the lord Jesus in faith and is baptized and receives the holy spirit and lives out his/her life in subjection to the massage and instruction Jesus brought for us to live by we will suffer persecution. To be a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is not a bed of roses, it can be difficult, very difficult indeed. It may cost us the loss of family and people we thought were our friends. But, if we turn our hearts and minds to what it cost the lord Jesus to make the way possible for us to be saved and to eventually inherit with him this earth and all that is in it, and to co-rule with him in the coming new age over all the nations, then our present suffering is a small price to pay for such a glorious future. Notice what the a search of the word persecution shows in the scriptures: La 5:5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest. Mt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Mr 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. Ac 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. Ac 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. Ac 13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Ro 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Ga 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased. Ga 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Indeed, Jesus says all who will live godly in the anointed one Jesus shall suffer persecution! Paul is another example of what it takes to serve the living God and His beloved son Jesus: Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Notice Luke 14:26-33: If any man come to me, and loves not less his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sit not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has [is not willing to walk away from all in order to serve the lord Jesus], he cannot be my disciple. Jesus is saying that one should count the cost that might come to one who follows him. That if called to do so would be willing to walk away from any earthly possession or family if need be!
Mark Vestal
Supporter
The dilemma for the writer of this question would not be that of becoming a Christian, as faith in Christ is something you don’t have to tell or prove to anyone, or any denominational “church”, for your salvation (Eph 2:8-9). Believers are members of the church, which is His body (Rom 12:5, Eph 1:22-23). The dilemma would be their walk in faith, wanting to express their love of Christ because of the love they understand that God has for them, and being unable to share the true good news with their family and friends, which is the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor 11:3). Today, during the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph 3:1-10), to be a Christian means one must simply have faith in Christ and His finished cross work as their means of acceptance of God’s free gift of salvation, offered by His grace. Hearing and believing our apostle Paul's gospel of Christ crucified and God's grace is the only requirement today (1Cor 11:1, Rom 5:18, Eph 1:12-13, Eph 2:8). Paul is clear that we today are to do nothing to obtain or maintain our salvation other than to have faith alone in Christ being our savior through the work that He alone completed for us, and nothing of ourselves (Eph 2:8-9, Rom 5:15-21). "Not of ourselves" would include water baptism, going to church, asking for forgiveness of sins, walking the aisle, confession, etc... (all sin was forgiven when Christ died on the cross, whether someone believes this or not) (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, 2 Cor 5:19-21, Rom 6:22). Salvation occurs at the moment of believing it (Eph 1:13). If there is something you are doing in the flesh, believing that it is necessary for your salvation, and usually visible by others, then you may be missing the beauty of God’s grace, that Christ did everything required on your behalf. Prior to the revelation of this "mystery" gospel given to Paul by Christ after He ascended into heaven, works were required by believing Hebrews as taught by Christ's 12 apostles. This changed when biblical Israel still rejected Christ as their Messiah. Gentiles were then offered the free gift from God with acceptance only requiring faith in Christ dying on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, being buried, but rising again for our justification (1 Cor 15:1-4). Doing anything other than having faith in Christ actually puts us into debt with God if we are doing these things believing it is to obtain or maintain our salvation (Rom 4:4-5, Eph 2:10). Works are important AFTER our belief, but we work because we ARE saved, and not in order to BE saved. Remember that we're sealed until the day of redemption, meaning that we can never lose our salvation once we believe (Eph 4:30). When we study the bible as we are taught (2 Tim 2:15), we learn to divide the gospel of our salvation by Paul from the gospels written to biblical Israel by the apostles of Jesus while Christ lived on earth. Today, during God's dispensation of grace (Eph 3:1-2), Christianity is simply to have faith in Christ alone being our savior, not the practicing of a religion as it once was for a different people during a different time (2 Cor 11:3).
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