When a person asks Jesus into their hearts, fully believing in Him, their heart is made new. We are new creatures. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit doesn't fill a non-believer. Now I know people can change, when we are confronted with carnal things it can challenge us to the point where leave for a while. BUT, if we were really saved, then we haven't completely left Him.
You see, this friend was a preacher (which I didn't know until he mentioned it). Something happened to him to cause him to lose faith. And he claims he's an Atheist now. While I understand to a point why he might want to leave (we all have pain, even me) I don't understand being angry at God when he clearly doesn't believe anymore. How can you be mad, or hate something/someone you don't believe in? Call it what you will, but God is not done with this of mine. I believe he's still a Christian even if he doesn't. And I believe God will bring him back.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
New King James Version (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
So how does one become a new creation and then undo it? Does a butterfly one day say, "meh, this flying thing is for the birds, I think I'll go back to being a caterpillar"? I mean, you can tell the butterfly that he/she is still a butterfly, that if they would only be a caterpillar if they never changed into a butterfly, but if that butterfly really believes it's a caterpillar it will take a lot of convincing.
I want to make this clear since I wasn't clear before. My friend thought I was passing judgment on him, I wasn't. I'm dictating who's going to heaven and who's not. This isn't even about that. This is about the fact that if you meant it when you became born-again you can't undo that. You may be mad at God, maybe hate Him, but you still believe. You accepted Him, you're a new creation. How do you undo a new creation? I'm never said my friend wasn't born-again to begin with. As a matter of fact, that post wasn't about anyone in particular. It was based on a conversation I have had with my father on several occasions. I use to say that a person can turn their back on God, just like a husband can do to a wife. But after so much meditation on the Word, it struck me that was impossible. If your heart is really in it, you're a new creature.
Romans 10:1-9
New King James Version (NKJV)
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
That last line, "saved", pass tense. You have already been saved. One time. If you already confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart, then you are saved!
I hope my friend reads this. No matter what he has gone through, God still loves him. God doesn't hurt or kill, that's the devil's work. God brings life, He's love. And He loves everyone. Salvation isn't about avoiding hell, it's about everlasting life with our Father. Everlasting life that we get the moment we're saved.
I'm praying that laborers come across my friend's path, that God's Word penetrates. While he may be saved, life is so much better when you focus on the Lord, pray and praise! I want everyone to know such salvation, I want everyone to know what I know. But free will is the one thing God won't change. He created us, and gave us the will to choose. And even Christians who walk away from God and have it pretty bad here on Earth.
I love you guys, I don't want to see anyone suffer. And I love my friend. He may not call me a friend after that post, but I love my fellow brother. I wish I could have had a chance to talk to him more, to say the words from the Holy Spirit that would resonate with him. I never knew of his pain, and if God uses me to help him, or to help you, then I'm doing God's work.
Peace, love, and blessings.
Dale E.
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