Goodbye.....it's time for me to fly

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Thank you for all the valuable lessons I've learned here. I will continue praying that I will see YOU in heaven.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

Jesus Christ is the unique person of the universe, perfect God and perfect man in one person who "became flesh and dwelt among us" - John 1:14. Being sinless and perfect in every way He went to the cross and made a complete payment for sin. "Christ died for our sins" - 1 Cor 15:3, 2 Cor 5:21.

Jesus Christ had YOU in mind when He went to the cross. He was paying for your sins, a personal thing. Had He not gone to the cross your sins would stand as an eternal barrier between you and God. You would have the problem of getting rid of your sins before you could go to heaven. Your sinful acts, thoughts and words are no longer what keep you from going to heaven. Christ has already paid for those things. "Christ died for our sins." God wouldn't be fair or just if He made you pay for something twice. Christ picked up the check and paid the tip.

The cross changed the issue from, "What will I do with my sins?" to "What will I do with Jesus Christ?" While you do not have what it takes to pay for sin you do have what it takes to accept Christ and the payment He made for YOU. All that stands between you and God right now is one act of your freewill saying to God, "Yes, I accept Christ and His payment for my sins." That's all. He's done all the rest. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." - Acts 16:31.

The unpardonable sin is not believing in Jesus Christ. God cannot save you and receive you into heaven apart from faith in Christ. He respects your freedom to say "yes" or "no" to Him. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but by Me." - John 14:6. Unbelief in Christ is the sin that condemns you to hell. "He that believeth in Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." - John 3:18. God has done everything necessary to save you by the death, burial and ressurection of Christ, but He cannot believe for you.

When you accept Christ God accepts you. At that moment you become a believer in Christ, you receive eternal life and become a member of the family of God. The issue has been settled. He has become your heavenly Father by faith in Christ. Rejection or unbelief no longer separates you from Him. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become children of God, to them that believe in His name." - John 1:12. That name is the Lord Jesus Christ.

You only accept Christ once to be saved forever. You will not spend one second in hell. Heaven becomes your home. Eternal life is yours as a gift from God the moment you believe in Christ. If you could lose eternal life it would not be eternal. "For God SO loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16.

"For He (God) made Him (Christ), who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Cor 5:21

"For BY GRACE are YOU saved THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not of works lest any man should boast." - Eph 2:8,9

-- a sinner saved (bygrace@thru.faith), September 26, 2000

Answers

By Grace:

Losing you leave a hole in this board. You have been an exemplary christian, simply stating your truth and not pounding anyone over the head with it. This I respect.

I hope you will lurk occasionally and post too; I for one will miss your posts.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 26, 2000.


With all due respect, that's one of the problems I have always had with regular Christianity.

Your sinful acts, thoughts and words are no longer what keep you from going to heaven. Christ has already paid for those things.

The unpardonable sin is not believing in Jesus Christ.

Sorry, I will never get it I suppose. I am forgiven for torturing small furry animals, I can poke out the eyes of baby children, and rape their mothers while cutting their throats. Nasty stuff but God can live with that. But if a Mother Theresa type happens to be a Jew or Muslim, well, she's screwed, too bad, do not pass Go do not collect $200.

Nope, that's not the God I am interested in worshipping, you can have him.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000.


Deedah:

My endorsement of ByGrace is not an endorsement of the theology. But who the hell(pun intended) knows? It does not sound right to me, but that is okay. There is room for all points of view here, and I was applauding bygrace for the civil manner in which he/she conducted his/her self.

Do I think there is a subtle superiority there? Sure. Do I think there is something inherently unviable in a theology which does not include unconditional love? Sure I do. But heck, everything I have ever posted may be wrong-c'est la vie.

I think it is a loss when, among us, someone leaves who made a contribution, evn if we do not believe a word of what they say, and that contribution was made without rancor.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 26, 2000.


bygrace@thru.faith,

I will miss your gentleness and compassion on this board. I'm sure you will move on to another to spread your message. Some of those folks will no doubt be better for having experienced your presence, as am I.

The strength, empathy and intelligence with which you share your beliefs is comforting for me. That you and I have experiences which differ drastically in no way diminishes my respect for you. You are a spiritual warrior in Christ, one who gains force of will through his/her Savior.

God has Bless you, my friend. May said Blessings be never-ending. Go in peace. May peace embrace you wherever you are sent.

Rich

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), September 26, 2000.


Future Shock has expressed my sentiments very well. It is a big loss when someone as civil as Bygrace leaves this forum, no matter what their views and opinions are.

If only those who think alike remain, then freespeech is a moot point, as there won't be anything left to debate or to learn from.

Thanks for you past contributions to this forum Bygrace, and if you change your mind the door will always remain open.

OTFR

-- Old Time Forum Regular (freespeech@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000.



"even if we do not believe a word of what they say, and that contribution was made without rancor."

I'm with ya on this one, FS. I pretty much tuned out all the preachin', but I DID read the responses by bygrace and he/she never spoke caustically to anyone, and that, IMO, is reflective of a person who has control over his life.

Good luck, bygrace, and stay happy.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), September 26, 2000.


Bye, grace.

-- flora (***@__._), September 26, 2000.

ByGrace,

You don't say why you're leaving. I hope you will change your mind and stay.

And now, we return you to our regularly scheduled al-d #####PRO,GRAM*******

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 26, 2000.


I have to echo what FS said.....thanks for your civility and for contributing of yourself. You will be missed.

(Good one, Lars [g].)

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), September 26, 2000.


Grace: you will be missed. Please stay, dont make us listen to Al-d no more, please?

ROFL......good one there lars.....

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), September 26, 2000.



FS,

Considering some of my recent "works" here, I thought I was being civil. Compared to how Arcy and I used to go at it, I know I was being civil.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000.


deedah-

just wanted to be sure you knew where i was coming from. It was no criticism of your position. I like to be clear.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 26, 2000.


Grace,

Best wishes and God Bless. Take care!

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), September 26, 2000.


Lars:

I was not at home. I was driving down the freeway in my little rented car today and was passed by a Rolls. The personalized plate read Al-d. Didn't catch the state. Just interesting.

Best wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 26, 2000.


Z--

Ra-1 says al-d won a suit for 11 million bucks. If true, that would buy a fleet of Rolls-Royces for his God-squad.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 27, 2000.



i wish i was an oscar-meyer weenie,so every one could take a bite off me!!---WHO SAID THAT???

-- al-sal-pal-gal-D. (dogs@zianet.com), September 28, 2000.

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