What does a personal relationship with God mean?

This is what I was trying to say. It's about the lifestyle and the intents of the heart. Is our heart's desire to please God or ourselves? Jesus was called a drunk and a glutton because He was seen with..well..drunks and gluttons, but this certainly did not mean that He lived that lifestyle.

 

What does a personal relationship with God mean?

I'm not sure I understatnd what x's beef is with this but i do think that it may be overused.

I heard from the pulpit a couple weeks ago... the preacher asked the question something like: if you were to die tonite and God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would your answer be? after giving a couple of obviously incorrect answers, he said that he would be let in if he answered "I have a personal relationship with Christ"

My answer would have been very different.

 

Why was Jesus seen with sinners? Was he just fellowshipping with them and having fun? Or was he teaching and leading lost sinners to salvation? The pharisees called Jesus a winebibber because they were falsely accusing Him out of envy. If He had been tossing back cold ones at the local sportatorium, they would probably have been justified in making that statement. But obviously He wasn't doing that.

It's one thing for a baby Christian to be involved in such foolishness, as they are naturally going to have to be discipled and grow to a mature understanding. But for a Christian who is supposed to have been walking with the Lord to say there is nothing wrong with going to a bar, I could only reply:

Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

I agree, the personal relationship will not do much good if you aren't trusting in the blood of Jesus. First the blood, then the relationship.

 

Yes. Show me where didn't fellowship and have "fun". Of course He didn't sin, but Jesus still remained human nonetheless.

AKA...Jame's definition of foolishness. I'm sorry that you refuse to have any kind of relationship with the lost. Jesus did. He wasn't a "friend of sinners" without being a friend.

 

Amen :thumbs:

 

:thumbsup: Blood first, second, third...i would say blood only.

 

How difficult was the OP? "A personal relationship with God" is precisely that. You don't have a personal relationship with a church, or church building, or a long list of do's and dont's, or with this Baptist Board. Your faith, hope, and trust is in Jesus Christ, not dogma or doctrine or debate or derision. You look to Jesus, not what your local pastor or the pope has to say. You find out how to look to him by reading the bible. You can dedicate your life to criticizing the bible or you can read it and apply the lessons learned to your life. The latter way is the best way. Spend your day talking to God, not mocking him. A personal relationship with a loved one is centered in and on love. How difficult is that? Hello?

 

first the blood then the relationship?

Rom:2:4: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?


Hey look, you have got to understand something of the goodness and love of God (have a relationship with Him) before you WILL know how to trust in his love and in the blood of Christ alone for salvation.

Remember? Jesus said Jn:12:32: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

You're going to have to see Jesus as He is and through Him see the love of God before you can trust in the blood of Christ.

2Cor:5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself

the cross came first, we look at it, we behold His love (thus begins the relationship with God) --and THEN are brought to our knees in trust for God. The cross, THEN the reconciling between us and God... the trust in the blood.


...and then all the good works that we do after that are because of that love and trust we have for God. If that doesnt manifest it is proof we never loved and trusted Him in the first place. That is the Seventh Day Adventist point of view.

Claudia

 

You've made a major leap in understanding from the first posts of yours that I read. Many people never admit that. The second major leap is accepting the fact that all have sinned (Romans 3:10, 3:23) and that includes you.

I regret that you've had to contend with Catholicism, for we believe in the "priesthood of the believer", that we approach our God on our own and have no need for intercession.

If you mean to physically hear Him as someone in the room with you -- don't expect that. But if you accept that He will hear you and will let His will for you be known, yes -- you can hear Him!

Don't judge yourself by others or what they say. God is the judge of all, and unfortunately there are many who take advantage of God's children. They will have to answer to Him.

God loves you and has plans for your life. Once you understand we are all sinners, continue reading in Romans: The penalty for sin is death and eternity in hell (Romans 6:23, Luke 16:23); Jesus died to pay for our sins (Romans 5:8); Jesus invites you to be saved today (Romans 10:13) and I will continue to pray for you. God is not the only one that loves you. I would like to know we'll meet in heaven one day and discuss further!

 

XD -- A link from someone else

XD --

Here's another example -- sent to me by an former co-worker, posted by a friend of his:

http://www.levitt.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000140

 

the above is an oxymoron.

figs dont come from thistles - vice versa.

 

Jesus was not talking about hearing, as in 'do you hear that noise'. He was talking about understanding and receiving what He was saying.

Luke 9:44-45
44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Psalms 95:7-8
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: