Before I became a Christian my sins were building, accumulating, adding up. Every day I was willingly sinning, never giving any attention to God who had given me life and breath. I was like a mouth to a flame, I couldn't help but sin. However over the years my conscience began to catch up to me and my sin.

I broke all the 10 Commandments! I lied before, have you? I've stolen, looked with lust at women, who hasn't sinned with their eyes? I didn't always put God first in my life, I dishonored my parents when I was young, and hated people which Jesus taught is the same as murder because its not just the physical act but it begins within the heart, I desired other peoples things including money (coveting), but also believed in God, however I didn't believe back then in the God of creation because I formed a god in my own mind who never existed-- this is known as idolatry. How about you? Where do you stand in light of the 10 Commandments? When you die and stand before God and He judged you by this perfect standard of goodness would you be innocent or guilty? Be honest with yourself, you and I would both fail miserably and be guilty. Since God is good and just since that is His nature, all sinners will have their part in the lake of fire, hell.

You might say, "I am trying to be a good person." Our own goodness cannot earn God's forgiveness! WHy? Because all the good deeds we may try and do cannot erase our bad deeds that we have already committed against God. Our guilty consciences can never be cleared by our own deeds. There is only one way for a guilty conscience to be cleared, cleansed, made clean, free of guilt and condemnation.

God has provided a way for us to be forgiven. This way is not achieved by our own doing, good works, praying toward Mecca or other. This way is also offered to us freely by the God of heaven. Listen closely, Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Me" John 14:6, also "God demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Jesus died for us" Romans 5:8. While we were acting in rebellion toward God Jesus suffered a torturous death which paid our fine of sin to God. We broke God's laws and deserve hell, yet Jesus paid our fine of sin. There is one this on our part we must do, that is to accept Jesus as the Son of God and your personal Savior or sin-bearer and your Lord.

This is the Gospel that God wants you and I to know. This Gospel of God is so important that the apostle Paul suffered hardship, stonings, whippings, prison and death for. This is what Stephan a man of God who preached the Gospel of God was stoned to death for, this is what the once scared to death apostles who were once scared and in hiding after Jesus' death and burial in a tomb, yet after seeing Jesus' resurrection they spoke boldly of Jesus having risen from the dead, spoke boldly the Gospel of God which is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. These apostles believed it so strongly many of them were put to death for it. These men and women who followed Jesus, who knew Him, ate with Him, were willing to give up their own life so that others would know the awesome salvation that came through Jesus. They wanted others to know, including you and I. What is your response?

Robin

OK, I propose a 12th Commandment (the eleventh being the "Bill Clinton Commandment", ie: Thou shalt not comfort thy rod with thy staff).

I'm not sure how to work out my 12th commandment, though. Maybe some of you guys could help me.

How about: There is no compulsion in religion.

Or: Mind your own business and let us keep our religion/spirituality/thoughts to ourselves. When we want to know, we'll ask.

(the "Don't call Us, We'll call You" commandment)

Or how about: Preaching sucks! (Be QUIET and leave us alone!)

sheesh

I'm hear to learn and discuss, not to preach.

Since I don't practice any religion at all, I think you can believe me when I say I don't preach any religion to anyone ever.

Now admittedly, I might preach women's rights and compulsory voting and being nice to refugees......but preaching religion? Never.

Kim...

Salam to all,

Although I don't agree with the manner in which Kim! conveyed her message, I understand the sentiment behind her words.

I, also, get annoyed with the "Born Again!" crowd, because they seem to be not at all interested in learning or having any type of discussion. They believe that if they tell you that "Jesus died for your sins" somehow some magic spell will come over you and your will jump our of your chair and shout "Halleluyah! I'M SAVED!"

What rbaitz is (most likely) unaware of is that all of the argument the Christians make for why someone should become a Christian have already been throughly refuted in the Quran. This is why Christian missionaries do not spend alot of time on Muslims, and why they have very little impact in Muslim countires.

If they rbaitz were to enter into a discussion with me, he would quote the few Bible verses he has memorized to prove his point, but I could not expect more than that.