Question on Obeying

Shell,

Spiritually nothing, your salvation sets you apart from previous life style(behold all things become new).

In this case if you have tattoos, piercings and cuttings you are going to bear the physical scars of these past actions which may or may not lead to having to answer embarrassing questions concerning your past in the future.

If you have some immodest tattoos you may have to expend money to get them removed. Also depending on where piercings might be found on ones body there could be a health risk in the future.

I am delighted to hear that you got things turned around God is certainly good much more so than we deserve. I praise the Lord for your salvation.

thjplgvp

 

Shell,

A good question but one that leads me to make an observation first and then answer your question for you secondly.

The question asked is what if I continue to mark, cut or pierce my body after my conversion? My first alarm goes off immediately and I have to ask were you involved in the occult as in drugs, hallucinogenic drugs, tarot cards, Eastern mysticism, New Age Spirit guides etc. Only the demonically influenced seek to mutilate their body and scripturally it has been tied with a sign of the end times.

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

The word perilous is only found one other time in the NT and that is in Matthew 8:28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. The word is found in both passages first translated ‘fierce’ as related to Demonic strength. The men were exceedingly fierce by a strength that was neither natural or common because it was demonically spawned.

This is the same account given by Mark.

Mark 5:1-5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Notice two things he has an unclean (demonic spirit) and he cuts himself (mutilates himself). In Matthew 17 we have the story of a son who is demon possessed and the Demon is always trying to drown him or burn him in the fire.

The reason I point these things out to you is because as a new Christian if you are coming out of a culture that is permeated with dab lings into the spirit world you may need some solid counseling from someone other than I.

Concerning the question of God’s judgment all judgment is given to the Son who instructs us in many places in scripture that when we fall we are repent (turn away from what we did) and to seek his forgiveness immediately. The nature of the war of the flesh that rages within us tells us through experience that it is continual and that sometimes we lose individual battles and fall. When that happens we do not look for the judgment of Christ we look to his mercy and receive forgiveness to move forward. Forgetting those things which are behind we press on…
We strive to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh but as you already know this is not always the case. Remember he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin. Let the Spirit guide you.

Hang in there.

 

No, God will not punish you because he does not punish those whom he has saved. He does discipline us, but that is different. Punishment is the penalty for sins, which is death, and that is what Christ has saved you from.

I am wondering if you are cutting yourself as part of an emotional issue. Is this what you mean?
I know that people do this even when they are not in the occult, though many younger people in the occult also do this as it seems to go together.

If this is a leftover habit/addiction, you may need counseling. It would also be good to be accountable to a loving, understanding fellow believer in Christ who can listen patiently, pray for you, and encourage you.

Keep in mind, Shell, that your sins are forgiven, but that we still need to go to God and confess our sins daily. This is to humble us, to keep us remembering that God forgives, and to help us learn to depend on God.

God understands whatever emotional pain may have caused this cutting (which is what I'm suspecting), so don't be harsh on yourself and don't let harsh Christians discourage you. Often it takes awhile to get away from old desires and habits, but we need Christ to do this, so don't think you can do it yourself! Keep asking for Christ to give you strength to deal with this. Gal. 3.3 tells us that if we began by faith, we must continue by faith, not the flesh. We cannot overcome these things in the flesh, that is, by our own strength.

So I say pray each day about this, see if you can have someone else who is understanding praying for you, and perhaps seeks counseling if you are struggling with this.

 

I agree. as for past marks made on yourself they're what i'd call "grace marks" From what God has brought you out of. At salvation, past sins are removed, no new sins are recorded to our account and righteousness is recorded. But at that point we are God's children and He must discipline us when we do wrong.

To God, we have done no wrong. With his omniscience he is able to remove all our sins. I don't understand it all because God's ways are higher than our ways. I think Romans 6 sums it up pretty well:
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

 

I forgot to add: The Christian life is death. Dieing to self and living for Christ. The more we die to self and yield to Christ the more we live in Christ.

 

On the Edge,

re: “...no new sins are recorded to our account...”


Do you have any scripture for that comment?