Letters to a Christian
Author: Steve Amato
Description: Advice on living the Christian life
Keywords: bible study,christian life bible

Letters to Christians
Recently a Christian asked me some basic questions about the Christian life which I think may be relevant to many in the Christian community.
### Sin,Forgiveness and Sanctification I have fornicated, used drugs, cursed, and have had homosexual relations. I fear God! I have asked him for forgiveness. I know that what I have done is completely opposite what the Lord would have me do. Should I marry? Should I leave my house and walk cross country teaching people about Jesus? I have so many questions. Would someone please write to me. Response Dear Steve, I have heard the word of the Lord and had previously asked him into my life. I still willfully sinned. Is there any hope for me? Please be honest. Response ### Sin Against the Holy Spirit? Brother Amato: My question is. How do you know when you have sin against the Holy Spirit? I have trouble, you see at first i would feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and the fire of God, then everything just vanish. When I pray it feels like if God is not listening to me. and I wonder if maybe in my mined I have said or done something wrong and it scares me to death.? Response Once a person has accepted Jesus as Lord can they then fall away and lose their salvation Hebrews ch 10 refers to sinning wilfully after tasting the good things and all they can look toward is judgement I have taken Jesus as my Lord but I find that I still sin wilfully Could you ,if you have time, explain this to me . I am afraid that God has wiped His hands of me Response ### Polygamy/Remarriage Issues The three following questions are from real situations. Your answer to them would be a great contribution to Christian life. 1. I come from an African country where until 1961, polygamy was allowed. One of my uncles has been lawfully living with his two wives and he has had several children with each one of them. When I have a chance to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him and his two wives and all the three receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, shall I ask my uncle to divorce one of the two wives (probably the one he married last) in order to fulfill the command of Jesus? Should the wife thus divorced seek to get married again? 2. Before becoming a believer, my sister-in-law married a divorced man. They lived together for 15 years and two years ago, my sister became a Christian, but her husband remains a non-believer. She then understood that she has been living in adultery with her “husband” and she now wants to leave him. They have together 5 children, two of them under age 7. What should I advise her to do? 3. My wife and I have been witnessing to a woman who has been living common law with a partner for seven years. Very recently, we learned that the woman had been in fact married before but hided it from her current partner. They have had two children together but she didn’t have any child with the husband to whom she was previously married before and with whom she stayed for less than one year. She is now a baby Christian and we would like to keep on encouraging her in her walk with the Lord. What should we tell her? Response ### What Constitutes a Lifestyle of Sin? I would appreciate a clarification on your theological position in regards to sanctification. You stated "In this life time, those born of God are incapable of living a lifestyle of sin...". (1John 3:9) How do you define a lifestyle of sin? Obviously we still sin because we are not perfected and are still dealing with our sinful nature. At what point can we say that our sin has become a "lifestyle"? Response ### Which Church to Go To? I hava started going to an armanian church and then started going to the Local Churches. After seeing your comments and accusation about them, I was preplex. I only been a Christian for not even two years,"that's if I am according to your teachings". Where can get in touch with your church or something like that. maybe, just maybe! Response I am 48 years old and my wife and I were saved in a small independent fundamental Baptist church 30 years ago. I have not always walked with Lord though. My wife of 30 years and I have recently joined a small Assembly of God church "because its the only church for miles around". After going forward and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I have never felt so alive but am confused by all the new excitement brought on by it and being told speaking in tongues is normal as with profits ... We had never believed in this before because of our upbringing from the Baptist faith and it feels a little wrong. We are now questioning our eternal salvation beliefs which the Assembly of God don't believe in. Because we are miles from any other church "really rural area" were not sure if we should continue to go or just quit going all together. We really don't want to stop going to church since its been so long before and we really feel alive again. I stumbled across your web page by accident searching out answers and it seemed to pretty true in scripture. Sometimes I wish missionaries would just stay home here in the USA and start church's for us rural folks. Response ### Infant Baptism I also read your article on adult exclusive baptism. Nowhere in scripture is adult exclusive baptism taught in fact read Acts 13:24. And Acts 16:33 speaks of whole families being baptised so it is safe to presume that small children and even infants are included in the description of entire familes. Waiting untill they understand is a nominalistic reasoning since as adults we cannot honestly say that we understand baptism. Response ### The Correlation between Behavior and Assurance of Salvation when I was saved at 19, I cried, I felt changed. I desired to read the Bible. I cried when I read it. I desired to change. I felt filled with God's love. I didn't get discipled though. For years, I walked with the Lord on and off. I joined Bible Studies, went to churches, got baptized, told people about the Lord and desired Him. I also sinned greatly. Part of the time, when I wasn't walking with the Lord, I had sex with different men (for a period of a few years). I lived in the world. My best friends were in the world. I am ashamed of what I did and wish it never took place, but I can't imagine denying that my salvation took place when it did. I know the change that took place in my live. Even when I lived in the world, I felt ashamed. I would ask God for forgiveness and strength to do the right thing and then a few months later, I did it again. Sometimes I just shut God out. Finally, I stopped and gave my life back to the Lord and cannot imagine going back to that place I was in. I claim the parable of the prodigal son as my story. I just know God never stopped loving me or pursuing me as He does all of us. My boyfriend says that I am prideful and incorrect about the prodigal son. That parable is for the lost. "Where was my fruit?" is his question. He is as positive that I was not saved during this time as I am that I was. He states that there is no defense for my position in the Bible and that I have no reverence for the Word of God. We did talk to our pastor. He suggested that we pray and fast. He also suggested that it would be good to submit to the man that I love and am considering marrying and study the Bible together. He also said that communication is foremost in a relationship. I agree, but I am confused. Will any amount of studying take away the assurance and conviction of my salvation? I do not think so. Response I am shepherd hind prakash from india. i accepted jesus last to last year and when i accepred it i really got heavenly peace , joy and satisfactionand i started serving zealously.this sunday i got oppuritinity to deliver a meessage in front of 100 people so i want your help , please 1 message based on malachi chapter. i will really greatful to you if i will get any kind of fovor in your eyes. 1.Why God said that i loved Jacob and hated Easu and in John gospel he said that God so loved the world he gave his one and only son ? 2.why god wants any kind of honor from us? 3. what is the problem of human being ,why we failed to give our best to god?and what is the way to overcome it? and conclution of the whole chapter of malachi 1. Response 1) WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS ALL WE NEED OR THAT JESUS IS THE LAST PROPHET (MESSAGE/WORD/ETC) THAT GOD IS SENDING? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DO WE KNOW THE MUSLIMS OR MORMONS AREN'T RIGHT? 2) DID ALL THE AUTHORS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY OR DID THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE ELSE? Response ### Wisdom Generally Speaking VS Practically Speaking ### Fear Was Jesus Afraid? ### Suffering Suffering - God's Will?