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Old Today, 12:04 AM
 
Location: PRC
6,965 posts, read 6,897,471 times
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Given that many people believe that we are all born as sinners, what does forgiveness look like and how can anyone tell they have been forgiven by God? How can anyone else know that forgiveness has been achieved?

Is it just an absence of conscience or guilty feeling? Is it just being a Christian will absolve all your sins if you say you are 'sorry?.

It really makes a mockery of calling anyone a sinner if you cannot find out in some way that they are now NOT a sinner but forgiven.

Again, some people think we are all sinners all the time and cannot be anything else, so how can we be forgiven at all, ever? It seems there is a little explanation which is needed.
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Old Today, 12:15 AM
 
Location: Sun City West, Arizona
50,941 posts, read 24,441,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocpaul20 View Post
Given that many people believe that we are all born as sinners, what does forgiveness look like and how can anyone tell they have been forgiven by God? How can anyone else know that forgiveness has been achieved?

Is it just an absence of conscience or guilty feeling? Is it just being a Christian will absolve all your sins if you say you are 'sorry?.

It really makes a mockery of calling anyone a sinner if you cannot find out in some way that they are now NOT a sinner but forgiven.

Again, some people think we are all sinners all the time and cannot be anything else, so how can we be forgiven at all, ever? It seems there is a little explanation which is needed.
As an atheist, I don't believe in it.

May I ask, your profile says your world view is "strange". What does that mean, and does it somehow relate to this post? Thank you.

But for me, personal forgiveness is saying to someone, 'Okay, I accept your apology (assuming there is one), but that doesn't mean what happened is erased'.
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Old Today, 02:20 AM
 
Location: Oklahoma
17,833 posts, read 13,745,970 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocpaul20 View Post
Given that many people believe that we are all born as sinners, what does forgiveness look like and how can anyone tell they have been forgiven by God? How can anyone else know that forgiveness has been achieved?

Is it just an absence of conscience or guilty feeling? Is it just being a Christian will absolve all your sins if you say you are 'sorry?.

It really makes a mockery of calling anyone a sinner if you cannot find out in some way that they are now NOT a sinner but forgiven.

Again, some people think we are all sinners all the time and cannot be anything else, so how can we be forgiven at all, ever? It seems there is a little explanation which is needed.
I figure there is some sort of sweet spot between completely wallowing in self loathing and guilt and being a complete sociopath for Jesus.

That sweet spot is probably what a Christian should shoot for on the forgiveness spectrum.
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Old Today, 03:57 AM
 
7,600 posts, read 4,175,225 times
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Good question. We can have a personal meaning for words, but to be able to function with others, there has to be a shared meaning. When God is brought into the discussion, it is obvious to everyone that there is no physical God where a conversation about being forgiven cannot be recorded and televised. Instead, the expectation is that the believer will privately converse with God to work it out.

So how does one know in this private conversation that they have truly been forgiven? What is expected is that most people know better if something is 'right' or at least know the right way to correct it. By having God present in the privacy of one's thoughts, you are expected to come to a conclusion that is 'shared' rather than personal.

I think a leader of a church who records his/her conversations with God about being forgiven for what he has done (that others have pointed out) and what he plans to do to fix it would be very informative.
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Old Today, 06:37 AM
 
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Well considering that I will continue to sin even trying my hardest I have to hope Jesus will die for those sins also or I have no hope.Still have to face him as Judge its what we believe that Jesus is our Judge he will ultimately decide.He is the narrow door that all must pass through.Hope is the essence of faith quoting St Paul.
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Old Today, 07:09 AM
 
16,045 posts, read 7,070,464 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocpaul20 View Post
Given that many people believe that we are all born as sinners, what does forgiveness look like and how can anyone tell they have been forgiven by God? How can anyone else know that forgiveness has been achieved?

Is it just an absence of conscience or guilty feeling? Is it just being a Christian will absolve all your sins if you say you are 'sorry?.

It really makes a mockery of calling anyone a sinner if you cannot find out in some way that they are now NOT a sinner but forgiven.

Again, some people think we are all sinners all the time and cannot be anything else, so how can we be forgiven at all, ever? It seems there is a little explanation which is needed.
Other than Christians who else believes we are born as sinners? Birth as human is an opportunity to do better this time around, to know the self better, and to know God is within. It is a gift.
Forgiveness looks like peace and contentment. Guilt feels like a weight that grinds you down. Ultimately forgiveness comes from within. If it does not then nobody else can offer forgiveness.
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Old Today, 07:55 AM
 
19,092 posts, read 27,673,713 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008 View Post
Other than Christians who else believes we are born as sinners? Birth as human is an opportunity to do better this time around, to know the self better, and to know God is within. It is a gift.
Forgiveness looks like peace and contentment. Guilt feels like a weight that grinds you down. Ultimately forgiveness comes from within. If it does not then nobody else can offer forgiveness.
Hence, that means, that one had not done too well in previous lives.
Thus, logically, it comes into a new existence as a "sinner".
otherwise, he will ascend and be done with the wheel of samsar.
Basic logic. You either keep sinning, and keep re-existing or, you stop, and you are done. Forgiven and all that. But not born again.
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Old Today, 08:12 AM
 
16,045 posts, read 7,070,464 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz View Post
Hence, that means, that one had not done too well in previous lives.
Thus, logically, it comes into a new existence as a "sinner".
otherwise, he will ascend and be done with the wheel of samsar.
Basic logic. You either keep sinning, and keep re-existing or, you stop, and you are done. Forgiven and all that. But not born again.
Not quite. Birth is also to reap the benefits of having been very good, to enjoy the fruits of good actions. If one stops there then one has wasted the opportunity to know the self and realized her identity with God. This is the only purpose of human birth- knowledge of self. That is the liberation, the ticket out of the cycle of samsara.
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Old Today, 10:10 AM
 
22,350 posts, read 19,282,796 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008 View Post
Not quite. Birth is also to reap the benefits of having been very good, to enjoy the fruits of good actions. If one stops there then one has wasted the opportunity to know the self and realized her identity with God. This is the only purpose of human birth- knowledge of self. That is the liberation, the ticket out of the cycle of samsara.
knowing and knowledge is not enough.
it has to be applied and put into practice. otherwise it is just empty words.
and not just applied, but effectively applied.


and if someone is still in human form, then it has not yet been effectively applied.
a person has free choice in this.

but from the perspective of Source and "progress" the purpose is to get out of samsara, not stay stuck in it. being given a sunny prison cell with a good view and a cushy mattress is not a "benefit." it is still a prison cell. also even entering samsara is a choice to begin with. A Self can progress just fine and dandy without ever partaking of samsara. Samsara is not a requisite for us to "realize our identity" with Source and to progress.

Last edited by Tzaphkiel; Today at 10:28 AM..
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Old Today, 10:16 AM
 
Location: Sun City West, Arizona
50,941 posts, read 24,441,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz View Post
Hence, that means, that one had not done too well in previous lives.
Thus, logically, it comes into a new existence as a "sinner".
otherwise, he will ascend and be done with the wheel of samsar.
Basic logic. You either keep sinning, and keep re-existing or, you stop, and you are done. Forgiven and all that. But not born again.
No, that isn't "basic logic". That's 'your logic'.
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