Confession and wondering if the process of being a christian is a lengthy one.

[brohammer26]

SO my story. I lost touch with god for about 4 years...a point where I did not belive anymore. Then I had some spiritual experiences that chagned my mind and started moveing back to the lord. I have not lived the best life...no where near a holy one. I have made leaps and bounds in changes these last couple year but still had some areas where I was haveing problems. My main issues have been drinking and sex. I have been a partier my whole life and have been invloved with a lot of women in short sexual relations. I use to drink and drive when I was back in college and I did one more time after years of not doing and got caught. After my spiritual experience I was still living in a sinful manner even though I knew that I should have been changeing. I did join the military which I felt was a gift from god and at least felt better about my life that I was giveing something back to society and not living in such a selfish manner. I felt like I had about 90% of my life living in a good manner. But still had problems with sex and drinking. Well after my DUI it really changed my ways on drinking. After I had another short term sexual exp with a women on vacation I called out for god to help me and have Jesus take over all of my life. After that moment I have just thought differently. I dont want to have sex with women any more. The next time I have sex will be with my wife. That is all I want now is to find my wife and live in a holy manner. I don't feel like partying and have been avoiding it. I am just wondering if these past sins have tainted my 'christianity'. I dont feel like I can truley call myself a christian yet because of my past behaviors. It really has taken me a long time to turn fomr my sinful paths. I understand that it can take time and god will do what it takes to help us get there. So I am wondering if I am ok? Well I been accepted as a christian at some point?

[larry2]

You can believe God, or wallow in your doubt. Psalms 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
 
Now the following is of a future time of the kingdom, but just as the scripture above, I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that (ME) which I have committed unto Him against that day.

Jeremiah 31:34  Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

[nmemmerl]

brother, are you familiar with the parable of the prodigal son? God longs to forgive you in Christ, and if you have confessed, repented, and turned from your sins, God has forgiven you and forgotten about all of your past sins.. When he sees you he sees his Son because of his finished work on the cross. Can you rest in that work? Do you think that Christ's blood is not sufficient enough to forgive you of your sins? Or can it forgive some sins and not others? Brother-his finished work covers ALL of your sins. Don't let Satan trick you into thinking that you're unsaveable....It's simple-confess, repent, turn from your sins, and thank God for Jesus' sacrifice that is able to bring you back to fellowship with him. Accept God's forgiveness, forgive yourself, and move forward in a new relationship with the risen Lord!

[comfy]

Yup, like Larry and nmemmerl are saying, if you turn from your sins and trust God, you are forgiven. Start fresh.

However . . . we still are not perfect; so we can still have some of the character that made us able to do those sins; so we need to watch out for ourselves, and trust God to correct us better and more deeply so we are stronger and more sure of staying clear of past sins.

Also, there are plenty of other sins that we may not be aware of, since they are not so obvious as the drug and drinking and sexual ones that get so much attention. For examples, complaining and arguing are sins against God's love and His way of loving and against how we can "become blameless and harmless, children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" > see Philippians 2:14-16. Notice how you can get like this "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," Brother Hammer.

So, there will always be things-sins that we will discover that we need to stop so we can get better in loving with God and caring and sharing with people. My anti-love problems include paranoid cursing others with my suspicion, instead of blessing them; and criticizing people instead of first having compassion for them (Hebrews 5:2 helps me); and using women to look at, instead of caring for them. I now understand better that love does not ever have me use anyone, but personally care about every person, including ones who are supposed to serve me; though they may owe what they are payed to do, Jesus payed His blood for me to first love each person. This loving makes me better with God and relating with ones closer to me, too, so I am busy away from how I still can sin.

So, talking about caring and sharing > this in God's love is so more intimate than using a woman for pleasure and then not staying together to share more and more deeply; it has been very good for me to stay with the same person and church, and not let problems or their faults decide if I stay with them; and the loving is so fulfilling and learning to love is a challenge that keeps me alive emotionally and spiritually. I offer from experience, that intimacy in God's love is so more beautiful and enjoyable and fulfilling, than sexual intimacy.

Brother Hammer, you wrote, "I lost touch with god for about 4 years...a point where I did not belive anymore." Well, it could have been self-produced belief and we need for God to transform us into His love and how His love has us believing . . . in "faith working through love" (in Galatians 5:6). Belief has us loving others as ourselves so we are not so into worrying only about our own selves.

"Then I had some spiritual experiences that chagned my mind and started moveing back to the lord." I would be interested in reading about those spiritual experiences.

"I have not lived the best life...no where near a holy one. I have made leaps and bounds in changes these last couple year but still had some areas where I was haveing problems." I'm thinking of Philippians 2:14-16, again > as we get clear of complaining and arguing in our prayer and relating with people, this can get us so we can live in God's love, instead; however, only God can make this change, it's not only a self-effort thing, but submitting to God for Him to do this. Also, Brother Hammer, while it is essential to be aware of what are sin things, get more into the positive things the Bible says to do; for me, these have included how God wants us to relate with people > "nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3) "with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2) Notice the "longsuffering"!!! Even with really Christian people, there can be times we will experience how they can be wrong, and we will need to be ready with "longsuffering" > always be ready to forgive and to forbear and to support and encourage anyone to do better, instead of being ready to be hurt and frustrated, etc. Be ready for God to bless any even impossible and stubborn person to become interested in being reasonable

"After I had another short term sexual exp with a women on vacation I called out for god to help me and have Jesus take over all of my life. After that moment I have just thought differently. I dont want to have sex with women any more." Amen! 

"I dont feel like I can truley call myself a christian yet because of my past behaviors. It really has taken me a long time to turn fomr my sinful paths. I understand that it can take time and god will do what it takes to help us get there. So I am wondering if I am ok? Well I been accepted as a christian at some point?" If you have turned from that stuff and are even doing better, you are no longer the person who did that stuff And it helps me to stay busy with caring about others who are a problem for me, and forgive others. As I forgive others and care in prayer for them, this helps keep me in spiritual condition so I am not doubting being forgiven and I'm not giving in to sin. I'd say Satan wants to keep your mind on that stuff so you stay weak with your attention away from where you belong; so don't let your attention leave home. Stay home with God and us 

[chosenone]

many christians have had sinful pasts, but God specialises in calling sinful people and changing them. People who were into drugs, crime, prostitution, and yes, even murder, have been forgiven and changed by Him, so what makes you think you are different? Leave the past in the past and move on with God. He can use everything that has happened to us for good and to help others.
We will always be changing until we die, and will never be perfect until we get to heaven, but you are a new creationn NOW whether you feel like it or not. Dot rely on your feelings, but on what God says, and He says that you are a New Creation NOW.
God Bless

[comfy]

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (in 2 Corinthians 12:9)

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 4:31-5:2)

So, instead of our attention being to past failures, this is where our attention belongs. And this is what God's grace does with us God bless you, too! God's grace is not just for getting us through a hard day and solving problems of this life, but for making us loving like this, in all our relating. So, of course, Satan wants to get our attention elsewhere. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2)

[Tiamiyux]

God is merciful. Whenever you confess your sin, he is willing to forgive you. After accepting christ, you become a new creature. This does not mean the devil or satan will not fight back but you need to feed yourself with the word of God. When you read the bible always, evil thoughts like partying will disappear. The bible says 'Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will Flee'

[IamStefanie]

Brohammer,
Everyone has already said it well: in Christ, you are FORGIVEN!!!! Like, forgiven. Like your past is no longer relevant to you as a child of God. Like, now you can live off of His grace because it is sufficient. Like, he will make you perfect in your weakness.
You got this Bro (smile). You've got Jesus.
Keep walking by faith. Doubt is not of God.