Getting thrown for a loop

[1EagleSky]

You know, I used to think the sort of thing mentioned below only happened to women. Men, how do you respond to this story??



Don, a brilliant student and committed Christian, had graduated from college the previous term and was now entering graduate school to pursue a degree in Physics. He sensed God was calling him to become a minister, in addition to his secular choice of a career. Shortly after entering graduate school, he joined a Christian ministry on campus and rose through its leadership ranks. Don was well liked and well respected by those around him. As he neared completion of his graduate studies, he began to fast and pray, seeking God's guidance to help him find a wife to marry. After several months went by, one night he had a dream in which he sensed God showed him the woman he was to marry.

The next day, he went to the dorm room that the woman lived in in the dream and asked for the name of the woman that was revealed in the dream. To his surprise, not only did the woman live in the dorm room, but her name was also that of the woman in his dream, and she even looked like the woman from the dream. He spoke with her for a few minutes, and invited her to the Christian fellowship he was part of on campus. She accepted. They quickly developed a fast friendship. Don shared with fellow brothers in Christ about his experience with the dream and how he felt the woman was God's choice for him. Many of his brothers in Christ warned him that the woman had a very bad reputation and her profession of being a Christian was questionable. Don did not listen, even when sisters in Christ said the same thing about the woman. Don graduated, and brought the woman home to meet his parents, both devoted Christians. After a few minutes of observing the woman, Don's mother took him aside and told him the woman was wrong for him, and that he needed to find someone else. Don's father was polite, but said nothing. Only after the woman had left, did he share similar concerns. Don got a job with a major employer in the area. In time, God began dealing with him to start a ministry targeting the many young professional internationals he worked and had associations with. He also felt it was time to ask for the woman's hand in marriage.

She accepted. However, when Don shared with her God's ministry for him, she became argumentative and told him to choose: God's ministry, or her. She was fine with the fact that he was a rising star in his field; she was also doing very well in her field of choice as an attorney, but because she was not really a Christian to begin with, she resented his involvement in anything related to doing God's work. Don felt it was wrong to choose between God and her, but since he felt God had revealed her to him as his wife, he did her urging.

Today, Don and his wife are both very successful professionals in their respective fields. Unfortunately, Don is often depressed, moody, and sullen. He feels an emptiness in his life that even his successful career and wife cannot fill. He no longer serves God and attends church rarely. He feels if he'd never married that woman, his life would be much different. Don is angry at God and blames Him for bringing him the wrong woman to marry.

[Gracious]

OK ... let the Women in the Church ... STAND-UP!!!  AND ... do what we do!  Take "it" to a whole nutha' level

Ok 1Eaglesky,

Here's my take of your awesomely well-written epistle. 
      
I don't know about you ... but if I didn't feel or been taught spiritually / biblically the way that I have been ... I would nod my head up & down ... agreeing with your intro & the anx of the man who we are lead to believe - has missed God (so-to-speak).

But, there appears to be an uncomfortable tenor (for me at least) - seemingly to have been woven, throughout this thread.  And the uncomfortable tenor (again, for me) is:

In order to be a Christ-follower (a Christian) we must be born again ... confessing with your mouth & believing in your heart that Jesus The Christ rose from the dead (WHY??? For the sins of the world -  human sin - "original sin").  Once an individual commits this act of confessing/believing (through their own measure of faith) ... that individual has received Salvation - they are Saved ... simultaneously they are indwelled with the Holy Ghost.

Now here's the rub for me ... the stone in my shoe (so-to-speak) ... the prauhhh-blem (problem).  I do not believe that a person's Salvation can or should be judged by another human being.  Hence, this ... "Is you Is ... O' ... Is you ain't ... officially a Christian, judgment, is ridiculous to me. 

Salvation can niether be bought or nor can it be EARNED, nor can it be measured, nor erased by any earthen or spiritual soul.

Meaning, simply because you've received Salvation, and you may choose to live a life of shame (willingly even), does this mean that you are less Christian than a Bishop/Priest/Minister and or right-standing lay-person? 

Nope!  Why???  Because ... Salvation is a "heart" concern, that effects one's eternal destiny!  THANK YA' JESUS!!!

So then why (throughout your thread Eaglesky, is there this proverbial raising of the eyebrow towards this person (who happens to be the  woman, for the sake of this story) - questioning whether she's authentically Christian?  What an oxymoron!  Authentically Christian???  What is that?  Who is that???/

Please know that I'm not trying to attack such a thought provoking story!   To the contrary!  I bless God for using you to "stir-up-the-gift", to fortify His Truth & Passion ... within me!

Bless you my friend,


Gracious