If I cannot accept forgiveness will I always fail as a Christian? (Serious, life or death question)

Op this is A Good thing that You don't feel or believe you are forgiven it tells me G-d is working in you leading you to repentance

Man I hope you don't think you can do whatever you want and get away with it because YOU CANT . THE ETERNAL ONE BLESSED BE HE SPOKE Something out of nothing !! Are you telling me A work of repentance towards Your sins can't be done ? I tell you that you can walk in Freedom!

Yes, I am. I hate my sin but I don't hate it enough to stop sinning. I mean I'd be lying if I said I didn't love my sinful nature in some way. I have to be honest with myself and be honest in front of God. I have confessed all this before. But I cannot STOP sinning by my own strength. The more I try, the more I sin; the less I try, the less I sin.

I don't think that at all, Foy.

I believe it can be done.

I just don't know how.

"Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

For those who come back to this thread I finally realized that my greatest sin in all of this is my sin of PRIDE! I have set myself up before and against the Most High God by declaring that my sins are 'too great and too many to be forgiven'. This is a lie from the devil. It is not piety nor humility but PRIDE. I am also making a FALSE GOD out of the Lord by claiming to know His Will when I am LEANING ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. His thoughts are NOT my thoughts. His ways are not MY ways. He is merciful and just and His Word is TRUE and I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN. Now I will work on my sins by TRUSTING IN HIM AND HIS GRACE WHICH IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME. Thank you to all who helped me realize this.

For those who come back to this thread I finally realized that my greatest sin in all of this is my sin of PRIDE!

I don't think that at all, Foy.

I believe it can be done.

I just don't know how.

"Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

Every pastor I've ever tried to talk to or confide in and get guidance from has told me I have to forgive myself.

Am I listening to false teachers?

That's grand stuff - sounds like you're totally on the right track. One thing I was shown a long time ago was that the directive to forgive my enemies includes a call to forgive myself. We're sometimes prone to hold animosity towards ourselves just like we do towards other people who wrong us (or whom we merely perceive to have wronged us).

The awareness of our imperfection is symbolized in the camel hair tunic John the Baptist wore. It's an uncomfortable weave, irritating the skin and physically mimicking a pricked conscience. This stage is totally part of the program, and yes you will get past it. Sounds like you're learning, you're sensitive, and you're in tune. Best advice would be to simply learn to relax - get accustomed to being accepted because the "old you" whom you despise is a dead creature. But he won't accept that, so ironically he fights to remain on our internal "throne" which rightly belongs to Jesus. Renewing the mind, retraining our outlook doesn't happen overnight, not for most of us.

This statement may sound a little "new agey", but the battle you're fighting is more or less an illusion. Christ is being formed in us - a reproduction of Himself. . .and the stuff you're dealing with will eventually seem like a mere hiccup of infancy.

There's a classic allegory novel called Hinds Feet on High Places which I recommend. . .it's a great look at this journey of change we're called to.

I will be doing my best to moderate this thread. I'm at my wits end and I need to find an answer to this problem - and soon!

I believe, by faith, that Jesus Christ (or Yahushua ha Moshiach - no, His name wasn't Jesus but I also don't claim to know the proper spelling either as I've seen many variations) is my Lord and Savior.

I believe, by faith, that He died for the sins of the world.

I believe, by faith, that He was crucified, died and was buried and on the third day rose from the dead in fulfillment of the scriptures.

I believe, by faith, that He is the Son of God and IS God.

I believe, by faith, that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead and that His kingdom will have no end.

I believe in God's Word that says that if I confess with my mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and believe that God raised Him from the dead then I will be saved.

I have studied the Scriptures so many times. Front and back. I read the Bible. I meditate on His word. I pray. I try my absolute best to walk according to the Scriptures.

What I CANNOT believe, no matter how hard I try to bring myself to accept this - is that a wretch such as myself could be forgiven.

I KNOW that this sets me apart from God and shows that I am 'leaning on my own understanding' and some have even said that refusing to forgive myself is trying to make myself out to be God by saying that 'I know better than He does'. I understand why some would suggest this.

I know I am sick. I know that I am a sinner. There is scarce a sin that exists in the hearts and minds of the wicked that I have not done or thought about doing at some point. I am a sinner of the highest order. I know that I NEED a savior. I NEED to be forgiven and to receive salvation and grace.

But if I cannot ever forgive myself and truly accept and believe, by faith, that I am forgiven and washed in the Blood of the Lamb; of Jesus Christ; then HOW can I ever live a successful Christian life?

Why do I remain so empty?

Am I doomed? Am I forever lost?

Or is this spiritual warfare?

If I cannot ever earn my way into Heaven except to live BY FAITH and to accept the FREE GIFT of Grace through Jesus Christ then WHY would I need to forgive myself anyway?

Wouldn't Jesus or God understand me that I cannot forgive myself so that His forgiveness would be sufficient, just as His grace is sufficient for me?

People tell me all the time that if I can't ever forgive myself then I will never be saved.

Oh well.

If I wind up in Hell then, as David says in Psalm 139:8, "if I make my bed in Hell, behold Thou art there."

No, it is appropriate to always keep in mind that we don't deserve Christ's mercy. We sinners each deserve crucifixion for our failures. Perfect Jesus paid the price for us. Eternal humility for unmerited grace is right and good.

Every pastor I've ever tried to talk to or confide in and get guidance from has told me I have to forgive myself.

Am I listening to false teachers?

I guess I should clarify. We are all sinners. We will all continue to sin in this life. Some more than others, however.

Is there a specific and habitual sin you know you must cease but are not taking steps to remedy?