questions.. please take time to answer

[Luca]

Hi, this is my first post here and I just really need to ask some things to some people who know something about Christianity. so here i goes:
I really would like to enjoy my life and my stuff but it seems to me that I can find about 100 verses in the bible on why I shouldn't enjoy anything in this life except God... As a christian am I still aloud to play video games, get fashionable clothes and care about my appearance? Does God want us to live and be happy? What percentage of today's Christians do you think are going to heaven. ---most people I've talked to were not comfortable answering that, but please take a guess---
Thanks very much in advance :fadein:

 

[Living4Him]

Well, no one can really say for sure who's going to heaven or not, that's really up to God......I don't have a percentage, but I do know that there are A LOT of lukewarm christians out there, and God says that he hates them more than anything....well, at least more than people that don't believe. Now I guess you could ask the question "What is a lukewarm christian, exactly?". To me, it's someone who says they're a christian, and believe in God and Jesus, but they don't DO anything about it. God wants believers to share his love, and his gospel. Also, even though Jesus saved us from our sins, God wants us to turn from sinning, and try our best to live a righteous life in His and Jesus' name.
Now that doesn't mean God doesn't want you to have fun. Of course he does! But we often have fun in ways that are sinful. I'm not saying that buying new clothes, or playing video games, or watching tv is a sin, but they are if you start to depend on them, and idolize them. And there are many other ways to have fun! But, a different kind of fun. The kind you have with a youth group, or on a missions trip working with kids and seeing the smiles on their faces when you help them out, or when you just do something that you know was right. That's what I believe.

 

[Lyric's Dad]

What percentage of today's Christians do you think are going to heaven.

100%

Being a Christian means you are saved and headed to heaven so every Christian is going.

 

[aiki]

Hey, Luca!

God wants you to love Him. He wants you to obey Him only because you love Him. He intends for you to find so much satisfaction and joy and peace in a loving relationship with Him that the thought of giving up other things for His sake is of little concern to you.

Giving up what you like for a God you barely know, who scares you, and who seems to you to be only about ruining your fun is a God around whom you will never truly, willingly center your life.

Psalms 37:4 – “ Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He shall give you the desires of your heart.â€Â

Psalms 16:11 – “You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.â€Â

Romans 14:17 – “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.â€Â

The above verses tell you what is possible, what God offers us all, in a relationship with Him. Mostly, Christians content themselves with fear, duty, and obligation in their relationship with their Creator. Sad, eh?

Until you are fully convinced of God's deep love for you, Luca, you will have little of the blessed life God wants to give you.

In Christ, Aiki.

 

[NeedHim]

What percentage of today's Christians do you think are going to heaven.

100%

Being a Christian means you are saved and headed to heaven so every Christian is going.

I agree...

Now the question about does God want us to have fun? Of course He does! While God is a God of order, it does not mean that He some mean, dull, boring, person siting up in the sky ready smack us if mess up.
I think God has a sense of humor, look at some the animals he created. Some of them pretty funny looking

The Christian life is meant to be exciting and full of life. If it were boring then no one would want to be a Christian.
I may step on some denominational toes here, but yes I would say it is fine to play your video games, were decent, but yet fashionable clothing and fix your self up nice.
God loves you, a great deal, wants you to enjoy your life in Him.

Take Care and if you have any more questions please ask us.

 

[antitox]

I really would like to enjoy my life and my stuff but it seems to me that I can find about 100 verses in the bible on why I shouldn't enjoy anything in this life except God...

Most people miss this because the bible is making a point, it is stating things that are meant to convey God's heart. This is why the Old Testament is SO MISUNDERSTOOD and misread.
God's intent here is to readjust our focus. The Lord wants us to understand that He doesn't want "things" or other people to control us, or interfere with our direction in life. He wants to be our No. 1. Other things are not a problem if God isn't pushed off to the side.

As a christian am I still aloud to play video games, get fashionable clothes and care about my appearance?

First of all, video games. Is that what consumes you all the time or is it just another thing of liesure within reason? I ask this because I've seen what it's done to alot of young people. Many have been literally robbed of any drive in their lives and they don't do anything else. (like get a job...)

Clothes, appearance. No problem. It's your thing, do watcha wanna do. BUT I've known some people that can't live without the most expensive clothing on the planet. Now that's downright compulsive.

Does God want us to live and be happy?

Absolutely. See below; I separated the three verses so you could see some basic things that God is showing us:

(Eccl 5:18) "Behold, what I have seen to be good and to be fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life which God has given him, for this is his lot."

(Eccl 5:19) "Every man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and find enjoyment in his toil- this is the gift of God."

(Eccl 5:20) "For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."

What percentage of today's Christians do you think are going to heaven. ---most people I've talked to were not comfortable answering that, but please take a guess---
Thanks very much in advance

The ones that are saved.

 

[matt]

This polls sucks. You left off 100%. All christians are going to heaven. People often mistake what CHRISTIAN actually means though considering 80% of US citizens claim to be Christian.

 

[Luca]

test post... sorry new

 

[Luca]

anyway... sorry I was going to put a "90%-all" option, but it didn't come up for some reason, if thats what you think, just vote for 60-80% and in response to one of the Antitox's post: No I don't let these things interfere very much. I've usually been a business before pleasure kind of guy, but to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure exactly how to focus on God at all sometimes, and its not an issue of chosing one thing over another.

 

[matt]

anyway... sorry I was going to put a "90%-all" option, but it didn't come up for some reason, if thats what you think, just vote for 60-80% and in response to one of the Antitox's post: No I don't let these things interfere very much. I've usually been a business before pleasure kind of guy, but to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure exactly how to focus on God at all sometimes, and its not an issue of chosing one thing over another.

Pray to God to lead you. When I wake up in the morning I ask God to guide me in the decisions and choices I must make that day. It helps. Prayer works. Seriously. Throughout the day focus on God's will and what that would be instead of your own.

 

[matt]

anyway... sorry I was going to put a "90%-all" option, but it didn't come up for some reason, if thats what you think, just vote for 60-80% and in response to one of the Antitox's post: No I don't let these things interfere very much. I've usually been a business before pleasure kind of guy, but to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure exactly how to focus on God at all sometimes, and its not an issue of chosing one thing over another.

Pray to God to lead you. When I wake up in the morning I ask God to guide me in the decisions and choices I must make that day. It helps. Prayer works. Seriously. Throughout the day focus on God's will and what that would be instead of your own.