Comments on: Amid a Flood of Mortal Ills http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/ Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:15:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: James http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22040 James Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:10:09 +0000 http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22040 Joe: I think this is the best post you've ever put on your blog. I've witnessed the same sort of heart-wrenching shipwrecks of faith and wondered the very same things. Thanks for the humbling and encouraging words. Joe:
I think this is the best post you’ve ever put on your blog. I’ve witnessed the same sort of heart-wrenching shipwrecks of faith and wondered the very same things. Thanks for the humbling and encouraging words.

]]> By: Rodney McCarty http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22037 Rodney McCarty Thu, 05 Apr 2007 03:39:31 +0000 http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22037 I have a friend in the same situation your friend was in for awhile. I hope he is truly converted, but at this point, God only knows, and like you said, his only hope (and ours) is in Jesus Christ. One of my mentors advised me to follow a process much like you have outlined here - it's good to see it from another perspective. I'm kinda stuck in step #1 - Mourning, though. The others I've worked through, and am continuing. The thought of his wife and 3 sons being put into a position of a life w/o him is sad. Guess I should pray that my friend is miserable.... ;} I have a friend in the same situation your friend was in for awhile. I hope he is truly converted, but at this point, God only knows, and like you said, his only hope (and ours) is in Jesus Christ.

One of my mentors advised me to follow a process much like you have outlined here - it’s good to see it from another perspective. I’m kinda stuck in step #1 - Mourning, though. The others I’ve worked through, and am continuing. The thought of his wife and 3 sons being put into a position of a life w/o him is sad.

Guess I should pray that my friend is miserable…. ;}

]]> By: Mark Kelly http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22034 Mark Kelly Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:30:37 +0000 http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22034 So glad to hear that! The churches I grew up in would have quickly judged him as "never really saved." (The theology of that is pathetic.) I'm glad God has the long view of our salvation -- and that he is faithful even when we are not. I wonder what your friend would say about what would have happened if he had continued to resist and refused to return. So glad to hear that! The churches I grew up in would have quickly judged him as “never really saved.” (The theology of that is pathetic.) I’m glad God has the long view of our salvation — and that he is faithful even when we are not. I wonder what your friend would say about what would have happened if he had continued to resist and refused to return.

]]> By: Joe Thorn http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22024 Joe Thorn Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:07:26 +0000 http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22024 Mark, I am glad someone asked. When he walked away to pursue sin, 'I love sin more than I love Jesus," was one of the things he said, he was miserable. He remained under constant conviction from God for a few years and found no lasting pleasure in sin. God eventually broke him and he repented, returned and has been restored. He now has a Christian wife and is doing very well. The options are, as I see it, 1) that he was converted but running from God, or 2) he was not converted until after he had pursued a life of open wickedness. I tend to think he was converted but running. Ultimately it does not matter. As I explained to him at the time: converted or not, your only hope is Jesus Christ - we must all cast ourselves on him for mercy via faith and repentance. Mark,

I am glad someone asked. When he walked away to pursue sin, ‘I love sin more than I love Jesus,” was one of the things he said, he was miserable. He remained under constant conviction from God for a few years and found no lasting pleasure in sin. God eventually broke him and he repented, returned and has been restored. He now has a Christian wife and is doing very well.

The options are, as I see it, 1) that he was converted but running from God, or 2) he was not converted until after he had pursued a life of open wickedness. I tend to think he was converted but running. Ultimately it does not matter. As I explained to him at the time: converted or not, your only hope is Jesus Christ - we must all cast ourselves on him for mercy via faith and repentance.

]]> By: Mark Kelly http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22023 Mark Kelly Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:08:56 +0000 http://www.joethorn.net/2007/04/02/amid-a-flood-of-mortal-ills/#comment-22023 A superb post, Joe. I wonder, do you believe your friend when he said he was never a believer to begin with? A superb post, Joe. I wonder, do you believe your friend when he said he was never a believer to begin with?

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