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Actually, it was Jesus’ statement, and that was made crystal clear.Actually, here is the truth of that discourse:
You've now provided your answer.

I think that truly following Jesus means that He has to become everything to me. To the point that, in Him I live and move and have my being. But I can’t do this only on my own strength; I need the help of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus to this degree. I think that the ministry of the Holy Spirit helps me greatly to learn truth from Him (and that includes scripture), and to apply what I learn from Him to my life. He is in control of every area of my life, and I want my life to be as if Jesus is alive in me ~ because He is. It’s up to me to do the required yielding. Any good fruit that is produced…it’s not my doing…it’s His doing, in me and through me.

Is that some sort of scat fetish?

No. A man full of sh-it should be acknowledged for his accomplishments.

You are stellar.

An all powerful, all loving god could've forgiven such a minor issue but chose to go full wrath instead.

quote=Idaho_Shooter]That is exactly my point. God, by definition, knows the innermost secrets of your heart. There is no faking anything with God.

God knows the heart of the child who is trained from birth in the knowledge, love, and yes, humility of Christ. The child who, like you does his/her best to avoid sin. But knows that is impossible.

My point is, many children are trained in their need for Christ's salvation from birth and formally from their 2'nd or third birthday. That child is already born into Christ. There can be no rebirth. There may be affirmation when the child reaches adulthood. That is Babtism.

Is this child doomed to Hell, because his parents and minister did a good job training him from the age of birth?

That is in direct conflict with the claim that Christ will save all who truly know him.

Perhaps you have personally never known a youth/young adult who was firm in his convictions from such an early age. Do you deny the existence of such?

I personally have known many.

I never heard the term "born again" until I was an adult. I understood it to come from the evangelical movement.

Sometimes, logic conflicts with one's favorite Bible passage. Often, one passage conflicts with another. That is the time to think and consider where the actual truth lies.[/quote]

To make things simple, I will hit a couple points you raised. There is no child alive today who is “already born into Christ”. Jesus says they have to be born again. They have to be adopted into the family of God. “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:5

You mentioned you never heard the term “born again” before you were an adult. If the children you are mentioning had the same kind of teachers you had, they didn’t do a thorough job. How could anyone teach about Jesus and not teach His teaching to Nicodemus?

When the children reach adulthood they need to humbly come to the Lord to save them. God’s Word teaches in 1 Peter 3:21, “And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Your last thought reminded me of my error. I thought I got saved for me. Not true! Take a look at this:
“Since you have in obedience to the Truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brothers, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, through the Living and abiding Word of God.”

Really? You're the one shitting into his own hands, in more than one way by the sounds of it.

Absolutely! My stand is, "But what does the Scripture say?" Galatians 4:30 One of my favorites!

You have worked hard for this moment. Enjoy the recognition given to your hard work!

You are a rock star.

I gave you examples of "Follow Me". Can you give us example from your life?

I'm surprised. I would have thought it one of your least favorite. You do know the bond woman is the law, don't you?

I like the scripture too but fail to see how it adds clarity to our discussion on the meaning of sin.

Movin’ the goalposts are ya’ now Ringman…?

shocker

The issue was “what does being a disciple of Jesus mean to you”…?

Children are raised in the Church. They know and love Jesus from their "days of innocence".

Please tell me the mechanism of the epiphany in which they are "born again" into knowledge, love, humilty of that which they have been trained since they could talk.

You tell us that any who truly give themself over to Christ will be saved.

Then you tell us this knowledge must come as a realization sometime after adulthood.

The two statements are directly contradictory.

Logic and experience dictates, one needs no epiphany to understand that which he had been taught since birth.

You are guilty of changing the request. You wanted me to give you my "Follow Jesus". I did. Now you are saying "The issue was “what does being a disciple of Jesus mean to you”…?

Say what? Your post quoting Apostle Paul doesn't answer the question "how do we do it?". Can you cooperate with a couple examples, please?

There is no such thing as age of innocence. We are born under the curse of Adam. In and under that curse we are stillborn, dead in our trespasses and sins. It is a sin to explain away this reality. Simple observation of a child removes all romanticized notions that they are angelic.

Let's not forget what David was inspired to write:

5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.


I'm fairly certain that he wasn't calling his mother a WHORE

I think you have me confused with another poster. I don't think in the term "who truly give themself over to Christ will be saved". I think in what Jesus says, "You must be born again." If one is taught from birth the teaching of Jesus he will hear, "You must be born again." They must be humble enough to realize they are lost sinners in need of being born again and washed clean by the Blood of Jesus.

I wrote an essay to answer the question, When does God impute sin? so I could know what I believe and support if from Scripture. If you want I will private message it to you. Then you will understand why I say each person needs to make an adult decision.

Nope. The issue was clearly:Yep. And you chose to also give a couple of examples of what you thought following Jesus was.That was clearly the issue all along.My response, which includes much more than just a reference to something that Apostle Paul said, clearly addresses the issue of telling you what I think being a disciple of Jesus means to me.My response was detailed and clear and concise, and encompassing.

Have any of you been slammed to the ground by God, ripped to shreds, totally destroyed and left in dispair?

Close enough. His way of telling me I need His Help.

antlers,

You are a slippery as an ell. Your answer paraphrasing Apostle Paul is as broad as can be. It does not tell me anything.

Since I cooperated with your request, please "tell us what being a disciple of Jesus means to you," if you would, please.

If your answer was so "detailed and clear and concise" I wouldn't be asking for examples, would I?

Remember what I responded to you when you wanted me to post something about "Follow Me"? I told you I wanted to be a student. I also posted something about you wanting to make me look bad. You didn't believe me about wanting to be a student. Perhaps that was because you are not used to sincerity. Please give us some examples of "being a disciple of Jesus" from your life.

antlers,

You are a slippery as an ell. Your answer paraphrasing Apostle Paul is as broad as can be. It does not tell me anything.

Since I cooperated with your request, please "tell us what being a disciple of Jesus means to you," if you would, please.

If your answer was so "detailed and clear and concise" I wouldn't be asking for examples, would I?

Remember what I responded to you when you wanted me to post something about "Follow Me"? I told you I wanted to be a student. I also posted something about you wanting to make me look bad. You didn't believe me about wanting to be a student. Perhaps that was because you are not used to sincerity. Please give us some examples of "being a disciple of Jesus" from your life.