Is God punishing me/Does God punish?

[rockmanx]

rock_babe

I'm a Christian, have always been a Christian. I go to a Christian camp every year (well have for 3 years). I live my life as a good Christian, in MOST senses. The only thing, in my opinion, that could be wrong is that I've recently lost my virginity to my boyfriend.

Now, since I've been having sex with my boyfriend, everything in my life has gone downhill! My parents are splitting up, my brother is off the rails (stole from parents, failing his degree, is broke, etc.), my friends don't see me much and aren't as close as before, I didn't get my expected grades...

Then, this year at my Christian camp, I was really touched by God. I asked Him into my life properly and suddenly everything seemed better except for my boyfriend! I wanted to stop having sex with him, but didn't want to at the same time. We stopped having sex for a while, and life was very good.

But I chose to carry on having sex with him a while later. Now everything seems bad in my life again. Is God punishing me? Does God punish people?

Also, is it OK to be a good Christian in every sense except for having sex?

Sorry for the long post, but please reply smile

Please don't flame or discuss any private issues out of this thread.

Frist off, God is not punishing you. Second, when every you sin, you sperate your self form YHWH's grace. When you sin, you loose the joy of the Holy spirit and you bring a curse upon your self. YHWH hardly has to punish someone becuase we bring it upon ourselves.

Now it could be Satan attacking you becuase you let him in becuase of sin.

If you and your boyfriend truely love each other, you will wait till your married to have any more sex. Read Deuteronomy 28 will explain the blessing and curses that come with obeying the law and not obeying.  

[Icestar03]

God might be trying to tell you that what you are doing isn't pleasing him. I mean, your cconscience is getting to you already since you confessed your sins and you see that what you are doing is wrong, but you can't keep sinning the same sin and expect God to forgive you over and over.

You have got to pray and ask God to deliver you from whatever is pulling you back.

Hebrews 12:24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.  

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

rock_babe

I'm a Christian, have always been a Christian. I go to a Christian camp every year (well have for 3 years). I live my life as a good Christian, in MOST senses.

My, my, my, the chains of legalism are rattling loudly, yet no one hears them. Deafened by the uncircumcized ears, we attribute our good works as though it were good enough for God. It's an insult to God, to say that one is a Christian, let alone, should be given any benefits from our Lord, simply because of any good deed that we have done. "Splendid vices" they are. May the Word of God strike your heart and shatter the hardness that has grown upon you. I say this, not to insult you, but to warn you in hope that you reconsider what you have said. Please, really do read this, and do not just skim over it, but read it

Philippians 3:1-11, "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh - though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Keep in mind that it is not your good works that you do, but it is the grace of God that surpasses this. Grace and legalism are mutually exclusive. Grace says, "I was given that which I did not deserve." Legalism says, "I can do this apart from God, therefore, I shall do everything in my power, so that I may, at the end of the age, say to the Lord, 'Look at what I have done.'" Where one is given grace, they are obedient to God. And obedience is done by love and gratitude for what God has done for you, not so that one may obtain or retain heaven.

rock_babe

Is God punishing me? Does God punish people?

God will punish people for their sins, whether here now or hereafter. God punished David after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah, the Hittite, murdered. If you are punish now, perhaps it is better that it is now, since you might not be punished when you stand before God's throne. But, if you are born from above, then see it not as punishment, but disciple, for what father does not discipline his child, so that his child may strive to be obedient to his or her father? But, repent of your sins and ask for God's forgiveness.

rock_babe

Also, is it OK to be a good Christian in every sense except for having sex?

What should be kept in mind is that we are not innately good. In other words, we are not good inwardly, nor were we born good. "Good" in the moral sense, belongs to God alone. May the Holy Spirit convict you of your sins, now and forever, so that you may become dependent on our Lord, and so that you will trust in Him and His work. For, it is not what we have done, but what the Lord has done for us. And we were not chosen, because we were holy. Rather, we were chosen, so that we may become so.  

[ryoushinn]

Wow...i just read what John Calvin wrote. Amazing, well said. I feel different now.  

[Elliot Reilly McMonty]

No, God is not punishing you. He knows how you can make the most of your life, and he simply tries to guide you. When you stray from him, life just doesn't seem quite as nice as it was before, and that is what God does not want for you. 3nodding