Sunday, March 16, 2014

Regrets About Our Past


She doesn't regret having sex before marriage and getting pregnant.  She learned from it.  He doesn't regret having a promiscuous youth.  God taught him stuff from it.  She doesn't regret marrying someone everyone told her not to and it turned out to be a failed marriage.  Some even say they are happy about their past sins because of what God brought out of it.

Should we not regret sins we did in our past?  I sure regret spending 23 years in a difficult marriage due to my controlling and manipulative ways.  Sure, God taught me many things through it so I can teach all of you but I sure wish I did it right from the beginning.

I don't think it is wrong to have regrets about our past and to hate the sins we committed.   I think we should always regret past sin because of the scars it leaves.  We should learn from them and teach others not to make the same mistakes but we should never say that our past sins were okay since God brought good out of it.

Sin always has consequences.  Some people feel they need to sow their wild oats and get it out of their system.  No, teach young people God's ways and rescue them from the consequences of sin.  Teach young women how to love and obey their husbands to rescue them from miserable marriages.  Don't ever think sin is a good thing and something you are happy you went through to learn.

Sin is always a bad thing.  Yes, God forgives our past.  He makes us new creatures in Christ.  He has washed us clean.  We should never dwell on our pasts but don't tell people you don't regret your past and are happy with what you did.  We are commanded to hate what is evil which must include our past sins.  Tell them you hate your past sin, that you made some horrible choices, and you were wrong.  Use your past sins to teach others to not do them, to learn from you, and to walk in righteousness.

Love must be sincere. 
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9


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Posted by Always Learning at 6:00 AM
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Loving been his wife's avatar

Loving been his wife · 573 weeks ago

Hebrews Chapter 12
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I don't think God wants us to look back and regret our past I don't think that helps anyone. I think regret stops us from enjoying the present blessing of God and also the future blessings with both God and our family. I praise God for all of my past because it has made me who I am today loving, compassionate, kind and ready to love the unlovable, and I am very happy with who that is!
However I am grateful that my precious Antony was my one and only and I his! Because that means that we both do not compare each other with anyone else it gives us a bond that nothing can break!
I love God's mercy and love for it is what gives us the hope and the assurance that we can strive for better by learning from our passed mistakes!
The best lessons I have learned have been the silly ones from pass mistakes.

I hope that makes sence I am falling asleep here you night precious people; and God bless!
2 replies · active 573 weeks ago
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Lori Alexander's avatar - Go to profile

Lori Alexander 122p · 573 weeks ago

You think Paul was proud of persecuting and killing many Christians? No, he states he is the chiefest among sinners! He was extremely thankful for God's mercy and he certainly stated his sin clearly as sin but I am sure he wished he hadn't done what he had done.
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Loving been his wife's avatar

Loving been his wife · 573 weeks ago

I think we see regret in this case much differently Lori I feel that there is nothing to be gained by looking back and regretting anything once I have repented; because God's Word tells me it is covered by the precious blood of Jesus! I can't change anything that is in the past. I can only go forward in God and live my life not repeating my past mistakes or sin! This I do with all my heart!
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Cynthia Swenson · 573 weeks ago

Satan can easily torment us with sort of a hopeless regret that makes us wonder if we really are saved & forgiven. Remember,he is called the "accuser of the brethren", Rev. 12:10 & his condemnation for us is very powerful. I think meditating on the various promises of God to us is helpful, but here a very EFFECTIVE verse that I've found when lamenting my failures: 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful & righteous to forgive us our sins & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Personally, I have found this verse to be wonderful to meditate on. Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia
1 reply · active 573 weeks ago
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Loving been his wife's avatar

Loving been his wife · 573 weeks ago

Cynthia, your post reminded me of this verse in Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This verse always blesses me! Also everyday is a new day in Jesus!
The Bible also tells us that our sin has been put into the sea of forgetfulness. God does not remember it, nor does He hold it against us.
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T.J. · 573 weeks ago

I agree. There is a reason God hates sin - it is basically a rejection of Him, and it is bad for us, too. Sin is spiritual cancer/ poison - nothing good in it. There is always a consequence to it, like you said. I understand being grateful for God's grace in using our failures for good ( He is so good, He can even use evil for good in the end), but I DO regret all my sins. I must accept His forgiveness, and not wallow in despair, rejecting His forgiveness. But I will always regret sin because it was a rejection of Him.
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Lady Virtue · 573 weeks ago

I have much regret for my past sins, not in the sense that I wallow in it every day, but because it is disobedience to God and I would likely be more spiritually mature had I avoided it. I am not perfect by any means (GBH can attest to this; lol), but I scratch my head when I hear people somewhat defend their sin and claim it makes them more relatable and human. Usually they'll tack a paraphrase of Romans 8:28 in there somewhere. Sin should never be something that people boast about.
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shannon · 573 weeks ago

Absolutely agree. We SHOULD regret past sin, all of it. Dwell on it? Of course not. But regret it yes. Make the most of it and learn from it, but yes regret it. I too am amazed when people don't regret sin. I sure regret all of my very many sins.
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Diane · 573 weeks ago

Lori, I totally agree with you and what you are saying, but I have one question. I had pre martial sex which produce my oldest daughter. I married her dad when I found out I was pregnant. I had another daughter with him later, and because of abuse I left him after 10 years of marriage. I realize the consequences of my actions had put me into a situation of marrying a man I would have never married had I not got pregnant. I had only been with him for 2 months when I found out I was pregnant, and at the same time realized his anger problem. The problem is, when I tell my daughters that I regret my sins of pre martial sex, they than say I must regret them than and they must be mistakes. I tell them no, that they helped me to be a better person because I learned to be responsible person, and started down a better path than I was going. I tell them I needed them more than they needed me. I also tell them that if I had waited for my God chosen husband, before sex, they would have been born, but in a different form and spirit. Is this right thinking or is there a better way to regret sin without making your children feel they are a mistake.
1 reply · active 573 weeks ago
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Lori Alexander's avatar - Go to profile

Lori Alexander 122p · 573 weeks ago

Premarital sex is wrong. Period. You tell them that since God tells us it is wrong, it is wrong always. You are thankful you had them because all children are precious in God's eyes but God sent His Son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our wicked sins. This is how much He hates sin. He commands that we repent and turn from our wicked ways. You definitely do not want them to repeat your sins! You know you are cleansed and made whole but you certainly don't want them to have to experience the mistakes you made.
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Lisa notes 103p · 573 weeks ago

Maybe they define "regret" differently? I've heard people say they have no regrets from the past because they appreciate where they are now. But surely they still would not choose the same bad paths again given the opportunity. So I hear what you're saying and agree; we definitely need to repent of our past and thank God for forgiving us!
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elspethbreathinggrace 46p · 573 weeks ago

I appreciate the spirit of this post Lori, but we need to walk a fine line here. As someone who has struggled a great deal with shame and regret over my past sins (and some sins that were committed against me) we need to be able to seek refuge in the cross and experience that peace that passes all understanding that Christ died to give us.

No one should ever, ever say that they are glad that they sinned. That s a horrible affront to the Cross. But failing to grasp in grateful joy the newness God offers by continuing to self-flagellate for past sins repented of is also an affront to the Cross.

In my humble opinion.

-Elspeth

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