Three phases of a Life of a Christian

BookLover4Love · Post by **BookLover4Love** » 26 May 2020, 16:19

I agree. I think that the author's outlining of these three phrases is quite powerful. A lot of people turn their backs on religion when facing a crisis, but as the author points out, crisis is both a part of the Bible and a part of life. It is your belief and your adherence to Christian practices that can help you overcome a crisis.

Awesomeliker · Post by **Awesomeliker** » 26 May 2020, 18:25

I personally don't believe in the three ohases. I believe that each person is unique and each experience of Christianity is different. I might be wrong ofcourse, but I truly believe that there is no such thing as a Christianity phase.

Oyedeji Okikioluwa · Post by **Oyedeji Okikioluwa** » 26 May 2020, 19:38

Sushan wrote: ↑25 May 2020, 20:31
Orizon wrote: ↑22 May 2020, 04:36 I agree with the author on the three phases. And one of the things I noted overtime is that instead of Christians returning the grace to others. They use the grace received to mock, abuse and compare themselves with others who are yet to receive the grace.
That is how corrupted people act. They forget that having something means there is something to loose as well. The next time they are in trouble, they will be the laughing stock and will be at the receiving end

Fact my Brother.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:41

Amanda Newton wrote: ↑22 May 2020, 23:47 I don't think that one HAS to experience a crisis, but it does seem to be easier to find grace or help or strength when you do. Then when back on your feet, it is easy to pass that along to someone else.

That is correct. We seek for help when we are in trouble, by looking for something superior than us. Then when we receive the help and go through our problem, we easily recognize other's problems easily and tend to help them

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:43

Maconstewart wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 05:41
Sushan wrote: ↑22 May 2020, 19:43
Twylla wrote: ↑06 May 2020, 12:51 Not everyone finds God as a result of being in crisis. I dedicated my life to God as a child and I grew up in a Christian home. I have never faced any of the horrible situations that the people in this book faced. I have had my ups and downs in life, but my life has never been in ruins. When I was growing up and people would come to our church with flaming testimonies, I always felt like my testimony somehow wasn't as powerful. But as an adult, I think living a life close to God with a grateful heart demonstrates God's grace as powerfully as finding God in a crisis. I am grateful for the life God has given me.
Not everyone face great troubles, and also someones small trouble can be much bigger in someone elses eyes. But if you are with the God, his protection is always with you and you are prevented from being faced with any major crisis
I believe that if you are a child of God, you are protected through major crisis, but they can still occur. God gave us all free will and that leads us to wrong decisions occasionally...also, someone elses free will may cause them to bump into our life with a major crisis. What God does is provide comfort to see His children through the problems. As long as there is evil on earth, there will be major crisis. The day will come, though, that evil is eliminated.

Yes, our or someone else's free will lead us to the catastrophes that we face. So it is unfair to blame the God or suspect His presence in such occasions. He will grant the necessary help for us to go through our problems

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:46

Erandi Ekanayake wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 06:05
Sushan wrote: ↑02 May 2020, 22:36 According to the author, there are three phases in the life of a Christian; Facing a crisis, Receiving grace, and returning grace to others.

What is your opinion about this? Have you ever done it? Is it practical?
I'm not a Christian, yet I think the fact that the author highlights is applicable not only for Christians, but for everyone, because normally when a person manages to overcome a crisis, he tries to enlighten others before they undergo the same problem.

If I add my own personal opinion, I believe that it is the exact reason for the poor people to have much humanity in themselves than the so-called rich and high-class people, because they always live with problems and know how others feel once they face the same problems, and that is why they are always willing to return grace to others.

So the author's idea on dividing a person's life into those three phases seems really practical and I totally agree with it.

That is a good point. Only the ones who suffered know the pain. So when someone else is in pain, they feel it too, and simply extend hand for help

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:48

MorganKnightOfficial wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 06:09 My views are that "facing a crisis" can be replaced with, simply, "being human." I believe that a crisis, so to speak, does not necessarily have to refer to that moment we all see in superhero movies: where the hero is being crushed by falling debris, or has to decide between saving his girlfriend and saving a bus full of people - a moment where the hero has to decide who he wants to be. A crisis can be something as small as admitting that you are wrong. In my opinion, the "crisis" that we all face is being a sinner. When we accept that we are a sinner, but are saved by God's grace, we move on to the next to phases.

Accepting your sins is a courageous work. Not that everyone can do that either. That is a crisis for any of us to go through, and then we will get the chance to correct our sins or to be washed away from them in the eyes of the God

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:49

Barbie_sidhu wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 06:17 Don’t know much about the phases of a Christian but looking forward to learn more about them from the book .

These are some practical stuff. And the book will be a great material for you to get a better uunderstanding about it

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 19:51

tjportugal wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 06:48
B Creech wrote: ↑03 May 2020, 11:32 I have faced much crisis' in my life and God has given me grace to get through all of them, even those of my own making! I have to confess I don't return grace to others as much as I should, and I hate to admit that!
I couldn't have said it better. Especially the part about God putting right things of my own making. Praise God!

Our free will is the thing that sometimes leads us to major issues. Still the God is watching over us and guides us through hardships, even though they are simply our own doings

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 20:25

Kanda_theGreat wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 07:22 Well, I, personally built a strong relationship with my God in my childhood stage, which gradually declined once I hit teenage-hood. Despite all, I'm gradually revisiting that relationship to the highest possible levl it can get to.
So yes, I agree with the author's tri-stages.

If you don't renew, any connection will be weakened over time. It will be same for the connection with the God. But if you are close to Him, you will be shown his grace when you are in need of it

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 20:27

Adeniyi+samson- wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 08:40 People look and define Grace in a different way. Only Grace makes one qualified to call God his/ her father. Receiving Grace and give it back to others is a serious issue. Only by Grace are we save and it's expected of us to give it back to others by extending the Grace of salvation to them. I wish and pray that we will be able to do most of this as stated in this wonderful novel.

Yes, if God is one's father, then he/she will definitely be shown grace. So to be a true son/daughter of Him, one has to return the grace to the others

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 20:51

bb587 wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 09:33 I don't think everyone goes through the same experiences when it comes to grace. I have a strong faith but I don't think I went through anything specific to get here.

It is not the same for everyone and also everyone does not need something to have a faith. But when you are in trouble, having faith will be a great help

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 20:56

GiselleBengochea wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 12:14 Yes, I do believe that in moments of crisis we can see God's grace. Yes, I do believe that we can receive God's grace and yes, I do believe that we can extend this grace to others. To be a CHRISTIAN means that your nature must be transformed through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, to CHRISTLIKENESS. Therefore, it is through GOD'S GRACE that we are able to attain HIS nature.

Yes my friend, you are very true. When someone is in trouble they can receive God's grace and get through it, and then the God's grace will be extended to others via him/her

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 21:03

AntonelaMaria wrote: ↑24 May 2020, 04:22
bb587 wrote: ↑23 May 2020, 09:33 I don't think everyone goes through the same experiences when it comes to grace. I have a strong faith but I don't think I went through anything specific to get here.
Yes, and looking around myself even with people with sam background and religious upbringing, not one relationship with faith is the same.

People are different, and it is same for their level of maintaining faith. Though the background of most of them is same, their mind can think alone and work alone. That is the reason for this different levels of faith in same community

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 26 May 2020, 23:32

AvocaDebo621 wrote: ↑24 May 2020, 09:33 1)Experiencing crisis,
2)Receiving grace, and
3)returning grace to others.
I really felt touched by these three phases the author outlined in the book.

Yes, naming them is a great help to let everyone simplify and understand a simple, yet ignored process of events. And this is really an important process to make the world beautiful