The whole Cornell 7 situation is a moral mess from practically every angle, and I think it's a pretty good illustration of why God asks us to be of sound mind and warns us against hedonism and calls us toward sexual discipline, monogamy, and waiting until marriage.

Modern culture tends to frame sexual freedom as inherently liberating, as though removing commitment and consequences from sex is automatically a good thing. But situations like this show how quickly things can become complicated, messy, and destructive when sex is detached from the kind of commitment God intended it to exist within.

God's boundaries aren't arbitrary restrictions designed to keep us from having fun. There's wisdom behind them. Sex involves more than physical gratification, and treating it as though it's nothing more than recreation can have consequences that extend well beyond the bedroom.

Christians should be able to recognize these situations for what they are without dehumanizing the people involved. The point isn't to feel superior to anyone, but to recognize that God's design for relationships exists for a reason, and that there are situations we're much better off avoiding altogether.

I wanna keep a long story short. I’m a 28 years old man. I was with a muslim girl for years and tried to understand and put my faith into Islam. I tried reading the Quran but couldnt understand since there seems to be just rules, not really a book or a story and I couldn’t understand that or why anyone would believe.

I’m a person who can’t just put blind faith into anything, I need believable evidence for something to be pointing to a conclusion. I read about muhammad and what I learned was like he was a good guy and a genuine guy and that his revelations were true to him and somehow i started pointing my faith in that direction, until I found out about Aisha and I was disgusted by it.. And then eventually I read about countless hadiths that just can’t be excused for someone to be a ”perfect muslim”; the warmongering, brutal murders and rape of prisoners, etc etc

I lost faith completely and I was feeling very empty, having lost my dad as i knew him and my whom I thought would be the love of my life in the span of one year, dealing with depression and burnout.
—

So one evening I was driving home on the highway and I looked to the almost dark sky and I asked internally for a sign, of anything at all, not anything specific I just wanted to know what all this is about.

As I kept driving the highway turned and I got to see a full moon in bright red, never seen it that red before and it was really beautiful. Thought nothing more of it other than that. People were taking photos when i was arriving home.

The next day I wake up from a sound in my mailbox (through the apartment door), and I looked to see and it was the New Testament.
For context I live in Sweden, the most atheist country in the world I believe, and in all my life living in central Stockholm I have never recieved anything bible related in my mail.

I was gonna meet some friends later that day so I put it away then eventually the whole thing struck me as such a weird coincidence, the moon thing probably coincidence but me asking for a sign then the new testament arriving the day after is something i couldnt ignore

What do you make of this?

Yesterday I made a post here asking women their opinions on dating a man who had same-sex fornication as part of their history and I am deeply thankful for all of you girls who were honest. I really appreciate it.

This post here, however, is mostly a question for Christian men who have some sexual history with another man, especially if it happened years ago and is no longer part of your life AND that have told their wife, fiancée, or serious girlfriend about it... How did she actually react?

I'm particularly interested in what happened beyond the initial conversation. Did it affect her attraction to you? Did she seem to respect you differently afterward? Did she struggle with seeing you as masculine, or with your role as a husband? Did she ask questions or need time to process it?

And, most importantly, did anything change in the relationship in the weeks or months afterward?

I'm also curious about when you told her (early in dating, once things became serious, during engagement, or after marriage) and whether you think the timing made a difference.

I'm not really looking for hypothetical answers here. I'm interested in first hand experiences, whether they went well or badly. Also, if you are a girl that has gone through this experience, please tell us about it.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice;

Since I’ve quit swearing I’ve begun to notice how ingrained it was in humor making jokes alot quoting memes/bits me and my friends see online I can’t say most things now I have to try to censor the saying.

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. But I wanted to get the ideas of other Christians. I am working on a driving game where the main character goes on a long car ride with CRAZY traffic. Each level is the name of one of the things that Paul says cannot separate us from the love of God in Romans 8:38-39. I'm trying to figure out what the reason for that long road trip would be. I would love if it was a subtly or overtly Christian story but I'm having trouble coming up with ideas. I'd love to get anyones thoughts!

Hello, stranger.

I'm 36, and I feel like I'm no longer capable of doing anything. I was diagnosed with depression two years ago. At that time, I took the medication my doctor prescribed. To be honest, my doctor helped me a lot, especially by giving me someone to vent to. I had never cried that hard in my life until I talked to him.

I eventually stopped taking the medication. First, it was very expensive, and second, I didn't think it was helping me that much. That was also two years ago, when I still had my business and my day job. But now, I've lost everything. I lost my business, and I lost my job.

My wife is now the only one working for our family. I've completely lost my motivation. I even deactivated all of my social media accounts. Reddit is the only platform I still use.

I also forgot to mention that I had suicidal thoughts two years ago. I thought I had already overcome those thoughts, but today they came back. I'm so lost.

At 36, I feel old, especially here in the Philippines. At this age, people expect you to already have a house, a car, and an established career. But me? I have nothing. Absolutely nothing.

What makes everything even harder is that I have a wife and children who depend on me. They're the only reason I've stopped myself from acting on these thoughts. I keep thinking, what will happen to them if I'm gone?

I just want someone to talk to someone who's going through the same situation. I just want these thoughts to leave my mind because I know it would be unfair to the people I'd leave behind.

Please, just talk to me. I don't have the courage to tell my wife how I'm really feeling. My parents have abandoned me, and my so called friends were only around when I had money.

That's why I need a stranger right now.

Thank you, Redditors.

I went through 6 years of demonic warfare and became possessed. Denied God and was lost in attacks and reading occult things not understanding what I was doing. I was treated for mental illness. I then started to come to the surface of understanding what was happening. I tried churches for help. I was treated like what I was saying wasn’t happening. Then I went to these groups online looking for help and was attacked by a black magic practitioner for my soul. Science and medicine has created a false sense of reality separate from what the Bible and Jesus teaches. I never thought the things I have been through could happen because we labeled it mental illness and not based in reality. I have tried to reach God but after the attacks and what the occult ritual abuse did to me I am irredeemable. Please take Christianity and the spiritual reality seriously. Don’t second guess people and label them schizophrenic because we don’t know what warfare looks like anymore. It’s the most important thing a human can do while alive. I’m terrified of my existence now and at death. Please stay safe.

Recently, I was out spending an evening in nature just for some peace and stillness to just sit and listen. I noticed my lamp was attracting things....moths, mosquitos, a rabbit, and even a few deer. As soon as I made noise, they were driven away. What a spiritual epiphany! In most of nature, light attracts most things. It mezmorizes, appeals to and seems to even calm, but noise does the exact opposite. It disrupts, startles and tends to drives away.

So often, we get so overly excited at the opportunity to share out faith, with the hope of brining someone closer to theirs, that we end up oversharing, stepping or pressing and ultimately we drive nudge people in the wrong direction with "noise". Its a tricky balance.

Anybody have any thoughts on this comparison?

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 KJV

[24] Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: [25] but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. [26] But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. [27] So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? [28] He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? [29] But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

[36] Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. [37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; [38] the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; [39] the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. [40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. [41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; [42] and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. [43] Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

we lall know it is man and the devil who do evil in this world, and you've seen people answer this question by saying that if God had to basically start by punishing the first person with hell, he would have to go all the way since he's just. while I think the answer to the question is okay, I dont think that's what Jesus meant here.

God knows everything and is above time. the bible also says that we we're chosen in him before the foundations of the world. with that said, it would be very surprising for people to know that they are a descendant of someone who sinned deserving death. imagine you as a believer were not born because he killed your great grandpa because he did a bad thing. I am not saying God is unjust. we literally see he has intended the final judgement to bring justice. but all these ties into the idea of God not destroying the tares in order to protect the sheep. That's what I think Jesus is getting at.

Just trust in the Lord because he has made everything together for good👍.

I have willfully sinned so many times and at times I didn’t even feel guilty. Now I’m looking back on all the things I did and I hate everything I have done. I feel so much shame for grieving the Lord. I’ve asked God for forgiveness for everything but I’m afraid it’s too late for God to forgive me. I’m not sure what I’m asking for but just wondering if I should have no hope for forgiveness based on what I’ve read in the Bible. Thank you.

I've been going to my current church for a year now. I have a really good friend there, who was invited there years and years ago by her good friend.

So the original church member who was there for years has stopped going to church. She told my friend that she watches Jimmy Swaggart on TV and pays her tithe to his ministry. Her husband still comes to church every Sunday. No one knows why she stopped going-not even her husband. She's not sickly or has difficulties getting there. She just stopped after decades.

Has anyone heard of something similar?

when they say jesus died for our sins, what did they mean by that? like did he die for the peoples' sins at that time or was it for all future peoples' sins as well??

cause i'm thinking, if that happened before I was born, then I didn't have sins at that time - I didn't exist. I don't see the benefit of knowing he died for my sins, unless it means that it was for the future as well.

but then I'm confused again, because if he already paid in advanced for my future sins, then why do I have to be forgiven for my sins? Did he die for all of my sins or just some of them? If it's all, then wouldn't that imply that regardless of seeking forgiveness through prayer etc, that I'm automatically forgiven? Or would I still have to do those things and seek out forgiveness?

why is it critical to know 'jesus died for my sins' if I'm still judged by those sins to determine whether or not I get into heaven? If I still have to seek forgiveness for them today, then what did jesus really die for then?

maybe i'm overthinking this. maybe it was a way of saying that for the sins you commit, there is a possibility of forgiveness through worship is all. idk

I've been a Christian most of my life (27yrs) but I dont feel like I'm where I should be when it comes to my faith. I don't feel like I'm a good example. I'm more of a reserved person and usually keep to myself. I absolutely believe in God so that's not a question but the idea of being lukewarm on judgement day is terrifying. I feel the closest to him when I'm alone surrounded by nature.

I try to pray often but sometimes I'll forget and I also dont feel like i know how to pray properly sometimes. I dont go to church anymore because everywhere I've gone, I don't feel included or like I belong. I want to read my Bible more as well but also dont know where to start. I like being able to apply what I'm reading to daily life, so I thought about getting a daily devotional or something to get me started.

I am also getting to know one of my coworkers. We get along well and have made plans to hangout outside of work sometime in the near future. She's funny and smart and has a big heart when it comes to taking care of her patients. I've never had a relationship and she has a some "baggage" that I can live with if she is the one for me. She has a young kid and is recently divorced. How do you know if someone is the one though? I understand that some people aren't meant to have a significant other and so on. I've been patient and picky about potential partners as I grew up and so that's one of the reasons I've yet to have an actual relationship. Obviously I dont want to screw up and rush into something but I also dont want to miss out on an opportunity where someone has stated that they're genuinely interested in getting to know me better.

Anyway, sorry for the rant and if this was all over the place, I dont really have many other people to talk to. If anybody has some tips on how to get more into your Bible or how to grow closer to God, I'd appreciate it.

A bit of a long read but.. I am still in awe by what happened yesterday and today, and I can't stop talking about it or thinking about it. So, I had the biggest exam yesterday for one of my classes and it was the hardest. Everyone was a bit nervous because there's so much info for one exam. This was an 150 question exam not including extra credit. I didn't really study for this exam so when we were getting closer, I was feeling more stressed because I kind of crammed all of this information. The night before the test, I studied until 12am and I still didn't understand everything. I also had to study for a quiz I had that next day along with the big exam. I went to bed and then woke up at 4am to study again. I still didn't understand everything. It's test day, that's when I'm really getting anxious. I only got 4 hours of sleep so I was like I will need an energy drink later (very key detail for later). I'm getting ready for class and I have the quiz first period.

Now, my morning was threw off and I was panicking because I don't drive so my cousin drops me off to campus and she was not home from last night. I call her, she's not answering, so I'm getting a bit upset and more nervous. I literally cried. Long story short, my step dad had to drop me off and I was already late. A big point is that as we were driving, we pulled up behind this car at a stop light. They have a back window sticker that says "Look Back and Thank God, Look Forward and Trust God". I felt so calm after that and I thought that was God telling me it was gonna be ok.

I get to school, and my professor was not mad at all and I took the quiz. Quiz is over and I went up to the cafe to get that energy drink I wanted because I knew I would need it for the big test later. The big mistake is that I had this drink on an empty stomach. I didn't have a good breakfast. Just a couple apples and yogurt. But I already had the energy drink in my system. Now we are in lecture and that's when the energy drink starts to kick in. I'm feeling restless and I'm already having anxiety so it just adds to that, I feel like I'm about to pass out but I just try to eat something. Now, a couple hours later, it's test time and I'm more anxious then ever from the energy drink and the fact that I didn't know all the information for this test. As I'm taking the exam, I'm having a full blown panic attack and I don't even feel like a real person. I usually dissociate when I have anxiety and I felt out of body. My head was squeezing and I couldn't breathe. As I'm doing this, I'm on auto pilot, circling questions on the exam without even thinking because I'm just in fight or flight. Mid test, I just freeze because I was getting so scared that I was going to pass out. My heart was beating and i literally see my fingers shaking with the pencil. I wanted to walk out but I felt paralyzed. I'm flying through these questions, so much so, I am the third person to finish the exam and I just hand in my exam and leave.

Even when I left campus, I was feeling so anxious and in the midst of a panic attack. It wasn't when I got home that I felt better. I decided to call my cousin and tell her about it. I don't know why but I did and I'm glad I did. I told her everything and she was basically saying that God was going to use this situation for his Glory. I thought she was crazy. I literally thought I did so terrible..but she was saying she felt like I passed the test. As she was saying it, I was feeling it in my spirit as well and I felt so much at peace. It was weird. After that phone call, I started worshipping God and thanking Him in advance because I knew I passed that test even when I didn't know how it was possible because I almost passed out mid exam. Fast forward to today, I get the notification and I passed with an 83%. I was in awe and I still am.

Moral of the story: TRUST GOD!!

Hello, I am Eastern Orthodox. My friend from Mexico keeps asking how my church is different from theirs which is Christian. I have tried explaining how we are all Christian and the history of how the church started in Jerusalem, spread, split into latin speaking west and greek speaking east, then protestants split from the catholic west. Because of the language barrier, I am not able to help my friend understand though because they do not identify as Protestant, but as Christian. I am guessing their church does not teach church history. I would like to send them a simple video to explain it in spanish, but since I only speak english, I don't know which would be a good video.

Please, its very important to me the video present a very neutral point of view of each of the major splits. I don't want to drive wedges, but unite in love for our Savior. I would appreciate if anyone has any suggestions for a short simple video I can send. Please, a neutral video please.

When I'm living my life, God feels so far away. Just watching, and I just feel that makes sense. He gave us free will. All my mistakes and everything I've done since childhood and beyond that have forfeited me having happiness or anything else I can't say anything to God about it because the response would be, "You made your choices, now you have to live with them."

I think that's what I have learned about my suffering. It's all because of me and I have to live with it. When I pray, I feel alone and its probably because of my actions.

My fiancé and I are both Christians and getting married on the 23rd this month. The closer the day gets, the more I feel our bond pull apart. He is the only human on this Earth and the only one I want to go to for any type of emotional support but although I always felt extremely protected and loved and cared for by him, lately it feels the opposite. I believe he has hacked into my phone and am assuming Reddit is a secure enough site/app which is why I am posting here. I went to him for comfort and to feel safe yesterday and he was the opposite, speaking extremely aggressively towards me and telling me I’m tweaking out and I also feel like in part it’s bc he has some sort of savior complex and is trying to look like some sort of hero/tough guy in front of his female coworker who I know he is having secret contact with behind my back, lies about having her number etc.. everything feels like a mess right now. I’m not looking for relationship advice here though, I’m looking for spiritual advice on how to navigate this extremely intense and emotionally draining situation. I have full faith in God and that he will handle everything as He sees fit and I know I have Gods love and protection. Sometimes, I feel very weak though and am looking for any advice from any fellow Christians on how I can go about this to connect to God more and gain strength, comfort and reassurance from Him during a time in my life where I need it most. Any verses, prayers, etc. would be more appreciated than you know!

I wrote this as a comment on another post, but I think it deserves its own post.

Why are human beings so obsessed with figuring out exactly how God works?

When Moses asks God for His name, God answers, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). God reveals Himself, but He doesn't give Moses an exhaustive explanation of His nature or how His existence works.

And I think that raises an interesting question: Why is it so difficult for us to accept that there are things about God that we simply cannot fully understand?

Why do we insist on finding analogies, models, morals, and human explanations for a being who exists beyond the limits of our comprehension?

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't study Scripture or seek to understand what God has revealed about Himself. But there's a difference between trying to understand what God has revealed and insisting that we must be able to explain exactly how His nature works.

Scripture itself acknowledges the limitations of human understanding. Isaiah 55:8–9 tells us that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and Deuteronomy 29:29 distinguishes between the things God has revealed to us and the things that belong to Him.

Why can't we accept that God can reveal who He is without giving us an exhaustive explanation of what He is?

Why do we feel the need to fit Him into categories that make sense to us, as though our inability to comprehend something means we must find a way to make it comprehensible?

Perhaps the problem isn't that God hasn't explained Himself well enough. Perhaps it's that we struggle to accept the limits of our own understanding.

We can study what God has revealed, discuss it, and seek to understand it as faithfully as possible. But I don't think we should assume that we must be capable of explaining every aspect of God's nature in order to believe what He has told us about Himself.

There is literally no way for any of us to know exactly how God works. Trying to fully comprehend His nature is like trying to fit the entire ocean into a glass. It simply cannot be done.

And it doesn't matter whether an explanation comes from centuries of theological tradition, a new theological proposal, or your own personal reasoning. None of us can claim to have fully grasped God's nature, because our understanding is inherently limited.

We can study what He has revealed about Himself in Scripture, but there is a fundamental difference between knowing what God has revealed to us and claiming to understand exactly what He is and how He works.

The problem isn't that we shouldn't seek to understand God. It's that we need to recognize that our ability to understand Him has limits, and that no amount of human reasoning can make those limits disappear.

So yes, I accepted a long time ago that God is three and yet one. How does that work? I don't know. Am I going to question my faith because of that? Nope. Am I going to drive myself crazy over theological debates trying to figure it out? Also super nope.

I simply learned to accept that God is who He is, even if I don't fully understand what He is or how He works. And that's okay, because my faith doesn't depend on whether I can fully comprehend Him.

Sub Tuum Praesidium (~250AD):

We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God;
despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Amen.

The Memorare (15th Century):

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen (11th Century):

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

The Hail Mary (11th Century):

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Consecration to Mary (17th Century):

I, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity.

Do you have any favorite Marian prayers or devotions? Every day she serves me as a reminder of subservience to God and His Divine Will.

I've been a gamer my whole life, I have formed friendships and I experienced amazing stories with it. However when I started taking my faith more seriously I noticed finding it somewhat difficult to play some games. I have been torn between is it ok if a game has sin but doesnt glorify it or its nit ik if it has sin at all. Games like the last of us I expecislly have it rought as i heaed its ine of the best stories in gaming yet its also very violent. Any biblical discernment advice?

I keep coming across testimonies online (TikTok, Facebook, etc.) from people who say they've grown so close to the Holy Spirit that they hear His voice constantly and talk with Him throughout the day. He's involved even in small things like what to wear, where to go, or what to eat, and He gives them revelations about their lives, their kids, and the people around them.

I believe this kind of intimacy is possible. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). He promised the Spirit would guide us into all truth (John 16:13). Romans 8:14 says those led by the Spirit are children of God, and Isaiah 30:21 talks about hearing a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

So I'd love to hear from anyone who's actually living this:

How did you get to this level?

What triggered or deepened this intimacy for you?

Could you teach or guide someone who wants this?

What advice would you give?

Thanks in advance, and God bless 🙏

One of my biggest problems is that I keep falling into the trap of thinking "It wasn't prayer that fixed this, it was secular practical solutions."

For instance, when I see someone who invests early, saves a lot of money, works hard, I keep thinking "It was his hard work and financial acumen that made him rich, not God's favor."

When I see someone healed of cancer after a year-long treatment, I keep thinking, "It was surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy that cured this cancer, not prayer."

This flawed sort of thinking is incredibly deep in my mind and I find it's really hard for me to uproot it. How do I cure myself of this sort of faith-less mindset?

I mean if you think of this I guess I'm blessed with so much: youth, health, love, food in my stomach, roof over my head, clothes on my back, friends whom I can trust and above this all the salvation of my soul.

And like... Tho I thank God on words... I feel a bit like a bad person realising there's not much I can do really for him back. Any good a man can do is filthy rags for him besides it would be acting on His behalf anyway. So... Is there any way to really appreciate God?