Once means always...

[Amelia]

Im starting this thread from an often used statement that was used in the Michael Jackson thread.

Once a molester, always a molester.

Once a cheater, always a cheater.

Once a_____, always a _______.

If, as some believe, these are true statements, where is the room for redemption? Can someone be a molester, be saved through the Grace of Jesus, and still be a molester?

Lets say that as a kid in school you once, one time, took illegal drugs. Ok, thats abuse. Taking any drug in a manner for which it was not intended is abuse. So now you are a drug abuser. But you knew it was wrong and you confessed your sin before our Heavenly Father and claimed the Grace of forgiveness. According to the above statement it wouldnt matter. You did it once, you have the label forever. And apparently no matter what you do, some time in the future you will do it again.

Thoughts?

[Fran]

Amelia;

There are far too many variables. We can not judge the person's heart. When a person repents, we can not tell if it was because they got caught or if it was by the Holy Spirit.

Many people are cons and say what people want to hear and just lay off for a while and continue the same thing over again later.

Sexual deviance is a struggle for life just as alcohol is a life time battle for the Alcoholic. There is for life a tendency to drink. That is why they say they are a recovering alcoholic. It is the same for those with their sexual deviance/s.

Rape/molestation/sexual crimes are different because they harm others. (Not to say that alcohol doesn't) These crimes are different in that they are done to have control/power over the victim. They fight it for the rest of their lives.

Alcoholics are not required to register everywhere they go so everyone will know where this person lives to protect innocent people from becoming victims.

People with many problems have them for life. God can lead in their life if they allow Him to do so. I believe all things are possible with the Lord.

I also believe that once a crime is committed the price for that crime must be paid. There are thousands of repentant, saved prisoners that are paying for their crime.

In the Bible things were dealt with differently. God took care of it right away with stones. There was no problem of recurrence. That was for sex crimes and murder.

Those that got drunk missed the stones I think. Just my thoughts. Now I gotta go read about Michael Jackson since I replied here before reading those posts

Hey, by the way, I see that you are still moving on to the big 10. Thank you.

[Ron Lambert]

Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. But you can choose not to drink for the rest of your life. Successful graduates of AA's 12-step program will always confess that they are alcoholics, even if they have been twenty years without a drink.

Once a sinner, always a sinner. But we can repent and be converted. Still, we will never be able to claim to be anything other than a sinner, until Christ comes and our intrinsic nature is changed.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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Ron Lambert said:

Once a sinner, always a sinner. But we can repent and be converted.

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[:"red"] "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. " [/] 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

[:"red"] "The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'

"And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'

"But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."[/]

Matt 13:27-30 NASB