1/ I would like to make a clarification to this tweet. Most of you got what I was saying. Some did not, & that is my fault for exaggerating. Please forgive me, it was misleading.
For clarity sake, let's look at my life before 22 in hopes of articulating my point better
For clarity sake, let's look at my life before 22 in hopes of articulating my point better
2/ I had a false conversion at 9 because all I wanted to do was take communion. I became regenerate around 10. There were immediate fruits.
1. I was a habitual liar & felt a strong yearning to stop and do what pleased the Lord, so I stopped.
2. I was a brute who liked fighting
1. I was a habitual liar & felt a strong yearning to stop and do what pleased the Lord, so I stopped.
2. I was a brute who liked fighting
3/...I was aggressive and though small in stature I liked being a tough guy who repaid evil for evil. The intemperance left immediately. I had no desire to fight people anymore.
3. Regarding communion. I had a peace that came over me not to ask to take it anymore...
3. Regarding communion. I had a peace that came over me not to ask to take it anymore...
4/...I knew that I just needed to wait on my mother to recognize that I believed. I was content with not taking it until the Lord was ready for me to.
Those were the initial fruits. I was never discipled. My dad was an atheist and mom was a believer. I had 4 brothers...
Those were the initial fruits. I was never discipled. My dad was an atheist and mom was a believer. I had 4 brothers...
5/...and she slaved over taking care of the entire house because that was what Greek women did. The man worked while the wife literally did everything except for mowing the lawn.
I was exposed to pornography at 12. I didn't know any better, but intrinsically I knew that there...
I was exposed to pornography at 12. I didn't know any better, but intrinsically I knew that there...
6/...was something wrong with it. The more you look at it the more your conscience is numbed to sin.
There were small signs of fruit where I helped others or picketed abortion clinics with my mom for a couple of years. We watched many women turn away from killing their child.
There were small signs of fruit where I helped others or picketed abortion clinics with my mom for a couple of years. We watched many women turn away from killing their child.
7/ Ultimately, the friends I made and the peer pressure put on me by those friends caused me to turn away from God by the time I went to college. I thought I was missing out on something so I lived it up with drunkeness and womanizing, but thankfully I never went into drugs...
8/... even though I was pressured by my fraternity brothers and Lacrosse teammates.
The Lord reached out to me twice, once through navigators and once through Cru. I didn't go. By my last year I started to see how these things that I thought would satisfy me in fact did not.
The Lord reached out to me twice, once through navigators and once through Cru. I didn't go. By my last year I started to see how these things that I thought would satisfy me in fact did not.
9/ In fact, the acts of sins I committed didn't satisfy and made me the most miserable person in the world. I was miserable. 1 John even speaks to the fact that only unbelievers can find satisfaction in sin.
You see, believers enticed into sin experience have a season of...
You see, believers enticed into sin experience have a season of...
10/...happiness. Sin would not be tempting if there wasn't pleasure that came from it. I think many people miss this.
Imagine how things would have been if someone in my church given our familial circumstances chose to disciple me at 10? No one did.
Imagine how things would have been if someone in my church given our familial circumstances chose to disciple me at 10? No one did.
11/ As God turned me back to Him I apologized to my ex-girlfriend in college for treating her like an object. I apologized to friends for being so arrogant. I could not wait to go to church on Sunday and learn more about God's word.
I remember as a 22 year old saying, "I would-
I remember as a 22 year old saying, "I would-
12/...never do what the Israelites did and turn away from God." It was a foolish statement that I made after a sermon of the Israelites grumbling in the desert. I would come to regret making that statement to my mom. I had not been discipled, so I was like a new believer.
13/ I didn't know any better. As the years went on God put me through trials to temper out the impurities that had manifested. By the age of 29 I finally had someone who discipled me followed by a pastor and then eventually an elder.
For 19 years there was no one.
For 19 years there was no one.
14/ This led to some poor interpretations on my end with Scripture because no one helped me. I became quite pious and legalistic until I was taught the doctrines of grace. I never really understood grace until I was discipled.
15/ At 29 was when I really started to see amazing changes and spiritual growth. I never thought I would write a commentary on Jude or teach Scripture, but here I am.
My whole point was to say that I think some Christians have unhealthy expectations on fruit bearing.
My whole point was to say that I think some Christians have unhealthy expectations on fruit bearing.
16/ Yes, there should be fruit at conversion. There is sanctification, but some miss that we fight God on His sanctification. We still have idols we cling to.
Kanye West may indeed be regenerate, but some of you expect him to change as fast as the Apostle Paul.
Kanye West may indeed be regenerate, but some of you expect him to change as fast as the Apostle Paul.
17/ It takes time to bear fruit. Christ told us in Matt 28 to make "disciples", not win people to Christ, yet the church is horrid when it comes to this command of discipling. I am proof of it.
Maybe we should be actively looking to disciple those in our churches who are...
Maybe we should be actively looking to disciple those in our churches who are...
18/...little in the faith so that they might become great one day and not waste their years of service to the Lord.
In terms of Kanye, some of the fruit born is that he has stopped his foul language, had Adam Tyson review every song on his album to make sure they were biblically
In terms of Kanye, some of the fruit born is that he has stopped his foul language, had Adam Tyson review every song on his album to make sure they were biblically
19/...accurate lyrics and glorifying to God. Also, he has Pastor Tyson preaching 20 minute sermons at his concerts where he is preaching the Gospel to tens of thousands weekly. Kanye wants the Gospel preached at his concerts. That is great initial signs of fruit.
20/ Maybe we in faith can have more patience with new converts and actively work to disciple others instead of condemning them and pointing out every error and judge them as unregenerate.
This is all I am saying.
This is all I am saying.
