Is Purgatory Necessary?

According to Catholic Answers, the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes purgatory this way:

"All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (Catechism, 1030)

Purgatory is a state of purification for those who have died without mortal sin but still need to be purified from venial sins.  The reason for this is that nothing unholy can stand before God (Rev. 21:27) and we need to be completely purified of sin before we can experience the Beatific Vision.

Does the Bible support the idea that Christians are in need of further purification after we die?

If we must undergo a final stage of sanctification, where does the Holy Spirit go during this process? 

Resources:

Sanctification 

livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/sanctification_ext.mp3 https://share.google/3PiMGCIY9h4Uw78pS

GET MY EBOOK, FORGIVEN AND FREE, HERE:

https://a.co/d/gViW1Hk

The Blended Bunch

Blended families can feel complicated—emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. But does that mean they’re outside of God’s plan?

In this video, we explore how Scripture speaks into the reality of blended families—not with shame, but with grace. From Jacob’s sons and David’s household to Ruth and Naomi, and even Joseph raising Jesus, the Bible is full of families formed through dysfunction, loss, loyalty, and redemption.

We also dive into the powerful metaphor of adoption in Ephesians and Romans where Paul describes our place in God’s family: secure and irrevocable.

Questions to Reflect On:
- What does spiritual adoption say about our identity and worth?
- Can a blended family reflect the unity of the body of Christ?

Watch, reflect, and share with someone who needs encouragement today.

Resources:
Adoption as sons
livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/ephesians_011_1_5_adoption_as_sons.mp3 https://share.google/8eq5gnHzmgUjhAWyk

Romans 4:18-25 What Are You Waiting For?

 

Romans 4:18-25

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[a] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Why is what Abraham waited for different from what many Christians are waiting for today? What are Christians missing when it comes to waiting on the Lord? Resources: New Creation livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/romans_31_new_creation_4_15_22.mp3 https://share.google/eVWf1M2ddX24CuGZr

Jesus Meets Our Need

 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7:26‭-‬28

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

How are we totally identified with Jesus Christ? 

Do you know the difference between what you have in Christ and what you are taught to obtain from Him? 

Resources: 

A Scriptural Journey to Discover the Grace of God (Study Guide used in this video)

https://shop.bobgeorge.net/a-scriptural-journey-to-discover-the-grace-of-god-help-guide-book/

Hebrews 7:15-28 The Law is Useless

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/hebrews_31_ch7_15_28_law_is_useless.mp3

Such Were Some Of You

 

1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:9‭-‬11 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." Does your struggle with sin mean you will not inherit the kingdom of God? Is this passage about sin or something else? Resources: https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/identity.htm https://96tolife.blogspot.com/search?q=Identity+in+Christ&m=1

Questions for Spiritual Decline

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—  to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude 24-25

One of the main indicators of legalism is when a pastor or church leader asks questions that focus on what you are doing for God rather than on what Jesus Christ has done for you. The following five groups of questions were written by a pastor and presented to his congregation prior to his message this morning. The title of the paper was "Questions for Spiritual Growth." Question #1: How are you actively learning about who God is? What are some ways you can practically know Him better this year? Question #2: Think back on God's faithfulness over the last year. Write down some of "the wondrous works He has done." Question #3: How well do you know God's promises for the future? Which promises can you meditate on to fuel your faith in God this year? Question #4: In what areas has your forgetfulness led to a lack of thankfulness? Write down five things you are thankful for. Question #5: In what ways are you remembering the wrong things? What hurts, disappointments, failures, self-efforts, etc. are you holding on to? What promises of God can you focus on instead? While some of the questions are okay, the general theme in them is one where the individual is operating from a position of lack in their relationship with the Lord. To "actively" learn about who God is, you have to remove the barriers you believe separates you from Him; namely the forgiveness of sins. If you don't believe you are forgiven, you will struggle to get to know God, if at all. You will always have to focus on getting right, clean, in good standing, or whatever you want to call it, before approaching God. With the focus on you then God's faithfulness will be seen in relation to the positive events of your life you believe God rewarded you with for your works. Just the fact that you are asked to fuel your faith by focusing on God's promises for the future means there are things you don't have from God and must find a way to somehow obtain. What five things will you be thankful for when your life as a Christian is based on promises not yet yours? The last question is the logical byproduct of a life consumed with your behavior and not knowing what you already have been given by God through your faith in Jesus Christ. Remembering the "wrong things" is why you are holding on to "hurts, disappointments, failures, self-efforts, etc." It will only lead to your spiritual decline as your life in Christ is defined by you trying to fill the emptiness you are experiencing in your walk with Jesus.

In the book of Jude, we are clearly reminded that God, in Christ, is the one who "keeps us from stumbling" and presents us "before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." In other words, it is all about Jesus and not about us. This truth allows you to focus on all the promises of God you have already received; namely that you are completely forgiven, unconditionally loved, totally accepted, holy, righteous, sanctified, justified, assured of your salvation, and more. The byproduct of all this is that you can rest from your works and be thankful for His. When you understand your identity in Christ the "Questions for Spiritual Growth" will change significantly. Question #1: What is preventing you from knowing about who God is if He is not counting your sins against you? How does knowing you are forgiven allow you to know Him better? Question #2: How do you define God's faithfulness? Write down some of the wondrous things you have in Christ. Question #3: How well do you know your inheritance in Christ? How does knowing that fuel your faith moving forward for the rest of your life? Question #4: How can you give thanks in all circumstances knowing your identity in Christ? Question #5: In what ways are you believing things that aren't true? How are these false beliefs preventing you from resting in the promises of God? I hope you can see the difference in these questions. You can't grow spiritually without a firm foundation of what you already have in Christ; the promised inheritance of God you already possess. Knowing all of this is the difference between faith and works. It is the difference between grace and legalism. It is the difference between operating from a position of lack and operating from a position of abundance. The challenge is to ask yourself, "Do you know who you are in Christ?" If you do, the next question becomes, "What are you believing that has you living like a "foolish Galatian"? "You foolish Galatians! ... Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh (Galatians 3:1,3)?" Legalism forces you to "finish by means of the flesh." The Spirit of God will have no bearing on your life because you will only have eyes on yourself. Which questions are you answering? Your relationship with Jesus Christ is riding on how you answer. You can grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord or you can spend the rest of your life in spiritual decline as you try to obtain those things you have already received from Him. The choice is yours.

A Way of Escape

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

There is a saying among Christians that goes something like, "God will not give you more than you can handle." It comes from the verse in 1 Corinthians 10:13 where Paul is talking to the church in Corinth about temptation. Most often what is concluded from this verse is simply that a Christian should just flee temptation rather than stay and sin. There is nothing wrong with physically removing yourself from any chance to sin. However, is God giving you the temptation as a test to see if you can handle it or not? If so, with the amount of sin present in the lives of Christians, it would appear God is allowing them to be tempted beyond what they are able. Furthermore, is fleeing temptation only accomplished through an act of the will? In Genesis 39, there is the story of Joseph and the wife of his master, Potiphar. Joseph was successful in all that he did as a slave to his master. Yet, one day, Potiphar's wife tries to seduce Joseph. The Bible says, "Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me (Genesis 39:6-7).” Joseph refused her advances, but she persisted daily. Then on one occasion, "She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside (Genesis 39:12)." Again, Joseph did the right thing and fled the temptation to commit adultery. Now, we could argue that Joseph should have brought this matter to the attention of his master, but doing so could have come with its own set of uncomfortable circumstances. That being said, his master's wife, having a piece of his garment in her hand took the opportunity to frame Joseph. When her husband came home she said to him, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came into me to make sport of me; and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside (Genesis 39:17-18).” Potiphar, not knowing his wife was lying, threw Joseph in prison. It has been said that Joseph was imprisoned for ten years! Thankfully, the Bible says that "the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer (Genesis 39:21)." But, yet he spent an entire decade in prison and lost all he had accomplished up to that point, all because of a false accusation. Eventually, Joseph got out of prison and his story has a happy ending as he was reunited with his father, Jacob, and his brothers who had sold him into slavery. While the story ended well, can we say that God made the wife of Joseph's master tempt him with adultery in order to show that He doesn't give us more than we can handle? If so, then we have to say that God made the woman tempt Joseph with the prospect of an adulterous affair and then made her lie about it to her husband. If that is the case then we have just opened the door to all sorts of false interpretations about the Bible.

What does it mean when it says that God provides us with a "way of escape" when we are tempted? It is one thing to just run away when a temptation like that which Joseph endured comes along. However, most of our temptation to sin comes from our own desires within us. God has designed us in such a way that we all desire the need for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning, and purpose to life. However, God is the only one who can fill these needs in Himself through His indwelling Holy Spirit. We often are misled into believing that if we indulge our flesh in sin, one or more of those desires will be met. Perhaps, Potiphar's wife was deceived into thinking that if she committed adultery with Joseph her desire for love and acceptance would be met. Although he never gave into temptation, perhaps the fact that Joseph put himself in harm's way "day after day (Genesis 39:10)," giving his master's wife the opportunity to try and seduce him, was meeting the desires of his heart in some way.  Through faith in Christ, God meets those desires of our heart as only He can. God loves us unconditionally. Romans 8:39 says that nothing, "will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." God accepts us. Romans 15:7 says, "Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God." God gives our lives meaning. Philippians 3:10 says, "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ..." God gives our lives purpose. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." Knowing these truths doesn't prevent us from sinning. What knowing these truths does for us is they give us an alternative to sin so that rather than just having the option to flee from the temptation to sin, we have something that no sin can provide. Therefore, we engage the world with what God has given to us to share with it, rather than looking for the world to provide something to us that can only be found through engaging in sin. When your heart is changed by God as the result of an encounter with His indwelling Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, your focus turns to Him. When your focus is on Him it is off of you. When it is off of you it is off of your flesh. When it is off of your flesh you will be less inclined to try and indulge your flesh. Your flesh will not improve, but your focus on it will diminish. Jesus Christ has thus become your "way of escape." Rather than just fleeing from sin, you are embracing all God has given to you by faith.

The Desires of your Heart

"Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

A brother in Christ, who was a widower, requested prayer that he might, "meet a very pretty and attractive gal and get remarried." The response he received was that God has a "provision" for him and was reminded that, "So often God's timing isn't our timing, but He's got a perfect plan for you. We don't know what that plan is, or what His timing is, but just trust. He took care of you the first time, right, and He's taken care of all these other areas (i.e. health and finances) of your life...He's got you. He's got this! But, you just need to know God's got a perfect plan for you..." Eventually, a prayer was given for this man using Psalm 37:4 as the foundation; that this man just needs to "delight himself in the Lord," and the desire of his heart to remarry would eventually be fulfilled. But, in God's timing, etc. There have been many times in my life that I have either been personally told this by others or have heard others give this advice to someone seeking comfort for what they believe was missing in their life. God may have a plan for this gentlemen to get remarried. However, this advice that God has a plan for us is very generic and it has, at least, two problems with it. First, it assumes that the desires of our heart that God promises to fulfill are fleshly desires that we want Him to fulfill. Secondly, this "plan" that God, apparently, has for us is unknown by us and seemingly will not be revealed to us until these fleshly desires for a spouse or whatever are met. But, in the meantime we are to just wait and hope that we learn something about God or ourselves. This example sheds light on how a Christian's relationship with God is always portrayed as a mystery that is tied to how patient we are waiting for God to give us what we want, not necessarily what He wants to give us. There is also the impression given that until those desires are met, we are somehow incomplete and who knows what can develop from there; feelings God doesn't love us, our Christian life is unfulfilling, we can't "delight" ourselves in the Lord if we don't have what we want, etc. Furthermore, the scriptures provided as evidence of this are often interpreted from our viewpoint (the flesh) instead of from God's viewpoint (the Spirit).

The scriptures tell us that God is a jealous God. This doesn't mean that He covets what we have, but that He wants us! The true desires of our heart are not for the things of this world or of the flesh, like a spouse, but for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life. These are things that only God can provide because He is the one that put the desire there. What we really need is our God! Nothing in this world, no matter what we may convince ourselves to believe, can meet the desires of our heart; not a wife, not great wealth, not great health, nor any other earthly treasure can take the place of the Lord. This doesn't mean that God won't give you these things or, at the very least, allow you to experience them, After all, in a perfect world, He gave Adam a wife; Eve. Yet, He designed us in such a way that nothing can replace Him. To delight means to "take pleasure in." How can you take pleasure in the Lord if you are believing Him to give you something He has not promised to give and then wait for it for an undetermined amount of time? Also, how can you be expected to trust in God if the way He relates to you is to hide His plans from you? Besides, if you did get what you desired, whether He actually gave it to you or not, will you be satisfied or will the next "desire" take it's place? Perhaps, we should realize that as Christians God, "has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3), " that He, "has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3)" and that we "have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority (Colossians 2:10)." If you have been given everything you need for life and godliness, given every spiritual blessing and made complete through your faith in Christ, what really are you missing? When a person believes that God has already given them all these things that is where the foundation for trusting Him comes from. It doesn't come from trusting Him for something He didn't promise to give because if it did, then we have to ask why do some people seem to have certain things and others don't? Not everybody has a spouse. Not everybody is healthy. Not everybody is wealthy. Even many in the world seem to have all of this apart from having the Lord! So, what does that say about God? When you begin to take pleasure in what the Lord has already given you, Himself, then you can wait for those things He has not given you, if you even still desire them at all.

Interview with Church Dropouts

I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by my friends from church, and sisters in Christ, Peggy and Lisa (behind the camera) for their new YouTube channel, Church Dropouts. Here is the video. It is about 45 minutes in length. Enjoy and God Bless!

He Knows Who You Are

At the end of the Parable of the Ten Virgins it says, "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you (Matthew 25:10-12).'" Now, while there are many things that can be talked about in this passage, I want to focus on one thing that Jesus says here that may go unnoticed. At the end of verse 12, the bridegroom says, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you." Many people live in fear that God will utter these words to them one day because they haven't done enough repenting and obeying of Him in their lives. This usually arises because of a misunderstanding of the Gospel; specifically the subject of forgiveness. When you believe that God still holds your sins against you then there is an inherent fear that arises that something you did or failed to do will be held against you and on that day you stand before Him, He will say, "I don't know you." Regardless of whether you fully understand forgiveness, if you are born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ, you are not only saved, but God knows you! At the beginning of Galatians 4:9, the Apostle Paul says, "But now that you know God--or rather are known by God ..." He is talking to Christians and reminds them that they not only know God, but that God knows them. And, if you are a born again Christian, God knows you!

How do I know this? First of all, scripture tells me as I just mentioned. Second, I am confident in my understanding of the Gospel; that God knows me because He indwells me for eternity, never to leave me. But, the third reason is even more personal; something you other Christians may know for yourself, but not think about too often. If for some reason God was to ask me, "Do I know who you are?" I would confidently respond to Him by saying, "Yes, Lord. You do know me. You know exactly who I am." Continuing, I would say,"Do you remember the time I was struggling with a sin and you told me how to stop?" "Do you remember that particular scripture you illuminated for me?" "Do you remember the time I asked you about how to handle dealing with that one person and you showed me?" And I am confident He would say, "Yes, I do remember." Now, I don't expect to ever have this conversation, but I thought it necessary to explore it. I believe their are plenty of Christians that God knows, but who don't know or believe He knows them because of the things they believe. I think God wants His children to know Him, but if you don't believe the things He has already revealed to us, namely the truth of the Gospel and our identity in Christ, He can't reveal more of Himself to us. If you have never done this, I want you to try something. Ask God questions like, "What do you see through your eyes in this situation?" "What do you hear with your ears in this situation?" Then sit back and listen for Him to respond to you and give you insights that can only come from Him. In order to share things with you and give you insights to things, He has to know who you are. This will give you confidence that you have a place in His Kingdom and confidence that He will say He knows who you are.

A Blameless and Upright Man

“Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil (Job 1:8)?”"Nearly every time someone brings up Job the focus is on his suffering and moreover how God allowed Satan to test Job. It gives many Christians biblical, albeit anecdotal, support to blame God for their present suffering. They feel as if Satan is picking on them and God is idly standing by letting it all happen. Compile this with the fact that most Christians still believe God is holding their sins against them or, at the very least, believe their sins separate them from God, and you have the recipe for a defeated Christian. When you throw this belief in along with all the trials and tribulations of life it can be tough to see any hope in it at all. However, there is one thing that many Christians do not know about their identity in Christ, but is also plain as day even in this Old Testament verse from Job. Job is 42 chapters long and mostly full of Job’s suffering and his interactions with his friends and with God. Yet, right here at the beginning of the book God says one thing about Job that often goes unnoticed; Job is a “blameless and upright man” in God’s eyes. God may have allowed Job to suffer at the hands of Satan, but it wasn’t because He was punishing Job for his sins. In fact, you could make the argument that God was bragging on Job by allowing Satan to test him. While I can’t say that God is doing this to His servants today, I am sure of one thing; in God’s eyes, all who have placed faith in Jesus Christ are blameless and upright.

In Colossians 1:21-22 we read, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight…” The death of Jesus Christ has reconciled Christians to God and because of it we are holy, blameless and above reproach. To be holy means we are sanctified; set apart for works of righteousness. To be blameless means we are innocent, guiltless and perfect in God’s eyes. Above reproach means that no criticism can be made about us; we are flawless! You may ask yourself, “How can this be? I still sin and a holy God cannot have fellowship with someone in sin.” God answers that question. In Hebrews 10:17-18 we read, “"Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.” God knows you still sin, but He has chosen not to remember your sin or hold against you because of the eternal forgiveness we have through Christ’s once and for all sacrifice for sins. Therefore, we are able to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).” Our right standing before God and our fellowship with Him is not conditional on our being able to rid ourselves of every sin, but to recognize we can boldly approach God when we do to sin; not being afraid that He is going to punish us or send Satan to destroy our lives. That is why the Bible says, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9). ”God is faithful, not us! Despite the trials and tribulations of life, we are blameless and upright in the eyes of God just like Job because of our faith in Jesus Christ. The battle with Satan has already been won! 

All you have in Him

One of the failings of the modern day Church, in my opinion, is its inability to translate the message of Christ to people in a way that helps them deal with everyday problems. Too often, today's Christianity either looks like a three ring circus or an exercise in behavior modification. Both of them are not only a hindrance to spiritual growth and evangelism, they don't address the practical needs of those they claim to help. This often leads believers stuck wallowing in the misery of their circumstances believing that they have either been cursed by God, are being ignored by Him, or aren't known by Him at all. Unfortunately, the focus for the troubles of the individual are centered around their own behavior. Thus, they end up trying to right the ship in their lives through endless and ever-changing attempts at trying to please God so He will change their circumstances for the better. Normally, people to turn to religion to change their fortunes rather than Christ. If you know all you have in Christ and how He sees you it will begin to change your outlook on the problems you have in this life.

Recently, I spoke with a fellow Christian about a problem they were facing regarding a unruly teenager as well as their own struggles with an addiction. Perhaps, my response can be of help to others dealing with similar problems:

"Well, that is allot to deal with. I am not sure what I can say that can be of help without coming across as cliche' or flippant. Not being a parent, I can only say that often times what snaps people out of their downward spiral is a life-changing moment. As someone who loves your niece, I know that can be hard to watch. We all want to spare our loved ones of trouble, but know from experience that going through trouble can often be the best teacher. I was speaking to my father tonight about that very same point. As a child we can hear our parents/guardians/loved ones tell us right from wrong until we are blue in the face. But, until we experience that which we were warned about we never really listen. Then the light comes on and we are like, "Oh yeah." The hard part is hoping that the child survives whatever trouble they experience. You are doing the right thing by suffering with her and praying for her. Trust God that, if your niece is willing, something you said, are doing or have been praying for will sink in and change her ways before her life is ruined. Remember, you can' t express the love of God towards others unless they are undeserving of that love. This is a moment where the love God showed you can be reflected through you to your niece.

As for your own issue with addiction, the best advice I can give is for you to do a study on your identity in Christ. When I struggled with abusing alcohol, the key to helping me overcome it was realizing that getting drunk was not consistent with who I am in Christ. It is no different with you. You are a child of God. It is not consistent with how God sees you for you to engage in that behavior. For example, those involved with Alcoholics Anonymous are conditioned to see themselves as alcoholics. Therefore, they may continue to struggle with alcohol because that is the identity they have adopted. An alcoholic, by definition, is someone dependent on alcohol. Therefore, if you identify as one, yet don't engage in the behavior, you are being inconsistent with who you say you are. Alcoholics should be drinking. But, if you area child of God, getting drunk is not consistent with who you are. You realize that your dependency is on the indwelling Holy Spirit, not in the alcohol. Now, apply this to your eating disorder. Are you a Anorexic or bulimia? Or are you a child of God who struggles with an eating disorder? There is a huge difference. Hope this helps some."

Knowing how God sees you is the foundation to how you approach many, if not all, of the problems you will face in this life. If God says He will never leave you or forsake you, and you feel that He has done just that, there is something wrong with what you are believing about Him. Perhaps the following will help you in your understanding of your identity in Christ:

Chosen by God 


…just as He chose us In Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:4

Saved by grace

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

God is propitiated satisfied 


…and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Reconciled to God


For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Romans 5:10

Redeemed 


In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7

Freed from the Law


Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

Totally forgiven 


When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision Of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave its all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its 
regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13

Totally cleansed 


And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

Made holy and blameless 


But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy In His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Colossians 1:22

Justified


For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are Justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

Safe from the wrath of God


Much more, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9

Made at peace with God


Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have , peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

Freed from condemnation


There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Sanctified made holy


By God’s will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all. Hebrews 10: 10

Made perfect forever

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10: 14

Totally accepted


Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 
Romans 15:7

In fellowship with God


God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. 
1 Corinthians 1:9

…what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

May God continue to reveal to you the blessings you already have in Him.