Are you here to convert people?

[RLT63]

I‘m open on the issue of young earth vs. old earth.

My father was a professional geologist (oil exploration) and, though raised Christian, an agnostic. He influenced me in my youth in the direction of old earth. Paleontology is still one of my hobbies. His parents influenced me in the direction of Christianity, and they were young earth.

I don’t buy the 4.5 billion years old either. I think the accurate description would be that no one really knows. Yesterday I saw that the age of the universe has now doubled

 

[Matthias]

I already know that about the cults, but in my 44 year old experience, people in general have become so uncaring that I don't need to worry about it.

People, in general, will grow more uncaring until we some day reach the end of the present age. There are still plenty of people who are caring though.

Do you care about those who are uncaring?

 

[MatthewG]

Nah, just to share uncommon truths, that may or may not be true.

 

[quietthinker]

I was convinced you were made to change your faith title from Christian to other faith by the Mods here as you were preaching and teaching Jesus is not God for quite some time until they made the recent forum changes here. Now you can't speak about that anymore and your title is changed to other faith.

I wouldn't say I intend to convert anyone so much as to counter false doctrine here, or anywhere, that I encounter it. It is a Biblically-stated responsibility of Christians to do so.

Christian means follower of Christ. I'm a follower of Christ and the Bible. The Bible teaches Oneness doctrine, it does not teach the concept of God being three people anywhere so .... I'm clearly a Christian.

A person cannot be a Christian if they don't believe Christ is God. Kinda goes without saying in my opinion, but some would disagree. They don't know much about Christianity or the Bible if they do.

why vie for a title, even that of Christian? Does a title make you something that it wouldn't if you didn't have one?

Romans 10:9 says 'if you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead and tell others about him with your mouth, you will be saved'

Kinda cuts through the mountains of baggage we pile up don't you think?

For example, if you were raised in a Moslem culture and by osmosis absorbed its tenants when one day you were told or it dawned on you over time that Jesus was the Saviour of the World, his resurrection signalling that.....and you believed it telling others what you had discovered without having a clue of the various positions held within Christian denominations.....would it matter? Would it mean because you don't identify specifically as 'Christian' your inclusion in the sheep fold is not bone-fide?

Mostly all are caught in their trap of thinking it is required to have some identity 'title' wise.

another example; imagine being asked, are you a Christian? and what the questioner believes is a Christian is not what you are. Do you get them to qualify it before you can answer?.....It's kinda longwinded isn't it! Couldn't one just say, 'I'm a believer in Jesus' or something of that nature and allow them to ask further if and when they are prompted?

 

[Matthias]

How can you care about a rock? It don't talk.

Rocks speak loudly, though they utter not a word. One of my favorite classes in the college of engineering was Geology, and I specialized in geotechnical engineering. Rocks, minerals and fossils inform us of a great many things, when we know what to look for.

Those people don't even communicate with me even when I try talking to them.

* Back to people. *

Whether those “rocks” communicate with you or not, the fact that you attempt to communicate with them leads me to believe that you care about them. I hope you won’t allow their hardened hearts to harden your own.

They are unreachable by me.

Maybe they are, but maybe they won’t always be. We have no control over the past. Tomorrow is another day.

I watched a short motivational talk by Dick Vitale on Twitter this morning. I think it might do you some good to listen to it. It did me. It’s only 33 seconds long.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1682003945714077697

 

[Matthias]

I have a long sad history of having problems in forums.

Want to know a secret? Everyone who has ever joined a forum has had problems in them. Don’t let it get you down.

I only joined so that I could post prayer requests.

The Board has designated prayer forums as “Christian Only”. I don’t have posting privileges in that forum.

Want to know another secret? I’m able to read those forums and I’ve prayed specifically for you - and others - many times. Please continue to post prayer requests there for yourself and for others. It’s a blessing to me that you do. Thank you.

The fact that I'm doing more now, is a miracle.

The fact that you’re doing more now is, imo, a testimony about the effective power of prayer.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

 

[Matthias]

Nah…

That’s wise.

… just to share uncommon truths, that may or may not be true.

Hmmm.

Truth is always true. No?

 

[MatthewG]

Don't know, only one truth sets people free (abiding in Christ word) from what I understand.

What is it you know about truth, @Matthias?

 

[Matthias]

Don't know, only one truth sets people free from what I understand.

Then why do you bring that which you say may or may not be true to the table?

What do you know about truth, @Matthias?

That’s a generic question. I could give you a generic answer but instead I’ll give you this:

I know that Yahweh’s word is truth.

 

[MatthewG]

Cause it may or may not be true.

The bible may be or may not be true.

Truth can be subjective as well, towards any given subject.

It takes faith to even believe the first sentence of Genesis. (In the beginning God):

Would you say that is true?

 

[Matthias]

Cause it may or may not be true.

“Truth that may or may not be true” is a foreign concept to me.

The bible may be or may not be true.

I’ve bet my life that it is true.

Truth can be subjective as well, towards any given subject.

See above.

It takes faith to even believe the first sentence of Genesis. (In the beginning God):

Would you say that is true?

Yes. Whether one has that faith or not, it’s still true.

 

[MatthewG]

The reason Truth can be true or not true is because

one has to figure it out for themselves if what someone says on the internet, or says in life, is really true or not.

Therefore ... truth could be true or not true. Cause someone that full heartily believes something that is a tradition of man - doesn't equate with being right with God because of that tradition so that is not true, but the person believed it was true...

Thats subjectively true to the person, but not a truth in reality.

Anyway, I am done now, with the conversation anyway, You have a good one @Matthias

 

[Matthias]

The reason Truth can be true or not true is because

one has to figure it out for themselves if what someone says on the internet, or says in life, is really true or not.

Therefore ... truth could be true or not true. Cause someone that full heartily believes something that is a tradition of man - doesn't equate with being right with God because of that tradition so that is not true, but the person believed it was true...

Thats subjectively true to the person, but not a truth in reality.

Anyway, I am done now, with the conversation anyway, You have a good one @Matthias

Thanks for the conversation and for your contribution to the thread.

You might ought to consider starting a thread on subjective vs. objective truth.

 

[GEN2REV]

As is well-known, Christianity began as a sect of, and within, Judaism. The founder of the sect is Jewish. The first Christians, his disciples, were Jews.

Jesus is not, and was not, a jew.

I won't waste my time arguing with you about it though.

If He or any of His disciples were jews, He wouldn't have spoken negatively about, and berated, the jews all throughout the gospels. He spoke of fearing the jews and called them hypocrites and snakes.

In Matt. 23, He not only explained that they were hypocritical teachers of the Law who never kept it, which separated Himself and His followers from these people He was describing, but He repeatedly berated them all throughout the chapter.

Jesus stated that the mysteries of the kingdom were given to His followers, but absolutely not given to the jews. He said that He refused to speak Truth in front of them as He had no desire for them to be saved.

The jews of Jesus' day were the pharisees, scribes and sadducees. They are the jews of today as judaism came from pharisaism.

All one needs do is read through the gospels and see clearly that Jesus constantly separated Himself and His followers from those people.

Jesus was most certainly not a jew.

 

[Matthias]

Jesus is not, and was not, a jew.

I won't waste my time arguing with you about it though.

You would be wasting your time if you did.

If He or any of His disciples were jews, He wouldn't have spoken negatively about, and berated, the jews all throughout the gospels. He spoke of fearing the jews and called them hypocrites and snakes.

In Matt. 23, He not only explained that they were hypocritical teachers of the Law who never kept it, which separated Himself and His followers from these people He was describing, but He repeatedly berated them all throughout the chapter.

Jesus stated that the mysteries of the kingdom were given to His followers, but absolutely not given to the jews. He said that He refused to speak Truth in front of them as He had no desire for them to be saved.

The jews of Jesus' day were the pharisees, scribes and sadducees. They are the jews of today as judaism came from pharisaism.

All one needs do is read through the gospels and see clearly that Jesus constantly separated Himself and His followers from those people.

Jesus was most certainly not a jew.

I’m currently reading a book about a group of Protestant theologians in the 1930’s and 1940’s who believed, as you do, that Jesus was not a Jew.

 

[GEN2REV]

why vie for a title, even that of Christian? Does a title make you something that it wouldn't if you didn't have one?

Claiming to be a Christian on an internet forum, where your faith is displayed for all to see, and then going around teaching anti-Christian doctrine is a huge problem.

It is the epitome of deception and weaker Christians can very easily be deceived and have their Faith compromised greatly.

So yes, it matters very much.

 

[GEN2REV]

I’m currently reading a book about a group of Protestant theologians in the 1930’s and 1940’s who believed, as you do, that Jesus was not a Jew.

When you're done with it, read through the gospels with a modicum of common sense.

The Bible makes the case plainly that Jesus was not a jew.

In a court of law, it would be very easy to prove using Scripture alone.

I have been young earth for a long time, but I have found interesting cases being made recently that cause me to reconsider a bit. I don't buy that each day of Creation was a thousand years though. I still believe that Creation was a literal 6 days plus the Sabbath, but there are some interesting cases to be made that there may have been two times that God created men. Adam and Eve being the second iteration.

Hmm. Not sure.

 

[Matthias]

When you're done with it, read through the gospels with a modicum of common sense.

The Bible makes the case plainly that Jesus was not a jew.

In a court of law, it would be very easy to prove using Scripture alone.

I’ve started a new thread where those who believe that Jesus was not a Jew are invited to make their case.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

This is an important point.

My question to anyone who steps forward and says they are here to convert people: How’s that working out for you?

Internet discussion forums are notoriously toxic environments. I’ve been active on several since the mid-90’s. In all that time, I’ve seen very few conversions take place.

That's a harsh judgment. The majority of conversations are respectful and kind. I know what mean though, sometimes people get mean and say things they normally wouldn't to your face, insulting you, defaming your character ... implying you aren't a Christian. You develop thick skin after awhile and just say bye and put them on the ignore list. Of course if you are one of those Christians who has an unorthodox view, then you can expect lots of pushback and discord. Mess with Jesus deity, I'll slap you in the face myself! That's not toxic, that is righteous rebuke ... unless of course I am talking to a non-Christian, then I respond differently.

 

[GEN2REV]

Mess with Jesus deity, I'll slap you in the face myself! That's not toxic, that is righteous rebuke.

Thank you for that.

My first chuckle of the day.

And that's not a dig against Matthias, I just liked the wording is all.