One last question!

[Behold]

What is faith? You designate yourself as a Christian on this forum and Christians, I believe, are supposed to live for God by faith rather than by knowledge. Knowledge that is needed will come to the believer walking in faith. You will not find knowledge of God and the things of God through human science or logic alone.

Ro 1:17

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Heb 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

That is absolutely true.


As a matter of fact, the "world system" creates a lot of super smart people, who are always coming to the knowledge of the Truth, but never enter in, and that is because their logic prohibits faith.
Faith to them, is similar to Myth, regarding Christianity.

Faith in Christ, is not related to Logic.
Religion, can be logical, but faith based CHRISTianity, is nothing like that...

Religion is man made, its rules and regulations, and its designed to try to reach God or become like one.

Most of its Teachers are __________.
Someone like The Buddha.
Smart, but disconnected from reality.
He teaches that to arrive at a place where you dont want anything... "freedom from want".. is essentially Nirvana, ...
God does not teach you not to want.. He teaches you to be satisfied with what you have...
That is completely different.
God has no issue with you wanting things. Its ok to want, but its not ok to LUST...
We are created to WANT.... its a part of our design... and so, wanting isn't the problem, its wanting what is bad for you,... lusting for that,.. .is where you hit the wall and crash and burn.

CHRISTianity, is FAITH IN The Virgin Born Son of God you can't SEE...., who was in Heaven before He came down here and died on a Cross, for the sin of the world.

That is not logical. That is not analytically designed DATA.
If you try to think logically and understand it, then give up now, as you can't figure that out.. you just have to believe it.
And people who went to hell today, who never believed because it "didnt make sense"... currently and for eternity would give anything for a 2nd chance to come back HERE and BELIEVE.
Everyone who went to hell, now believes in Jesus., and they now believe in Hell, also.
See, Reader, hell will prove that its true to the unbelievers..., so its best to believe in Jesus while you are still breathing, as "today is the day of salvation".

Christianity is a FAITH BASED TRUTH, and what is more... is that this Dead and now Risen Jew, is Himself THE TRUTH.

John 14:6

 

[St. SteVen]

And it's ambiguous? Sounds about as clear as mud.

I think you make a good point. If I understand you. - LOL
How can a person navigate all the conflicting interpretations of the Bible?
But @amadeus is giving you some good advice actually.

/

 

[Behold]

How can a person navigate all the conflicting interpretations of the Bible?

Reader,

First of all by understanding why there are 300 versions.

A.) The Devil.

You have to get that understanding... You have to believe that the Devil is real, and from that POV, a lot of things can become very clear to you.

The Bible says that the words in the bible, will make "DARKNESS.. Light, before you".

And who is it that would want people to not believe that Hell exists, after the scripture teaches that "Hell was created for the DEVIL and His Angels"..

See that?

So, the word of God makes darkness light before you...... is Spiritual Discernment. That is God as Christ as the Holy Spirit inside the born again.. "The Temple of the Holy Spirit", showing you, teaching the born again, all about what the Devil is doing.

Reader,
Here is the thing to know about the devil.

He wants to create CONFUSION and CHAOS, everywhere.
He wants to destroy innocence, everywhere.

"GOD is not the author of CONFUSION".....

The devil is that one..

And what is more confused then 300 "bibles" and so many of them are confused, badly translated, or completely unusable and need to be in the dumpster.

Reader, the "Satanic Bible" and the "Queen James (Gay) bible" are not the only 2 that Satan has up and running.

The Devil's ministry is mostly related to "mind blinding" so that God's Light never enters in.. = Truth is kept out, and deception is kept in.

 

[JBO]

Hoe do you know the Holy Spirit hasn't shown him lots of stuff?

Is it that you disagree with what he says therefore you conclude he's not hearing from the Holy Spirit since you don't approve?

I see lots of Christians saying stuff like this... "you're not hearing from the Lord because I don't agree with what you believe"

It's starting to sounds like it may be best to ignore everyone and just believe whatever you want to believe.

I have listened to too many tell me that the Holy Spirit told them this or that, and so many of them contradicted each other and God's word. Any time I hear anyone saying that God, or the Holy Spirit or Jesus told them such and such, I know immediately to dismiss it.

 

[ScottA]

There's scriptures that support both sides of the argument. That's why it's such a lively topic for debate.

So, we don't really know. We're told to trust God to save and keep us, to trust what Jesus has done for us, and to keep on trusting. We're also told to follow Christ and to strive (inasmuch as it depends on us) to eliminate the effects of sin in our lives. If you want a binary, black-or-white answer, you won't get it. I can guess at some of the reasons WHY God set it up this way.

Can you tolerate ambiguity?

The reason the scriptures seem to support both sides of this issue--though they do not, is not because we do not know, but because God is working both sides.

Indeed, those who fully know that it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us--though we are alive and remain in the world and in these tents, we know as in the presence of God. While others who remain more of themselves see all things through the infancy of their position as a journey just begun regardless of how far they have traveled through their own desert--some forty years, even unto death. But we each give our own testimony as to where or if we ourselves are in God. That much ought to be obvious, for each speaks out of their own heart.

 

[Bob Estey]

I asked for forgiveness when I got saved so you think God refused to forgive me?

But her forgives all your sins though right? Just not me.

He would forgive you of those sins if you've repented of those sins.

He would forgive all sins if you've repented of all sins.

Not just you.

 

[Bob Estey]

Too many contradictions floating around

Many contradictions, but just one truth.

 

[St. SteVen]

Many contradictions, but just one truth.

Is that supposed to be helpful?

/

 

[Bob Estey]

Is that supposed to be helpful?

/

Yes.

 

[St. SteVen]

Yes.

Did it help @Dan Clarkston ?

/

 

[Bob Estey]

Did it help @Dan Clarkston ?

/

I hope so.

 

[Mink57]

That is absolutely true.


As a matter of fact, the "world system" creates a lot of super smart people, who are always coming to the knowledge of the Truth, but never enter in, and that is because their logic prohibits faith.
Faith to them, is similar to Myth, regarding Christianity.

Faith in Christ, is not related to Logic.
Religion, can be logical, but faith based CHRISTianity, is nothing like that...

Religion is man made, its rules and regulations, and its designed to try to reach God or become like one.

Most of its Teachers are silly boobs.
Someone like The Buddha.
Smart, but disconnected from reality.
He teaches that to arrive at a place where you dont want anything... "freedom from want".. is essentially Nirvana, ...
God does not teach you not to want.. He teaches you to be satisfied with what you have...
That is completely different.
God has no issue with you wanting things. Its ok to want, but its not ok to LUST...
We are created to WANT.... its a part of our design... and so, wanting isn't the problem, its wanting what is bad for you,... lusting for that,.. .is where you hit the wall and crash and burn.

CHRISTianity, is FAITH IN a Dead Virgin Born Jew you can't SEE...., who was in Heaven before He came down here and died on a Cross, for the sin of the world.

That is not logical. That is not analytically designed DATA.
If you try to think logically and understand it, then give up now, as you can't figure that out.. you just have to believe it.
And people who went to hell today, who never believed because it "didnt make sense"... currently and for eternity would give anything for a 2nd chance to come back HERE and BELIEVE.
Everyone who went to hell, now believes in Jesus., and they now believe in Hell, also.
See, Reader, hell will prove that its true to the unbelievers..., so its best to believe in Jesus while you are still breathing, as "today is the day of salvation".

Christianity is a FAITH BASED TRUTH, and what is more... is that this Dead and now Risen Jew, is Himself THE TRUTH.

John 14:6

I like what you wrote here, Behold. And while I agree with most of it, I think that Buddha doesn't teach us to not want anything, but rather to not be so 'attached' to our wants, so that our wants get out of control (a.k.a. lust). I've seen/read many a story about some who are so miserable because they're not rich or they don't have a life-partner (for example) that it's ALL they can think about. If the want is satisfied, they simply move on to the next want. And again, become miserable if they don't have it.

I not only agree with the idea of being satisfied with what we have, but to go a step beyond...and to actually be grateful/thankful for what we have.

Unfortunately, I think that many pay lip-service to gratitude, without really meaning it.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

What is faith?

Apparently we really can never know the answer.

But @amadeus is giving you some good advice actually.

There's no sound advice following the declaration that this is all ambiguous!

Any time I hear anyone saying that God, or the Holy Spirit or Jesus told them such and such, I know immediately to dismiss it.

In other words, God no longer communicates with mankind?

This is just as bad as saying that this is all ambiguous!

God is working both sides.

Sounds like you believe God is confused and doesn't know what's going on either.

He would forgive you of those sins if you've repented of those sins.

Sounds like we have to do good works to be saved and salvation is not by faith alone plus nothing as so many claim is orthodox Christianity

 

[Bob Estey]

Sounds like we have to do good works to be saved and salvation is not by faith alone plus nothing as so many claim is orthodox Christianity

When you go to heaven, you don't want to have to worry about your next-door neighbor murdering you or robbing you. So, yes, we need to repent.

 

[ScottA]

Sounds like you believe God is confused and doesn't know what's going on either.

Not at all. Nor do speak of what I merely "believe".

On the contrary, I was simply restating in other words, that by God "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

 

[Dan Clarkston]

When you go to heaven, you don't want to have to worry about your next-door neighbor murdering you or robbing you. So, yes, we need to repent.

Going to Heaven is like going to the ghetto?

I never heard there was a bunch of crime going on in Heaven.

 

[Mink57]

Apparently we really can never know the answer.

We can. And some of us do.

There's no sound advice following the declaration that this is all ambiguous!

You've received a LOT of good advice throughout your posts. Have you taken any of it? Or are you simply going to rely on what ONE pastor tells you?

In other words, God no longer communicates with mankind?

God DOES communicate with mankind, mostly through His LIVING WORD.

This is just as bad as saying that this is all ambiguous!

YOU are the one who's saying that it's ambiguous.

Sounds like you believe God is confused and doesn't know what's going on either.

God's not confused. But many of US are.

Sounds like we have to do good works to be saved and salvation is not by faith alone plus nothing as so many claim is orthodox Christianity

IF one is saved, they will want to do good works. Faith alone doesn't save us. Neither do WORKS alone save us.

It comes down to common sense. If you want to get a job, do believe that if someone tells you, "You'll get a job. You'll never go hungry" that you don't have to DO anything to get that job? That you can just smoke week and have sex with your girlfriend that you'll get a job?

If a pastor tells you that all you have to do is repeat some prayer that ALL is forgiven, past, present and future, does that make sense to you?

I think not. Because if it DID, you wouldn't be HERE asking...

 

[Dan Clarkston]

YOU are the one who's saying that it's ambiguous.

No actually someone replied to one of my posting saying this.

 

[Bob Estey]

Going to Heaven is like going to the ghetto?

I never heard there was a bunch of crime going on in Heaven.

If people don't repent, I guess there'll be all kinds of crime going on in heaven.

 

[Mink57]

When you go to heaven, you don't want to have to worry about your next-door neighbor murdering you or robbing you. So, yes, we need to repent.

I think it's more than that, and I think Jesus preached more than that. The desire to murder, steal, covet, commit adultery, starts in the heart. Our own PRIDE...our own feelings of how we "deserve" this or that, and how we're more important than someone else is what causes us to act out by murdering, robbing etc.

But it also causes us to act out in seemingly small ways. Cutting in front of someone in line...blasting a customer service rep for having to wait "too long"...avoiding giving anything to a homeless person because they're "probably on drugs"...

Jesus stresses humility. But how many of us actually have it? Actually LIVE it?