Explain what you mean when you identify yourself as being a "christian", ... by simply explaining how you became one.
Patients……I was born into the church system and raised by my parents with church theology. But as I grew up my own curiosity got the better of me and I began to ask questions…..the problem was, these were questions that my church, and I later found out, that most of Christendom’s churches had the same difficulty answering.
So in my early 20’s I began a search for the true God and I left Christendom because I could not find him in any of their denominations. I looked into Eastern religions but found the idolatry repulsive. I tried Mormonism, but found the concepts they promoted to be more like science fiction than biblical truth.
I became disillusioned with religion, and then turned to science and it’s evolutionary theory….but the more I studied, the more I saw intelligent design and the suggestive language in which it was couched. The terms “might have“ and “could have” were recurring and “this leads us to believe”…meant it takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in an intelligent Creator.
Just as I was about to give up, I asked God to show me if he was really there…and guess what? There was a knock at my door and there were people who wanted to teach me the Bible. As I had heard only bad things about these people, I decided to throw my questions at them, expecting the same response that I got from the other churches….but to my complete surprise, they asked me to go and get my own Bible and that they would show me the answers to my questions……one by one my Bible gave me the answers that the church system obviously did not know were there or had completely ignored. My questions continued and the answers kept coming….solid biblical answers, creating a big picture that was never even discussed in my church.
This was the truth, hiding in plain sight all along. My heart embraced it and I began an excursion into the Bible such as I never knew could be possible for someone with no degrees. I learned how to study the Bible without the shackles of theology creating insurmountable road bocks.
A “Christian” is a footstep follower of Jesus Christ.….plain and simple, he is the model for us to follow his example.
He was first and foremost a preacher and teacher, and his most important subject was the Kingdom of God, of which he was the designated King. Most Christians have no idea what God’s Kingdom is or how it “comes”.
In my experience, none of the churches are followers of Christ in many important ways. By their actions they prove themselves to be “part of the world” when Jesus told us not to be. (John 17:16: John 18:36)
So many are up to their necks in politics and patriotism….supporting bloodshed and justifying political or racial hatreds (Matt 5:43-44)….or trying to water down Jesus teachings on marriage and divorce and morality.
They promote belief in an angry God who punishes souls in a fiery hell for all eternity, where such a thing is in no way according to God’s justice. All God’s punishments under Israel’s law were administered to promote repentance, never were the guilty punished with ongoing torture.
The god of Christendom is not one whom I find remotely loving or just.
We are on a "chrisitan" forum, so, its the accepted and common knowledge that when the term "theology" is used on the Forum, then this is describing the BELIEF System of a denomination, a cult, or a person who is claiming to be a "Chrisitan".
Well, its a broad application when you consider who invented the definition of a Christian forum.
Claiming to be a Christian doesn’t make you one….we are all here discussing our beliefs…aren’t we?
Jesus explained clearly = "the Way" to heaven.....and in the "time of the Gentiles".. which we are in, then that "Way" is Paul's Gospel.
Is Paul’s gospel in any way different to the one promoted by Jesus’ other apostles? Are we to believe that Paul alone is the one we should follow? Who said?
Any other gospel is this..
Galatians 1:8
I only teach Paul's theology (doctrine).
That is your choice, but he foundations of the Kingdom of God in heaven are built on the names of the 12….(Rev 21:14)
Paul was not one of the 12. His works form a large part of the Christian Scriptures, but by no means the only valid part. He was not a close companion of Jesus like the other apostles….his assignment was primarily to the gentiles because he was not an uneducated fisherman, whom the Greek philosophers would have rejected out of hand.
Paul could hold his own with highly educated men and with political officials.
Do a Google or Wiki search, and then come back and pretend that what you learned online, is what you already knew..
@Aunty Jane
As if Wiki has anything to teach me about God…is it a resource that you use? That could be your problem…
I only teach = Paul's Gospel and NT Doctrine for the church, that was delivered to Him personally by Jesus..
As if Jesus did not personally teach his other apostles…. seriously….are you for real?
What else can a cult member say, then to say that about Paul's Theology that i teach.
I’m sure Paul would be cringing at what you teach….did he disagree with the other apostles?….as if Jesus didn’t also teach the 12. What bubble are you in?
"sticks and stones"... little Cultic one..... so,.... You are welcome to your vain opinions, as they also inform your theology.
You pretend to be a teacher, and yet your posts are deeply offensive to Christians, and you enjoy that opportunity.
Its why you are on the Forum.
LOL….OK what about the times you deeply offend other Christians here….who made you the arbiter of what is truth? Who says your theology is the correct one? You?
Your beliefs are stunted and ridiculous IMO!….even delusional….but you are welcome to them too.
The appointed judge will tell us all if we got it right or wrong….let’s just see….