What's left after I have thrown everything away? (some may wonder)

[Nancy]

OP from the topic.

This term came up this morning in a discussion over coffee. I thought it worth discussing further.
Being raised in the church, I was held in a bubble of "we have all the answers."

Now that I am an adult, I realize the reason for that. We DIDN'T have all the questions. I know, I know... (who does?)
What are the spiritual consequences for admitting that we don't know everything?

[

"What are the spiritual consequences for admitting that we don't know everything?"

humility?

 

[Hiddenthings]

"What are the spiritual consequences for admitting that we don't know everything?"

humility?

When a person discards everything whether true or false or worldly, it mirrors the call in Romans to renew one’s mind, putting off old patterns and embracing God’s truths. The issue for SteVen is he has openly cast out everything he was taught but not replaced it with truth.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal (renovation) of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The Greek word underlying the English “metamorphosis” refers to a transformation from within, resulting in a radically different being. It is used of Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2, and also of believers in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"

Until SteVen allows the Word to truly enter his heart, he will remain on the sidelines, merely observing from the outside. First, he must let go of universalist teachings that have corrupted his mind. Only then will he be able to perceive the determinate counsel of God.

 

[Hiddenthings]

Re Romans 12:2

To Test & Prove - That is, to examine carefully, much like in a scientific experiment, to judge, discern, and distinguish among various ways of living, ultimately arriving at the best path of life. An empty mind cannot discern the will of God; one must first fill the mind with His truth. The only way to do this is to take hold of the inspired Word and begin to live it. Speaking at it will not do! It must become you!

 

[BarneyFife]

Fair question.

Obviously, I have discarded much of what the institutional church and evangelicalism has given us.

So, what's left?

Faith is left after you strip away all the unnecessary apologetic trimmings.

In fact, I believe you can't have faith without doing that.

So many Christians want to pretend that they have a "faith" that is founded on absolutes.

That's not faith. IMHO

Honest faith is believing when you don't have all the answers.

[

At the risk of seeming overly dramatic, my personal 'faith' is founded on one (admittedly at least slightly expandable) absolute:

God IS love.

Of course, love requires freedom and, therefore, risk of love being withheld.

So I guess that can of worms is open (again).

 

[St. SteVen]

At the risk of seeming overly dramatic, my personal 'faith' is founded on one (admittedly at least slightly expandable) absolute:

God IS love.

That is the only measure that makes any sense to me.
If it's not love, it's not God.

 

[Hiddenthings]

God IS love.

This is true, but what if what He calls love, others see as an offense?

For example, there are some in this forum who sincerely believe that God did NOT offer His Son to be crucified. This act is frequently challenged by atheists and in ungodly forums across the world, yet we also find Christians who view the idea of being crucified with Christ as offensive.

The most well-known Bible verse is denied:

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Gave him how?

Acts 2:23 “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”

I could cite countless verses showing that it was God’s love that led Him to offer His Son as a living sacrifice. Yet for some in this forum, even these words are offensive, and they miss the profound truths revealed in that sacrifice. By attempting to elevate God’s love through humanistic ideals, they overlook the Atonement entirely.

In this they know not the Love of God.

 

[amigo de christo]

Fair question.

Obviously, I have discarded much of what the institutional church and evangelicalism has given us.

So, what's left?

Faith is left after you strip away all the unnecessary apologetic trimmings.

In fact, I believe you can't have faith without doing that.

So many Christians want to pretend that they have a "faith" that is founded on absolutes.

That's not faith. IMHO

Honest faith is believing when you don't have all the answers.

[

You have discarded much of what the instiutional church and evangelism has given us .
But have no idea you follow the very instutional agenda for to merge them all as one .
Oh you have discarded some wicked things
BUT WORSE you have discarded Truths as well , AND EVEN THE VERY GOSPEL OF YE MUST ABOSOLUTELY
BELEIVE ON JESUS to be saved . Now , i know , i know
you will try and correct me and say YOU DO beleive this . YET I NEVER HEAR IT from you .
ALL i hear from you are teachings that create DOUBT . So , you might wanna discard BIG TIME
what it is you think you know about inclusivism universalism , SHUN THAT
and pick up the bible THEY decontrusted , AND try reading and learning it a gain for yourself .

 

[amigo de christo]

At the risk of seeming overly dramatic, my personal 'faith' is founded on one (admittedly at least slightly expandable) absolute:

God IS love.

Of course, love requires freedom and, therefore, risk of love being withheld.

So I guess that can of worms is open (again).

OH GOD IS LOVE all right .
Only most have no idea or even know HIM or HIS LOVE .
Never forget that satan himself can even say scripture , truth , but man do he twist it .
OH yes he can say GOD is love . but dont expect HIS LOVE to REJOICE IN TRUTH but rather
it will in inquity .
WE would all do well to REMEMBER that .
Because i see a generation unlike any other .
IT darn sure can say GOD is love and it often does , a lot too .
ONLY they walk in darkness , allowing sin , allowing even unbeleif upon this people .
And fast they are TO CORRECT . But not sins , not fables , not even unbelief
THEY are fast to correct anyone who dares to expose their sins with a judge not correct not card .
WHY even if a man brings them THE VERY WORDS of GOD himself in said bible
their response , OH GOD IS LOVE , get that hate speech outta here . KINDA ODD dont ya think .
I mean GOD IS LOVE yet they treat HIS words as though they are hate . DO THAT MAKE ANY SENSE to you . no sir .

 

[BarneyFife]

That is the only measure that makes any sense to me.
If it's not love, it's not God.

What is love?

AOMSAC? (Oops)

 

[Aunty Jane]

That is the only measure that makes any sense to me.
If it's not love, it's not God.

How do we interpret “love”....especially God’s love?

Paul wrote in Heb 12:4-11...NIV...

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

If it’s painful, is it love? Paul shows that sometimes discipline can be painful, but said that it should not “lose heart” at his rebukes. What does it mean to “chasten” a person.
The word in Greek is “mastigoō” and it means...”to flog (literally or figuratively):—scourge.”

So if it’s painful is it love? Is a “scourging” a light reprimand? What value does the “flogging” have on the one receiving it? They have two choices.....to accept the discipline and learn from it....or go into justification mode and scream ‘injustice’ like a petulant 2 year old?

“What is left” after either of those responses?

 

[Aunty Jane]

AOMSOC?

I give up Barney.....what the heck does that mean????
Plain English is good.

 

[Hiddenthings]

What is love?

AOMSOC?

It's fun to guess!

All Of My Strength, Obedience, and Commitment
All Our Motives Should Obey Christ

 

[BarneyFife]

I give up Barney.....what the heck does that mean????
Plain English is good.

Hi, Aunty!

Plain English it'll be, then.

NOT AOMSOC (Oops)

AOMSAC

Angry Old Men Shouting At Clouds

 

[St. SteVen]

Hi, Aunty!

Plain English it'll be, then.

NOT AOMSOC (Oops)

AOMSAC

Angry Old Men Shouting At Clouds

Pretty sure that's AI imagery. Look at how distorted it is.

 

[Lambano]

 

[FredVB]

Faith is not the essential faith without repentance, and awareness of sin, which separates any from God, should be made, so something revealed from God is needed, which is needed from God, while awareness of God should already be there, and all should have that, there is no excuse not to, though I find a number trying to make their excuse, with sealioning. They ask for proof of God, or they will not consider God, which is ludicrous. They can have awareness of God but just avoid it, nothing is good enough for proof for them, while knowing God is there to respond to is logical. We are here with practically zero chance of this just being so.