Originally posted by: Arnie.dPersonally, I don't believe in (any) God. I don't think there's "life" after death.
By the way, I'm not trying to attack you in any way. I'm just trying to understand.
I appreciate your maturity in your curiosity. Most are so adamant in proving themselves right that they choose to attack and belittle others to feel superior. I take no offense to your questions and look forward to sharing the answers with you and any others that choose to try to understand the Christianity of the Bible, rather than a simple religion that it seems to be today.
There is a huge aspect of what is missing in Christians today: Change! I much later found myself in a Baptist Church eight years ago hearing all of the things I never heard about. After salvation through Christ, He literally takes up residence in you through the Holy Spirit of God. If ever heard myself say that nine years ago I would point and laugh at myself saying how stupid that sounds.
Only through the Holy Spirit can someone find salvation. It is nothing I can talk anyone into, but the conviction of the Holy Spirit leads you to that decision. At that point I was given new eyes. I use the analogy "new eyes" to say that it is not an automatic change, but a learning process. The more I used these new eyes that God has given me, the more enlightened I became. The more I prayed and studied Gods Word, the more my eyes opened.
With Christ such an awesome force in someone's life change is inevitable. The Holy Spirit guides believers. We still have free will, but Christ will nudge you as you let Him guide you. As you wonder from Him, He will chasten you as a father to his child. He will never leave you.
And, "I have since opened my eyes to the Truth and Majesty of Christ".
How do you open your eyes? What do you experience?
By the way, I'm not trying to attack you in any way. I'm just trying to understand.
I appreciate your maturity in your curiosity. Most are so adamant in proving themselves right that they choose to attack and belittle others to feel superior. I take no offense to your questions and look forward to sharing the answers with you and any others that choose to try to understand the Christianity of the Bible, rather than a simple religion that it seems to be today.
Coov, you speak of "the reality of God's inevitability".
Why do you think God is inevitable?
According to one of your messages you weren't religious all (most of) your life. What changed this?
The reality of God is inevitable... meaning I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt there is a God, and indifference or simply not wanting that to be the case does not change that fact. That seems a bit "in your face," but I really do not know any other way of explaining that. I will get into why I am doubtless about Gods existence in just a bit.
I grew up not really caring about if their was a God or not. It did not effect me one bit because I did not realize it should. I grew up Roman Catholic and did not take anything seriously, nor was really taught to. Memorizing prayers, hearing stories about Christ... none of it really mattered because the importance of it all was very subdued through rituals and long boring stories. No matter what kind of Church anyone goes to there is one thing that should be emphasized. Why did Christ have to die on the cross, and why did He have to rise again?
The law of the Old Testament points to the impossibility of us being absolutely perfect. To be able to stand in the presence of God we must be absolutely blameless. Yearly sacrifices were used to represent the spill of blood to take the place of imperfections.... but Christ came for the final sacrifice and through Him the wage of sin was payed. Through our acceptance of Him we are cleansed of all impurity through repentance. He defeated death so we do not have to face it.
Also you say "if I did not already know the Truth".
How do you know the truth? (Or, why do you think you know the truth?)
Why do you think God is inevitable?
According to one of your messages you weren't religious all (most of) your life. What changed this?
The reality of God is inevitable... meaning I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt there is a God, and indifference or simply not wanting that to be the case does not change that fact. That seems a bit "in your face," but I really do not know any other way of explaining that. I will get into why I am doubtless about Gods existence in just a bit.
I grew up not really caring about if their was a God or not. It did not effect me one bit because I did not realize it should. I grew up Roman Catholic and did not take anything seriously, nor was really taught to. Memorizing prayers, hearing stories about Christ... none of it really mattered because the importance of it all was very subdued through rituals and long boring stories. No matter what kind of Church anyone goes to there is one thing that should be emphasized. Why did Christ have to die on the cross, and why did He have to rise again?
The law of the Old Testament points to the impossibility of us being absolutely perfect. To be able to stand in the presence of God we must be absolutely blameless. Yearly sacrifices were used to represent the spill of blood to take the place of imperfections.... but Christ came for the final sacrifice and through Him the wage of sin was payed. Through our acceptance of Him we are cleansed of all impurity through repentance. He defeated death so we do not have to face it.
Also you say "if I did not already know the Truth".
How do you know the truth? (Or, why do you think you know the truth?)
There is a huge aspect of what is missing in Christians today: Change! I much later found myself in a Baptist Church eight years ago hearing all of the things I never heard about. After salvation through Christ, He literally takes up residence in you through the Holy Spirit of God. If ever heard myself say that nine years ago I would point and laugh at myself saying how stupid that sounds.
Only through the Holy Spirit can someone find salvation. It is nothing I can talk anyone into, but the conviction of the Holy Spirit leads you to that decision. At that point I was given new eyes. I use the analogy "new eyes" to say that it is not an automatic change, but a learning process. The more I used these new eyes that God has given me, the more enlightened I became. The more I prayed and studied Gods Word, the more my eyes opened.
With Christ such an awesome force in someone's life change is inevitable. The Holy Spirit guides believers. We still have free will, but Christ will nudge you as you let Him guide you. As you wonder from Him, He will chasten you as a father to his child. He will never leave you.
And, "I have since opened my eyes to the Truth and Majesty of Christ".
How do you open your eyes? What do you experience?
Also after salvation I felt complete. I always felt like there are something missing in my life. I always felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled, and no matter what I did to try to fill it, it would always remain empty. I had found an unspeakable Joy that I had never heard about. When I tend to walk away from God, I walk away from that Joy. When I walk with God, my cup runs over. Just something so simple really makes Christ so very real... Just like you can not see the wind, but you can see the effects of it. I am probably doing a miserable job at trying to help you understand.
These new eyes have made God tangible in my life in ways I really can not explain. It is not emotional, it is nothing physical... just everything just makes so much more since with life. It is like every single question that I never knew to ask was answered. Sure there are several unanswered questions, but I am satisfied.
Thanks for the questions!