Originally Posted by Alawen Everywhere
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I was raised extremely religiously. Two things caused me to utterly and complete lose faith. The first is that God never answered my prayers. Not once.
The second is that I read the bible. To wit:
What emotion should Christians feel toward God?
Christians are to love God.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. –Deuteronomy 6:5
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” –Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27
Christians are to fear God.
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only –Deuteronomy 6:13
The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread –Isaiah 8:13
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. –Luke 12:5
And always remember…
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. –1 John 4:18
According to Jesus, he came only for the faithful Jews of Israel. Not the Gentile “dogs”.
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
Jesus answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
—Matthew 15:24
According to Paul, Jesus came for all people.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
—Romans 10:12-13
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
—Romans 1:16
How are people saved?
Salvation comes by faith alone apart from actions and deeds.
“On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” –Romans 3:27-28
“know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.” –Galatians 2:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16
Salvation comes by following every Old Testament Law and teaching these laws with righteousness surpassing a Pharisee.
“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5:17-20
Salvation comes through works, faith alone is not enough. You must prove your faith through action to earn salvation.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” –James 2:17
“You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” –James 2:24
Salvation comes by being baptized, confessing your sins and repeatedly begging God for forgiveness.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” –1 John 1:9-10
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” –Acts 2:38
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” –Acts 3:19-20
Salvation comes by not being financially rich.
“I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” –Matthew 19:23-24
Salvation comes by eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood.
“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” –John 6:53-54
Was Jesus good? Was he sinless?
No. Jesus was not good.
The synoptic Gospels all agree:
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good.”
-Matthew 19:16-17
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”
-Mark 10:17-18
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”
-Luke 18:18-19
Yes. Jesus was sinless.
Jesus said to them, … “Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?”
-John 8:42-46
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
-1 John 3:5
Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
-1 Peter 2:21-22
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
-Hebrews 4:14-16
How should a faithful Christian interact with non-believers?
Never partner or have fellowship with an unbeliever.
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14
Never talk to or welcome unbelievers because they are wicked.
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.
2 John 1:9-11
Talk to unbelievers and be prepared to respectfully answer their questions.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
1 Peter 3:15
Speak gibberish to unbelievers. (speak in tounges)
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 14:22
… or Kill them.
They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death—whether young or old, man or woman.
2 Chronicles 15:13
Jesus came to save the world, not judge it. Even those who do not follow his teaching.
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.
John 12:47
Jesus came to judge the earth and condemn all people who do not follow his teaching.
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
John 9:39
Does God ever feel shame and repent for his mistakes? Or is he a perfect God?
God is perfect. His ways and his word are without flaw.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.
2 Samuel 22:31, Psalm 18:30
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4
God apologizes, feels shame, feels regret, repents for his mistakes and openly admits that sometimes his perfect plan isn’t so perfect.
The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.“
Genesis 6:7
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Exodus 32:14
And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
1 Samuel 15:35
The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.”
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
Genesis 18:17, 20, 32-33
God is good to all and has a plan for your life.
Psalm 145:9
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God is not good to all, cursing, destroying and deceiving certain people.
Jeremiah 13:14
I will smash them one against the other, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.
John 12:40
The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts—so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.
Romans 9:18
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
According to the Apostle Paul:
If your goal is to please people, you are not a servant of Jesus.
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
Galatians 1:10
Try to please everyone in everything you do.
I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:33
Each person dies for his or her own sin. A parent’s punishment for sin is not handed down to his children.
Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
–Deuteronomy 24:16
Children are punished and slaughtered for the sins of their parents. The punishment is inherited and handed down to many generations of the family.
Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.
–Isaiah 14:21
He does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.
–Exodus 34:7
No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.
–Deuteronomy 23:2
I think you get the idea. Incoming: rationalizations from people who pretend words have no meaning.
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02-04-2011, 03:23 AM
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