What's YOUR beef?
For all you folks out there who have a beef with Christianity.... I want to know what it is. What is it that bothers you the most about today's Christianity? And why do you feel that way? And what could make it better than what you have seen and experienced?
Please, take some time and answer my questions. I am really curious as to what your views and feelings are on this.
Thanks in advance for taking the time.
UPDATED COMMENTS
posted by Bry... @ 11:18 p.m.
4 comments
4 Comments:
Hey folks... you seem to be putting all your BEEF comments in the wrong place... come on up here...:)
Hey there... I will certainly address this discussion.... I enjoy it greatly, I just have to find a little bit more time to put a little more thought into it..... so stand by... :) Blessings.
What does John 3:16 mean to you, and why do you believe it is true?
To address your boiled down questions: John 3:16 - "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."
This cliched passage is one of great importance, not just in the life of the Christian, but also in the life of those who have not yet met God for who He really is. God saw that on our own, man could do nothing to save themselves. Nothing they could DO... but God the Father loved the world (people: who are made in his image - we'll talk about that in a sec.) so much and it greaved Him to see His creation perish that He intervened with a perfect, sinless, blood shedding sacrifice - Hebrews 9:22 -
"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." And every time God was sacrificed to, it had to be perfect... Jesus was sinless and perfect. Jesus was the beginning of a new way; he was the final and only true sacrifice which would lead the world to God the Father. This is the Fundamental belief of the Christian Faith. Without this there is no Christianity. And because he is the final sacrifice into a new beginning and hope, it is only by true and sincere belief and faith in Him in our hearts and only Him and the truth of His perfect gift to us that we are able to face God in the end as pure and clean. John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." he said that because people are not pure enough within themselves to face a pure and Holy God, so Christ cleans us by shedding His blood for us (like Hebrews 9:22 indicated above), and we inherit eternal life in heaven. I believe this is true because of the saving power He has demonstrated in my life. I was sinking deep into some different types of "sin" before I gave my life to Him, and when I knew that God was tugging at me to give my life to Him, I gave it. It hasn't been a smooth ride ever since, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He has brough me and my family through some difficult times and no one could ever tell me that it was coincidence. My life has worked out the way it has to this point because of His power in my life and I know that to be fact. I have also seen God work miracles in other people's life... like bringing a couple of people I know out of a life of distruction from abusing drugs and alcohol and from the moment they gave their lives to Christ, they have not wanted to use anything, not even one bit of cravings... Anyway, I have also heard many other amazing stories about the saving Grace of God through Christ. I know it to be true, by fact and by faith.
The second part of your question:
In addition, do you believe that eternal spirit is limited to man and God alone?
Yes, I do. Human beings are the only creatures on the face of the earth that have been made in the image and likeness of God himself. Now, that doesn't mean that we LOOK like God on the outside because God is Spirit and Spirit has no "form" per se. But He created us in His likeness and image by giving us an eternal spirit of our own and emotions like his and the ability to rationalize things and think things through like Him instead of just reacting to stimulus, like animals...etc.
Genesis 2:7 - "The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Now, when the Bible talks about the breath of God in the original language it was written, it also illudes to the Spirit of God in its meaning. And Adam (Man) received the "breath" (spirit) of life.
Genesis 1:25-27 - "God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
So, I hope that this is clearer than mud and I hope you enjoyed reading it and maybe even gleaned something new.
Many Blessings.
well... you are obviously very learned when it comes to your beliefs. Seriously, we can talk and talk (which to a degree I enjoy very much) until we're blue in the face trying to convince each other og the "truth". But nothing I will ever say to you will ever make any difference unless the Holy Spirit of God makes a change in your heart... Yes, I will never disagre with you or anyone if they tell me that I am narrow minded. Matthew 7:13-14 - Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
And I consider myself to be one of the few by the Grace of God through Christ. And those who believe in "inclusiveness" I believe are those going through the wide gate because it's easier to believe something else that doesn't convict us of our sin... "oh, I'll get there my way." But Jesus (God in the Flesh) did in fact say, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" - For He is the narrow gate because He is the only one. I understand the implications of what I am saying here... my intention is totally not to offend, so please don't take any offence.... I just speak what I believe to be the Truth. We can't even compare Plato and Jesus... plato was a mere man.. Jesus is God in the Flesh!
I know that we will end up agreeing to disagree on all of this... and I'm ok with that.
Thank you for the thought provoking discussions... and I hope that we can have more in the future... God Bless.
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