Part 39 of Post Your Tough Questions Regarding Christianity

No, it isn't contradictory. One is capable of being wrong without being a liar or fool.

 

This came when you were claiming that our freedom comes from your god, giving you (or your religion?) special standing.

I pointed out that Jesus gave us duties, not rights.

I can't find it now.

 

This has devolved into gibberish. For the record, I know that God is real, that he lives and is divine. Everyone knows but has forgotten him, like going to sleep, forgetting your life, and thinking that the dream you dream is living. But when you awake, your recognize and remember your life and realize that your dreams weren't your true life. And you are born anew, your life in God. Whether anyone takes that to heart in confidence or discards it, is up to them. I am like a dream walker. The multitude of other Gods, counterfeit Christs, and philosophies in the marketplace are all irrelevant to me, serving only to confuse the seeker and give cover to the adversary.

Mitt Ryan started this topic to answer questions regarding Christianity. So I think it's appropriate to add my testimony to the biblical one, that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the Savior of mankind. And any path outside of him is on the broad road to destruction, just as any deviation from true north would be to miss the point and the mercy of God.

 

All religions claim special status. In doing so they are saying they are above the rest of the world. This leads to attempts to overrule or alter the status quo to their advantage.

 

Yes my God is our freedoms God, in which we are free to seek, serve, follow, or worship whom we will. The whole means of salvation is choice and what we love. God does not and would not force our hands in the matter.

 

For the record you claim and believe that you know that. But I believe that you actually don't know that. I believe you have convinced yourself of that.

....

Yes. That is gibberish.

 

I don't believe what I say. I know what I say, just like you know what you had for breakfast. Just because some people convince themselves of that which they don't know. It doesn't mean that another can't actually know a thing. There is God, and there is Satan who can appear as an Angel of light. But his appearance doesn't eclipse the truth.

 

Like you said, its gibberish. But you believe it is truth. That may be good for you.

 

You're entitled to believe in your own gibberish.

 

Yes, you and all other people in the US are free to believe what you want - "people" in that the freedom isn't limited to citizens.

And, government has evolved to the point where it is the law that people may hold to the religion they prefer.

However, that doesn't make people exempt from our law on the basis of the religion they hold.

 

NO one is exempt from the law. Laws governing behavior apply to everyone. And if a law or application of the law is unjust or unconstitutional in certain circumstances, it can be addressed thru the courts. I don't see your issue as it applies to me or my religion.

 

Problem here is that you haven't read the Scriptures thoroughly enough, you skipped passages that clearly indicated that He loves everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. Or perhaps you've done what you do best, you misinterpreted Scripture and missed the Biblical truth that Lord Jesus loves everyone.

Below are a few passages we read in Scripture that are among many others but a few here will suffice that's clearly indicating that Lord Jesus loves everyone in the entire world and that's why He came into the world in the first place to save us from the punishment of our sins but in order for one to be saved you must believe in Him.

The truth is, although the Lord Jesus loves everyone, not everyone believes in Him thus these unbelievers are incapable of loving Him when they can't even find the will to have enough faith to believe in Him. Sadly, these unbelievers will not be saved by the Lord but it's their choice.

Currently there are approx. 7 billion people living in the world today where just a tad over one third or a little over 2 billion people are practicing Christians.

But anyway below are the passages that illustrates Lord Jesus loves everyone.

We Read in Scripture:

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NLT

15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16 NLT

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, [a] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. Luke 24:44-53 NLT

Footnotes
a. 24:47 Or all peoples.

That's just your misinterpretation of Scripture which happens when taking verses out of context that for the most part will lead one to misinterpret what they are reading and be easily mistaken to be an insult, especially in English, for the reader who is not well versed in Scripture, who has no knowledge of the culture/customs of these people back then during the time of the Lord Jesus' ministry.

No Gawd, that's not the reason and His disciples did not get upset with Him because they understood His parables but here let me present an explanation from my favorite Christian Ministry that thoroughly explains and answers the question, "Why did Jesus teach in parables?"

No, your statement is untrue. I know that in Scripture we read about the time He cursed a fig tree but never entire towns, matter of fact He said if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

And furthermore, when He sent His disciples out into the towns He told them if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.

And so, He did not curse anyone, truth is, people who are unbelievers are essentially choosing their fate on their own free will that brings them a fate/destiny of doom. So be wise in choosing your fate/destiny.

We Read in Scripture:

22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, [a] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, [c] you are in danger of the fires of hell. [d] Matthew 5:22 NLT

Footnotes
a. 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.
b. 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’
c. 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
d. 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

9 One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples[a] and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. 4 Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. 5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick. Luke 9:1-6 NLT

Footnotes
a. 9:1 Greek the Twelve; other manuscripts read the twelve apostles.
b. 9:3 Or silver coins.

Ok thanks Gawd for your post, a post filled with untruthful statements that I debunked and corrected. I will continue later to respond to your last statement you made in this post of yours.

 

I agree it has devolved into gibberish. The biggest piece of gibberish is people claiming to know something that they cannot possibly know.

 

Just like the street gang that demands protection money from businesses operating in their turf. They don't FORCE them to pay it, they just let them know the consequences of not paying it. (Forget the fact that they are the ones who established those consequences)

 

Or to claim without knowing yourself that that which is known by another, can't be known. To say with confidence that there is no God, one must know all things which is an impossibility. But to say that God lives, one only needs to know that one thing, which is that he does. You don't have to be a super genius to know and speak the truth. You only have to be a willing recipient of Gods charity.

 

Why do theists insist on misrepresenting the atheist position?

I don't claim to know there is no God. I treat the idea of God just like anything else. Unless I have convincing evidence it exists then I will not believe it exists. I don't believe in Santa, Bigfoot, aliens visiting earth or Ghosts all for the same reason I don't believe in a God...because no one has presented evidence to convince that it exists.

 

Jesus never spoke to Gentiles unless approached. His message was to the Jews. You are simply taking things out of context yourself. When Jesus sent out his disciples he sent them to the Jews. Matthew 5. Jesus spoke in parables because the Jews knew what he was talking about. Most are taken from the OT supposed relationship between Israel and Jahweh.

Jewish villages. So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick. Luke 9:1-6 NLT

And furthermore, when He sent His disciples out into the towns He told them if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.
So what fate is that Mitt?

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet. Sermon on the Mount spoken to the Jews.
Jews of Jesus time regarded Gentiles as lesser beings - dogs and pigs.

You really should study for yourself. GotQuestions is simply Christian doctrine and often can be proven wrong.

 

He was speaking about anyone who values their life more than the truth, as do dogs and swine, not about any particular race, or about gentiles as you suggest, even though at that time gentiles may have generally valued their lives more than the truth...I don't know. Jesus also said that Abrahamic lineage is no guarantee of righteousness, but to believe and do as he. True life is in the spirit, not in life itself.

 

No Gawd, truth is, He will punish all evildoers, all unrepentant sinners and justifiably so.

He will rule the earth for a thousand years when He returns in His Second Coming.

In establishing His kingdom on earth, Lord Jesus will first set up a judgment for those who are still alive after the tribulation and who are on the earth at the time of the second coming. This is referred to as the “judgment of the sheep and the goats” or “judgment of the nations”. Those who survive this judgment will remain on earth and enjoy a time of peace and prosperity with Lord Jesus for 1,000 years (referred to as the millennium). Those who are found guilty in this judgment are cursed and consigned to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. Satan is bound and forbidden to act during the millennium.

Let me present a thorough explanation that comes from my favorite Christian Ministry that answers the question, "What will happen when Jesus returns?"

The second coming of Christ is referenced many times in Scripture, with over 1,500 passages in the Old Testament and one out of every 25 verses in the New Testament mentioning the Messiah’s return. The large amount of material devoted to this important event underscores what God says in Amos 3:7: “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”

In short, the return of Christ brings about what is referred to as the kingdom of God in Scripture—God’s absolute rule over His creation, including humankind. To accomplish that, Jesus ushers in two different judgments, two different resurrections, and two different eternities.

When Jesus returns, He will be ready for war (Revelation 19:11–16). The nations will be gathered to fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2) in what we call the battle of Armageddon. But that will be the day Jesus returns: “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (verse 4). It will be a unique day in the history of the world: “On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness . . . a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light” (verses 6–7). God’s enemies will be defeated, and the Antichrist and the false prophet will be “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 19:20). Jesus will set up His kingdom, and “The Lord will be king over the whole earth” (Zechariah 14:9).

In establishing His kingdom on earth, Jesus will first set up a judgment for those who are still alive after the tribulation and who are on the earth at the time of the second coming. This is referred to as the “judgment of the sheep and the goats” or “judgment of the nations” (Matthew 25:31–46). Those who survive this judgment will remain on earth and enjoy a time of peace and prosperity with Christ for 1,000 years (referred to as the millennium; see Revelation 20:4–6). Those who are found guilty in this judgment are cursed and consigned to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Satan is bound and forbidden to act during the millennium (Revelation 20:1–3).

During this time there will also be a resurrection of all believers in God (Revelation 20:4–6). These resurrected believers will join believers who are alive at the time of Christ’s coming and those Christ brings with Him from heaven, and all will live with Jesus during His 1,000-year earthly reign.

At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released, and one final battle will occur, which will rapidly be won by Christ (Revelation 20:7–9). Satan is then permanently consigned to the lake of fire. At this point the second resurrection will occur, and another judgment. Unbelievers will be resurrected and judged at what is referred to as the great white throne judgment; based on their works, they will be assigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).

So, the return of Jesus will usher in two different eternities—one with God and one without Him. This truth is captured in two verses in the book of Malachi: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire. . . . Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves” (Malachi 4:1–2).
What happens when Jesus returns? Evil is defeated, the earth is restored, and God wins. Your response to Jesus’ return depends on your relationship with Him. It will either be, as John MacArthur calls it, “the greatest calamity in all of human history” or the fulfillment of the Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13). Faith in Christ makes the difference. “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” (Luke 18:8, NLT).

https://www.gotquestions.org/when-Jesus-returns.html

Let me now present a video now regarding Lord Jesus Second Coming that thoroughly answers the question, "What is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?"



Ok thanks Gawd for your post. I hope now what I've presented gave you a very clear picture of what happens when Lord Jesus returns in His Second Coming.

 

I just wanted to add that this isn't because God hates people. It's because they love, follow, and cling to the devil and his angels. Such that where God consigns the devil and his angels, so too go their followers. Consequently, we consign ourselves to our own ending by rejecting God and choosing the adversary.

 

Who made the rule about who goes where?

 

I guess we all do by our choices. And God carries it out. This life and the light in it, is all due to Gods mercy. If we abuse it, he will eventually remove it or take it back due to our ungratefulness and abuse of it. Even in our own system of justice, we lift standards and punish those who violate those standards. Some for a short while, some longer, some for the duration, and some are put to death. Justice isn't a foreign concept to mankind. God has provided a means for our retrieval in Jesus Christs gospel of repentance. It is up to us whether or not to accept his offering. He has paid our price.

 

Nope...I didn't make the rule. If I am destined to go to hell because I don't believe in God then someone (or something) else made that a consequence of my actions. If I had a say in it, the consequence for not believing in God would be to live forever.

 

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." Isaiah 14:12-15

This means that Jesus Christ is the way, truth, and life. He is the only way to the Father and salvation. By humbling ourselves to him and his gospel of repentance, there is hope. He is like true north, any deviation to one side or the other is to miss the point. To think like Satan that we can rise above the clouds and stars in the sides of the north and be like God, we will find ourselves brought down to the sides of the pit of hell. Every word from God thru his Prophet Isaiah can be taken to heart as the truth and parcel to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Once again, who made the rule that going against God results in eternal damnation?