If you were marooned with one other person, would it make any difference what their religion was?
So many people criticize others' religion. My question is "If you were marooned with one other person, would it really make any difference what their religion was? Wouldn't such things as religious differences become unimportant in a situation like that? How about their ethnicity or race?
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Personally I would think that, in that situation, if I thought there was no hope that we would ever escape or be found then what the person believed would be of great importance to me. It would matter more than anything else at the time!
First and foremost is that if that person and I were to die in that place I would want to be sure they had the assurance that they were prepared for life after death. As a Christian I would have to be the most uncaring person that ever lived if I held the truth from someone who was dying that could give them an eternity of peace and love in God's presence. Because I know beyond all doubt that such peace is available to every person who will believe, I would be ecstatic to see that other person receive Christ as their Savior and Lord before it was eternally too late. To take one soul to Heaven with me would be worth more than anything else on earth!
The person’s background, race or creed would not make any real difference to me for Christ died for all men, women and children who would believe in their hearts that He came to save them from sin, death and Hell. God is not a respecter of persons - in other words, He is not prejudiced and will save all that will call upon Him from an honest heart.
I can imagine entering His presence and bringing along my friend who I was marooned with while all the angels and saints of God were rejoicing with us and praising God for His mercy toward us. What a wonderful time it would be! What more could anyone ask than to take someone to Heaven with them as the final act of their life? What an awesome gift from God to be used that way!
Did God's knowledge increase when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge? Truly, God had to know they were going to eat from the tree before hand. If so, why did He spend time playing hide and seek with Adam in the garden?
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Your question is a jab at reality and absolutely absurd!
God is Omnipotent and knows everything from eternity past, through eternity present and to eternity to come. He never missed one iota of information that has ever existed and He never will.
When He asked Adam "Where are you?" He was not looking for Adam because He knew where Adam was hiding. It was a question to Adam to show him where he was in a spiritual sense, and make him take a look at himself.
God knows everything past, present and future instantly and without effort! He knew you would ask this question before the worlds were ever formed, and He knows everything about every person who ever lived, lives now and will live while the earth exists.
He knows every hair on the head of every human who lives and has hair, he knows the number of grains of sand on every desert in existence, and the number of drops of water in every body of water in the universe. He knows the number of snowflakes that have fallen through all the ages of time, He knows precisely everything there is to know about anything there is to know, and He knows it better than anyone else.
If there were on piece of information existing that God didn't know He would be less than God and no God at all, but because He is perfect that is not even a consideration.
Has Father God given you hints of what He looks like?
He has just spoke to me and gave me clues to what Father God looks like. He has a muscle arm but peaking through the bright cloud is also muscle chest. Not breasts. His skin is shiny brass/bronze. And then another example of the vision, was further away & God winked at
me with bright shimmering of the essence and sparkle wink.
The Father is a nurturing Father, but doesn't have milk in His breast. They are just muscle, like Mr. Flex. The Holy Spirit is the nurturing milk.
I feel sooo blessed right now. Jesus prayed to the Father God. That would describe Father God a male. The Holy Spirit is in the form of a dove & Is Spirit and is genderless. The Word of God is male and in the shape of a male in the OT and when the Word of God put on humanity as Jesus Christ, is in the shape of a male. Jesus' resurrected body is male. The Holy Spirit is very much connected with the milk of the Word. I don't believe demons are deceiving me. No one has seen the Father God, except Jesus, who is the express image of Father God.
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John 4:24 - "God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth." You have been grossly deceived! God has no form like we have. Remember that the scripture warns clearly that Satan himself can appear as an angel of light. Demons love to provide any false visions they can to produce a God for you that you like.
Every vision must be tested by what scripture says, and if it doesn't stand the test it is false no matter how pleasing it may seem to you.
You also are a spirit being but you are temporarily living in a house of flesh. One day your spirit will leave that house and it will drop over because there will be no life in it to keep it going. That is why the Bible says we are made in the image of God. It is a spiritual image - not a physical one.
If a million people saw your vision and it was not in line with scripture it would be a false vision much like the so-called appearances of Mary and the saints. The only people who are coming back from Bible times are the two prophets in the book of Revelation in the end times and Jesus when He returns to take away His people. There are no proof texts in scripture to prove anything else.
You are confusing image in the flesh and cannot conceive of the image in the spirit realm. That is why you are being deceived. God is a spirit and a spirit has no body.
I would add that the Holy Spirit is not without a gender since the Holy Spirit is referred to over and over again as he, him, his and etc.
CHRISTIANS: How do you stay clean and pure in spite of all the wicked sin that goes on around you?
I'm a Christian in the military. I'm at the barracks and I can hear people upstairs doing the wild thing or knowing each other if you know what I mean. How would you deal with all that moaning?
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If I were in your place I would not stay in the barracks if I knew that was going on. I would go outside and find a quiet place and spend time praying for those people and others and I would spend a lot of time studying the Bible to increase my strength against the attacks of the devil. I have a prayer list printed in my Bible, and I can add anyone to it so there are plenty of people to pray for. You can also include those people you mentioned, and should if you care for them at all.
You could also find things to do that are pleasing to God such as helping out people with their everyday needs like helping someone move or helping them with their studies or grocery shopping or a lot of other things. Make sure you let them know that the Lord who changed your life is the one whose love caused you to help them.
Basically what I am trying to tell you is to shift your focus. Sin is everywhere in the world and inescapable. Determining not to focus on those things will make it easier for you.
The Bible tells us that "God will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to endure, but with every temptation He will make a way of escape that we may be able to bear it."
We sing a song in church that goes like this -
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
This is a spiritual exercise that will go a long way toward keeping us from temptation. I hope this not only helps you but that it enables you to walk in victory.
A Male Christian with a Problem Concerning God's Will?
I'm a male 23 with a problem concerning God's will for my life. This past summer my church started a young adults group which holds a Bible study on Sunday nights . We studied the book of Philippians where I felt the right hand of God moving my heart to serve within Central Asia (where I have several friends serving already). My one friend Dinara (from Kyrgyzstan) who is in charge of a summer camp asked if I would be willing to help out with that which would be a good starting point in determining whether or not God is truly calling me there. There is one problem though, which is that I currently work at my families business and my mom doesn't support or accept such a trip as she claims that would hurt my family (though she is the only one making a big deal out of this) and that the business needs me more. I want to reassure God's calling and the summer camp would be just that, but what should I do about my mom? I don't want to hurt her but I want to follow Christ wherever he may lead me.
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By the way, I'm the youngest in the family and my mom is just way to over protective of me as she's afraid to let me go.
Just a side note to what jiloth7 mentioned: I've talked to one of my great friends who happens to be the leader (it's part of his job at a local Methodist church) of a Tuesday night Bible study I attend. He said that my mom seems afraid to let me go and that it comes with being the youngest. He also mentioned that possibly part of the problem may be that she's going into this with a negative attitude and mind pre-set that even if she is praying for this as she claims, she's possibly unable to adequately hear God.
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Moms normally do not want to allow their children to leave the nest. It is an inbred trait of all loving Mothers that they want to protect their children.
You are not a child anymore though, and unless you are truly crucial to the operation of the family business you should do what you feel in your heart is what God is calling you to.
The suggestion that you go to Central Asia to help out is a great one. It won't take long for you to find out if God wants you there. At the same time it will give you experience you need if you feel called to the ministry.
Your Mother may still try to stop you, but she will have to understand that she cannot live your life for you. One way to get a good gauge as to what to do beside posting here is to talk with your pastor, youth group leader and other members of your church who you think are mature enough to give you sound advice, and see what they have to say. Weigh the things people say, and do what the Lord tells you.
Personally, if God moved your heart that way I would have to believe that He wants you there unless your motivation is not right. As an example, if you motivation is to be there because a friend or girlfriend is there or some other reason other than the heart felt desire God gave you.
When my wife and I were getting ready to be married her Mom told her that if we didn't get married in her home state she would not attend the wedding. We told her Mom that we felt that most of our friends were in my home state because we were in Bible college at the time preparing for ministry. We told her we would have the wedding in my home state whether she came or not.
The threat, if you want to call it that, of not coming was a ploy to get her way, but we stood our ground and she came to the wedding anyway. Her mom and dad took the wedding party out a paid for a pre-wedding dinner and provided all the meat and more for the reception.
Stand your ground. Your mom may be doing the same thing, but you must obey God rather than anyone else, even your Mom if she is getting in the way of God's will for your life. God bless you as you seek to honor and glorify Him with your life!
Why is Christianity the most attacked religion?
Why? Not even the Muslims (not saying all Muslims do this) who blow up themselves and kill other people are talked about and insulted as much as Christians and Christianity have been and are. Have you noticed? We've been martyred down through the centuries, and it seems in every age the Jews have been up against some country or people who have tried to kill or enslave them.
Even now you have Evolutionists and Atheists who, it seems, take it upon themselves to discredit it and bash it down to the ground. The morals of the Bible and of this religion have been labeled as being high and mighty and people try their best to find fault in the Bible. In some places in China and Africa and all around the world you are jailed and even killed for being a Christian. Why do you believe in your heart of hearts that this is so?
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Christians are to be the same as their Savior - Jesus Christ!
Jesus said to his disciples, "Is the servant greater than his master? If the world hated me it will hate you also because you are not of the world even as I am not of this world."
Paul said, "All who will live godly in Christ will suffer persecution."
Jesus said, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go in thereat."
The words of Christ above make it clear that most people will not accept the word of God. Now since God has put the knowledge of Himself in every man according to Romans Chapter 1, those who refuse to believe in God go against their own conscience. Because this is a hard thing causing turmoil in them between what they know is right and what they actually do, the presence of godly men and women makes them very uncomfortable. They resent the fact that these men and women are doing what they refuse to do.
The resentment mentioned above is actually against God, and since true Christians represent God who is making demands on men and women to obey Him they take their hatred of God out on those who love Him and represent Him.
There is a paradox in all this. People laugh at their friends who are telling them to go to Hell everyday and assisting them in going there, and hate those who are trying to help them to escape the wrath and judgment of God. I know because I have lived on both sides of the issue. When I saw people coming down the street with gospel tracts I would curse and get as far away from them as possible. Now that I know what they really have to offer I am extremely glad to be one of them!
This will never change as long as God permits this wicked world to go on. It will end when God calls every human before His throne on judgment day, and all those who wouldn't listen to and obey God will reap the reward of that rebellion
Have you read this?
Romans 1:24-28
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator- who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore since they did not think it worth while to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.
Do you believe in ETERNITY? Will God over look your sin and send a thief to hell? What if you’re wrong and the BIBLE is right? JUST, WHAT IF?
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The implications of the scriptures you quote are so obvious that everyone in here or nearly everyone jumped all over them and scorned them and mocked you, as if you were the God that wrote them.
Don't let it bother you that people choose to be ignorant. The Bible says that there would be some that would be willfully ignorant, and you are to let them be ignorant still.
This scripture is obviously a condemnation of the homosexual and lesbian lifestyle and speaks of God's true judgment on those who refuse to repent of it. Reprobate mind implies a mind that is devoid of moral understanding and in total rebellion against truth. It doesn't take any great genius to understand what is being spoken. Those who spout off against God fulfill the words of Proverbs Chapter 1 where the following words are written:
"How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Because I have called and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded. But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh.
Then shall they call on me, but I will not answer, They will seek
me early but they will not find me. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord."
It is a terrible thing to mock God and His word and His people as they seek to minister life to those who walk in ignorance and spiritual darkness. The Bible says it were better for those people that they should tie a millstone around their neck and cast themselves into the sea than mock God's people. They are to be pitied, and we should be deeply concerned that they come to know truth before they come to a time when it is no longer available to them.
As a Christian it deeply grieves me in my heart to think of one single soul spending eternity separated from God in the Lake of Fire when escape has been made possible for all who will turn to Christ for salvation. I pray that there is at least one teachable person reading this that will consider what is being said and will see that mocking God and his people leads to their own misery. I pray it will become real enough to them that they will Repent and allow Christ to be Lord of their lives.
Evolutionists and Gravitationalists?
What is your basis for not accepting creation?
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I have no evidence that disproves creation because I now know the Creator personally. Most of the answers you received to this question are biased from the outset because they have no understanding of faith as opposed to human rationale!
God reveals Himself to those who are objective in their thinking and analysis and who are willing to put aside their own extremely limited intellect to deal with infinite intelligence.
Since finite intelligence can't comprehend God even in the smallest degree, the infinite God must of necessity reveal Himself to man as the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
Since Evolution is merely a hypothesis, which is supposed to be an intelligent guess, and Creation comes through faith in God and His Word, there has to be disparity between them.
It takes a great deal more faith to believe in evolution than to believe creation requires a Creator. Rational thinking would require that we examine both and come up with a conclusion. The problem with that is that God cannot be found merely by intellectual research and cannot be understood by intellect alone. That is why faith is a must for those who want to see both sides of the issue.
Once a person exercises faith in God and talks with Him and expects an answer the issue is easily resolved. Evolution is then ruled out as a fantasy and figment of Darwin's imagination, and revealed truth verifies creation as the only realistic answer to existence.
Dictatorship or Religion?
In the past I've invited church-goers to come with me to my church and every Catholic I invited said the same thing. They told me it was against their religion to go to any other church than theirs.
It is my belief that God merely wants us to serve Him I don't think it matters where since He knows our hearts. And anyway any religion that dictates ones own choices is a red flag for me. I am Christian and my religion has never put constraints on me. There are things I no longer do simply because they no longer interest me or feel right. The only rules set in stone in my faith are the Ten Commandments. Why would something like that be against religion? What would be the motives of preaching thou shall not go to any other church? What are they afraid of?
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Catholicism is a controlling religious belief, with penalties for straying away from "the church" that extend beyond this life according to that belief system. There are Christians within that belief system who are trying to change it just as Martin Luther did when the reformation came long ago. It is very doubtful that will ever happen before the Lord comes.
There are many rules set in stone in Christianity, but we are never compelled to believe in them because God has given us free choice to obey or disobey Him. The two greatest commandments in all of scripture are we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength our neighbor as ourselves. The Ten Commandments are the law that convicts us of sin and helps us to see the need of Christ in our lives. There is not one person living on earth who has not broken at least one of the Ten Commandments so the entire world is guilty of sin. This brings up another commandment that is that we are to repent of our sin. You and I know that when we do this we find peace with God.
As far as churches go - the Bible says we are the body of Christ. The church is not a building or a system of beliefs, but a living organism of believers who love and serve God.
The only church Christians should attend is those that will preach the gospel of salvation through the blood of Christ. The Apostle, Paul said, if any preach another gospel than I have preached unto you, let them be accursed!
The spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. If our spirit doesn't bear witness with the spirit of a church we attend we need to find one that does.
Its not a matter of preaching we shouldn't go to another church but the discerning that God has given us deep within to know whether they are preaching about and exalting Christ there.
If not - we should leave, unless God has sent us there to reach out to someone who does not know the true gospel.
The most useless rant in abortion?
My personal favorite is "how would you feel if you were aborted". Well, you know what, I wouldn't feel anything because I wouldn't care or have the anything to lose or look forward to :)
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You would care while you were alive in the womb while a doctor is cutting off your arms and legs with a surgical knife while you were in pain and slowly dying before they sucked you out through a tube.
You would care for a brief time in a salt saline abortion as the salt injected into your Mother's water began to burn you over every inch of your body causing you intense pain and horrible suffering during your short life before you died.
Believe me you would definitely feel something! You would not understand why you were being killed but the pain would make it clear to you that something was happening that you cared about in those moments more than anything else you could care about
Besides Jesus who is your favorite person in the Bible? We all know that Jesus is every Christian’s favorite...
Like the title said Jesus the Son of God would have to be my favorite, but besides Him, I would have to say Moses or Paul, how about you?
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Elijah, a powerful prophet who walked with God and did some very amazing things but who was human enough to run from Jezebel and hide by the brook Cherith.
I mean, how many people pour water all over something and try to make it impossible for God to do something and then believe God will do the impossible thing anyway. To make it more interesting he stood alone against an army of false prophets, a heathen nation and an unbelieving Israel who should have taken God at his word.
Also, how many people would have had the guts to call a king out in a time when offending the king could mean sudden death if the king wished it.
He did so many other things that were impressive, but the one thing that always stands out to me is his weakness because it show me that God can work through a weak vessel to do great and mighty things if he has a surrendered heart to work with. This man's life proves God's faithfulness and power.
Homosexuals of faith?
Are Homosexuals of faith better equipped to overcome their homosexual orientation desires than Gays with no religious affiliations? In other words does belief in a higher being wither real or imagined enable Gays raised in religious environments to become heterosexual and actually enjoy the experience? Can it really be a situation of mind over matter, and for those who succeed, are these individuals not in reality straight leaning bisexuals if not entirely straight with a confused sexual identity? What is the clear answer on this?
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First of all there is no such thing as a Homosexual of faith! The devil has all men and women who follow this lifestyle in great deception. Their religious affiliation is a lie propagated by Satan to make them feel as if they are acceptable to God.
The thing that makes it easier for them to live a normal heterosexual life is salvation through Christ which comes with repentance from a sincere heart and trusting God for a total cleansing in their minds and hearts. I have also heard of some homosexuals delivered miraculously from aids with a total healing.
As God does a cleansing work it's not by halves. There's complete healing in Christ. Therefore your question on bisexuality is irrelevant. I find that persons who are taught that Christianity is a commitment and a lifestyle that means absolute obedience to God, and that teaching is also reinforced as they are growing in their walk with the Lord, more often than not never regress to their previous lifestyle.
EDIT: There is not now and there never has been one shred of definitive proof that homosexuality is genetic. Therefore people who choose to believe that choose to believe a lie.
It is one of the greatest erroneous statements being made on or off the internet. God is not so incredibly stupid as to make a person genetically homosexual and then condemn them for it. People who believe this are just flat out anti-God and want to live the way they want to without accountability. Refusing to face the facts in this life will force them to face God without being prepared for the life to come.
Why does Satan want your soul? What's so special about our souls? Just curious why would Satan collect our souls? Is it so he can gather an army and fight God?
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Your spirit would be more correct. He knows that our spirit is made
in the image of God and since He hates God for throwing Him out for his rebellion in Heaven it's Satan's greatest delight to deceive people so they will be damned to Hell forever. In that way He can destroy God's greatest creation.
Satan has one army, and they are demons. They are running to and fro on earth tempting men and whispering lies into their minds and hearts to keep them from seeing the truth of God's word. If they can keep them blind until they die the devil has won a victory, and one more person is damned. The devil knows that He will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire and he wants to take as many people with him as he can. Satan's fate is revealed in Revelation 20:10 KJV.
Christ died a brutal death to deliver people from this insanity. The devil has no power over those who have turned to Him and received the salvation He purchased with His blood.
Are Christian Scientists and Scientologists one and the same thing? What are the basic differences if not?
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They are both cults - Christian Science was founded by Mary Baker Eddy and is based on the theory that everything is mind and when we die we are absorbed into a universal mind. It is neither Christian nor science.
Scientology is a rich and vengeful religious cult, or as one critic puts it, "a cross between the Moonies and the Mafia." Scientologists know a great deal about thought control, social control, rhetorical judo (defeat by misdirection), deft use of logical fallacies and high pressure sales.
Is having faith to disdain truth?
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Depends on what you have faith in. If your faith is in anything that regards God as spurious, then your faith disdains truth.
If you have faith in God and His sacrifice that purchased your salvation then you love truth!
Straight guy/dating?
Okay, this is tricky. I have a straight friend who knows I'm gay and we hang out. He has a girlfriend who I have never met in our two years of being friends. We usually meet out a few times a month for dinner and drinks and just to hang. We have a great, respectful friendship. I have noticed that he always seems to find a reason to have to touch me, but perhaps he is just demonstrative. He now has started the habit of telling me how excited he is to see me when we meet out and of how much he looks forward to it etc.
Does it sound like he is sending me mixed signals and may be developing some emotions towards me? It is starting to confuse me. I can honestly say that a relationship w/him would be ideal, but I feel as if though there is something that needs to be discussed between us and am to afraid to initiate it.
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Repent of this sin, receive God's forgiveness, and find out what true love really is.
By the way, the only 'ideal relationship' existing in the universe is to Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
EDIT: The Bible tells me that there are some that will remain "willfully ignorant."
Homosexuality will never stop being sin, and those who die living in this deviant lifestyle and will not repent and turn to God for salvation will find out that the majority is wrong in this case.
There will not be one person standing before the throne of the most high God on judgment day who will boast of being gay! His holiness will be so all consuming that the only thing people who die in this and other sins will be capable of doing is fall on their faces and tremble as He sentences them to the Lake of Fire.
It isn't God's will for you to go there. If you go it will be your choice because of your defiance of God and His commands!
Christians are frequently asked to "provide proof God exists". The reply is always "take a look around you!"Atheists look around themselves and say "the creation doesn't prove a creator,” it's all how you interpret it.
Well, let's ask atheists to provide proof for evolution. But you can't advance anything that must be interpreted. Fossils aren't any proof because they need interpretation. Were they laid down in the flood, or were they buried in a "geologic layer" corresponding to an evolutionary epoch? Both are interpretations based on a belief system. How did fish fossils get to the top of very high mountains?
Micro-mutations cannot be advanced as proof of evolution because all they have been observed to do is serve as a quality control mechanism, never a species converter.
If you hold evolution as scientific fact, yet you cannot produce proof, your belief in evolution is a religion, no different than my belief in creation.
Please no ad homonym attacks. Don't call me names, or make derogatory comments about how stupid religion is, or that God doesn't exist. Yeah, we've heard it all before. It's neither interesting nor enlightening.
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When evolution comes to the point of the original creation they
come upon a stumbling block. They cannot prove a first cause for everything. In order for evolution to be true there would of necessity have to be a first cause to explain where the original came from that other things evolve from. Evolutionists cannot explain where the first cause came from to begin with other than to say it came from nothing Which requires even greater "faith" than believing the first cause was an intelligent being or "creator."
So either all the complex DNA, etc. discovered by science will either have to have appeared out of nothing, there was a creator, or there is no explanation including evolution.
Intelligence dictates that there has to be a "first cause" therefore evolution will either have to come up with an explanation of how things started from nothing or recognize a creator. It cannot be both ways.
EDIT: There is no logical cause for this. Go all the way back to the beginning when there was nothing. From somewhere the first DNA appeared, but what was that somewhere? From something the first DNA appeared, but what was that something? From someone the first DNA appeared, but who was that someone?
Rational thinking would insist that there is a first cause. Even a died in the wool evolutionist must face this reality whether they want to or not. Without some kind of first cause nothing would exist. Evolution has never produced an answer for this.
Is it given to man only once to die? Somebody posted this in one of their answers a few minutes ago. If this is true where is Lazarus who was resurrected from the dead? Did he die twice or is he still around us somewhere?
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You could also argue the same for Enoch and Elijah since Enoch was translated to Heaven and so was Elijah. In their case I believe they are the two witnesses spoken of in Revelation who will come and then be killed and left laying in the street for three days while the world celebrates their death. Then on the third day they will be resurrected while the whole world watches.
God did the same to a girl whose name was Talitha. At that time Jesus said again - she is not dead but sleeps. There is something between sleep and death that God knows and you and I are not enlightened on.
Each was a singular event, and I believe both were for the people to see the power of the resurrection. Remember that the religious sect of the Saducees didn't believe in a resurrection. I am sure they were hanging out there. They always had their nose in something.
How does the Bible verse 1 Timothy 2:5 conflict with the 12th century Roman Churches beliefs?
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Outright denies the priest as the go between. Good verse.
For Christian men?
Would you say it was natural for a Christian man in his 30s who is practicing sexual purity 110% in every way possible to have dreams (sleep) and effects (you know what I am talking about)? I almost feel guilty for giving in to sexual temptation but it's while I’m dreaming what can I do. Would you say this is normal?
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It is perfectly normal. I would think that if this is something you deal with frequently you need to change your focus, pray that God would deliver you from it and ask God to give you a wife that loves Him above everyone and everything.
How do you talk to a spirit or ghost?
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If you're not a Christian you should talk to them in fear and trembling and hope they don't attack you through several hauntings.
If you are a Christian you welcome the "Holy Ghost" and send the demons (ghosts) screaming in the name of Jesus Christ.
What do you do after retirement?
Whether you are a retiree or not, do answer. How do you or people you know spend their time?
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I am retired, and I am enjoying it. I have time with my children that didn't exist before, and time to spend with my grand daughter. I also have time for Yahoo Answers, time to go places and do things or just relax at home whenever I want, and I am in the process of writing a second book while publishing a first one.
Most important for me as a Christian, I have much more time to pray for others, spend time with God and grow spiritually.
How should I tell my mom I’m a lesbian?
my mom is a serious control freak. I am in love with the girl I’m with. We've been together for 3 1/2 years. We plan to get married. I'm almost 16 and I need support.
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I am sorry that you think your mom is a control freak, but perhaps you are reading her wrong. Perhaps it is her love for you and you are misjudging her intentions.
Lesbianism is a sin, and not love at all.
You are in need of salvation through Jesus Christ. God will forgive you if you ask Him to forgive and cleanse you of this lust, and He will give you a wonderful life filled with His love that is better than any love in the universe.
If you are honest with yourself, while you are still young enough to face facts without getting drowned in this lifestyle, you could go to the web sites that tell about homosexuals and lesbians who have found Christ as their Savior. Many have turned from this lifestyle and are very happy that they did. Sex sin is harder to break free from than any drug.
I will pray for you - It is a terrible trap to be in.
Is there anyone out there who would like to share what they are learning about living a spirit-filled life
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There is so much to learn that it would take a very long book.
Here are some things that I have learned in over 33 years of following Christ:
1. Focus on Christ. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Not only a great chorus, but a great truth. You can't have your focus on the Lord and suffer defeat at the same time.
2. Life is simple. Obey God and everything else falls into place over a period of time that God has ordained.
3. There are multitudes of professing Christians but you can sort out the ones who are serious after extending an invitation to a prayer meeting over several weeks or months.
4. Many Christians are biblically illiterate. Their concepts of God and His attributes are far below what they should be, and that is why the devil is currently having so many victories. While some of this lack of knowledge and understanding of the Word is due to time constraints I firmly believe most of it is due to laziness.
5. Patience isn't something you want to pray for even though we all need more of it. Tribulation brings patience. Praying for patience is asking God for tribulation.
6. Children are an inheritance and a trust from the Lord. They don't belong to us we are just trustees taking care of his property.
It is our solemn responsibility to raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
7. A wife who loves the Lord is a greater treasure than all the gold and silver on earth because when all has passed away she will remain faithful to death. She will be a precious mom to her children and will honor the Lord with all her life.
8. Our struggles and physical ailments and all other adversity in our lives is to show us how weak we really are and how unstable life is which in turn shows us that we really do need the Lord.
9. Our victories in life are there so that we can show others how God is working in and through our lives in order that we may be an encouragement to them to trust Him. Everything God teaches us through victory and adversity is given as a special gift so we may reach and teach others of God's great faithfulness that they may also trust Him as we do and even more than we do.
10. God always wins! No matter what anyone of any belief system says or does it is futile to fight against God. He is the power behind all the power in the universe and is the creator and sustainer of all things. Those who truly trust in Him are never defeated. Those who doubt Him suffer needlessly and of their own choice. He is always there for the honest, trusting and seeking heart! When the enemies of the gospel rise up against His people the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against them and they are defeated. We have a sure eternal hope and rest in this life because the Lord has never lost a battle and never will! Praise His Name!
Ok, I'm still in a bad mood. Maybe now someone can relate the Flood story to me again to make me laugh?
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I have another story that may make you laugh harder. Just like the story of the flood only a select few will be delivered according in this story as well.
It goes like this -- I Thessalonians 4:16-17 -- "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." In reality this will not be funny for those who are left on earth afterward. The only thing they will have left is to look forward to will be the judgment and wrath of God.
I bet your really in a bad mood now. Repent and believe the Lord for salvation and your mood will change dramatically!
What is the most biblical Christian movement?
From my experience I would look at the Vineyard that came out of Calvary Chapel and of course the Catholic Church.
What do you think is the most biblical movement and why.
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The most biblical Christian movement is of the Holy Spirit in a way that draws others to salvation and deliverance through Christ no matter where it is happening.
Do you think Jesus never preached about homosexuality because he was more concerned with you loving people?
I saw some posts about homosexuality today so I wanted to get a decent discussion going. Personally, I think that's a private matter between that person and the powers that be.
If you don't agree with it then fine, don't agree with it. What will anyone accomplish by making a fuss over it? I will address Christians specifically here:
I think Jesus showed us what to do in the case whenever people were getting ready to stone the prostitute. He said something like, let he who is without sin cast the first stone right?
Instead of worrying about what homosexuals are doing why not just go out and use up that energy to help someone instead of condemning people.
Am I off base here or something?
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If anyone were condemning people you might have a case, but what some people call condemning is merely honest concern for those who are spiritually blind to their condition.
Homosexuality is attacking Christianity - believe it or not. We are trying to speak the word of God in love so they may be saved from burning in Hell or the Lake of Fire forever. It's is a fearful thing that no real Christian would wish on anyone.
It is strange that we rush to rescue people from houses that are burning down so they don't die in the flames and are called heroes, but when a person does what they can to rescue people from fire that will never be put out it is called condemnation. That is twisted reasoning!
I for one understand that the unregenerate mind is blind to truth because before the Lord changed me I was ignorant of all spiritual truth. When my eyes were opened I saw the reality of the lost condition of myself as well as everyone on earth without Christ! It's a revelation that was shocking and gave me zeal to see people saved no matter what it cost me or what people think of what I say in regard to trying to rescue others before it is too late.
Christ was mocked and crucified for His love to humanity. He warned His followers that they would endure the same hatred and scorn. It is of little concern to me what mockers and scorners say or what false information is spread about the reasons for what I do. If by my small efforts one individual can be saved from an eternity of torment in a place of never ending suffering without hope of release, I will take all the mockery and scorning that anyone can pass out for the sake of that one soul. Now if that is condemnation then so be it.
Can someone tell me some major differences between a Calvinist and a Christian? I'm talking to this guy at work and he said he's a Calvinist. All this time I thought he was a Christian like me.... Anyway Thanks!
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Well I'm a born again Christian and I believe we were predestined too and that he knew whether we'd be positive long before we were born. He knew who would believe and who wouldn't so we were "hand picked that way"...
This guy doesn't believe that prayer works, and that has me baffled. I was just wondering if there were any "major" differences... I think not believing in the power of prayer is a pretty big difference but I don't know if it's just him or all "Calvinists"
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A Calvinist is just another name for Christians with a certain set of beliefs like an Arminian. You could look both up online. They are opposing views.
Calvinists are very dogmatic in what they believe, and that may be why he identified himself as a Calvinist instead of a Christian.
Two things they believe in strongly are that you will get saved whether you want to or not. That is predestination as they see it. They call this "irresistible grace." I personally believe it is a distortion because if some were chosen to salvation and others destined to go to, Hell that would make God a respecter of persons, and the Bible clearly states He is not.
The second one is "Once saved, always saved." There are some scriptures that can be used to bear this out, but there are also other scriptures that deny this so the proper thing to do is study all the scriptures in their proper context and then to reach a conclusion on every scripture that bears on the subject. The best book I have read concerning this subject was written by Robert Shank. - It is called "Life in the Son." I don't think a better book will ever be written on this subject, and it has never been challenged or refuted.
I would seriously doubt the faith of anyone who doesn't think God answers prayer in this or any generation. That would be to totally deny scriptures such as "Call unto me and I will answer you. Also, All things whatsoever you shall ask, in Christ's name and according to the will of God, shall be done, You shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart," and many more verses promising God will answer when we pray.
Prayer is the Christian's life breath and His connection with God. All true revival; either personal or corporate came from people who were determined to hear from God and prayed until the answer came. And from a personal testimony, I have had numerous prayers answered over the 36 years I have known Christ.
Why shouldn't gay people have rights? Just because of an ancient law?
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Sexual orientation is not a legal issue but a personal choice. There are already plenty of laws on the books protecting gays from open persecution and attacks on them, as well as there is for others like the elderly.
The real issue isn't gay rights but they want to be recognized as normal by society and want laws passed that will give them rights based on their sexual preference while denying the rights to many other groups including the elderly.
If the gays are given special privileges then we can open the door to giving special rights and recognition to transsexuals, child molesters and people who have sex with animals. They could rightly argue that if one sexual preference deserves a special treatment, so do all sexual preferences. Our society would be a very dangerous place to live because you would either tolerate everything or end up in jail or dead simply for what you believe even if you demonstrate peacefully against those things.
I don't feel we need to dictate to homosexuals what kind of life they live. It is their choice. I don't want laws passed that force my children to have to accept a lifestyle in school that has been forced on them by laws that say we can't speak up against it.
My freedom of thought and speech is being threatened because some people want to have sex with on another without telling them it's wrong. The double standard is that they can speak against all lifestyles they want while effectively stifling those who oppose theirs.
The current law being pushed as an add on to a bill that is not even related to this issue is to silence anyone who opposes homosexuality irregardless of whether they are Christian or not. That law is currently in the Senate being voted on either today or very soon after today. 1984 will be a reality if it is passed.
Isn't it sad that there are organizations who exist solely to harass the Mormon's, JW & Catholics?
These so-called Christian organizations are usually Protestant (who have the most laughable doctrine of all). I just wonder how pathetic you life must be when all you do is slam others. I spent 2 years in the mission field and never once did I put anyone else down. It is also funny that most of these idiots can't take what they dish out. What a bunch of cowards!
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Whatever mission-field you were in suffered by your presence if your intolerant attitude is any indication of what you taught those under your guidance.
Harass? Get a grip on reality mister. Jesus Christ openly exposed lies because they damned men who accepted them and died in their sins. Do you really think Christians are to sit idly by and twiddle their thumbs while multitudes are marching to hell under a delusion?
Repent of your ungodliness and get right with God before you come in here with your false accusations against those who care enough to teach truth. By the way, most of the people who are exposing cults are those who have left them when they met Christ as he really is and not as the cults teach that he is.
Christianity Question?
Hi! I'm a young Christian and i was wondering something- is life on earth just one, long test to see if were worthy to get into heaven? Or is there more? Thanks
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We will never be worthy in ourselves, and that is why Christ had to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Life for the Christian is a joyful and sometimes arduous adventure from earth to the Kingdom of Heaven with the idea of loving and serving God and bringing honor and glory to Him in what we do, say and think.
Falling and getting up and growing stronger through our relationship with God and other Christians and even growing through our association with non-believers who challenge our faith is the reality of Christian life.. It's commitment in a world that's non-committal. It's Holiness in a world that is evil. It is being different because Christ was different, and being rejected because Christ was rejected. It is being a student of God's Word and taught by His Holy Spirit to be as powerful and uncompromising as you can be while loving and respecting others in spite of what they believe or how they treat you. It is millions of little things and a few major things and dealing with attitudes and motives in your life. It is the most thorough work that will ever be done in anyone in this life or the life to come, and the rewards are out of this world.
For more information pray, pray, pray, pray, and pray without ceasing. Study, study, study, study and study the Bible more and more so that it becomes so much a part of you that it flows out of you like water over a waterfall.
Never be contented where you are at and always try your very best to go deeper and deeper with God. When you have done your best, God will do the rest.
Jehovah`s witnesses knocking on your door....What do YOU do????
I’m ALL for different religions etc., but I wouldn`t go around knocking on peeps doors trying to convert them to my religion! So why do so many knock on our doors? If I want to change my faith its a personal matter! Someone even got me the other day in the Army supermarket. In Germany, what I heard I was English and started preaching to me over the Utterly Butterly! WHY?
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Utterly Butterly is a brand of butter, my friend - churned for that extra creamy taste! LOL, apparently!
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I usually talk with them and let them know that I am aware of their history and what they believe. Then I share the gospel with them and what I believe. It is always a friendly meeting and neither of us converts the other but we both part believing some good seed was planted. They are as sincere about what they believe as I am.
Do you think Protestants would be annoyed if I came to their door and tried to convert them to Atheism?
How about Jehovah’s Witnesses?
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You are welcome to come to my house and try anytime. I am sure we both will learn something, and I hope you can conduct yourself in a right manner because I treat my guests with respect.
I will tell you that you will fail in your quest because I am not believing because I heard it from someone else or because I read it in some other place, but because I have experienced a personal relationship with God and He has proven Himself over and over and over.
He has done things in and through my life that you might not want to believe because they are just like the miracles you read about in the Bible and they are very real.
If you give me enough prior notice I might even get a special meal made up just for you. If it is on short notice then maybe we could order pizza or something.
If it's ultimately just faith, why not believe in a user-friendly religion?
When I'm debating a True Believer and ask for empirical evidence for their religion (e.g. levitating, faith-healing an amputee), they often tell me that you can't prove religion scientifically and that it ultimately boils down to faith.
If so, why not believe in your own darned religion, especially one that's user friendly? I'd rather believe in a religion where smoking pot is a sacrament, where the Solstice is celebrated by having an outdoor orgy, and where every day is a holy day that's a paid holiday. Or, maybe a religion in which decent people go to heaven no matter what they believe, and where rotten people go to hell no matter how many religious rituals they perform. So, if it's ultimately just faith, why not have faith in a fun religion instead?
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Empirical evidence? I have seen miracles that you would never believe unless you were a Christian, and if you were a Christian weak in your faith you wouldn't believe them then either. You can have your user-friendly religion. However, it seems you could save yourself the trouble of going through the motions if you just forgot about religion altogether. After all, if you are going to be in the lake of fire forever, you might as well live it up on earth because this planet is the last enjoyment you will ever see this side of the grave. The other side of the grave is Hell for the unbeliever.
Fellow Christians with gay friends?
Christians who have gay friends:
1. Has your friendship with gays/lesbians affected your view of whether or not homosexuality is a sin?
2. Has it affected how you read the Bible? (more metaphorical than literal? Or do you still see homosexuality as an "abomination"?)
3. Do you agree/disagree with what your church says about homosexuality?
Peace be with you.
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My friendship with anyone gay or straight has nothing to do with how I view sin. My view of sin come from God's word, and they will never change.
Homosexuality is, has been and always will be sin in the eyes of God, and is called an abomination in scripture. God won't change his view to suit me or anyone else. I wouldn't want Him to change anyway because, like His laws, He is perfect!
I have never heard our church preach for or against gays, but I know they believe it is a sin. We don't focus on sin but on salvation from sin. Everyone needs that because everyone is a sinner.
One thing I know is that every homosexual who ever really got salvation God's way turned from homosexuality. Many of them got married and are raising families and are very happy. I have a very good friend who was delivered from that life and he is very happy in ministry.
How did god create himself?
I mean God created everything, but how did he create himself?
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He is the only uncreated being in the universe. He always existed. He has no beginning and no end. He is the only truly and completely eternal being in the universe. Time has no application to Him.
Are you a religious Christian?
I just want to know how many are out there.
Are you religious or do you have a real relationship with Jehovah,
so that you could call each other friends?
God said come let us reason together, and most of the apostles were called a friend of God even Moses -- or do you think that this whole thing is just a religion?
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I have a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He is far more than just a friend. I despise the word religion because it brings up pictures of "having a form of godliness but denying the power." Ritual, dogma, and everything but real life in Christ.
Seven people died as a bridge in Minnesota collapsed today. On the other hand, 142 people in total died in Iraq?
Which grieves you more? Or both? Why?
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The biggest concern that I have for anyone that dies is whether or not they are ready to face God when the universe is called before Him in judgment.
How we die isn't the biggest issue. Our spiritual condition is the vital issue. Where we spend eternity depends on it.
Why do people make the distinction between "faith" and "blind faith"?
Isn't it exactly the same? Maybe what you should be saying is why even bother to add the adjective "blind" to "faith", since faith is blind by nature.
Christian faith: Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are believed to be true (Heb. 11: 1), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation.
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If you ever allow the conviction of the Holy Spirit to deliver you from spiritual "blindness" you will know that faith in God is not blind. God reveals Himself in a tangible way to those who are repentant and sorry for their sin. That establishes a very personal relationship with someone who hears and answers prayer. We cannot see a "spirit" and since God is Spirit we cannot see Him with our human eyes, but because He answers prayer in a very particular manner we "know" He hears and answers us.
In the same way you believe there is gravity because you don't float off into space or you feel the wind even though you can't see it. We who know the Lord know His presence not only by thinking and believing but also by sensing Him through the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives.
Where is the line between Biblical truth and arrogance?
As a Christian, I am often accused of arrogance for speaking the truth. If I sincerely believe that my words or actions are motivated by a love of the truth, a sincere desire to help someone, a spirit led defense of righteousness and truth, a wise plan of setting brush fires in men's minds, a valuable attempt to awaken and relieve the afflicted. If I am not motivated by selfish desires, anger, pettiness, revenge, pride, etc., then I can be assured that I am on the right side of the line between truth and arrogance.
I have learned that in speaking Truth the charge of arrogance is a certainty, because one thing this world cannot stand is someone who is both (a) assured, and (b) correct. The world will accept your word if you are unsure, or if you are incorrect, or if you allow for some other solution, or if you are willing to compromise with untruth.
So anytime you are both right and sure you are right, then you will be charged at some level with arrogance.
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The Pharisees hated Christ because they could not resist His words and because He refused to accept them and their ideas at some level. They claimed that He spake "as one with authority", yet they refused to accept the authority on which He spoke. Gamaliel of the Pharisees said (paraphrase from Acts 5:38-40) "let them alone for if you fight against them and they be of God then you will find yourself fighting against God", and it is said that "to him they agreed". Notice that Gamaliel said "IF". Stephen said (paraphrase again from Acts 7:51-53) "ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, You do always resist the Holy Ghost. Just as your fathers did, so do you". He accused them of resisting God and of fighting against God. They were "cut to the heart"
.Gamaliel said "if" and left them an out - so they agreed with him and were at peace with him. Stephen dropped the "if" and made the direct accusation against them, and they hated him and killed him.
Our place, of course, as Christians (those of us who are trained, prepared, and qualified) to speak to the enemy - is to drop the "if" when we are sure of ourselves and to be hated for Christ's sake for it. We should, however, make certain of all of the motives and instances and that we are certainly doing the work of God by His power and authority.
The modern preacher who speaks peace to power and compromise to the wicked and the sinner, is not doing the work of God at all.
It is possible, however, to fight against God with a sword formed against sin and wickedness - if we are either unprepared, uncalled, or unqualified for its proper use. Care and prayer are necessary, as you can imagine.
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You are right! Spirit led and directed truth will always be an offense to those who reject the gospel or as the Bible tells us: "The gospel is an offense to those who perish."
When the Holy Spirit is teaching you truth as a child of God He doesn't leave you in some shadow land of limbo concerning what truth is, but gives you assurance that what you believe is indeed "truth." This is a hard pill to swallow for those who are looking for excuses to cover their sin, refuse to acknowledge their responsibility to God or love their spiritual blindness more than reality.
The most important truth is "Christ died a cruel death for the sake of all mankind who will repent and receive His love offering made on our behalf with all their heart." Some look to Christ for the blessings, some see in Him a religious icon but have no spiritual life in them, others despise Him when they find out that what they believe about Him conflicts with what they want to believe about Him. Then there are the people who are willing to receive Him as Lord and Master of their lives and live at peace in this life and on into eternity.
Those who love the Lord will be received or rejected according to how people perceive Christ. Jesus made it clear when He said, "You are not of the world as I am not of this world, therefore as the world hated me they will also hate you. Are you greater than your Master? If the world hated me they will hate you also."
Christians, do you believe about 67% of the Earth's population is not going to Heaven?
The Bible is pretty adamant about that one: whoever does not accept Jesus in their heart will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
33% of the world's population call themselves Christians, so do you believe that the rest ( about 4 billion plus ) is doomed?
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I think 33% is a very generous estimate considering that many that call themselves Christian are not Christian at all.
The polls include a lot of religious but also unsaved people in their gleanings. The Bible is clear when it says:
"Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, and few there be that find it, but broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go in thereat."
While "God is not willing that any should perish" most of all mankind will choose to reject His mercy. A poll taken some time ago stated that less than 5% of all people in this nation attend any form of worship whether in a synagogue, mosque or church. That leaves a big gap in between the 33% and the 5%. God knows those who love and serve Him. Claiming to be a Christian and actually being one can be worlds apart.
It is very obvious from scripture that those who die without knowing Christ as their Savior are doomed to eternal punishment. There is no way around that
Think of this; God made the way of escape from eternal punishment simple. Repent and receive salvation through Christ by faith. God can't be blamed if people ignore his gift any more than those who won't listen to their doctor when they are dying.
Sin is a disease of the soul. Jesus blood is the cleansing agent that washes away our sin. If we want to get rid of the disease we have to apply the solution. Sad to say, many refuse to take the cleansing that will deliver them from eternal death.
How do you start revival at a college campus? And experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit?
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Every true Revival came when a few people determined that they would pray and not relent until God answered and sent revival. Such prayer is not known in this generation because we want everything now. It is intense prayer accompanied with deep personal sorrow for ones own sin and weeping for the souls of those in and out of Christ who are not obedient and willing servants of the Lord.
It takes a rare individual indeed who is willing to sacrifice all that revival may come in his or her generation no matter what location. I will guarantee you that you will be judged wrong and misunderstood by many because of zeal for the cause of Christ and the salvation of souls. If you decide to seek God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength until He rains down revival on you and those around you it will not be easy. If you keep your focus on God and prevail no cost will be too great!
What if Christian Falls in love with Non-Christian?
Hmmm, I have been trouble by this problem. You know, sometime feelings and the desire to know a girl is a struggle to me. Well I fall in love with this girl recently, and my heart intended me to say out my feelings, but I know I have to control myself because I am a Christian!
I can’t be so selfish to convert this girl into Christian and that is being too selfish. Can anyone provide me an answer?
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First of all - when you say fall in love you are already in a precarious position. Falling brings harm both physically and in the realm of love. Love is something you grow into when you and the other person get to know one another and it is not feelings based although feelings are there. Love is not a feeling, but a choice.
Second - You have no common ground for a relationship with a non-Christian so either she must come your way or you must reject Christ. It can't be both ways. Jesus said, "Either you are for me or against me." He didn't leave any middle ground.
You should pray that God would bring the right person your way. I asked the Lord to send me a woman who would love God more than me. He did, and we have lived a happy Christ-centered life for over 31 years. We also have seven children who all love and serve the Lord by their own choice. God has blessed us richly because we put Him first and our relationship after Him.
It is not selfish to want her to be a Christian. That is the best thing that could ever happen to her in her entire life. But if you want her to get saved just so you can have her that would be selfish. You should want her to be saved because she must be saved to enter Heaven.
My son dated an unsaved girl in college, and he shared the scriptures with her and Christian music and she got saved through that and other things God showed her. Now they are married and both serving the Lord and she is a very sweet Christian lady who is loved by those who know her. That was God's plan for my son but may not be His plan for you in regard to this girl you are interested in. You will have to find that out personally.
Pray, pray and pray some more. Next to salvation, who you will be spending your time with and especially who will be your mate for life is very important and not to be entered into too quickly.
Is there anyone that can share with me any knowledge about speaking in tongues ?
I want to know as much as I can about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and why some say unless you speak in tongues you are not saved
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Tongues is the least of all the gifts. Tongues is not for everyone. It is not the sign of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Power is the sign of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit that everyone should manifest. The Holy Spirit gives the gifts to every person as "HE" (the Holy Spirit) will.
Read 1 Corinthians Chapters 12 through 14. Study them carefully and don't let anyone's preconceived opinions tell you what to believe those chapters say. They are pretty plain and easy to understand for anyone who is looking to really understand them and not form the verses to their opinion.
Above all ask the Spirit of God to teach you as you read. He doesn't make the mistakes humans do when interpreting the Word of God. "He will lead you and guide you into all truth."
How to raise a true child of God?
I was raised Christian. I know that you're a Christian in church. When you're away you stray. How can I make sure my son becomes a true Christian unlike what a lot of 'Christian' children are like.
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I believe the key to raising a child for God is simple. I will tell you what my wife and I did in raising seven children who now know and love and serve the Lord.
We prayed over them in the womb before they ever came out. When they were born we kept on giving them hugs and kisses and letting them know verbally that we love them. As they grew older we gave them swats with verbal assurance that we love them and showed them the reason for the swats and after the swats were over they received hugs and kisses and more assurance that we loved them and wanted what was best for them. We gave them names with God in the meaning of each name so they knew that their names were all special. We read scripture to them long before they could ever understand what it meant and prayed with them as well during that time. Our home and car always had some Christian music exclusively playing for us and them. We took them to church and they learned under teachers who knew and loved the Lord personally. We encouraged them to attend youth group and special events geared to their age group all the time they were growing up so they could interact with and grow with Christian young people. We taught them to respect others no matter who they were and to love others even if those others didn't return their love. We taught them that they are valuable to God first, their parents second and that they should stick together in a world where families are falling apart in and out of the church, and never cease to support one another after my wife and I went to be with the Lord.
We taught them the most important thing, which is to love God above everyone and everything, and give Him first place in your heart. We showed them through our lives and what God had done in and through us that doing that is the best thing anyone could do.
Even after they left home we made sure they knew that they were always welcome whether they chose to follow the Lord or not. We also let them know clearly the consequences of both choices. We also let them know that nobody can get saved for them but they had to make that choice for themselves.
There is much more but this should give you plenty to start.
Why?
Why does life have so much controversy in it?
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Life has controversy because there is a war going on between good and evil. They are not compatible.
Why do most people on Yahoo Answers hate Christians?
Where is the love?
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Jesus has the answer for you. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world the world would love his own, but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I have said unto you; the servant is not greater than his Lord; If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you, If they have kept my saying they will keep yours also." John 15:18-20
Hebrews speaks of those men and women of God who went before us as "strangers and pilgrims" on the earth.
We are like emissaries from a foreign country sent her to represent God to those who don't know Him. Some will be thankful for the message we bring. Most will not as evidenced by the words of scripture which state; "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, and few there be that find it, but broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go in thereat." – Jesus
Are there any people on here that don’t believe in the rapture because I don’t and want to talk with other people that have the same Christian beliefs but I don’t know were I can find them?
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There are three different teachings on the rapture. They are pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation. They are valid considerations and the rapture will happen.
I personally prefer to believe in pan-tribulation. That is to say that if I stick close to Jesus and obey Him and love Him; it won't matter if or when the rapture comes because if I'm walking close to Jesus it will all “pan out.”.
Plan for biggest church in Britain...Do you think this Pastor will be a Joel Osteen for Brits?
It will hold five times as many worshipers as Westminster Abbey and its baptism fonts will be the size of Jacuzzis. An attempt to build Britain’s first Pentecostal mega-church, with room for a congregation of 10,000, will go before planners tonight. The church argues that it has already moved to make way for the London 2012 Olympics and says it was offered the land in a deal with the London Development Agency to build a new headquarters. If the plans are rejected, it will appeal. If the scheme is approved, the building work is due to be completed by 2013.
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God cares little for the size of the church or the congregation. He is far more interested in what is in the hearts of those who are building the church and those who will teach and those who will attend it.
He will want to know if they have a zeal for the honor and glory of God and the salvation of souls or if it is a man made edifice created to glorify men who believe themselves to be spiritual and in tune with Him when in reality they may be out of touch with "sound doctrine."
There are many teachers who speak faith to everyone and espouse prosperity teachings that go against the Word of God. While they encourage their followers to give until they bleed, and tell them to trust God for an increase, they themselves wear expensive suits, drive the best cars, live in the fanciest houses, eat the best foods and have some of the gaudiest "Christian parties and banquets" all at the expense of those who continue to labor on in near poverty.
Research Joel Osteen online by someone who isn't caught up in what he teaches and evaluates his ministry from the scriptures. You might be surprised by what you find.
Bill O'Reiley had a gentleman on his show last night. (A 2 part show) who had a NDE?
I forgot the guy's name, but his case was a Head On Collision. He was killed instantly, and paramedics couldn't revive him. He was covered with a yellow tarp, and waited for the morgue wagon. He described his experience as being in front of Gates and seeing people he once knew that had died. He also saw a huge bright light beyond the gates he describes as the light of God before he could enter he went back into his body...
My question is: for most people who have not experienced a NDE death for the most part it is frightening because to most it is an *Unknown* However for people that have had a NDE none of them fear death any longer and most welcome the day they go back to the place to where they once were in temporary death. Why do you think that is?
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Most near death experiences that we hear of are from those who had a positive experience like you just wrote about. Without exception, they all speak of a bright light, but I''m convinced that some have been deceived into believing that the bright light was God or Christ.
The Bible says that the devil can appear to be an angel of light, so we are to be careful that we are not deceived. Some people have stated that they died and actually saw Christ as a bright light and that He spoke to them. They said His glory was such that they could not look directly at Him, which would verify John's testimony in the first chapter of Revelation.
There are others who say they have been to Hell, and those don't get as much publicity because nobody wants to think of eternal punishment. If you type "To Hell and Back" into your browser you can see the stories of five atheists who died and went to Hell or near Hell and were brought back. Immediately upon returning they turned their lives to Christ and believe they were saved to warn others to stay away from there. Another man who was a Christian and went there was Bill Weise, a quiet little man who kept physically fit and pretty much a low key individual. His story "23 minutes in Hell" tells of how he endured some of what Hell is like by being taken there without knowledge of His salvation. When the Lord took him out and returned his knowledge of salvation He was so grateful he could not express it. He too believes that his experience was given so that he could warn others not to go there. The unusual thing about his story is that Jesus spoke to him and told him that even many who go to church do not believe there is a Hell, and he was to go and tell them that it is real.
Of course everyone is free to believe what they wish about any of these experiences, but I am sharing them with you because it fits your question.
Because I am a Christian, and because I know God in a personal way, I am convinced that the Biblical accounts of Hell and Heaven are what the Bible says they are. One is a place of misery and the other a place of eternal joy!
We choose which one we will go to by the way we receive or reject God's Word and His commandments and the sacrifice of Christ for our sins.
Was Jesus ever tempted?
Your answer should be based on this scripture alone!
James 1:14 - but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
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The Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every point as we are, but without sin.
The rendition of the verse you gave above is perverted. The verse and preceding verse actually reads, "Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil; neither tempteth He any man, but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed."
Being tempted is not a sin. Yielding to temptation is sin. Christ never yielded to temptation.
You must take this verse in context. No verse of scripture stands alone. The preceding and following verses should be considered to get the entire meaning of this verse. To do otherwise is isogesis, which is taking scripture out of context.
Proper interpretation of scripture is called exogesis, which considers all scripture pertaining to the subject.
Free will?
Do I really have free will if I'm not allowed to simply cease to exist, without forced eternal life in heaven or hell?
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Your free will is to exercise choices in preparing for eternity. God could have easily made you non-existent, but He gave you life so you could exist and enjoy living both now and throughout the long ages of eternity.
Life is a privilege given to all who receive it. What we do with that privilege is what makes the difference in where we spend eternity. Everyone who is given the gift of life will have to make a decision whether or not to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. That decision to accept or reject Him and His sacrifice for you is where free will comes in. That decision will determine everyone's final destination.
What is your opinion about fasting according to your religion? Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Do you find it hard not to eat certain types of food for a specific period
of time?
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Without religious intent - fasting is one of the best things a person can do for their body. It is a great cleansing time where your body disposes of a lot of the junk ingested prior to the fast.
From a spiritual perspective as a Christian; fasting is considered to be a time of drawing closer to God. It is a time of denial to teach us discipline in our lives. When the disciples could not cast our some demons, Jesus told them that "this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting." So fasting provided the spiritual power necessary to cast out demons that wasn't present in the disciples during that incident. And, of course, it is a cleansing of the body, especially extended fasts that deny food for periods of time that will induce physical cleansing in our bodies.
What can you tell me about the credibility of the 12 witnesses who attested to seeing the original plates that
the Book of Mormon was translated from?
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It has long ago been proven that Joseph Smith is the only one who ever "saw the plates." Truth is that those plates never existed.
A man wanted to prove that Smith was a deceiver so he made what are known as the Kinderhook Plates. He took some gold pieces shaped something like a triangle ( I think 6 of them ) to Joseph Smith after he had inscribed some lines and figures on them at random. Joseph Smith verified that they were valid and he even interpreted them, even though they contained no actual human language but just a bunch of lines and figures made up by their creator.
Joseph used a divining stone or "peeping stone" to interpret the plates he was supposed to have seen. He would put it in a hat and then put his face down in the opening of the hat and interpret to a person who would then write it down. The person doing the writing never saw the plates and had to take Smith's word for it.
There is much more that would reflect on this man's personal life and character as well as the history and teachings of the Mormon church that is never discussed in Mormon circles.
It would take too much space to write about it here, but if you would go to www.waltermartin.com and check into his study of Mormonism you could learn all you care to know.
How can I have better faith in my prayers for my family's salvation?
I seem to have more faith in other things in my life and other things I pray about, but for some reason, my faith in this situation is weak.
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You can have faith that if you ask God to convict them through the power of the Holy Spirit that He will do it. You can ask Him to keep them under His protection and you have power to bind the devil and his demons from touching them, and you can also pray that God would do whatever He has to do to bring them to repentance.
The problem is that everyone has free will, so asking God to save someone isn't scriptural. God will call them and the Holy Spirit can come to them and bring conviction of sin, but in the end it is still the person who must make the decision to hear and obey God or not.
There was a woman whose husband was abusive and cursed a lot and hit her occasionally. She prayed faithfully for Him for 17 years and put tracts in his lunch and talked to Him about Jesus. He would not listen and went on as he was.
One night they went to bed and were sound asleep when she was jarred awake by her husband's deep sobbing beside the bed. He was praying and asking the Lord to forgive Him and he was gloriously saved. I guess you can imagine how much improved their life was after that.
When I tell this true story, I often wonder what would have happened if she had quit praying after 16 years. As long as there is life in their mortal bodies - there is hope! Never give up, and never stop praying for them. You may be the only one doing it.
Body of Christ - Why Can't We Agree?
I listened to a Christian podcast once and the pastor stated that the #1 reason people do not embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ is Christian hypocrisy. I agree. It's very discouraging, and I can see why atheists are sick of us (we mixed up bunch of nuts!).
-- Why the division if the bible is not a book of confusion?
-- Why can't Christian leaders and theologians agree?
-- Is it OK to profit from the word of God?
-- Why are there so many churches and denominations?
-- Why are all these cults resurfacing?
-- What's with all the self-proclaimed Internet prophets?
-- Five Fold Ministry (more confusion!)?
How can we possibly further the Kingdom of God, love our enemies, help our brothers and sisters, etc. etc. when we can't even agree on the book we proclaim to everyone? What would the apostles say to all these churches and church "leaders" today?
All answers to this serious and loaded question are welcome, but please be mature in your responses and most importantly, be honest.
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I don't think the number one reason is hypocrisy but rather that some Christians become desensitized to the world they live in because of the constant flooding of garbage in media coupled with their laziness in studying scripture and failure to learn to pray effectively. We have become soft, comfortable, and out of touch with reality. A lot of what would have been scorned years ago as sin is now accepted by a lot of churches. Preaching is all about the love of God and what He wants to do for us instead of balancing the preaching with His love and wrath and what we should be doing to advance the cause of Christ. Repentance has been buried and the word commitment is seldom heard. Going to church is more like a social club than an army camp preparing for war. The leadership in many churches preach so as not to offend the regulars and the visitors for fear of losing that paycheck and parsonage. Television evangelists preach lies about riches and prosperity while their audience lives from paycheck to paycheck and they live like kings. Radical preachers resort to name calling and shame the name of Christ publicly by their actions. Some high profile ministers are caught up in sex scandals that reflect on the entire body of believers and dishonor Christ. There is no clear message to the nation to turn from sin to righteousness, and preachers in political circles are mere shadows of what they should be and don't stand firm in their faith and rebuke the wicked leaders of this generation.
As for your list - I have always felt that denominations should be called abominations since the Bible says we are to be one body in Christ. Some of the ridiculous reasons people have split from churches are pathetically sad. I will say no more on that issue.
Christian leaders and the
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