Christians, what should I expect?

[an anarchist]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist.

Dear Xavier,

I know your question is slightly different but I’d like to address the servitude bit, because you’ve put it in relation to whether Christ and God exist or not.

If to serve Christ is to follow the example of Christ, then you do so by living:

• attentively
• humbly
• selflessly

When one lives attentively, one remains as curious as a child and learns from what one encounters: about nature, mankind, man’s impact on what is, man’s impact on himself - as species and on individual levels (interactive agency).
This learning is continuous; its fuel is curiosity (not ambition, for ambition stems from want and want is a lack, which distorts what one learns and morphs it into what one needs it to be, instead of what it actually is) and it’s result is humility, because the more one understands about worldliness, the more one realises our absolute collective bond, value and vulnerability.

When one lives humbly, one aims to detect and understand the circumstances, roles and perspectives of those one comes across, almost as if they were one’s own. When/if one succeeds, one sees that in their exact same shoes, one would probably have been just like them.
This approach to living is constant and results in a greater ability to “love one’s neighbour” and to forgive the shortcomings, both of one’s fellow beings and of oneself. It also enables one to see that there is no true “enemy” in one’s enemy - the enemy is in the limiting of one’s understanding to that of solely one’s own view.

When one lives attentively and humbly, one will inevitably dedicate one’s life to the lives of others, because in deeply understanding other perspectives than one’s own, one’s view of and attachment to “self” vanishes.
Selflessness is not an aim; it is an effect. But living selflessly is having freed oneself from the burden of self-attachment and only then, does one discover how heavy that burden truly had been all along.

It is of course very true that the payoffs of humility are invisible to the arrogant, but in my experience; when one lives one’s life in above manner, one’s life in enriched. And more importantly: one’s life is enriching to those whom one encounters.

My question to you, therefore, is this:
If to serve Christ is done in that manner and it turns out that God did not exist; why would that matter?


Humbly,
Hermit

 

[Brian2]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

Luke 15:3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders

John 10:26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.…

Don't ask me what to expect. It is you who knows your Lord's voice.
That old feeling you used to get might not return but the Lord is still there calling even when your faith feels so small or non existent.
When you hear His voice, don't harden your heart,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, which is so easy to do, it must be almost second nature to do that now.
Call on His name and keep calling.

 

[PureX]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Humans are designed to ask these kinds of questions. By that I mean to ask questions that we cannot answer. We can learn a lot from it, about ourselves, if nothing else.

First, though, what do you know about "existence"? Do you know it's parameters? It's limitations? Do you know if it has a purpose, and what that might be? And how would a "God" fit into what you think you know about existence? Especially a "creator God". How could we claim that such a God existed before creating existence? And if such a God did not exists before existence, itself, then what gave God, It's existence?

See what I mean? Lots of questions, and no answers.

But what DO we know about "God", or for that matter, existence? Well, we know they are both ideas in the human mind. Ideas that our minds generate in response to our experience of being human, and of living in a physical reality that we did not create, and mostly cannot control. And it's because we live in a physical reality that we did not create and mostly do not control that our minds developed the idea of "God" as an entity that did create the world and that does control it ... at least more than we can.

Does this mean "God is not real"? I would think just the opposite is true. The God ideal is the direct result of our minds confronting a reality that we did not create and do not control. And our minds did this for a very good reason: to help us deal with the unknowable and uncontrollable world in which we find ourselves.

So I would ask myself why would I want to reject an ideal that my own mind, and billions of other minds like mine generated to help ourselves deal with the unknowable and uncontrollable world in which we all find ourselves? I mean, whether God exists or not, and however God exists, or doesn't, is not something you or I will ever be able to determine. But the fact that our minds have generated this conceptual mechanism to help us live in a world that we can't control is something that I can choose to use to my advantage when I am being confronted by my own vulnerability and ignorance in this world. So why not use it?

The question to you is not, "does God really exist?". The question to you is, "does faith in a God of your choosing work for you, in your life?" Because that's a question that you CAN answer. That's a question you can test, and a question that provides you with a "God" that you can reinvent as you need to. And that's a God that can save your life. And make your experience of life, significantly better. And not just for you, but for everyone around you, too.

 

[Davi Carvalho]

Hi Xavier,

I'm really happy to hear you decided to return to Christ! Answering some of your questions:

- Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit?
Yes, because He is responsible to guide people to all truth, according to John 16:13. Also, a necessary condition to follow Christ is to be convinced of your own sin, and John 16:8 states that the Holy Spirit is also responsible to convince a person of its own sin. Therefore, you can only perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 also states that being guided by the Holy Spirit is a necessary condition for being a son of God.

- Must I read the Bible again?
Yes, because if you wish to serve God, you must have faith, according to Hebrews 11:6, and Romans 10:17 says this faith comes through the Word of Christ. Studying the Bible will strengthen your relationship with God, because it is through it you'll know Him more and more everyday.

- Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me?
Romans 10:14 talks about the importance of Christians preaching so unbelievers can come to know Christ. However, I believe this is necessary only for those who don't know the Gospel. Since you have already walked the Path, I don't think you need to wait for a Christian to approach you. The Word of God shows us we have direct access to God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:18, 3:12), which means we don't need anyone else to approach God. Start reading the Bible and praying and, look for a Church, and in His own time He will reveal Himself to you. In Jeremiah 29:13, God gives a wonderful promise to Israel, that I believe still applies to us: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

- Like, what exactly am I looking for?
I believe the answers above answer well this question. If you wish to talk any further about it, feel free to ask here or look for me in a private conversation! Hope I could help a little bit.

Best Regards!

 

[dannerz]

I'd say look for small miracles. You'd be surprised by some of the stories I've heard by fellow LDS members. Jesus was also miss-understood. So there is the issue of setting up a straw man. Other people's mistakes can effect you it seems. But don't give up!

 

[pearl]

Must I read the Bible again?

Not enough, you must pray, meditate on it.

 

[Kenny]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

It could be any of the above.

but...

9 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

Why not just go talk to Him? You could go go walk into a church that seems interesting and see what happens. Etc.

 

[Sir Joseph]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

I think others above have provided good scriptural advice already, so let me offer a different perspective. Although I've spent a lifetime of reading the Bible, praying, and attending various churches, nothing seems to stir my heart more than an interesting, passionate sermon on a faith based topic. I have a video library now of a dozen such topics, including a variety of excellent YouTube videos that have strengthened my faith and Biblical knowledge significantly over the past few years.

So what might I suggest for you to watch, perhaps next Sunday morning when you see others going to church? Well here's a fascinating presentation for anyone interested in whether there's an afterlife or not. It should stir one's heart's desire to seek truth and learn more about the Christian faith.

Now, there's soooooooo much evidence and media available supporting the existence of God, authority of the Bible, and truth of the Christian faith. Here's a start to get any skeptic into the investigative mood.

I must confess that my Christian faith, though grounded firmly and confidently in empiracle evidence, has never yielded a vision or spiritual experience with God that could be physically or emotionally perceived. I'm confident though that the Holy Spirit resides within me because of my faith in the Bible's teachings and because of the impact The Lord's made upon my life and character.

I think any skeptic that studies the evidence for God, the Bible, and Christ with an open heart will find the truth. Discovering that truth is only part of the formula though; one must receive or accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Believe + Accept = Become. That's the process that will ultimately lead to one's assurance of salvation and eternal life.

 

[Colt]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

Seek God with complete abandon, with a whole heart. Christ and the Father are indistinguishable.

 

[Brickjectivity]

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

You shouldn't seek Christ, because if he is lifted up he will draw all unto himself. You cannot seek him and find him. You can seek righteousness, and you will find that though. You can seek spiritual character, and you will find that. That is good enough. Passages in the gospels about seeking and finding are in Matthew ch7 and Luke ch11. The heavenly father will grant you these treasures if you seek for them.

The passage about Jesus being lifted up and drawing you is found in John 12. Therefore it is not your job to seek him out.

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life.

I would be circumspect about a "Personal relationship" of this kind. How can you both have a personal relationship with Christ while at the same time denying yourself? I am aware that preachers talk about a personal relationship, but to me this seems like a carrot before a horse rather than something one can actually obtain, and you have to watch out for stage acts. They'll say anything to get you excited and mollified and entranced. If a personal relationship (with him) is so important, why isn't Jesus here with us instead of far away? I am therefore wary about your claim to having a very personal relationship. Maybe you did, but it seems like if that were the case you'd be glowing or something.

But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Be at peace with others. Compete against the Christians in morality. Rest from your suffering and seeking. No one can say that is wrong.

 

[syo]

Nero.

 

[nPeace]

A big part of me wants Christ to be real and He really be the son of God. I had a highly personal relationship with Christ for most of my life. To serve Him would be cool. But it won’t do if He doesn’t exist. And that is what I can’t help but question.

Christians, I’m on the lookout for your God. So, what should I be looking for? Some of my newer coworkers I’ve worked with this past week I have found out to be Christians. They were surprised to find out my religious history and my current interest in religion. When I was talking to them about Christ, I felt a yearning for Him. How often do Christians assume they can feel the Holy Spirit? Quite often, in my experience. I was a Christian who would at times feel the presence. Or at least I thought. The feeling I felt this past week when talking to them was one that resembles the feeling I used to have when I arrogantly assumed the Spirit was upon me. I am writing it off to my yearning for that naivety(?). But it got me thinking…

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

I would say what you should be looking for, is the same thing God looks for.
Take a good look at your heart. What do you see? In other words, example yourself - your motives, inclinations, desires, and of course, the quality of your heart... Is it honest, hungry, humble?
That's all you need to be looking for.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

What should I be looking for if I am seeking Christ, oh Christian? Will I perceive Christ through the Holy Spirit? Must I read the Bible again? Will it be through Christians that Christ will speak to me? Like, what exactly am I looking for? I am looking for your Christ, Christian. So help me out here please :^]

I find Jesus gives us a BIG clue found at John 13:34-35
To love others as he loved others.
To now love neighbor MORE than self (more than the Golden Rule of Lev. 19:18)
Christ-like love would prove to be the identification of his genuine followers ( 1st Cor. 13:4-5 )
Because the Bible is not written like a novel, besides reading, one needs to research the Scriptures by subject or topic arrangement.
Taking one topic or subject at a time. (Acts 17:11)
A comprehensive concordance helps put the Bible in alphabetical order for us.

Also, as far as 'looking for' we can look and see what Jesus forecasted for our day at Matthew chapter 24; Luke chapter 21; Mark chapter 13.
All of this ties in with the description described at 2nd Timothy 3:1-5,13 about these last days of badness on Earth before there will be divine involvement into mankind's affairs.
We are all invited to pray to God for Jesus to come !
Come because Jesus is the one who will bring ' healing ' to earth's nations - Rev. 22:20,2

 

[URAVIP2ME]

........So what might I suggest for you to watch, perhaps next Sunday morning when you see others going to church? Well here's a fascinating presentation for anyone interested in whether there's an afterlife or not. It should stir one's heart's desire to seek truth and learn more about the Christian faith......................

I find there is a BIG difference between the meaning of ' afterlife ' and ' resurrection'
Afterlife means being more alive ' after ' death than before death.
Whereas ' resurrection ' is future ( Notice the future tense used at Acts 24:15 that there 'is going to be' a resurrection...... )
Clergy often put everyone righteous as going to Heaven at death.
Jesus made a covenant, a contact, for Heaven only for those like the ones found at Luke 22L28-30; Daniel 7:18; Rev. 20:6; 5:9-10)
No one who died before Jesus (John 3:13) was offered heavenly life. ( includes King David - Acts 2:34 )
So, what Jesus was showing us by bringing people back to life is that there will be a physical resurrection.
A resurrection restoring people back to live life on Earth on Resurrection Day ( meaning Jesus' coming Millennium-Long Day of governing over Earth for a thousand years ) - John 6:40,44
The majority of mankind thus can gain 'everlasting life on Earth' as part of the humble meek to inherit the Earth - Matt. 5:5; Psalm 37:9-11.