It's All About That Faith, Bout That Faith

[Sabour]

You are correct! Faith all by itself is dead. We must have a faith that trusts and obeys, like Abraham had.

I don't use the word trinity. It's not in the Bible. However, the concept is. Jesus is the essence of God. He is the Son of God.

There are many false teachings floating around out there. It's up to us to study and prove all things.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. When we hear the word, we choose to accept or reject it. The parable of the sower shows us this. Faith is a choice. God has given us many reasons to believe in Him, His creation being one. We can see His handiwork through everything He has made.

I don't really know what do you mean by "Son of God" neither do I know what you mean by the word "essence".

The Word of God I would accept should have no contradictions and should be clear. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I would automatically believe anything that talks about God as the Word of God.

 

[Draka]

God is real! I know because of the bible! The bible is the word of God himself!

How do I know that the bible is the word of God? Because it says it is and the bible, being the word of God, is holy and to be believed because it is fact.

How do I know it is holy and factual? Because it is the word of God himself! Yay!

But how do I know that God is not only real, but put his word down in the form of the bible? Because the bible says so, it says it is his word and his word couldn't exist without him. Isn't it obvious?

Oh glorious day. We should all believe in what the bible says about God because it is his word and his word proves he exists to give his word in the bible.

 

[Robert.Evans]

Ok

I think he means he doesn't like cats, .... least that's what I got out of my interpretation..

 

[katiemygirl]

I don't really know what do you mean by "Son of God" neither do I know what you mean by the word "essence".

The Word of God I would accept should have no contradictions and should be clear. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I would automatically believe anything that talks about God as the Word of God.

Jesus is not God’s Son in the sense of a human father and a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is God's Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:35 says, “The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”

Jesus is the essence of God in that He has the same exact nature. But He voluntarily set aside His divinity and equality with God, the Father, to take on the role of servant.

Philippians 2:5-8
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!"

 

[Sabour]

Jesus is not God’s Son in the sense of a human father and a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form (John 1:1, 14).

Jesus is the essence of God in that He has the same exact nature. But He voluntarily set aside His divinity and equality with God, the Father, to take on the role of servant.

Philippians 2:5-8
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!"

These are the things that I can't logically accept

Thanks for your input.

 

[katiemygirl]

These are the things that I can't logically accept

Thanks for your input.

And that is exactly what I wrote in my OP. Faith is a choice. Thank you for your response.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I don't think anything about you one way or the other. I don't know you. Sorry if you thought I was speaking of you in particular. I was speaking in general.

Sure, but I'm part of the group you're generalising about. Plus when you say stuff like this...

There is no excuse for not knowing what God's will is for us, and none at all for not obeying it.

...it does have a tendency to be taken as all inclusive. You yourself commented that you are constantly adjusting your beliefs, and that what you believed last year might not be right, which seems slightly at odds with the statement above. I get a little bemused at the sort of thinking that is sometimes assigned to atheists, as well as at the generalizations that are thrown around.

Look at it this way, is there anything meaningful you can say about someone based on the term 'theist'?

 

[katiemygirl]

Sure, but I'm part of the group you're generalising about. Plus when you say stuff like this...

...it does have a tendency to be taken as all inclusive. You yourself commented that you are constantly adjusting your beliefs, and that what you believed last year might not be right, which seems slightly at odds with the statement above. I get a little bemused at the sort of thinking that is sometimes assigned to atheists, as well as at the generalizations that are thrown around.

Look at it this way, is there anything meaningful you can say about someone based on the term 'theist'?

I have no way of knowing what group you belong to. I don't know you.

I was referring to the following:
Romans 1:20
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the term deist. Can't comment.

 

[Draka]

And that is exactly what I wrote in my OP. Faith is a choice. Thank you for your response.

No. What you can and cannot fathom logically is not a choice. One can choose to study the bible, one can hope to get some meaning from it, but one cannot simply choose to believe any of it if it does not resonate to the person as true. Especially if their own experiences fly counter to what it says. One cannot simply choose to believe opposite of that which they have always known or felt to be otherwise.

I cannot stand the taste of broccoli. I, however, love the taste of cheese. I cannot simply choose to like broccoli no matter how hard I try, nor can I just opt to not ever like cheese again. It is lying to oneself. What is innate to me, what I am drawn to, are based upon what experiences I've had, the knowledge I have gained, and that does not get turned off like a switch, nor can one just up and decide/choose to go against their own mind.

 

[nazz]

It's good to try to understand things for yourself, rather than letting others interpret for you. I was raised in a particular church and believed all that my parents and teachers taught me. Why wouldn't I? I loved and trusted them. But when I grew up and began to read for myself, I saw contradictions in what I was taught by them and what I was reading. I've been studying for myself for nearly 40 years, and even now I have to adjust my beliefs. What I thought last year may not have been quite right. Imho, the Scriptures run deep. They have many layers. I figure God gives me understanding in accordance to what He thinks I'm ready for. My $0.02 for what it's worth. You have a good day as well!

Keep at it katiemygirl

 

[Midnight Rain]

That's what God wants from us! Faith!!! He wants us to be as little children and put our complete trust in Him.

God wants us to fear Him, that is, look upon Him with reverence and awe, not be scared or afraid of Him.

God wants us to walk in His ways.

God wants us to love Him.

God wants us to obey Him.

Faith is a choice. We get it by hearing, reading and studying His word.

We make a conscious decision to have faith or not have it.

Blessings,

Katie

But which god? What is the commandments we are to Obey? The Christian god? What of the Hindu gods? The Norse Gods? Egyptian? Celtic?

That is great and all that its all he wants but which god and why?

 

[nazz]

I agree with you that Jesus is the word. John 1 says it clearly. But at the same time, I know that all Scripture is inspired by God.

How do you know this?

The Bible doesn't have contradictions. Every supposed contradiction has been proven false.

I disagree. The bible is chock full of contradictions.

There may be some grammatical or copy errors, and no doubt some translators have taken liberties with the Scriptures, to beef up their doctrinal biases.

But this contradicts what you just said above. Copy errors are still errors and they often result in irreconcilable contradiction.

But the message of what must I do to be saved is there in all translations. It's loud and clear.

OK, we can agree on that.

How God would have us live our lives is written just as loudly and clearly.

If we focus on Jesus' words, yes. But those words are not in harmony with other teachings in the bible.

If someone uses the "contradiction" excuse to discount the entire Bible, then it is exactly that, an excuse.

It's enough to discount as the infallible, inerrant word of God

 

[katiemygirl]

How do you know this?


I disagree. The bible is chock full of contradictions.


But this contradicts what you just said above. Copy errors are still errors and they often result in irreconcilable contradiction.


OK, we can agree on that.


If we focus on Jesus' words, yes. But those words are not in harmony with other teachings in the bible.


It's enough to discount as the infallible, inerrant word of God

Guess we will have to agree to disagree about contradictions. Copy errors, mis spelled words, and grammatical errors are not contradictions. They don't change the overall message, particularly in matters of salvation.

You asked how I know all Scripture is inspired. I know because God said it in 2 Timothy 3:16. I choose to believe all of the Scriptures. I don't pick and choose which ones to believe and which to toss. I accept all.

By the way, I'm not here to prove the Bible true. That's a choice everyone has to make for him/herself.

 

[katiemygirl]

But which god? What is the commandments we are to Obey? The Christian god? What of the Hindu gods? The Norse Gods? Egyptian? Celtic?

That is great and all that its all he wants but which god and why?

Sorry, but I'm not here to prove who the one true God is. You can choose to follow whoever you wish or none at all.

 

[katiemygirl]

Keep at it katiemygirl

Thank you for your encouraging words.

 

[Midnight Rain]

Sorry, but I'm not here to prove who the one true God is. You can choose to follow whoever you wish or none at all.

Then what is the point of the thread?

If we are free to choose any god we want (or no at all) then I don't think I can object.

 

[nazz]

Guess we will have to agree to disagree about contradictions. Copy errors, mis spelled words, and grammatical errors are not contradictions. They don't change the overall message, particularly in matters of salvation.

I can't even agree on that.

You asked how I know all Scripture is inspired. I know because God said it in 2 Timothy 3:16.

That's just circular reasoning though. And what Scriptures is that passage even referring to?

I choose to believe all of the Scriptures. I don't pick and choose which ones to believe and which to toss. I accept all.

Really? All the books the early church accepted that were later left out? the Catholic canon? the Ethiopian canon? Or just the Protestant one?

How about the Qur'an? The Bhagavad Gita? Those are Scriptures too.

 

[katiemygirl]

No. What you can and cannot fathom logically is not a choice. One can choose to study the bible, one can hope to get some meaning from it, but one cannot simply choose to believe any of it if it does not resonate to the person as true. Especially if their own experiences fly counter to what it says. One cannot simply choose to believe opposite of that which they have always known or felt to be otherwise.

I cannot stand the taste of broccoli. I, however, love the taste of cheese. I cannot simply choose to like broccoli no matter how hard I try, nor can I just opt to not ever like cheese again. It is lying to oneself. What is innate to me, what I am drawn to, are based upon what experiences I've had, the knowledge I have gained, and that does not get turned off like a switch, nor can one just up and decide/choose to go against their own mind.

Yes a person can choose to like broccoli. It's called acquiring a taste for something. I learned to like sushi once I got past the idea that it was raw fish. It's no different with the Bible. A person can learn to accept it.

I have a friend who was like you. He was very smart and reasoned everything out. He was all about logic. Best trivia player I ever knew, btw. His wife came to church faithfully, and then one day, he decided to come too. He wanted to understand what it was his wife had that he was missing. She always seemed like such a happy and content person. Nothing ever got her down. He couldn't understand why she kept going week after week, three times a week. So he decided to give it a try. Then one day he too made a decision to follow Jesus. He's been following Him faithfully ever since and that was about 35 years ago.

Paul wrote that the message of the cross seems foolish to some, and that God would destroy the wisdom of the wise and make it foolish. That's in 1 Cor. 1:18-2.

I pray my God blesses you in every way Draka.

Katie

 

[katiemygirl]

Then what is the point of the thread?

If we are free to choose any god we want (or no at all) then I don't think I can object.

Hate to sound like a broken record, but it is your choice. That is the point of the thread.

 

[Cephus]

You asked how I know all Scripture is inspired. I know because God said it in 2 Timothy 3:16. I choose to believe all of the Scriptures. I don't pick and choose which ones to believe and which to toss. I accept all.

So you wear no mixed fabrics, eat no shellfish and stone unruly children? That's all in the Bible too. Or do you pick and choose what to believe and rationalize your way around things you don't like? Whether you like it or not, you don't *KNOW* that all Scripture is inspired, you said it yourself, you choose to believe it. The only source of claims that the Bible is inspired is in the Bible. You choose to believe the Bible because you want to believe the Bible. No knowledge required, all faith.