You know, Roli, you and I have very different views of what constitutes a Christian. I believe that we could quote Bible verses forever and neither of us would change our minds. I simply don't believe in your God...a God of vengence, spite and dishonor, a God who would cast more than half his kids into hell. I've been where you are and it was impossible to live like that.
The word of God offends those who are not born of God by the Holy Spirit,it actually causes anger and people to be enraged.It did back than and it still does.
He does'nt send you there you make the choice throughout your God given life ,plenty time to trust Christ as Savior.
maybe you just have'nt seen your need for a Savior,if a person does not see their sin ,why would they feel the need for a Savior.
You see a diseses ,you will see the need for a doctor and cure.
You find yourself drowing you will want someone to save you,maybe, I don't know.
Look at it this way ,i look out in the river,I see you splashing around having fun,in your mind and ignorance your in no way at risk, i race out and grab you and pull you in.
Would you be offended,at first absolutely,would you resist sure more than likely, but if I calm you down and get you to look out towards the place I pulled you from and showed you the falls you were about to go over ,would you still be offended,I doubt it.
That's where I find ourselves.
What you are saying is that you don't believe in the God of the bible ,but on the contray have formed and fashoined a god in your mind violating the 2nd command.
When I was involved in that type of belief system the only person I thought about was me...my salvation...I'm saved....and on and on. I spent lots of time judging others and finding them lacking. The problem was I just couldn't live like that. I could not believe in that kind of God.
Maybe you never actually found God,the bible talks about true and false conversions.
Think about the religious leaders in Jesus day,you liars,vipers,hypocrites he called them, etc.
When I finally woke up and found I didn't have to see God that way the blessing in my life was unimaginable.
Your view of God sounds like a tainted one from the get go.Not that that is your fault
How did you come to God why did you come to God.
Under who's teaching where you following.
What do you believe
Many who come to God may never have come in the first place,I see it all the time.
You just have to wacth and listen to people long enough.
If they start becoming unteachable,angry,unforgiving, etc,etc,,the seed of God's word which may have landed on their heart has been devoured or landed on hard ground ,which means heart
There are many different views of God; yours is one, mine is quite another. I don't judge your view. If it works for you, that's fine. What I dislike is when someone like you starts judging others and those judgements are negative and unkind. It is not our job to judge. Remember, "Judgement is MINE," says the Lord; and in Matthew we're told to take the plank from our own eye and not judge others; and we're told "Judge not that ye be not judged"?
You obviously don't know the context of these scriptures.
I have not offende you ,but my speaking of the word is what offends.
They did'nt hate Jesus ,just what he said.
Again I don't judge you,I share what His word says,his Holy Spirit Judges and convicts
Jhn 16:8 And when He (Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
And may I remind you that one may be very religious but not spiritual? In the above quote you included verses about Jesus condemning the Scribes and Pharisees for their arrogance. It seems to me he was condemning religious arrogance, kind of like the arrogance displayed when we point the finger of judgement at others; give the impression that we have all the answers where Christianity is concerned; interpret the Bible totally correctly and know God's will absolutely.
They were arrogant religious leaders who did not have the spirit of God abiding within them,that simple.
He told them to repent for the remission sins and bare fruits worthy of repentance
They worship with their mouth but their hearts are far from God
First of all, I don't see where I wasn't playing fair. I also never said the verse says we can have anything we want. I said that the verse says that as we think, so we are. It's the Bible that says that, not me.
Do you actually know Jesus as ;Lord ,and turned away from,?
How did you come to Jesus ?
I actually read from several different Bibles: A New King James version, an American Standard and a couple of others. I think those are all considered legitimate versions.
Why do you still read if you don't believ in the God if the bible,that is an oxymoron
You say that if the Holy Spirit is not in a person they don't understand. My question is: Who judges whether a person has the Spirit of God? You? Who are you to imply or say that another person does not have that spirit just because they see things differently than you. Again, I remind you that God tells us not to judge.
John says we judge and test the spirits as to what ones come from God and what are false.
1Jo 4:6 We are
of God: he that knoweth
God heareth us; he that is not
of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the
spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error.
Apprently if you don't hear what and receive what John is speaking regarding the word ,you are in error
Jhn 13:20Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Jhn 18:37Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
1Jo 4:1Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jo 4:3And
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
It is our judge to make the call according to how another receives the truth of Jesus and his word,it's that simple,the question is what do you believe and disbelieve.
This is most certainly not personal,but spiritual as in Eph 6:12
Actually, I misquoted one of the verses. Where I said it was Mark 4:26-29 I should have said Matthew 17:20. In that context Jesus heals a boy and the disciples ask why they can't. Jesus says "if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will ay to this mountain, 'Move from ehre to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
He is speaking to those who have faith in and trust Jesus as Lord and savior of their life and they have the holy Spirit
In this context he does not say they need anything but faith in God. Period. He doesn't say you have to be a Christian or not. He simply says your faith can move mountains. So I disagree with your idea that it is only for Christians
Again your not looking into who he's talking to,where he is talking and why
If that is how your attempting to interpret scripture,well I feel this is futile.
You would'nt do that in day to day life,you weigh the context ,reasons etc
Additionally, if you look at the story of the woman who touched his garment and was healed, he didn't say she had to be a Christian nor anything else. He said, 'your faith has made you whole.' Period. Not believe this or that first, nor practice this or that. Simply 'Your faith has made you whole.' Jesus didn't stop to check if she was a Christian nor a Jew nor anything else. All that mattered to him was her faith. Doesn't seem to me that it was ONLY for a special group. It was also for her. I could go on and on about similar things but I won't. I think I've made my point.
Are you reaching out to Jesus for something,as you have stated you turned away into believing another doctrine ,are you saying your coming back to him