How to gain faith?

[Sigmund]

I have a desire to gain faith but having spent years with a closed mind I keep putting barriers in the way of opening my mind to Christianity. Things like if there is a merciful God why is there suffering, earth quakes, disease etc....

However, I have established in my mind that there must be a creator, to place everything together to enable a big bang and that God is eternal which is a concept that we can not fully understand. So the question of who created God is not a valid question.

So where next, why Christianity rather than say Islam?

Is there a right way to develop ones faith? 2 weeks ago I wouldn't have even thought there was an ember of faith to kindle, but I was communicating with a vicar friend about faith and he told me in a way that really hit home that God loves me and today I can hardly think of anything else.

I'll be honest, I'm a little scared and confused about abandoning my long held agnostic principles but somehow feel I have to, I don't fully understand why its like I'm being drawn in.

Anyway I'm just kind of taking baby steps and trying to find my way, any guidance would be gratefully received.

 

[razeontherock]

Hi and welcome to CF. This is a very important time for you! I must say I have encountered at least 2 very beautiful Muslim posters on CF, that I would not say their faith is wrong, nor in vain. I also must admit I have encountered far more than 2 Christian posters on CF, who's version of their Faith might revolt you. (As it does me)

So I hope you see my point, that what you "feed your soul" is a crucial matter. I would not want to infect you with my version of Christianity, even though I have devoted decades to being pure in my understanding, which has been confirmed by a dizzying array of believers from all camps. I want to stress the importance of a personal relationship, with the risen Christ.

Islam has no leader who has ever triumphed over death, so you can have no such personal relationship in that system.

The basic concepts of Christianity can be found all over the world, from all ages, including my ancestors. (They never had a worthwhile role model either.) Christianity simply gives us a better revelation of G-d Himself, because He became one of us. (Not to quote Joan Osborne or anything, but that song is quite pointed and wonderful for this subject)

I am hoping you recognize your new-found Faith to be a seed that may not have even sprouted yet, and will be vulnerable for a while. It needs the right conditions in which to grow, and death is a real possibility. Of course I want to point you to the Bible itself, w/o anyone else's spin on it, and I will give you ideas on how to approach that that really helped me, but first I must point out:

ask G-d for Faith. Tell Him you believe, and to help your unbelief. (If you find that appropriate) Simple, huh? Now, for something a little more active:


1. Approach the Bible with the attitude that it is God speaking to you, telling you about how to relate to Him. Pray with a quiet, meditative spirit, for exactly that. Ask Him to show Himself strong to you, in ways you haven't known yet. It's ok to stir up your hunger, but try not to let that stir up your emotions.

2. Do this every morning, and every evening. We can talk about Scriptural reasons in depth later, but it is God's way.

3. As you read, anything that looks good PRAY FOR IT. Specific examples I've found powerful:

a. Is 50:4 "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to [him that is] weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. (Jesus got this, prophetically. Talk about humility!)


b. “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” Eph 1:17

c. Realize EVERY instance of "the wicked man" in Proverbs is you (me / us).
Yeah, ouch.

4. If there's time for more involved praying after this, fine; but more likely there will be other things you need to go do. Don't think they take you away from God because they DON'T! Just don't leave home w/o Him. It's in the doing that prayer seems to be most helpful. "Pray w/o ceasing," keep a prayerful attitude; there is room in His kingdom for our own unique style. The calling is to abundant LIFE.

 

[Criada]

Welcome to CF
I can't add a lot to what Ray has said, but I can tell you what drew me to Christianity when I had studied many religions. I knew, and know, that I can't be 'good' on my own. I can take a stab at it, but it just isn't possible to be really good.
And most of the religions I looked at seemed to ask me to be just that - to keep rules, do good works, love others more than myself, love a God who seemed a million miles away...
I couldn't do it.
But when I looked at Christianity, I found a God who knew me, who understood my weaknesses, and who loved me enough to pay the ultimate price, so I didn't have to earn the right to know him, I didn't have to keep rules or do good works - although now I do those things out of love for him.
He just took me as I was, loved me despite myself - even when I was trying to run away from him. And he made a way, through the cross and the resurrection, for me to know him, not just as a distant Creator, but as a loving Father.

He loves you... just talk to him, get to know him, and he will guide you.
And a good church will help as well

Praying for you.

 

[salida]

Why christianity? Why are you drawn in?

Other religions are based on works alone as people think they can work their way to heaven. With christianity one can't work their way into heaven-its impossible. Can you keep all the 10 commandments 100% of the time all the time? Only Jesus did. If any of us break it once with just one commandment we are guilty. Gods standards is way too high for us. So, he sent Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The byproduct of saving faith is good works. Without faith its impossible to please God. If you want your faith to grow its like a spiritual muscle-the more you use it the more it grows. Daily pray-talk to God. Read his Word (bible), and live it.

Are you a good person? www.livingwaters.com/good/

The holy spirit drew you in.

More info:

The Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell a former agnostic- (its overwhelming circumstantial evidence of bible) and Examine the Evidence by Muncaster a former athiest/The Case for Christ and The Real Jesus by Lee Strobel a former athiest.

http://www.reasonableanswers.org/12-Eyewitnesses-of-the-resurrection.html
http://www.ucg.org/bible/jesus-resurrection/
http://www.gotquestions.org/canon-Bible.html
http://equip.org/articles/a-defense-of-sola-scriptura
http://equip.org/articles/bible-reliability

Internal Evidence (prophesies confirmed within bible)
Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen 49:10 - Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Lukes time period 60-70 AD)
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Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5 - Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60 - 70 AD)
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Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14 - Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60 - 70 AD)
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Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 - four kingdoms are described in the interpretation of a dream of
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek - Daniel 8:21, 10:20/and the fourth
great kingdom to follow- part iron and clay-which is the Roman Empire. During this empire Christ came and his church was established.
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Historical Accuracy
The bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events hundreds of years ago and has not
been proven incorrect in any.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents):
New Testament starts - at 25 years between original and first surviving copies
Homer - starts at 500 years
Demosthenes - at 1400 years
Plato - at 1200 years
Caesar - at 1000 years
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Number of Manuscript Copies-New Testament - 5,686/Homer - 643/Demosthenes - 200/
Plato - 7/Caesar -10
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Consistency/Written by God
Written by at least 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years and has no internal inconsistencies.
It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. No other religious book makes such claim.
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External Evidences (prophesies outside bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never built again.
Nineveh - Nahum 1:10, 3:7,15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon - Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre - Ezekiel 26:1-28
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Bible before Science- He hangs the earth on nothing-Job 26:7/Earth is a sphere-Isaiah 40:22
Air has weight-Job 28:25/Gravity-Job 26:7, Job 38:31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6
(Job was written at least 1000 BC; some scholars think 3000 BC)
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Documents that Prove Bible is True
Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles
Archeological Finds
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel

 

[1watchman]

You got some good counsel here, Sigmund, and the one thing that stands out in all counsel about God and the hereafter life, is that one must realize the reality of it (as it appears you do). Now, think about faith, as God says: "..without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6). He gave us His Word, so that we might know Him and His expectations for His creatures; so, we need to receive it and believe, right?

Here is a place to begin: "There is a danger of intellectualizing God, rather than coming personally in faith. Three things need to be appreciated to find God, be saved for eternity and enjoy His blessings:
1) Go into your "closet (Mt. 6:6) --private place away from other people, and speak humbly with your Creator-God;
2) Confess and own you are a sinner before God as He says (see Rom. 3:11-26), and you want to be saved, obey, and live for Him;
3) Confess to Him you are now receiving God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into your heart as your Savior (read 1 Jn. 5:10-13), and give thanks honestly to the Lord Jesus for His sacrifice.

If you honestly do all that, you can go forth happy in your soul, walking and talking with the Lord Jesus, knowing from God's promises you have done all that is required in the Bible to be saved. The Lord Jesus will truly come and make His “abode” in you by the Holy Spirit, and you will be sealed as a child of God (see John 3 and John 14:23). It is really simple, but many miss salvation by taking short-cuts and follow religious ways and their own ideas, and are not honest and faithful in talking to the Savior. Be sure to read your Bible daily.

The above thoughts show that which is involved, but actually one can simply cry to the Lord Jesus to save oneself, and if done in real faith and trust in Him, God will do the work and convince one."

I hope you will settle this matter soon, friend, and have the joy of knowing the Savior-God. Feel free to write me anytime.

- Sincerely in Christ forever, 1 Watchman

 

[JasperJackson]

Hi Sigmund,

I have been a Christian for about 3 years (after being an atheist). I had my own questions about God as we all do. Thankfully there are many dedicated Christians out there who have put a lot of effort into explaining reasons for their faith and many of those difficult issues, such as suffering. Someone who I've found particularly helpful is Tim Keller (pastor at a church in New York). Try some of these sermons here: Can I Believe? | Redeemer Sermons

God bless,
JJ

 

[Sigmund]

Thank you all, I have a lot to learn and there is a lot to understand.

 

[E.C.]

You might know where you are now and where you want to go, but how will you get there?

I myself was a bit agnostic/atheistic for a period of time. If you'd like, you're more than welcome to PM me for more on how that came to an end.

 

[Sigmund]

OK step 1:

I accept and declare that I do believe, in The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it may not sound much to you guys but its a big step for me!

 

[JasperJackson]

That's a huge step! And wonderful news.

Well, there's no "next step" to becoming a Christian. You are one now.

So now that you are a Christian, start reading your Bible regularly and praying regularly to grow in your faith and to love and trust God more and more. Also, you should start looking for a good church.

 

[oi_antz]

OK step 1:

I accept and declare that I do believe, in The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it may not sound much to you guys but its a big step for me!

Hi Sigmund. I want to show you something that Jesus said to His disciples just before He was taken to crucifixion. In this conversation between Jesus and His disciples, He describes the nature of the relationship we have with God in the post-crucifixion era. Take a read:

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Notice verse 23. All you have to do is obey Jesus and He will take care of the rest, He will come and make His home with you. So the biggest hurdle for you is to decide whether you will obey Jesus. It can be hard because He wants us to be perfectly holy, which even means repenting of unclean thoughts. Many people enjoy sin so it is difficult for us to repent and live a life of obedience to Jesus. But it's not really that hard if you decide that Jesus is correct because He helps us to repent by giving us the Holy Spirit. I could get specific about how Jesus has helped me repent but I won't just yet. Suffice it to say that when I got over the initial hurdle of surrendering the sin I enjoyed, gradually Jesus purged my life of those sins I held dear and now I am free from the clutches of sin and living a clean "Christian" life. Occasionally a girl might walk by that catches my eye, but that's a normal hormonal response and so long as I'm not coveting her it's not lusting.

Well anyway, I hope this helps, please do make sure you raise any difficulties you are having, there's a good handful of solid Christians on this forum who love help people gain their peace with Jesus.

 

[dewba]

your questions aboutchristianity will be answered by reading the bible. scripture gives you understanding.

 

[aiki]

OK step 1:

I accept and declare that I do believe, in The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it may not sound much to you guys but its a big step for me!

This is a step in the right direction. God, however, wants more than our faith (as vital as that is). He wants our love. You will not go very far at all with God without a love for Him. God doesn't ask us to love Him in a vacuum, though. He "became flesh and dwelt among us" and took upon Himself, in the person of His Son, the penalty for your sin. Doing so involved torment and death but He suffered the horrible penalty of your sin and mine because He loves us. As the Bible says, "we love Him because He first loved us."

Take the faith you have exerted in making the above declaration and direct it toward trusting what the Bible says about Christ's role as your Saviour. Ask God to impress upon you deeply the full import of Christ's saving work for you on the cross. Trust that Christ was God in the flesh and that he did, in fact, pay the penalty for your sin. It is this step of faith that will bring you fully into relationship with God.

Selah.

 

[razeontherock]

OK step 1:

I accept and declare that I do believe, in The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it may not sound much to you guys but its a big step for me!

I just want to encourage you to focus on the above post; Aiki really boiled this down well!

 

[FutureAndAHope]

The verse which comes to mind when I thhink of you is this.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

When you start a faith journey it is a good thing. If you have not already found, you will that God is a very kind and faithful God. He delights in blessing his children. To live what I would call a victorious life, one where you are not easily pushed around by the pressures of life, you will need to keep your thoughts and mind continually renewed by the word of God, the bible, and also by allowing God access to your daily life through, communication, or prayer. The bible says "The prayers of a righteous person achieve much". Your prayers are powerful, and can change the world. They can also change the situations that come around your life. The bible says " You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." - Joh 14:14 Jesus promises that if we ask him for anything he will do it. Of course you need to ask for things that are according to his will, i.e. you can't ask him to kill your enemies, he just won't do it. But anything which is loving, kind, shows the character of God, as revealed in the bible. You can ask him for those things. But don't be afraid to have faith, Jesus said "If you have faith the size of a small seed you shall say to a mountain be picked up and cast into the sea and it will obey you". Basically you don't need a special faith, the smallest possible faith can do the impossible. Why well God is on your side. I am still learning how to walk in faith, but the more time I spend with Jesus the more faith I seem to get. I just believe for bigger and bigger things. Why not believe big, God is big. Don't limit your self to the ordinary. The biblesays "Those that wait upon the LORD will renew ther strength". Strength in life comes from seeking God. It is a good thing, I find as much joy in seeking God for miracles as I do in the ordinary life. Although I enjoy the ordinary life as well. God has blessed me with a good job, a good wife, and and now a new son, who I know God loves. He wants us to enjoy every thing he has given. Good luck on your journey. Be a powerful person. If nothing happens straight away keep seeking, it works.

 

[KrimsonDraegon]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Peace be upon you,

Welcome to your new found belief in the Almighty, الحمد لله, (it means "All praise to the Lord") and welcome to Christianity!

As stated, a most important step in coming closer to the Father is to study your Bible. There are a lot of versions out there and most Christians consider the King James Version (KJV) to be the authority. However, this version does have its own issues and I wouldn't recommend it for a new Christian. A better selection is a New King James Version (NKJV) or New International Version (NIV), or - really - any version that agrees most with you. Pick it up, feel it, look through it, read some passages. Can you carry it around with you? Does it require a cover? (Leather, cloth, denim, etc. covers are sold for Bibles that keep them safe and often have handles and pockets for easy carry and transport of study material). Most importantly, does it speak to you? Make sure it is a study edition. (It will say on the front of the Bible, i.e. "New King James Study Bible")

However, without a doubt the most important step for building faith, as well as spreading your own ministry, is action. This action is called worship. Now, I know most people envision worship as bowing before an altar or something like that. However, worship really is defined, in Judeo-Christianity, as performing any action set aside solely for the glory of the Almighty One, blessed be He.

Worship begins with intention. This is performed in the heart: "In the Name of the Almighty One [Jesus, God, YHVH, whatever makes you feel close to God while maintaining respect and reverence] I shall do [this thing] and for no other." Something along the lines of this formula should work fine. But it is not this simple, for now comes the part that actually glorifies the Father and that means maintaining the mindset that you are in the act of worship solely for His glory during your action. It is easy enough to proclaim "In the Name of the Almighty One I shall study His Word and for no other!", then sit down while a soft melody studies, only to find yourself listening to the music or admiring the commentators in your study bible. For what reason did you make intent? For who are you bringing glory?

Worship brings glory to the Father; but, it also extends many benefits unto you. In Deuteronomy we see that the Almighty will extend our physical, mental, and spiritual successes, extend our life, and impart wisdom and peace upon us. Others will see your righteous actions and mind and proclaim, "Surely there is one who is loved and blessed by the Almighty!", and they will be drawn to the Light in you that is the Lord.

Onto commandments - there has been some commentary here on the inability of man to keep even the 10 commandments. Isn't it sad that there is actually many more that that? Try 613 in the "Old Testament" (start off on the right foot, it's called the "Tanakh") and over 1,000 after you include Jesus' commandments. King Solomon, wisest of all men, once declared that the commandments were not a burden, that they are gifts, and that we should not scorn them. Understanding and accepting that keeping commandments is not difficult is actually liberating and will provide the guidance to higher morality that many Christians desperately need. (Please note that this is not intended as an attack, but merely an observation)

However, commandments are not strictly something you should concern yourself with right now. If you are interested in learning more I might either open a thread on it you may wish to participate in, or you might PM me and I would be all too happy to explain. (This is open for anyone)

Brother, I sincerely wish you success, happiness, and prosperity in your new faith. We are all here for you and will provide the gentle guidance needed to get you off the ground. My post may be long, but your new faith really is quite simple to keep. Remember actions as worship, remember to pray daily and speak with your Father, and remember to study your scriptures.

Your most loving brother,
Shaeykh
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