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<blockquote data-quote="oi_antz" data-source="post: 60490107" data-attributes="member: 261524"><p>Hi Chrissy, welcome to CF <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> I'm a bit late because I've been busy with work lately but I feel to contribute my thoughts to your search for truth. Specifically I see what you are identifying is divisions in the church. Dogmatic division. Division by belief. I have seen your response to the less loving pitch of the gospel. There is a verse about this:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Does this make sense to you? I know that reading the bible can be hard if you don't have much experience to contextualize it. This is Paul writing to the Corinthian church about another preacher called "Apollos". Some of the church members had been getting confused and were arguing about whether Paul or Apollos were telling the true message. Paul eloquently advised them in that verse to be careful whose teaching we should adopt, because the quality of wisdom is not the same from one person to another. In fact Paul went on to speak about that in verse 18: </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That blatant "smack the fear of hell into them" gospel is exactly what Jesus taught us not to do. He said this:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Some teachers aren't very shrewd. So just be careful not to let your experience with bad teachers to tarnish your relationship with God.</p><p></p><p></p><p>That's just the way the world is. Gays are picked on because they are a minority. In context of the sin, I think there are more harmful types of sin such as lying, stealing, abuse etc, but it is still an activity that God in His holiness finds disgusting. God is not the only one who finds it disgusting either. But there are churches around that don't try and force people to live in God's way, instead they are happy to love their neighbour as their own. Further to this, there are individuals in each church and their personal opinions will vary a lot. So don't get discouraged due to some bad eggs, get out and experience all the churces in your area, you may even find one that you feel really comfortable with.</p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.christianforums.com/t7655332/#post60484083" target="_blank">What FundiMentalist said</a></p><p></p><p>Is that a fact?</p><p></p><p>I agree. The world needs a universal governance that can distribute resources as needed. Too much food is wasted in our current civilization, the present system is downright evil. And I still can't buy tree-ripened fruit at the shops!</p><p></p><p>Beliefs are just that, they are beliefs. What matters is the result of that belief. So for scientists studying evolution, their reward is a greater understanding of biology. For Christians believing in the literal creation, their reward is faith in a God that can just do it in no time at all.</p><p></p><p>Guess what, you don't need to "follow a religion" that has beliefs you find unacceptable. All you need to do is strike a deal with Jesus that you will obey Him. He will teach you and guide you, to eventually be with Him forever and ever! </p><p></p><p>There are some people who do believe that, they are referred to as pharisee's. Originally the pharisee's were Jews, but they have taken over Christianity too.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pharisee" target="_blank">pharisee - definition of pharisee by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.</a></p><p>2. A self-righteous person; a hypocrite.</p><p></p><p>Jesus said this:</p><p>Matthew 7:1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.</p><p>Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Wrong. There is a plan and Jesus made it plain and clear:</p><p></p><p>Hebrews 9:27 <u><strong>people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment</strong></u></p><p>Matthew 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, <strong><u>Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.</u></strong> </p><p></p><p>What is this kingdom?</p><p></p><p>Revelation 21</p><p>A New Heaven and a New Earth</p><p></p><p>21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death<strong> or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>5 He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>6 He said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The issue isn't love, it is sexual immorality. A person can love a child without having sex with it.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Congratulations! How exciting! It is very responsible of you to want the best for your children. I think you would make a fine Christian, keep an open mind and keep reading and thinking about it. Once you've read the bible and understand what it means to be Christ's disciple, you can dedicate your life to Jesus by baptism. Now, I'm not judging you, I'm just saying that there will be something in the bible that will convict you. If you can overcome your pride that you love that sin, and accept instead that God hates that sin, you can give your life to Jesus and He will guide you and He will give you fruit from the tree of life. This is His promise to us:</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>That is eternal life. That is what you need to seek, don't chase after a religion, chase after Jesus' righteousness!</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="oi_antz, post: 60490107, member: 261524"] Hi Chrissy, welcome to CF :) I'm a bit late because I've been busy with work lately but I feel to contribute my thoughts to your search for truth. Specifically I see what you are identifying is divisions in the church. Dogmatic division. Division by belief. I have seen your response to the less loving pitch of the gospel. There is a verse about this: Does this make sense to you? I know that reading the bible can be hard if you don't have much experience to contextualize it. This is Paul writing to the Corinthian church about another preacher called "Apollos". Some of the church members had been getting confused and were arguing about whether Paul or Apollos were telling the true message. Paul eloquently advised them in that verse to be careful whose teaching we should adopt, because the quality of wisdom is not the same from one person to another. In fact Paul went on to speak about that in verse 18: That blatant "smack the fear of hell into them" gospel is exactly what Jesus taught us not to do. He said this: Some teachers aren't very shrewd. So just be careful not to let your experience with bad teachers to tarnish your relationship with God. That's just the way the world is. Gays are picked on because they are a minority. In context of the sin, I think there are more harmful types of sin such as lying, stealing, abuse etc, but it is still an activity that God in His holiness finds disgusting. God is not the only one who finds it disgusting either. But there are churches around that don't try and force people to live in God's way, instead they are happy to love their neighbour as their own. Further to this, there are individuals in each church and their personal opinions will vary a lot. So don't get discouraged due to some bad eggs, get out and experience all the churces in your area, you may even find one that you feel really comfortable with. [url=http://www.christianforums.com/t7655332/#post60484083]What FundiMentalist said[/url] Is that a fact? I agree. The world needs a universal governance that can distribute resources as needed. Too much food is wasted in our current civilization, the present system is downright evil. And I still can't buy tree-ripened fruit at the shops! Beliefs are just that, they are beliefs. What matters is the result of that belief. So for scientists studying evolution, their reward is a greater understanding of biology. For Christians believing in the literal creation, their reward is faith in a God that can just do it in no time at all. Guess what, you don't need to "follow a religion" that has beliefs you find unacceptable. All you need to do is strike a deal with Jesus that you will obey Him. He will teach you and guide you, to eventually be with Him forever and ever! There are some people who do believe that, they are referred to as pharisee's. Originally the pharisee's were Jews, but they have taken over Christianity too. [url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pharisee]pharisee - definition of pharisee by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.[/url] 2. A self-righteous person; a hypocrite. Jesus said this: Matthew 7:1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Wrong. There is a plan and Jesus made it plain and clear: Hebrews 9:27 [u][b]people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment[/b][/u] Matthew 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, [b][u]Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.[/u][/b] What is this kingdom? Revelation 21 A New Heaven and a New Earth 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. 5 He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. 6 He said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. The issue isn't love, it is sexual immorality. A person can love a child without having sex with it. Congratulations! How exciting! It is very responsible of you to want the best for your children. I think you would make a fine Christian, keep an open mind and keep reading and thinking about it. Once you've read the bible and understand what it means to be Christ's disciple, you can dedicate your life to Jesus by baptism. Now, I'm not judging you, I'm just saying that there will be something in the bible that will convict you. If you can overcome your pride that you love that sin, and accept instead that God hates that sin, you can give your life to Jesus and He will guide you and He will give you fruit from the tree of life. This is His promise to us: That is eternal life. That is what you need to seek, don't chase after a religion, chase after Jesus' righteousness![/b] [/QUOTE]
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