What if what you believe in is God, but you don't call it God and you don't know that it is God. Perhaps this is because those who described God to you did so in such a way that it led you to believe that "God" represented x when in reality "God" was y - and you believed in y - yet you didn't call it God nor were you aware it was God. And let's say you repent, you follow the morals taught in the Bible, etc. Does that mean you are saved, go to heaven, are granted eternal life, etc.?
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
-
CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
What if God is misrepresented to you
- Thread starter Cieza
- Start date
jehoiakim
Servant
- Jun 24, 2011
- 1,166
- 69
- Faith
- Messianic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Libertarian
The bible seems to indicate we are responsible for what we know, so if you have never been exposed to the idea of Jesus and the above case was true perhaps you could be saved, but the scriptures are quite clear there is one way to God, through Jesus. In this day and age most of us have heard of Jesus and it is our responsibility to look into the matter further. It all relates and is relative to Jesus, that is always the best place to start
Upvote
0
razeontherock
Well-Known Member
This is actually a very good question, with tremendous relevance! This variable "y" as you have termed the ineffable, deals with every human to ever live. Regardless whether they have heard the Gospel or not. Regardless where they were born, and under what circumstances. We are Judged by what we do with the truth we are given.
And yet, when G-d "speaks to you," (in quotes because He can show us things in a seemingly infinite variety of ways that don't involve any actual voice) you know it is HIM. What the Bible is good for, is confirmation that we are hearing the right Spirit.
Which brings us to your X / Y dichotomy. How do you know you are not worshiping satan?
Upvote
0
drich0150
Regular Member
- Mar 16, 2008
- 6,407
- 437
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Non-Denom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Republican
This question presupposes that God does not have anything to do with a believer other than what is represented to new believers by "Those who described God to them."
The Key element of the Christian Faith is having the holy Spirit be apart of your life. This Literaly means God guides and directs the hearts that accept Him. In other words if you are worshiping X instead of Y then your heart is not prepared to accept Y.
Upvote
0
Dear Cieza. I believe that is one reason why Jesus often tells us important truths, straightforward and to the point, short and easily understood. He tells a Lawyer in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then He says: " on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." For anyone who read it, and let it sink in, he or she could not be mislead by a misrepresentation. I am not saying that all long explanations are wrong, but there is always the danger of a misrepresentation leading to misunderstanding. When we are told that love conquers all, or love will always lead us in the right direction, we can be sure that is the truth. Just as works without love, do not have any power at all. I say this with love, Cieza. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.
Upvote
0
pinkputter
unending love, amazing grace
God is God on His terms.
This is a short way to say that 1. we do not get to say "who" God is. He reveals Himself to us. And 2. it is my belief that if there is ever a quality of God we do not "like" or do not think it wise for God to have, it is because we don't understand it, or have a limited perspective rather than it be inappropriate. It's part of surrendering what we do not know to God, in hopes that He will reveal it to us. It's called Faith.
A preacher from Georgia used to say, "faith is a lot like ridin' in a car with with Ray Charles as the driver. And if you can't ride with Ray Charles as the driver, then man, you ain't got faith!!"
It's a very hard thing to do. In fact to live this out is downright heroic.
And the alternative to not saying, "God I don't know if i I can believe x." But searching for that.
Is creating a god in your own image. Mainly because it makes you feel better or is convenient. Many people, on this forum, even, do this. Other outright Christians do this. I pray to Jesus that *I* don't do this. Because as humans, I think it's very possible to do this. But God knows our hearts. He knows if we are seeking Him to find truth, or if we know Him and then outright deny some beliefs.
I agree with everyone else about how we know Jesus and it's our responsibility to pursue further. Very good questions.
This is a short way to say that 1. we do not get to say "who" God is. He reveals Himself to us. And 2. it is my belief that if there is ever a quality of God we do not "like" or do not think it wise for God to have, it is because we don't understand it, or have a limited perspective rather than it be inappropriate. It's part of surrendering what we do not know to God, in hopes that He will reveal it to us. It's called Faith.
A preacher from Georgia used to say, "faith is a lot like ridin' in a car with with Ray Charles as the driver. And if you can't ride with Ray Charles as the driver, then man, you ain't got faith!!"
It's a very hard thing to do. In fact to live this out is downright heroic.
And the alternative to not saying, "God I don't know if i I can believe x." But searching for that.
Is creating a god in your own image. Mainly because it makes you feel better or is convenient. Many people, on this forum, even, do this. Other outright Christians do this. I pray to Jesus that *I* don't do this. Because as humans, I think it's very possible to do this. But God knows our hearts. He knows if we are seeking Him to find truth, or if we know Him and then outright deny some beliefs.
I agree with everyone else about how we know Jesus and it's our responsibility to pursue further. Very good questions.
Upvote
0
What if we look into the matter further and come to a conclusion that it was impossible for Jesus to rise from the dead. And we came to this conclusion not because we wanted to not believe in Jesus, but because the available evidence suggested that Jesus never rose from the dead?
Upvote
0
razeontherock
Well-Known Member
That is a rock-solid case of
(Mark 16:16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Sorry. Any other questions?
Upvote
0
Jesus is my God. And He represents Himself to me perfectly, as an open Face full of Glory
(2Co 3:18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(2Co 4:6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Peace in Christ,
Merlin
Upvote
0
Excellent question! You are not a simpleton!
Most think in the most simplest terms possible and never stray from the scriptures, which were written by men
What you are describing is actually a fact of life right now. If you were born in India and your family was Hindu you would view all other religions as outsiders. While you might show some respect towards them, you would still feel yours was the correct one. Much like Christians do.
Let's say your a devout Orthodox Jew your whole life. Why would you consider converting to Hindu or Christianity?
This does not mean it never happens, we read about Christians converting to Muslims, Jews to Christians, Hindu's to Christians and so on and so on. But normally it does not happen.
So what exactly do we go by? We go by what we know. God knows more, He is not easily offended or exhausted. And He knows every person's heart.
Religion is a marvelous thing it really is. It brings out the best and worse out of people, typical yin yang
Upvote
0
No other religion provides for the very being of the Living God to Come into them and dwell within them and change their lives like Jesus.
You can't miss when the God of time space and dimension floods you with His very Self. No other religion has this God named Jesus who gives us Life Eternal
You sure can't confuse that with a reincarnated cow or a graven image sitting on the mantle lol.
You can't miss when the God of time space and dimension floods you with His very Self. No other religion has this God named Jesus who gives us Life Eternal
You sure can't confuse that with a reincarnated cow or a graven image sitting on the mantle lol.
Upvote
0
oi_antz
Opposed to Untruth.
Isaiah 44:9-20
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 How foolish are those who manufacture idols.
These prized objects are really worthless.
The people who worship idols dont know this,
so they are all put to shame.
10 Who but a fool would make his own god
an idol that cannot help him one bit?
11 All who worship idols will be disgraced
along with all these craftsmenmere humans
who claim they can make a god.
They may all stand together,
but they will stand in terror and shame.
12 The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool,
pounding and shaping it with all his might.
His work makes him hungry and weak.
It makes him thirsty and faint.
13 Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood
and draws a pattern on it.
He works with chisel and plane
and carves it into a human figure.
He gives it human beauty
and puts it in a little shrine.
14 He cuts down cedars;
he selects the cypress and the oak;
he plants the pine in the forest
to be nourished by the rain.
15 Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire.
With it he warms himself and bakes his bread.
Thenyes, its truehe takes the rest of it
and makes himself a god to worship!
He makes an idol
and bows down in front of it!
16 He burns part of the tree to roast his meat
and to keep himself warm.
He says, Ah, that fire feels good.
17 Then he takes whats left
and makes his god: a carved idol!
He falls down in front of it,
worshiping and praying to it.
Rescue me! he says.
You are my god!
18 Such stupidity and ignorance!
Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
19 The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,
Why, its just a block of wood!
I burned half of it for heat
and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.
How can the rest of it be a god?
Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?
20 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.
He trusts something that cant help him at all.
Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,
Is this idol that Im holding in my hand a lie?
Upvote
0
leftrightleftrightleft
Well-Known Member
At some level, you're still putting your faith in something else. It all comes down to what you value more, what you trust more, what you put faith in more. If Christianity is true, then God is calling us to put aside those other faiths and trusts and trust in Him as numero uno.
If you look through the evidence and come to the conclusion that it was impossible for Jesus to rise from the dead you're probably making one or more of the following assumptions:
1) Naturalism is true
2) The laws of the universe are constant through space and time
3) Causation is a necessary component of the universe's functioning
4) The scientific method is the best system of gathering knowledge
5) Revelatory knowledge is invalid
6) Inductive logic is a legitimate methodology to arrive at truth
7) Your mind is powerful enough to comprehend the subject to its fullest capacity
8) Your upbringing and/or subjective experiences are not influencing the objective truth you have uncovered
etc...
It awfully hard to come up with reasons why these 8 things should be assumed without falling back on other assumptions.
Upvote
0
Similar threads
