Jesus Only

Citizen of the Kingdom · Jan 17, 2017

Jesus has to be Savior before He can be Teacher. Without knowing Him as Savior His teachings are ideals that can only lead to dispare, frustration and self-ishness.
His teachings can never be attained to in that setting.
But if we know Him first as Savior, by being born again from above, we know that He didn't come only to teach us, but to make us become what He teaches we should be.

Luke 11:13
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
John 20:22
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:2
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

"Blessed are the poor in spirit" is the first principle of the kingdom. Any of our self-righteous notions God continues to allow until we at last stumble over Him. Then and only then can we allow ourselves to come and receive from Him.
When we can say "I can't begin to do it" Then Jesus says "Blessed are you" Sometimes it can take a long time to believe in our own poverty. But only that belief will bring us to the moral frontier where Jesus Christ works. Where He will become our Savior first and also our Teacher.

Any effort we put into God's words are rewarded in the Holy Spirit's work. Namely of bringing His word to mind when the time is right for our personal lessons. Most specifically as to it's application in our lives, when the conscious mind 'knows' that which the subconscious mind has stored away often w/o understanding.

John 14:26
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

But the point is ---- will we obey Him when He does bring it back to remembrance?
We may call Him 'Savior'
we may call Him 'Teacher'
but will we call Him 'Lord'?
Will we be found in obedience when He applies His word to our lives?

Citizen of the Kingdom · Jan 28, 2017

I woke up thinking about the family values that the Father places upon His children, realizing that the number one value is immediate response to Him. (see the story of Samuel and Eli) When He speaks we are to have the immediate response "Here am I, speak for I am listening"
Well, I woke up well over a few hours ago and, altho I can't articulate the dream that I had, I know what He has been saying for the last week or so. And what it boils down to is that we all have a responsibility to be not just hearers of His word but doers also.
If not then we're as hypocritical as any Pharisee and need some intense cleaning on the inside.

Luke 6:41-42
"Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’
when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye."
Matthew 7:1-2
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get."

The first thing that we do when judging others is to put ourselves in a superior position. That's not how God's family is to be. We're told "Do not call anyone Rabbi, Teacher or Father because you have but One"
And beyond that He says

John 13:13-17
"You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.
If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."

Cleansing the inside really comes down to giving that which is of God to God, thru those in need. We are all clean and bathed in Christ but some of our walks are in need, thru circumstances or whatever.
No one is superior to another because we are all one in Christ. He has made the whole body well.

John 7:23-24
"If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 14, 2017

Genesis 6:5
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
Genesis 6:6
The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
Genesis 8:21
The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Genesis 24:45
“Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
Genesis 34:3
His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.
Genesis 34:8
But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.
Genesis 42:28
“My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 9:2
Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
Matthew 9:4
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Matthew 12:40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 14, 2017

^^ The first few verses on the heart old and new

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 23, 2017

The True Bride of Christ (some things ARE worth waiting for)

The church came out from Jesus as Eve came out of Adam's side. Not created but built up. God is interested only in building His eternal dwelling. This is the governing vision and God's heart's desire is to dwell among us.

The bride is submissive to her Husband, goes to Him with all her questions, is as mute as a lamb having only the Word of God for her offensive.

A betrothal is violated when (spiritual) adultary takes place.

The seed of the promise was to come thru Sarah (grace) and not Hagar (law)

Hagar and Sarah
Galatians 4:21-31
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
27For it is written:
"Be glad, O barren woman,
who bears no children;
break forth and cry aloud,
you who have no labor pains;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband."
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.
30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."
31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

The Bride is also representative of the follower of the Lord:

1 Peter 3:5-6
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.
They were submissive to their own husbands,
like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

We, as true overcomers, the bride, are the daughter's of Sarah:

Galatians 4:28
Now you, brethern, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Not just children of Grace (through Sarah) but of Faith (through Abraham)

Galatians 3:29
And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.

Not the children of the law (Hagar) but children of grace (Sarah) both being children of Abraham

Romans 4:13
For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.

Who is the Bride?

Galatians 3:28
There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.

Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. That was his faith and we are Abraham's children and therefore rightful heirs when we look to the builder of faith to overcome

Hebrews 11:10
for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

That is the true New Jerusalem, the Bride.
We are the NEW CREATION

2 Corinthians 5:17
So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation;
2 Corinthians 6: 2
(for he says, I have listened to thee in an accepted time, and I have helped thee in a day of salvation: behold, now is the well-accepted time; behold, now the day of salvation.
Galatians 6:15-18
For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision; but new creation. 16 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace upon them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 17 For the rest let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the brands of the Lord Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

********************

I love the verses about Hagar and Sarah. Both had promises from God, but only one had the inheritance given to their offspring.
The true bride of Abraham, Sarah, represented by Grace, carried the legitimate heir, even tho Abraham had numerous other children.

*****************

THE MOTHER AND GRACE ARE THE SAME THING

I think it also describes the difference of the inheritance belonging to the wife of Jehovah (earthly) (Old Testament) and the bride (heavenly) (New Testament)

Galatians 4:26
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
Galatians 4:27
For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

And this Jerusalem is our mother; it signifies the Church of Christ, the metropolis of Christianity, or rather the state of liberty into which all true believers are brought.

Galatians 4:28
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

"Are the children of promise." We so far resemble Isaac, that there are great and precious promises made to use. We are not in the condition of Ishmael, to who no promise was made.

Now we - Who believe in the Lord Jesus, are the children of promise - are the spiritual offspring of the Messiah, the seed of Abraham, in whom the promise stated that all the nations of the earth should be blessed.

Galatians 4:26
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.

But Jerusalem which is above. The spiritual Jerusalem; the true church of God. Jerusalem was the place where God was worshipped, and hence it became synonymous with the word church, or is used to represent the people of God.

The word rendered "above" (anw) means, properly, up above, that which is above; heavenly, celestial,

Colossians 3:1-2
Rules for Holy Living
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
John 8:23
23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world

Here it means, the heavenly or celestial Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:2: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven."
Hebrews 12:22: "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

Here it is used to denote the church, as being of heavenly origin.

Is free. The spirit of the gospel is that of freedom.

It is freedom from sin, freedom from the bondage of rites and customs, and it promotes freedom for all in Christ.

Galatians 4:7
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 24, 2017

In combination with the above post more about the New Jerusalem

House Being Built = New Jerusalem

1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

It was that they might proclaim the glory of God, and keep up the remembrance of his wondrous deeds in the earth. This is to be done

(a.) by proper ascriptions of praise to him in public, family, and social worship;

(b.) by being always the avowed friends of God, ready ever to vindicate his government and ways;

(c.) by endeavouring to make known his excellences to all those who are ignorant of him; and

(d.) by such a life as shall constantly proclaim his praise--as the sun, the moon, the stars, the hills, the streams, the flowers do, showing what God does. The consistent life of a devoted Christian is a constant setting forth of the praise of God, showing to all that the God who has made him such is worthy to be loved.
Barnes' Notes on 1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 1 Barnes' Notes
That ye should show forth the praises of him - Margin, "virtues." The Greek word (ἀρετὴ aretē) means properly "good quality, excellence" of any kind. It means here the excellences of God - His goodness, His wondrous deeds, or those things which make it proper to praise Him. This shows one great object for which they were redeemed. It was that they might proclaim the glory of God, and keep up the remembrance of His wondrous deeds in the earth. ...
Who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light - On the word called, see the notes at Ephesians 4:1. Darkness is the emblem of ignorance, sin, and misery, and refers here to their condition before their conversion; light is the emblem of the opposite, and is a beautiful representation of the state of those who are brought to the knowledge of the gospel. See the notes at Acts 26:18. ...

Edit to add further quote

Presbyterian Continuist · Feb 24, 2017

greenguzzi said:
Why? Have you never questioned the canon? I'm pretty sure that any Christian who has ever lived would have done so. The Bible is riddled with apparent discrepancies. Are we to ignore them like idiots?

There are some parts of the Bible that are written for us and not to us. They are written for our education and not for our direct instruction. A lot of the Old Testament historical accounts show the good, bad and the ugly. Just because David, being a man of Gods own heart, committed adultery and murder, doesn't mean that we should. Also, Joshua was told to subdue the inhabitants of Canaan, not exterminate them. Joshua went over and above what God told him to do. Actually, most of the Old Testament was the history of Israel before and after their exile. The only parts of that history we can rely on is what God said directly to people. And things that God said in the Old Testament was for Israel and not necessarily for Gentiles (and if we are not Jew, we are Gentiles).

We see also in the Gospels that there are things that are written for us, including some of the things Jesus did and said. Not every word that Jesus spoke was meant as instructions directly to us. We need to determine what we need to take on board for us, like picking the meat from the bones.

Those who maintain that every word of the Bible is God's direct word to us for us to obey every respect are those who misunderstand the purpose of the Bible and its message to us.

The canon of the Bible came about because a council of devout religious men decided which they believed was authentic Scripture and what wasn't. They took a long time to accept Hebrews, James and Revelation.

We need to know that Luke was an educated physician. He says at the start of his gospel that what he was about to write has been thoroughly researched from all the documents and eye-witness reports that he could access at the time. Much of that research material has been lost to us through the passage of time. That is why Luke's gospel and Acts are entirely reliable and give an authentic account of the life of Jesus and the Early Church.

Quite frankly, the Bible is all we have to describe the nature and the ways of God, and how He dealt with the different issues that confronted Him through the ages. It is the only book that describes the life of Jesus, and His ministry. John says that his gospel is just a small thumbnail sketch of what Jesus did and said, If he had to write everything about Jesus and His ministry on earth, the world would not be able to contain all the books.

So, because the Bible is not put forward as an exclusive history or a scientific manual, we cannot treat it as the last word in history or science. The Bible gives us just enough information to know the basics about God, His nature, and how He deals with situations and people. Also, we have just enough information about what Jesus is like, and how we can receive salvation and eternal life through Him. Also we have just sketchy information about how the Christian church was formed, and the basis for sound doctrine so that we can be protected from heresy.

So what if the Bible contains inconsistencies and errors? I don't care. It doesn't affect my faith at all. The Apostles didn't have a New Testament. All they had were the Old Testament scriptures. And Jesus was able to show them how the Old Testament spoke of Him right through it. So their faith was in Christ, and the Old Testament gave them the basis for it.

Some think that the Bible is "the perfect" that Paul was talking about. Absolute rubbish! The Bible is not perfect. It is merely a guide to point us to Christ so that we can believe in and worship Him.

Presbyterian Continuist · Feb 24, 2017

Tull said:
If part of the bible can be questioned then all of it can be questioned and Christianity is just another empty religion.

When Matthew, Mark, Luke Paul, Peter, James, John,or Jude wrote, they did not have any expectation that their writing was going to be used as Scripture. Jesus never quoted the Old Testament to prove His ministry, except when He showed that prophecy had been fulfilled. Most of the time He proved His ministry through the signs and wonders He performed.

In Acts, it was quoting the Old Testament (which is all the Apostles had) that brought thousands of pagans to Christ, it was the signs and wonders accompanying their preaching of the gospel.

The reason why we have a canon of scripture is to preserve sound doctrine the face of heresies that were corrupting the Church. Once the reality of the presence of the Holy Spirit faded from the Church, there needed to be a written foundation to preserve the faith and genuineness of Christianity. That's why we have the Bible today. Because faith comes by hearing God's Word, then all we really have to generate faith is the Bible.

The canon of the Old Testament was determined by Jewish religious leaders before the birth of Christ. The New Testament canon was finalised at the Council of Trent, although there were attempts to establish a canon from the Second Century. The books that made up the canon were thoroughly tested by the best and most experienced Church scholars of the time, to ensure that they were written by someone who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus or who was closely associated with one of the twelve Apostles. Any Christian works that did not meet that test were excluded, even though they might have contained sound doctrine.

Jesus told the story about the rich man and Lazarus and had Abraham telling the rich man that if his brothers did not believe Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament), then even if someone came back from the dead they wouldn't believe him. This means that Jesus had absolute confidence in "Moses and the Prophets". And if He had confidence in it then so do I.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 25, 2017

Oscarr said:
.... Not every word that Jesus spoke was meant as instructions directly to us. We need to determine what we need to take on board for us, like picking the meat from the bones....

Would you mind clarifying what you mean by not every word of Jesus is meant for instruction?

Tull · Feb 25, 2017

The word of God has been preserved by the power of God,one can always mention the process and individuals involved if they wish to dismiss it as writings of mere men which many do,they question Paul but not Jesus when they were not there to hear what either one of them actually said,they question what they disagree with and accept what they do....people being people.

I have always said if you question part of it you might as well question all of it,you have no more proof that what you do like is true asw you do that what you don't like is not true.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Feb 25, 2017

The strength in Your love
keeps moving me on
Forward one step at a time

In Your grace Your
bringing me home
Your way is so subline

Like a city on a hill
Your light for all to see
Your love breaks through the darkness
showing the way for me
I love You, Jesus

Though it be
just one step
You give Your all to me.
I love You, Jesus

Jesus is my rock
He is my salvation
Tho the world curse and groan
He is still my own

Nothing can come between
the love He has for me
I've chosen no longer to eat
from the forbidden tree

Only from the tree of life
from hence His life flows
I've chosen to only know
what His life given has shown

To be true and shun all fasehoods
to be found within His word
To be doing all I've seen
as well as all I've heard

Of the great and mighty Teacher
the One who died for me
The One religion rejected
Who died upon a tree

From the leaves that give the healing
from the vine which flows the sap
from the roots deep within Him
for Him, from Him. He fills the gap.

greenguzzi · Mar 1, 2017

Tull said:
The word of God has been preserved by the power of God

Yes. But the Bible isn't a book of God's magic words. It is actually a collection of writings of divers types written by many human eye witnesses of God's provision for His people. As such it required a lot of work to interpret the message and meaning.

The various human authors each had their own culture, biases, faults, and world-views. No one can expect to understand it without some understanding of its authors.

The Bible isn't inerrant. It is "God breathed", but it has many imperfections. Some of these imperfections are in the reader, but the human authors - being imperfect - have already added their own blemishes even before you stumbled over the words.

Despite this, the collection of writings we call "The Holy Bible" is the best hard information we have about our Creator and Lord, and His expectations of us.

However, anyone who reckons that "the Bible clearly says..." anything, is fooling themselves. Because such an endeavour requires more work than any one person can muster.

Tull · Mar 2, 2017

So the God who holds the Universe his hand,controls the Sun Moon and Stars lacks the power to preserve an inerrant version of his word,if part of the bible can be questioned then all of it can be.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Mar 2, 2017

Tull said:
So the God who holds the Universe his hand,controls the Sun Moon and Stars lacks the power to preserve an inerrant version of his word,if part of the bible can be questioned then all of it can be.

What part of the bible are you questioning?

Tull · Mar 4, 2017

I'm not questioning any of it,even the hard and difficult parts,i accept it all by faith.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Mar 5, 2017

I'm not understanding the problem in this thread then.

HenryM · Mar 5, 2017

greenguzzi said:
How can you trust something that you have never questioned?

Yes, you can question something, but it's not believing in it.

You can't question God and believe in Him. I mean, you can, but those are two different cups, and however deep you fill your questioning cup, that much is missing in your believing cup.

Citizen of the Kingdom · Mar 6, 2017

Contrasts between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

Kingdom of Heaven---------------Kingdom of God

1) Messiah as King----------------God as King
(John 18:37, Revelation 20:6)-----------------(1 Corinthians 15:28)

2) From Heaven---------------in Heaven and earth
(John 18:36, Daniel 7:13)----------------(Psalms 103:9)

3) upon earth only------------in heaven-earth
(John 18:37, Revelation 5:10)-------------(1 Corinthians 15:28)

4) scope limited----------------scope unlimited
(Zechariah 14:9)-------------------(Revelation 4:11, Revelation 5:11)

5) political-------------------moral and spiritual
(Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 7:14)-------------(Romans 14:17)

6) future-------------past, present and future
(Matthew 6:10, 2 Timothy 4:1)--------(Psalms 90:2)

7) under Christ ------------Father over all
(Psalms 2:6, Luke 1:32-33)-----------(Psalms 103: 19)

8) given to Christ-------------not given
(Daniel 7:13-14, Luke 1:32)---------------(Psalms 10:16)

9) begins at second advent----------is now
(Zechariah 14, 2 Timothy 4:1),-----------(Psalms 90:2)

10) under heaven only-------------over all
(Daniel 7:27, Revelation 11:15)---------(Psalms 103:19)

11)old covenant jewish-earthly------------angel/living heavenly creatures
(Isaiah 9:7, Luke 1:33) ----------------(Revelation 5:11)

12) local-planetary-----------universal/interplanetary
(Revelation 11:15)--------------(Revelation 5:11)

13) earthly capital-----------heavenly capital
(Isaiah 2:3, Zechariah 14)-----------(Hebrews 12:22)

14) dispensational in purpose----------eternal in purpose
(1 Corinthians 15:24-28) ---------------(Ephesians 3:11)

15) has a beginning-------------timeless, endless
(2 Timothy 4:1, Matthew 6:10)-----------(Psalms 90:2)

16) tares in it now-----------only born-again ones in it
(Matthew 13:38-50)----------------(John 3:5)

17) comes with outward show--------------without show
(Matthew 24:29-31, Matthew 25:31-46, --------------(Luke 17:20, Romans 14:17
2 Thesalonians 1:7-10 , Jude 14, Zechariah 14:1-5---------------1 Corinthians 4:20)
Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 19:11-21)

18) flesh and blood inherits for it is earthly, natural people------------does not, only for glorified resurrected saints inherit all things.
(Psalms 37:11, Matthew 5:5, Matthew 25:34, Daniel 7:18, 28, Ezekial 43:7) ------(Romans 8:17, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, Revelation 21:7)

greenguzzi · Mar 7, 2017

HenryM said:
Yes, you can question something, but it's not believing in it.

You can't question God and believe in Him. I mean, you can, but those are two different cups, and however deep you fill your questioning cup, that much is missing in your believing cup.

I beg to differ. If something is untested, then I how can I trust it?
I trust the Lord because he never lets me down. Questioning isn't the opposite of faith, it is the complement of faith. I think you may be confusing questioning with doubt. Questioning is all about understanding, doubt is all about denying.

HenryM · Mar 7, 2017

greenguzzi said:
I beg to differ. If something is untested, then I how can I trust it?
I trust the Lord because he never lets me down. Questioning isn't the opposite of faith, it is the complement of faith. I think you may be confusing questioning with doubt. Questioning is all about understanding, doubt is all about denying.

Your logic is sound on simple grounds. But when it comes to having relationship with God, who is so above what we can understand and know, at least in this reality, there is no testing it or examining it in any meaningful way. It's almost ludicrous, like a baby who is curled up in mother's belly yet it wants to test or examine something before she will accept it.

We have no meaningful ability to question anything of substance, at least while here. That's why it's called "to believe in God".

And, by the way, questioning literally means to "feel or express doubt about something, raise objections to something." Maybe the better word, if you want it, is "inquisitive".

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