Is there something wrong about testing everything so as to make on's way towards good?

peter2 · May 7, 2017

Such at least was the question I "atheisticly" asked to myself, "atheisticly", for I had no clear-cut belief at the time of this questionning. I gradually came back to believe in God since..
I decided no, and went further along this path, but it was my self-centered decision..
Do you think I behave badly in keeping researching my path, channeled by this question, for I
can't deny the tests it implies sometimes harm my fellowresearchers? I have always considered it to be an unavoidable evil for the sake of honesty, yet I ask for your opinion. Thank you

Ron Gurley · May 7, 2017

If you a true spiritually changed believer, one should follow the guidance of the permanently indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

John called this PROCESS as "testing the spirits".

JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN THE FLESH...

1 John 4 (NASB)...Testing the Spirits (parens/editing mine)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God;
this is the "spirit of the anti-christ", of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you (God the Holy Spirit)than he who is in the world.(satan)
5 They (unbelievers) are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
6 We are from God; (believers)
he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.
By this we know the spirit of truth (God the Holy Spirit) and the spirit of error.(spirit of the antichrist)

peter2 · May 7, 2017

Ron Gurley said:
If you a true spiritually changed believer, one should follow the guidance of the permanently indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

Hello Ron, thank you very much for your help.
I apologize for I get discouraged seeking what I spiritually need in thé many verses of bible.That's why I try à little lazyly to get answers through people who do know. I know it's not a gentleman's behaviour to use others for one's own interest, but I hope you made it with brotherly willingness and pleasure. Actually, these verses are what I needed to read, ,with great precision. Thank you for your relevance, too.

Greg J. · May 7, 2017

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” (Luke 8:50, 1984 NIV)

You can seek God with a spirit of skepticism or with a spirit of hope and faith. It is good to seek to understand the truth of the reality of God's and Jesus' sacrifice, but if you are examining these without wanting to believe, who knows where you might end up. Believing the testimony of reliable Christians' experiences of God is an important part of being on the right path. What they say they believe is "whatever" unless you have reasons to trust them already. (Belonging to a good church is priceless.) It is harder to fail to see the truth when it is about experiences. As crazy as people's experiences may seem to be, they don't vary nearly as much as the multitude of people's theories, ideas, and beliefs about God.

paul1149 · May 7, 2017

Two instances of testing in the Bible come to mind. The first is in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon used his life as an experiment to find where true meaning lay. He engaged in good works, he sought pleasure. He did everything he could think of, but while doing it he held a part of himself back so as to observe what he was doing and the effect it had on him. He concluded very simply that it is best to regard God in everything you do. Sadly though, the end of Solomon's life didn't go very well.

The other example comes from Acts 17, where noble-minded Bereans searched the scriptures daily to find out if the Gospel they were hearing was true. These Bereans are cast in a good light, though the town, or at least some elements of it, would soon arise against Paul.

There's a danger in questioning, but questioning is necessary. We are told to prove all things and hold fast to what is good (1Thess 5). If we keep good faith and a humble heart as we seek the truth, we are promised that we will find God.

You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. -Jer 29:12-13

peter2 · May 7, 2017

Greg J. said:
if you are examining these without wanting to believ

I'm not. I believe all scriptures come from God

Greg J. said:
What they say they believe is "whatever" unless you have reasons to trust them already

Forl lack of understanding of your tongue, I don't understand.

Greg J. said:
As crazy as people's experiences may seem to be, they don't vary nearly as much as the multitude of people's theories, ideas, and beliefs about God.

Yet, I don't think it's comparable, for those expériences are self centered on someone's affirmation, and often believings about God are founded on reason, which is a less random source as a self-asserted experience.
I thank you for your help for I feel tired sometimes to seek my path without relying any guidance.

peter2 · May 7, 2017

paul1149 said:
He did everything he could think of, but while doing it he held a part of himself back so as to observe what he was doing and the effect it had on him. He concluded very simply that it is best to regard God in everything you do

That's how I proceeded;My conclusion is the like.

paul1149 said:
Sadly though, the end of Solomon's life didn't go very well.

Did he lack Jesus's coming? I guess yes,as he coudn't have seen Him resurrected, nor have heard any witness of that.I believe it's crucial to have the whole story told by witness,so as to bring hope and faith.Without that, I think I would have turned badly.No wonder Solomon's end of life did so as well.
Excuse-me for my answering my question to you, maybe your opinion is different ?

Click to expand...

Greg J. · May 7, 2017

peter2 said:
Yet, I don't think it's comparable, for those expériences are self centered on someone's affirmation, and often believings about God are founded on reason, which is a less random source as a self-asserted experience.

Yes, but when it comes to God, most people's reason is wrong about some things more often than not. Trusting in one's own understanding won't get a person saved or keep them saved.

peter2 · May 8, 2017

Greg J. said:
It is harder to fail to see the truth when it is about experiences.

Thomas might have said so,however, before Jesus taught him how happy we are believing without any sensorial experience.
Yet, I don't mean to down sensorial experiences for it's in the flesh Jesus came and resurrected, we just have not to rely on flesh for our salvation, but for our perceptions of reality.
Would you be ok then to advise me how to pursue my researchs amid christian variety so as to join an assembly of prayer and research? Thank you

Greg J. · May 8, 2017

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:28-29, 1984 NIV)

Parallel to the context you mention, what I am saying is that:
Because you have reasoned and understood, you have believed; blessed are those who have not understood and believed. Our connection to God is by faith. Reason and understanding are methods to that, but won't by themselves help the person.

peter2 · May 8, 2017

Greg J. said:
Parallel to the context you mention, what I am saying is that:
Because you have reasoned and understood, you have believed; blessed are those who have not understood and believed. Our connection to God is by faith. Reason and understanding are methods to that, but won't by themselves help the person.

Yet, your words are not precisely those of Jesus.you are extrapolating His Gospel. In doing so, you also meet with my want for logical reason and understanding to intervene in the meditation, this being a little contradictory.Yet again It seems to me your argument is more valuable than mine, faith developping being more valuable I believe, than reason one, to God's eyes. Would you please agree then to provide me with advice as for how to direct my research towards a prayer and research group that would be in the God's narrow path many told me to seek for.

Greg J. · May 8, 2017

I'm not extrapolating what Jesus said, I am using the pattern of his argument to present truths that are found in many places in Scripture. Everything good that we can lay hold of from God is by faith, not reason or understanding. I am only discussing this in the hope that you will stop trusting in your ability to find God, but rather realize that you have no ability to find God. It is not a matter of what you do, but a matter of what is in your heart. It is, of course, good to study and understand God's Word, but it is useless if you are not relying on God to reveal truth to you.

For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. (Hebrews 4:2, 1984 NIV)

peter2 · May 8, 2017

Greg J. said:
is useless if you are not relying on God to reveal truth to you.

I believe God can send as many heavenly signs He wants to make me know, but He doesn't do so.It's true, I hesitate in asking such à guidance in my prayers, for I neither want to tempt Him, nor to tire Him

Greg J. · May 8, 2017

God "anxiously" awaits your prayers.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18, 1984 NIV)

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:13-14, 1984 NIV)

“So I say to you, ask and keep on asking, and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (AMP)

If the goal of your prayers is good, you can't pray too much. The only thing more important than knowing God better is trusting him more deeply. They are desperate needs we have, and God wants to meet them enormously. The better you know God, the more you will love him. Note that to know God better, you have to do what he said. And to do what he said, you have to exercise whatever faith or hope you already have in him.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22, 1984 NIV)

To know God is to know love (1 John 4:8, 16)—and be transformed to be like God.

But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (1 John 2:5-6, 1984 NIV)

peter2 · May 8, 2017

Greg J. said:
God "anxiously" awaits your prayers.

I don't know how to thank you. Your guidance is relevant, I shall pray the way scripture indicates.
God bless

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