Is Christianity right?

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

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Great questions!

To me, the only way to know you've got the real deal (to me personally) is to put the instructions into action, and see what happens.

Not just one instruction -- to believe. Not just one alone.

But instead, as Christ said to us, to listen and then do as He says. (For instance, as He says in Matthew chapter 7, or John chapter 14 & 15). Several things. As I think of them about 5 or 7 things depending on whether how you combine them.

So, for me, to me, my personal view, that at least agrees in a way with His instruction, is that one hasn't even found out (doesn't yet know Him, isn't yet known by Him (Matthew verses 21-23), doesn't even know, unless they are doing as he says.

So, it's very often the situation: not even tried out yet. Or, only partly tried.

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

Mainly because of the academics surrounding it. Jesus was a factually historic person, and when Historians try to research about Jesus they look to the gospels, not the Quran.

One of the many arguments muslims make is that the NT is corrupted and none of the pre-paul or pre-catholic christians believed in the Trinity and the divinity of Christ.

This is historically wrong because we have historical records such as documents/reports during Nero's reign about the beliefs and the activity of the christian prisoners. These reports where very anti-christian, nevertheless those documents state that these christians believed and worshiped Jesus.

Then you have the apostles and their brutal death records. Why would the apostles be all ok with such horrible deaths over something they where not sure of? Skeptics make the case that every religion has martyrs, which is true but did these other martyrs die because they believed some random poor jew resurrected 3 days after a Roman execution? The "extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence" should apply here, so what extraordinary thing convinced these men?

Well we hear all of these "GODS" are real right? Then ask. Call on all of them. Only one will answer See the key is to ask from your heart. Yeshua/Jesus will answer. For me I've only seen "in Jesus name" blind see. No other name has done this. He came to give us life. Set us free. To bring us back/close to Him. He is a personal God.

yeshuaslavejeff said:

Well, what does Jesus say to do ?

Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of My Father in ...
Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother." Holman Christian Standard Bible For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother." International Standard Version because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." NET Bible
=========================================

Romans 2:

".... do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seekinga]">[a] and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality."

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The work/will of the Father is for us to believe in His Son. You have entered onto the grounds of being a co-redeemer because His work on the cross didn’t do it on its own merit. Believers will not be judged because our judgment was poured out on Christ. Not even human courts have double jeopardy. The only thing we will have judged are our works some of which will be burned in the fits. When were sins forgiven? Before the cross, at the cross or when the sin was committed? If all my sins were forgiven at the cross what sin is still on me? People often claim then we can live anyway we want but we are to be a people known by our God’s loving grace to us, our loving grace to each other and to the world. Love does no harm and all sin is the absence of love because it does harm to self and or others

is David going to face wrath? Solomon going to face wrath? Both of whom committed major sins throughout their lives? Or will they have their works judged?

If you seek the truth you will find it in time. I've explored so many different religions in my life, but none of them speak to me like the Bible. Regardless, I'm never going to stop educating myself on other views and neither should anyone else.

sorry, posted in the wrong forum somehow.

Vicky gould said:

You have entered onto the grounds of being a co-redeemer because His work on the cross didn’t do it on its own merit.

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This is both a false assumption, and thus also bearing false witness, about something you don't know.

JosiahW said:

If you seek the truth you will find it in time. I've explored so many different religions in my life, but none of them speak to me like the Bible. Regardless, I'm never going to stop educating myself on other views and neither should anyone else.

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Except as God directs His children not to study the ways of foreign gods, not to desire them or their ways,
as in the way King Solomon was led astray via foreign women serving other gods.

yeshuaslavejeff said:

This is both a false assumption, and thus also bearing false witness, about something you don't know.

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I’m sorry but if I must do this and this and other things it is no longer than Christ and Christ crucified. In Hebrews it speaks of adding things to Christ’s work is subjecting Him to public humiliation. Your claim I am bearing false witness is silly and at least undercut by your claim I don’t know. False witness is an intentional act.

yeshuaslavejeff said:

Except as God directs His children not to study the ways of foreign gods, not to desire them or their ways,
as in the way King Solomon was led astray via foreign women serving other gods.

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King Solomon was led astray because he let women tempt his heart. The mere pursuit of knowledge, at least in my experience, has brought me closer to God and spreading his word.

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

I was atheist like you, researched other religions as well as Islam. Here is my take (between Christianity and Islam).

1. Christianity is consistent. Christians kept Torah (OT), and OT confirms NT. compare that to Islam, which differs from OT/NT. If you ask most Muslims, they will say OT/NT are corrupt. However the Quran itself claims Christians/Jews must follow NT/OT. (Surah 5:68), and told Muhammad if in doubt, ask the Jews/Christians (Surah 10:94-95). It took me a long time to figure out but here you are, hope it solves this step.

2. Christianity is the only religion claims we can't save ourselves, it is all God alone. i.e. you can't save yourself by your own good deeds, because none is good except God alone. Jesus said Love God, love your neighbors as yourself (non can do that), and if you hate your brother it is murder. I truly believe this is the standard of God, because any selfishness in us will make us in-complete and fall short of God. So the only way out is Jesus (I am the way, life truth John 14:6)

JosiahW said:

King Solomon was led astray because he let women tempt his heart. The mere pursuit of knowledge, at least in my experience, has brought me closer to God and spreading his word.

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But outside of Christ, in the carnal world, the natural mind,
"knowledge puffs up", and does not lead to Christ.

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

Fulfilled prophecies including Jesus prophesying His own death and resurrection.
What other 'religious' leader rose from the dead after going through physical beating and torment?

sea5763 said:

Because almost all of the prophecies of the Bible have been fulfilled! Does any other religion have so many prophecies fulfilled? The ones that have not yet been fulfilled are for the end times. Do you have any idea how hard getting a single prophesy right? What about hundreds? No one can know the future perfectly except the creator and the prophets revealed it to.

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Josh McDowell wrote Evidence that Demands a Verdict

From My Story: Josh McDowell | Cru

"Then my new friends issued a challenge I couldn’t believe. They challenged me to make rigorous, intellectual examinations of the claims of Jesus Christ – that He is God’s Son; that He inhabited a human body and lived among real men and women; that He died on the cross for the sins of humanity; that He was buried and was resurrected three days later; and that He is still alive and can change a person’s life even today.

Researching the Claims
I accepted my friends’ challenge, mostly out of spite and to prove them wrong. I was convinced the Christian story would not stand up to evidence. I was a pre-law student, and I knew something about evidence. I decided to start with the Bible. I was sure that if I could uncover indisputable evidence that the Bible is an unreliable record, the whole of Christianity would crumble.

I took the challenge seriously. I spent months in research. I even dropped out of school for a time to study in the historically rich libraries of Europe. And I found evidence – evidence in abundance; evidence I could hardly believe with my own eyes.

Finally I could come to only one conclusion: If I were to remain intellectually honest, I had to admit that the Old and New Testament documents were some of the most reliable writings in all of antiquity. And if they were reliable, what about this man Jesus, whom I had dismissed as a mere carpenter?

I had to admit that Jesus Christ was more than a carpenter. He was all He claimed to be."

AND from Josh McDowell's website

~ Summary of Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled by Jesus ~

Speaking of puzzle pieces, let’s conclude this blog post with a list of Old Testament prophecy that you can read for yourself. This exercise will be so worth the investment of your time, if you truly want to confirm what Scripture says. To have a Bible that you never open completely defeats the purpose of God giving His Word to us, right? Treat the Bible as your study guide, not a relic so sacred that it can’t be opened — or marked up! God is surely okay with your highlighting any passages that speak to you, in whatever hue of highlighter you choose!

His Nativity and Early Years
The fact: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 31:22
The place: Numbers 24:17, 19; Micah 5:2
Adoration by Magi: Psalm 72:10, 15; Isaiah 60: 3, 6

His Mission and Office
Mission: Genesis 12:3; 49:10; Numbers 24:19; Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Psalm 21:1; Isaiah 59:20; Jeremiah 33:16
Prophet like Moses: Deuteronomy 18:15
Conversion of Gentiles: Isaiah 11:10; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 18:49; 19:4; 117:1; Isaiah 42:1; 45:23; 49:6; Hosea 1:10; 2:23; Joel 2:32
Ministry in Galilee: Isaiah 9:1-2
Preaching: Psalms 2:7; 78:2; Isaiah 2:3; 61:1; Micah 4:2

His Passion
Rejection by Jews and Gentiles: Psalms 2:1; 22:12; 41:5; 56:5; 69:8; 118:22-23; Isaiah 6:9-10; 8:14; 29:13; 53:1; 65:2
Persecution: Psalms 22:6; 35:7, 12; 56:5; 71:10; 109:2; Isaiah 49:7; 53:3
Triumphal entry: Psalms 8:2; 118:25-26; Zechariah 9:9
Betrayal by friend: Psalms 41:9; 55:13; Zechariah 13:6
False accusation: Psalms 2:1-2; 27:12; 35:11; 109:2
Silence under accusation: Psalm 38:13; Isaiah 53:7
Mocking: Psalms 22:7-8, 16; 109:25

His Resurrection
Psalms 2:7; 16:8-10; 30:3; 41:10; 118:17

His Ascension
Psalms 16:11; 24:7; 68:18; 110:1; 118:19

His Second Advent
Psalm 50:3-6; Isaiah 9:6-7; 66:18; Daniel 7:13-14; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4-8

His Universal, Everlasting Dominion
1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Psalms 2:6-8; 8:6; 45:6; 7; 72:8; 110:1-3; Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:14

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He was not a bandit or war lord like Mohammed.

I did not like the violence in Islam. I found both religions recommended helping the poor, but this alone is not good enough. It is not good for them to kill people for not following Islam. Jesus did not kill people to gain followers.

There is some good in Judaism like I am not supposed to murder, steal, commit adultery or give false testimony. There are other laws I did not like such as stoning people for working on the seventh day, animal sacrifice for propitiation of sin, laws of uncleanness that are obsolete when compared to modern sanitary practice, large payments made to priests of an imperfect law, etc. In time I studied enough archaeology and Near Eastern history to find the Old Testament history is only partially true. I did not convert to Judaism.

The main reason I like Christianity is it taught me God answers prayers. I remember part of the Jewish legal precepts are valid, but the errors in the laws of Moses are so great they caused unnecessary death for doing life giving work on the seventh day.

KateforChrist said:

And I found evidence – evidence in abundance; evidence I could hardly believe with my own eyes.

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He who seeks, finds!

HALLELUYAH !

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

Your focus is misplaced on religion. Religion does not give eternal life. Religion if you want to define it that way, should point a person in the correct direction to finding eternal life.

But really in true Christianity its foundation is based in the Bible only.

And the Bible points to eternal life as a gift given by the person (Jesus The Messiah) who claims, to not only posses eternal life, but is actually eternal life.

Does the other religions, their books and their prophets or gods make that claim.

Kees Hogenbirk said:

Hi everybody,

Like some, I have grown up with atheist parents, but have been studying Christianity, and lately also a bit of Islam .

But something is always in the back of my mind. As much as we would like to believe our religion is the true one, do we really know for sure?
And of course, people say that every religion has good things and don't want to make comparisons because it's a sensitive topic.

But I believe we should address this because believing the right religion can literally determine whether we go to heaven/paradise or BURN for all eternity.

For example, Christians say that the only way to the kingdom of God is through the faith in Jesus. But Muslims say that the only way to heaven is through faith in Allah
and in the Quran practices.
And a lot of other (sub-)religions probably have their own way of saying this.

How do we know that we are on the right track? There are far older religions than Christianity such as Hinduism or Animism.
What if we all end up suffering eternally after death because we did not pick/ or were born in the right religion?

How do you know Christianity is the right one out of so many?
I really want to know, because an eternity of suffering depends on our choice here.

Click to expand...

Seek and ye shall find. As you say, your choice is very important indeed. Please seek with all of your heart mind and soul. If you are sincere, you will find. You take this very seriously as you should you might try fasting in your quest. You won’t be disappointed.

dqhall said:

but the errors in the laws of Moses are so great they caused unnecessary death for doing life giving work on the seventh day.

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No. They didn't.

dqhall said:

In time I studied enough archaeology and Near Eastern history to find the Old Testament history is only partially true.

Click to expand...

Yahuweh's Word is entirely Inspired by Him, Totally Truth.