Finding peace as a new Christian

[Matt Faith]

Have any of you ever went through that time in your Christian life where you kept asking questions, kept analyzing everything, kept researching online, kept reading books on Christianity etc...but then you hit a wall mentally, where you felt like this is ridiculous, I need to just get back to reading the bible and stop trying to figure everything out? That is what has been going on in my life lately.

I've just come to realize that within Christianity there are so many different opinions and view points. There are so many different denominations, and even groups that are sort of Christian, such as the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. And then you have the claims of other faith groups such as Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Judaism etc. There is just so much to take in and ultimately, what am I really going to prove in the end? Ultimately it comes down to faith and trust in what the Bible says, and the evidence we have to defend our faith. There is always going to people opposing Christians, and saying they know the real truth. But that is just the way the world is, there is not a single topic the entire world agrees on. I put my faith in a creator (God) because I do not believe life could form on its own. I put my faith in Jesus because he fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about a coming messiah hundreds of years before he was born. I do believe in sin, and are inability to be perfect without a savior.

Back to my point for this thread, I just wanted to say I think its good to research our faith. But when that becomes all you do, maybe its time to put the apologetics on back burner...and find peace in God's word.

 

[miamited]

Have any of you ever went through that time in your Christian life where you kept asking questions, kept analyzing everything, kept researching online, kept reading books on Christianity etc...but then you hit a wall mentally, where you felt like this is ridiculous, I need to just get back to reading the bible and stop trying to figure everything out? That is what has been going on in my life lately.

I've just come to realize that within Christianity there are so many different opinions and view points. There are so many different denominations, and even groups that are sort of Christian, such as the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. And then you have the claims of other faith groups such as Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Judaism etc. There is just so much to take in and ultimately, what am I really going to prove in the end? Ultimately it comes down to faith and trust in what the Bible says, and the evidence we have to defend our faith. There is always going to people opposing Christians, and saying they know the real truth. But that is just the way the world is, there is not a single topic the entire world agrees on. I put my faith in a creator (God) because I do not believe life could form on its own. I put my faith in Jesus because he fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about a coming messiah hundreds of years before he was born. I do believe in sin, and are inability to be perfect without a savior.

Back to my point for this thread, I just wanted to say I think its good to research our faith. But when that becomes all you do, maybe its time to put the apologetics on back burner...and find peace in God's word.

Hi Matt,

Agreed 110%. I would even go so far as to caution anybody that before they start running around looking to and fro among all the books, articles and teachings about 'what it means to be a born again believer', that they spend about three years reading, studying and praying for the Holy Spirit's understanding of the things of God in the Scriptures first.

Until one has a firm foundation of the truth, there is real danger in chasing after the latest 'christian' buzz.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Nickybobby]

Have any of you ever went through that time in your Christian life where you kept asking questions, kept analyzing everything, kept researching online, kept reading books on Christianity etc...but then you hit a wall mentally, where you felt like this is ridiculous, I need to just get back to reading the bible and stop trying to figure everything out? That is what has been going on in my life lately.

I've just come to realize that within Christianity there are so many different opinions and view points. There are so many different denominations, and even groups that are sort of Christian, such as the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. And then you have the claims of other faith groups such as Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Judaism etc. There is just so much to take in and ultimately, what am I really going to prove in the end? Ultimately it comes down to faith and trust in what the Bible says, and the evidence we have to defend our faith. There is always going to people opposing Christians, and saying they know the real truth. But that is just the way the world is, there is not a single topic the entire world agrees on. I put my faith in a creator (God) because I do not believe life could form on its own. I put my faith in Jesus because he fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about a coming messiah hundreds of years before he was born. I do believe in sin, and are inability to be perfect without a savior.

Back to my point for this thread, I just wanted to say I think its good to research our faith. But when that becomes all you do, maybe its time to put the apologetics on back burner...and find peace in God's word.

Very well put.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Matt Faith. Why not follow the advice of our Lord and Friend Jesus Christ,
in Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " 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 Jesus points out:
On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. What does Jesus tell us? Start by treating all you know and all you meet, friends or not friends, treat all as you would love to be treated: kindly and always with friendly words. God will see our sincere efforts, and God will Bless us. By following those two Commandments to Love, we are showing our Love to God and doing what God wants from us. ( Matthew 7: 7-10) we are told: " ask and ye shall receive." We ask God for his Love and Joy, then thank God, and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. We keep asking and thanking God, and sharing all Love and Joy with all around us. Love is a Christian`s great weapon, with love we will overcome all enmity and wrong behaviour.
The Bible tells us: " Repent," and " Be Born Again." We ask Jesus to help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY. Love is very catching, and love will gradually change us into the men and women which God wants us to become: Loving
God with all our beings, and loving all around us as we love ourselves. We might stumble or forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on Loving and Caring. We will find that people all around us, will treat us the same as we treat people. To Love and Obey is what God wants from us, and we will find that gradually but surly, we will turn into the men and women which God wants us to become. We will be sign-posts to God our Heavenly Father, and turn an imperfect world into a God pleasing World of Followers of Jesus our Saviour. Let us always remember: " Ask and ye shall receive."
I say this with love, Matt Faith. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Matt Faith]

I agree with what you said, but I am not sure what you are trying to imply about me? I am a Christian, I am just saying that recently I've gotten caught up trying to be a Christian apologist. And I was saying that sometimes always defending the faith and trying to understand everything can be tiresome. Thank you for your kind words though.

 

[Nickybobby]

I agree with what you said, but I am not sure what you are trying to imply about me? I am a Christian, I am just saying that recently I've gotten caught up trying to be a Christian apologist. And I was saying that sometimes always defending the faith and trying to understand everything can be tiresome. Thank you for your kind words though.

Matt Faith...I think you said it best in you're OP below:

Back to my point for this thread, I just wanted to say I think its good to research our faith. But when that becomes all you do, maybe its time to put the apologetics on back burner...and find peace in God's word.

It's not our duty to CONVINCE anyone of the gospel. We are called to spread the good word. We can't do that if we don't know it ourselves. I appreciate a lot of the apologists out there, but more for personal edification than because I want to take their arguments out in the street to beat Christianity into anyone. .The most important thing is to build up a firm foundation for yourself. Why are we studying: Psalm 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

edited: If I may add, there's an old very worldly comedian named George Carlin. One of the only bits of his I've heard, really made me think. It went something like this: How vein are we as humans, to think that we can actually change the world. He went on to discuss things about environmental issues, but I think he's spot on. We're called to share God's word, not defend it. I'm convinced that God is plenty capable of taking care of that himself in his own time.

 

[JB123]

Yes, our duty is to commend the faith. Sometimes, through circumstances, we may be called upon to defend it also, but our first duty is to commend it and to live it.

 

[98cwitr]

Have any of you ever went through that time in your Christian life where you kept asking questions, kept analyzing everything, kept researching online, kept reading books on Christianity etc...but then you hit a wall mentally, where you felt like this is ridiculous, I need to just get back to reading the bible and stop trying to figure everything out? That is what has been going on in my life lately.

I've just come to realize that within Christianity there are so many different opinions and view points. There are so many different denominations, and even groups that are sort of Christian, such as the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. And then you have the claims of other faith groups such as Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Judaism etc. There is just so much to take in and ultimately, what am I really going to prove in the end? Ultimately it comes down to faith and trust in what the Bible says, and the evidence we have to defend our faith. There is always going to people opposing Christians, and saying they know the real truth. But that is just the way the world is, there is not a single topic the entire world agrees on. I put my faith in a creator (God) because I do not believe life could form on its own. I put my faith in Jesus because he fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about a coming messiah hundreds of years before he was born. I do believe in sin, and are inability to be perfect without a savior.

Back to my point for this thread, I just wanted to say I think its good to research our faith. But when that becomes all you do, maybe its time to put the apologetics on back burner...and find peace in God's word.

5 years into it and I still am searching and analyzing everything, thankfully it's still all in scripture

These verses hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I read it and I think quite applicable here

Matthew 10:34-35
New International Version (NIV)

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—