For the sake of argument, let's say God exists

[Darkeonz]

I see a lot of people claiming something as complex as the life here on earth must have a creator. Now my question is for those who claim the God of the Bible is the one. How do you make the leap from there having to be a creator, to the creator being the God of the Bible?

 

[AV1611VET]

I see a lot of people claiming something as complex as the life here on earth must have a creator. Now my question is for those who claim the God of the Bible is the one. How do you make the leap from there having to be a creator, to the creator being the God of the Bible?

No other writing is as detailed as the Bible; especially in the area of prophecies.

Take Jesus Christ -- in His first advent, He fulfilled 109 of 333 of them.

Even prophecies that He had no control over were fulfilled: such as His virgin birth, Herod killing the children, the visit of the Wise Men, the piercing of His side, being betrayed with a kiss, crucified on a cross (which wasn't invented until 200 years after the prophecy itself), and so on.

You won't find that in any other writing.

And I love this quote from Adam Clarke's Commentary, concerning King Josiah:

1 Kings 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

This is one of the most remarkable and most singular prophecies in the Old Testament. It here most circumstantially foretells a fact which took place three hundred and forty years after the prediction; a fact which was attested by the two nations. The Jews, in whose behalf this prophecy was delivered, would guard it most sacredly; and it was the interest of the Israelites, against whom it was levelled, to impugn its authenticity and expose its falsehood, had this been possible. This prediction not only showed the knowledge of God, but his power. He gave, as it were, this warning to idolatry, that it might be on its guard, and defend itself against this Josiah whenever a person of that name should be found sitting on the throne of David; and no doubt it was on the alert, and took all prudent measures for its own defence; but all in vain, for Josiah, in the eighteenth year of his reign, literally accomplished this prophecy, as we may read, 2Ki 23:15-20.

 

[Greg1234]

I see a lot of people claiming something as complex as the life here on earth must have a creator. Now my question is for those who claim the God of the Bible is the one. How do you make the leap from there having to be a creator, to the creator being the God of the Bible?

There is Idealism and there is materialism at the core (contradictions like religious naturalism notwithstanding). While a discussion among idealists is about the builders of the great pyramid, jumping over, an argument with a materialist merely revolves around the existence of pyramid builders. And that's it.

 

[Darkeonz]

There is Idealism and there is materialism at the core (contradictions like religious naturalism notwithstanding). While a discussion among idealists is about the builders of the great pyramid, jumping over, an argument with a materialist merely revolves around the existence of pyramid builders. And that's it.

So you decided to not answer my question. Ok

Anyone else?

 

[Darkeonz]

No other writing is as detailed as the Bible; especially in the area of prophecies.

Take Jesus Christ -- in His first advent, He fulfilled 109 of 333 of them.

Even prophecies that He had no control over were fulfilled: such as His virgin birth, Herod killing the children, the visit of the Wise Men, the piercing of His side, being betrayed with a kiss, crucified on a cross (which wasn't invented until 200 years after the prophecy itself), and so on.

You won't find that in any other writing.

And I love this quote from Adam Clarke's Commentary, concerning King Josiah:

1 Kings 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

Let's say someone writes a book today about the 2nd coming of jesus. A thousand years from now they find the book. Would that mean the prophecies came true?

 

[AirPo]

Let's say someone writes a book today about the 2nd coming of jesus. A thousand years from now they find the book. Would that mean the prophecies came true?

Are you suggesting we canonize the Left Behind series?

 

[AV1611VET]

Let's say someone writes a book today about the 2nd coming of jesus. A thousand years from now they find the book. Would that mean the prophecies came true?

No -- there's a lot more to it than that:

1. The author of the book would not be considered a prophet, as there are no more prophets after AD 96. This is why we don't consider Mohammad or Joseph Smith to be prophets. And in fact, Jesus said John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets.

2. Since there are no more prophets, his book on the second coming would be considered a 'prediction', not a 'prophecy'; thus the individual points in the book would be considered 'predictions', instead of 'prophecies'. Should they come true in a thousand years from now, they would be considered 'coincidental'.

3. Jesus has another 224 prophecies to fulfill, this means that the book would have to agree with all 224 points, or it would be considered erroneous. For example, the next time Jesus sets foot on this earth will be on the Mount of Olives. Should the book say Mount Ararat instead, it would be automatically rejected.

4. Should the book contain all 224 prophecies concerning Jesus' second coming, it would simply be considered a waste of someone's time at best, or a plagiarism at worst.

 

[Darkeonz]

No -- there's a lot more to it than that:

1. The author of the book would not be considered a prophet, as there are no more prophets after AD 96. This is why we don't consider Mohammad or Joseph Smith to be prophets. And in fact, Jesus said John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets.

2. Since there are no more prophets, his book on the second coming would be considered a 'prediction', not a 'prophecy'; thus the individual points in the book would be considered 'predictions', instead of 'prophecies'. Should they come true in a thousand years from now, they would be considered 'coincidental'.

3. Jesus has another 224 prophecies to fulfill, this means that the book would have to agree with all 224 points, or it would be considered erroneous. For example, the next time Jesus sets foot on this earth will be on the Mount of Olives. Should the book say Mount Ararat instead, it would be automatically rejected.

4. Should the book contain all 224 prophecies concerning Jesus' second coming, it would simply be considered a waste of someone's time at best, or a plagiarism at worst.

Maybe you didn't understand my question

How do you go from believing there must be a god, to believing all of what you just wrote?

 

[AV1611VET]

Maybe you didn't understand my question

How do you go from believing there must be a god, to believing all of what you just wrote?

1. By getting saved.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

2. By reading the Bible.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Darkeonz]

1. By getting saved.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

2. By reading the Bible.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

I'm asking you how you go from believing in a God, to believing those things.

 

[CaliforniaSun]

I'm asking you how you go from believing in a God, to believing those things.

I'm not sure you're going to get a straight answer from him.

Most likely he believes what he does because he was raised in a predominantly "Christian" nation.

 

[Nathan Poe]

No other writing is as detailed as the Bible; especially in the area of prophecies.

Take Jesus Christ -- in His first advent, He fulfilled 109 of 333 of them.

And if I had written that story, he'd have fulfilled them all -- so what's the big deal?

 

[AV1611VET]

And if I had written that story, he'd have fulfilled them all -- so what's the big deal?

That's why you didn't write it.

 

[Darkeonz]

I find it weird you won't give me a straight answer

 

[HosannaHM]

I don't think anyone is avoiding an answer here, it might just be confusion. The reason we go from believing in God to believing He created the world is the Bible. It is the word of God which we carry on by faith. Once you flip open the first page of the Bible in Genisis we quickly discover that God created everything. It brings hope, love, and meaning into life, and with the world the way it is today everyone could use these traits.

 

[AV1611VET]

I don't think anyone is avoiding an answer here, it might just be confusion. The reason we go from believing in God to believing He created the world is the Bible. It is the word of God which we carry on by faith. Once you flip open the first page of the Bible in Genisis we quickly discover that God created everything. It brings hope, love, and meaning into life, and with the world the way it is today everyone could use these traits.

Welcome to CF (C&E) -- glad to have you aboard!

 

[CaliforniaSun]

I don't think anyone is avoiding an answer here, it might just be confusion. The reason we go from believing in God to believing He created the world is the Bible. It is the word of God which we carry on by faith. Once you flip open the first page of the Bible in Genisis we quickly discover that God created everything. It brings hope, love, and meaning into life, and with the world the way it is today everyone could use these traits.

On page one you might discover he made everything, and on page two you discover he made it differently than on page one.

 

[Darkeonz]

I don't think anyone is avoiding an answer here, it might just be confusion. The reason we go from believing in God to believing He created the world is the Bible

That wasn't my question. My question was - what makes you go from believing in god, to believing in the god of the bible

It wasn't about if he created the world or not

 

[AV1611VET]

That wasn't my question. My question was what makes you go from believing in god, to believing in the god of the bible

It wasn't about if he created the world or not

Just how many gods are there?

 

[Darkeonz]

Just how many gods are there?

There's many claims of gods, each with different stories.