Having Trouble Finding Jesus

[CodySmith]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

 

[A_Thinker]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

Jesus came to show us God's LOVE. To the extent that you experience undeserved blessing, grace, and forgiveness in your life, ... that is Jesus ...

 

[Serving Zion]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

I think there is value in Matthew 21:33-46 for you here.

 

[JIMINZ]

1) I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus
2) The Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.
3) The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.
4) The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.
5) I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good
6) I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.
7) This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

.
Then what your saying is, your not a Believer, (Christian)?

 

[Tolworth John]

I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

Have you looked at the evidence?
What evidence do you have for there never being a Jesus?
What evidence do you have that he didn't rise from the dead?

Have you considered the implications that If Jesus did rise from the dead, what does that make Jesus?

Lastly why do you think seeing is believing?
read John chapter 9 where seeing a miracle happen is not believing in the miracle worker.

 

[Gell]

You have to consider your heart, your actions, whether you mind persecution or not. Because once you become Christian, in one way or another, you will become prey to all sorts of people who are hostile to God.

Consider this verse: Acts 17:27
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

 

[CodySmith]

What evidence do you have for there never being a Jesus?

Never said there wasn't. Never said there wasn't a muhammed, or buddah either.

What evidence do you have that he didn't rise from the dead?

Thats like asking... what evidence do you have that there are NOT aliens?

Have you considered the implications that If Jesus did rise from the dead, what does that make Jesus?

I imagine that would make Him very special indeed.

Lastly why do you think seeing is believing?

I see God's creation... and so I believe in God. Where is the evidence that our sins are forgiven, that the Holy Spirit dwells among us, that Jesus lives?

You have to consider your heart, your actions, whether you mind persecution or not. Because once you become Christian, in one way or another, you will become prey to all sorts of people who are hostile to God.

There is no real persecution of Christians in the United States....

 

[Gell]

There is no real persecution of Christians in the United States....

To some extent, yes. It is more likely to be covert since the media is very biased nowadays. A few are being thrown in to prison though. But I guess it is nothing compared to what is being done to christians in china, middle east, africa, south america...

 

[CodySmith]

To some extent, yes. It is more likely to be covert since the media is very biased nowadays. A few are being thrown in to prison though. But I guess it is nothing compared to what is being done to christians in china, middle east, africa, south america...

Exactly... so does that make the American Christians less of a Christian... since the New Testament is riddled with passages stating (almost like a command) that "you WILL be persecuted for My names sake." If I considered myself a devout Chrisitian in the United States I would be uneasy - maybe thats just satan talking - causing doubt - but... its in the Bible so....

EDIT: Back to the OP though... i hope "Christians" who are persecuted in areas of the world are actually doing more than just "dying in the name of Jesus"... otherwise Christianity is no different than Islam... just change the name of the savior.

I should think that knowing Christ awards more than just a sense of hope after death, because that can be achieved through mind games (as muslims have).

I should hope that knowing Christ exposes the human mind to a first-hand everyday experience and reality that God is our Savior not just our Creator, without a doubt <- this is the mindset I seek for.

Right now I'm stuck on God is simply my Creator. I have no "feeling" that I am forgiven or that Jesus is alive... I can't even imagine what that would entail... Hope that makes sense.

 

[bling]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

You are to see Jesus alive today!
You are to be Loved, comforted, listened to , taught, mentored and discipled by Christ. This is the way Christ/God set it up and the way it works, but Jesus seems to not have gotten to you yet?
I was mentored by Jesus living in and through another Christian and He is wonderful. I do quench the Spirit of Christ in me and try to go it on my own, but it does not work. You might have to seek Jesus out (find Christ truly living through a person).

 

[Dirk1540]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

You already believe in the concept of a creator. Do you believe in the concept of a creator being an agent that makes decisions, and that has a vested interest in humanity?

Also, it is probably an exercise in futility (it was for me) to investigate the merits of Christianity and also be trying to logically tackle the concept of the trinity...Jesus as a bond between you & God...as opposed to just considering the entire gamut of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit as being the God of Christianity that you are investing. You’ll just give yourself metaphysical headache. The church didn’t even coin the phrase Trinity (because it’s so hard to understand) for a very long time.

The pure historical seeker is more concerned with the questions surrounding “How on Earth did this ‘Dime a dozen’ claimed Messiah named Jesus (who proved himself a total fraud when he got crucified) go about attaining a status of being fused together and worshipped AS the God of Judaism is worshipped??” Such claims (let alone Jews believing it) were even claims that Moses would not even dare make, and he was considered to be the greatest of all the prophets.

So welcome to the rabbit whole of the historical Jesus puzzles! The honest historical researcher can’t just say “Oh who knows”. When you hear about indifferent people who came to belief in Jesus via historical studies, it’s because the more that those people learned about everything surrounding historical Jesus and Judaism the LESS convinced they became that (short of supernatural confirmation) Jesus could pull off such an impossible task.

Also, you’ll find that the supernatural claims in the gospels keep causing the storyline to fit like a glove, whereas the storyline doesn’t makes sense in so many places with just a naturalistic reading.

 

[John Bowen]

You will never find Jesus if you are looking for him in a building , hanging from a cross .Because he is in the kingdom of God and where is that kingdom within you .Luke 17 :26 . You can tune into Jesus by reading his words not with the outer mind , but through your heart where you connect to his vibration behind the words . as little children who are open to him .Who don't have any preconceived images or mental boxes around him .

 

[Southernscotty]

Exactly... so does that make the American Christians less of a Christian... since the New Testament is riddled with passages stating (almost like a command) that "you WILL be persecuted for My names sake." If I considered myself a devout Chrisitian in the United States I would be uneasy - maybe thats just satan talking - causing doubt - but... its in the Bible so....

Hello friend, The christians is being persecuted for their faith everyday in America and all over. Evil, satan and his demons are tormenting and trying daily to steal our peace and joy. This is spiritual warfare and is very active in christians lives if they are living as they should be.
I say a comfortable christian is dangerous place to be.
Revelation 3:15-16 - I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

 

[Tolworth John]

Where is the evidence that our sins are forgiven, that the Holy Spirit dwells among us, that Jesus lives?

The evidence is in the resurrection of Jesus.

There is no real persecution of Christians in the United States....

Yes and no.
What do you define as perscution? If it is acting against a persons belief then there is some perscution.
If you call it rediculeing someone because of there belief, then there is perscution.

Why not give it a try and start talking at work from a conservative Christian view point. How would your boss view you? ditto work colleges?

 

[Chinchilla]

I'm having trouble realizing the existence of Jesus... the existence of a creator is clear and easy to feel and determine, but for all I know the Creator I am speaking to may be the God of the Torrah, Alah, Buddah or anyone.

The existence of Jesus in particular as some sort of bond between God and me seems to be difficult to realize and my brain to acknowledge as real and fact.... even if the New Testament history confirms itself one day and even if logically it all makes sense. I feel like I could not even believe its real even if I heard Jesus preach back in early BC, although everything he says is so true and good... I think the only way I could believe Jesus is alive is if I saw him resurrected myself.

This difficulty has been a huge barrier between me and living way I am supposed to live... im sure.

Jesus validated the Scriptures by fulfilling what prophets said , validating the prophets aswell and God too .
Bible is not one book but hundreds of Scrolls talking about one guy who would fulfill what was written in them , later on compiled into one Book and Jesus is the only one who fulfilled them , see www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353prophecies.htmlverses .

Our faith is based on evidence , not blind .

 

[JIMINZ]

Jesus validated the Scriptures by fulfilling what prophets said , validating the prophets aswell and God too .
Bible is not one book but hundreds of Scrolls talking about one guy who would fulfill what was written in them , later on compiled into one Book and Jesus is the only one who fulfilled them , see www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353prophecies.htmlverses .

Our faith is based on evidence , not blind .

.
Our Faith is based in Hope, for what a man sees what does he yet hope for?

Rom. 8:24
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

[CodySmith]

You are to see Jesus alive today!
You are to be Loved, comforted, listened to , taught, mentored and discipled by Christ. This is the way Christ/God set it up and the way it works, but Jesus seems to not have gotten to you yet?
I was mentored by Jesus living in and through another Christian and He is wonderful. I do quench the Spirit of Christ in me and try to go it on my own, but it does not work. You might have to seek Jesus out (find Christ truly living through a person).

I would like to think that my Lord is more powerful than that... You'd think He would not want to be dependent on humans to deliver salvation.

 

[Serving Zion]

I would like to think that my Lord is more powerful than that... You'd think He would not want to be dependent on humans to deliver salvation.

There is a real value in his message though. If God is spirit, then how are we to know Him if not through the expression of the spirit?

 

[Dirk1540]

I would like to think that my Lord is more powerful than that... You'd think He would not want to be dependent on humans to deliver salvation.

There is a real value in his message though. If God is spirit, then how are we to know Him if not through the expression of the spirit?

God is definitely spirit, and that spirit can definitely be experienced, but in addition to this God took himself out of a mode of purely subjective speculation (as to which religion points to Him) and placed himself into a situation of being vulnerable to historical investigation when He took on a human body, and entered the pages of history. If you investigate historical Jesus you’re literally investigating the validity of the God of Christianity.

Of course that opens up a can of worms, but at least you can put your hands on something tangible to analyze. What escapes me about ‘Studying’ the God of Islam is that Muhammad only claimed to be a messenger, Allah (the religion’s God) isn’t prone to historical investigation. Other Gods like Osirus, Zeus, etc, weren’t even real historic figures. Hinduism and Buddhism are more so philosophies rather than religions that say ‘This guy was our God, investigate him.’ If there are other religions that point to their historically verifiable God man, then by all means investigate that ‘God man’ as well and analyze that religion’s God for it’s validity also!!

There’s a put up or shut up aspect to historical Jesus studies that isn’t present in other religions that are competing for the claim of pointing to the real God. There’s a put up or shut up aspect to any religion that would hang their claims on a historical man. There’s a good reason why smooth talking innovators of new religions don’t like to do that! You can not Historically investigate the God of my new religion if I just say the God lives in the clouds and speaks to me in my dreams.

Paul ran into Greeks that also worshipped ‘The Unknown God.’ Paul told them that he is speaking of this unknown God when he teaches about Jesus who came back from the other side of death. A lot of people believe in the Unknown God, they believe in God, but don’t think that God is associated with any organized religion. In much of my life I was a toss up between the God of Christianity and the Unknown God. Frankly for me the God of Christianity was the only non-Unknown God that had good arguments going for it, there was no other God to put my hands on anything concrete.

Also, if Jesus is factually the true God, and if a misinformed person is moved by God...then they were moved by Jesus whether they realize it as being Jesus or not. It logically would be the same thing for me if I’m mistaken and Allah is really God, and I’m calling my God experiences ‘Jesus.’ If you live in Gotham and there are 1,000 different theories about which citizen of Gotham Batman is, you don’t conclude “It’s a total lost cause since there are so many different theories!” No you would instead see if any of the theories made good logical sense or not. And if NONE of the theories made sense perhaps Batman is ‘The Unknown Stranger’ that doesn’t even live in Gotham.

 

[bling]

I would like to think that my Lord is more powerful than that... You'd think He would not want to be dependent on humans to deliver salvation.

There is one best way to "deliver salvation" and only one way to do it for the maximum results.
Salvation is not some "gift" given to you at gun point, so you will "accept" it, since that would be like a shotgun wedding with God holding the shotgun (not Loving on God's part and the Love you were to receive as a gift would not be Godly type Love, but a forced Love (instinctive at best).

God's "power" is limited for example: God cannot make a being that has always existed, so God can not just clone another Christ, since Christ always existed.
God cannot "make you chose" of your own very limited autonomous free will to have Godly type Love for Him, since to be a truly free will choice there has to be likely alternatives (the perceived pleasures of sin) and it has to be your choice someway.

Man's involvement in being the vessels by which God revels Himself is to allow for a true choice