cweb255 said:
I have abonded the churches. Everything that comes from the pulpit I can't trust.
Once upon a time, in a mental/emotional galaxy, far, far, away, Suzannah felt that way too....I have felt what you might be feeling.....
But Suzannah, you mentioned biblical Jesus? And biblical church?
Actually, I said "historical Jesus" and "historical church". The church He founded at Pentecost still exists without change. By studying history, you can discover who Jesus was and is, and what His Church teaches. You may be surprised to discover that what you find currently difficult, is not a problem.
How am I to believe these things as well, as they contradict what the Bible says. Am I to read the word as Ainesis said or am I to believe the scientists. It is all very confusing.
And thank you both for replying. I am sorry for lashing out so openly. Not all Christians can be bad, right?
I am unsure as to what you meant by "these things". Studying Scripture is very important, yes. But many read the Scripture, study it, and forget to pray. Further, many study it, read it and find it that it is a mystery. This is because those who believe they can interpret it on their own, without a guide, often come to a diametrically opposed conclusion than their neighbor.
This is why I said, you should also study history and the historical church and what it teaches.
Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian
(1) 26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. 27So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
30
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31And he said,
"How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The place in the Scripture which he read was this:
"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
33In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth."[2]
34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"
(note: Remember that Philip was taught and ordained by the Apostles and a deacon in the early church)35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
Having a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ, means so much more than acknowledging that He lived and died and that He is your "personal Lord and Savior." It means understanding Him through His teachings, spending more time in prayer, and loving Him for who He is, not for what He is purported to be by preachers.
Hebrews 10:31
"To fall into the hands of the living God is a fearful thing".
Study history. But pray always.
Love,
Suzannah
