How can you believe in God?

[arunma]

Why does God care if we believe in him?

Because the most loving thing God can do is to exalt himself and make much of himself. He is the most glorious being in the universe, and man was created to find our fulfillment in worship of God. The Westminster Confession of Faith rightly says, "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." God wouldn't be loving if he didn't call man to stop believing in false gods and to turn to his Son Jesus.

Is he so insecure that he needs us to justify his position in the universe?

Your argument assumes its conclusion. That's a common logical fallacy.

At the time Jesus died, the average life expectancy was 25 years old, wasn't Jesus nearing the end of his life anyway?

No, Jesus wasn't about to die of natural causes at the time he was put to death (I'm not even sure why this is relevant). You're misunderstanding how life expectancies are calculated. It's an averaging of the lifetimes of all people in a population. A large number of dying infants and children will result in a severely depressed life expectancy. Even in Moses' time people could live for only a bit less than we can today:

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10)
​

So no, adults weren't expected to live to merely the age of 25.

Weren't most of his disciples teenagers at the time?

I have no idea, because the Bible doesn't indicate their ages. Do you know how old they were?

When was the last time you listened to a 19 year old and thought "this kid knows what he 's talking about?"

I have a 19 year old friend from church who knows a lot more than many older people I know. It's a rather common misconception that age implies wisdom. This world has no short supply of old fools.

If you put all the religious leaders at a table today and asked them which one of their God's is the true God, do you think it would be an unanimous answer? At some point, you have to ask yourself, why is so much energy being wasted on attempting to determine if we are saved or not saved, if we go to heaven or not? Don't pray for peace, act peacefully and you will see more results.

Since when was truth decided by a vote? There is no need to determine who is saved and who isn't. God has already told us that everyone is condemned to eternal hell, and can be saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from false religions. As for your comments about acting peacefully, this is very romantic, but unrealistic. Trusting in the goodness of human beings will always be self-defeating. If you've met a few, you know that what I'm saying is true.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

To answer the OP: I can't look at my life and NOT believe in God.

To the skeptics and rabble-rousers: OK, we aren't meant to understand everything, all right? Do small children always understand why their parents make a certain decision? Same principle.

 

[trentlogain2]

Jude 1:3 - "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

 

[Heaven81]

In response to those who question what will happen to those who have not heard about our Lord Jesus Christ:

Mattthew 24:14 ...And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the WHOLE world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Our Lord God has promised that the gospel will be available to all and that there is no possibility that one would die without having the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[HitmanR2]

I believe in God because I am convinced that He is!

For a more philosophical reason; I have looked around me and found that the explanations for how things came to be, where we came from, where we are headed, and what we are to do while we are here, just cannot be explained by the plans laid out by men.
I came to the conclusion that there is a higher power, one that not only works in nature but also in the hearts of men, because I found that desire within myself to seek that power.
Then I began searching for ways to know that power better. Then being introduced to the scriptures, I found in them the source of that power, but not only that but the source for life, and love also. I found God, through His Son. Because He (God) chose to reveal Himself to me( as He does us all).


.

 

[IronManMatt]

From reading this forum i wanted to make sure I understand correctly.

Senario: God creates a muslim child born in Afghanistan. He knew about this child before time existed because he is all knowing and he created everything. This child, being born in a muslim country, is raised by a very strict faith from day one. He lives in a country where his life his threatened if he does not practice islam. He does not know anything of christianity because he has no access to that information. His parents sensor all the information that he receives so that he will not be tempted to reject his faith.

The child grows up and lives a humble and quiet life. Meanwhile, God has known what is going to happen at every moment in this man's life. He is omnicient and had this child's life planned out before he was born. According to what has been said in this thread, the muslim man will go to hell when he dies. If thats true, then you can conclude that God sent this child to hell the second he created time.

This scenario agrees with the content of this thread which has been referenced from the bible. If God is merciful and just and an all loving God, then please explain what about this scenario has those characteristics. It seems very contradictory to me.

This is what I have concluded from the posts in this thread. Please correct me if I am wrong.

We have the free will to make our own decisions. However, God knows what decisions we will make. Therefore God knows if a person will chose to accept Jesus before that person is born. Maybe this person in your above story would never have accepted Christ no matter where he was born or how many times he heard the Gospel. Therefore God would have done him no wrong by placing him in a life where the Gospel was never preached.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

Let me draw an admittedly very simplistic parallel here.

In my earlier post I mentioned that small children don't always understand why their parents make certain decisions. Nor do older children always trust that the parents know best. Say Mama tells Tom that no, he can't go to a certain party. She knows some of the kids that will be there, fears it won't be adequately chaperoned, and has more than a strong suspicion that drugs will be involved. She doesn't want Tom anywhere near that crowd of people. Tom won't reason that Mama is looking out for his welfare. Tom will reason that Mama is an old spoilsport whose sole purpose for existence is to keep him from having any fun.

My grandchildren spend a lot of time here. Today I had occasion to punish two of them. Ages 12 and 8, they were allowed to visit neighbors but told specifically to be back at our house at 7:30. At 7:45 I went to locate them, reminded the older one that they were overdue, and instructed her to round up her sister and come on back. At 7:50, the younger one poked her head in the door. Her grandpa told her to get her sister and come on in; he wanted to talk to both of them. At 8:05, they were both back, each claiming it had taken that long to find the other one. Interesting, that, since they were both supposed to be visiting the same neighbor, whose house is merely around the corner. It wouldn't take me as long as two minutes to walk it, and I'm disabled. It took them 15 minutes?

Their consquence is that the next time they're here, they will not be allowed to visit the neighbor. They must stay indoors with us, since they have shown that they cannot be trusted to return when they say they will. Upon arrival a few minutes later, their parents were informed that their brother had eaten supper, but the girls had not, since they didn't return in time and unfortunately missed it.

My point in all this is that I'm not some wicked witch who likes to take children prisoner and make them go without supper. I feel bad when I have to take a privilege away from the kids, or tell them no, they can't do something fun. I'd like to be the kind of grandma who bakes cookies, watches Disney channel with them, and takes them to the zoo. But if they're not going to cooperate by making sure their homework and chores are done, and by following instructions, how can I? All that time spent making sure they do what they should do, means less time I can have fun with them. And sometimes, sadly, it means I can't have fun with them at all because there is no time left.

We are all God's children. It is not my fault if my grandchildren must suffer the consequences of not obeying. It is not God's fault if it's the same way with His children. We as mere humans don't understand God's mind. His ways are not our ways; his thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) He will do things I will never know the reason for, until I am with Him in Heaven and can understand.

In the meantime I will trust that He knows best, and strive to do what He says, even if it doesn't make sense to me at the time.

 

[sablehalloway]

faith :]