How do people do this?

[Nisa]

Hello everybody.
I am sorry if I disturb by writing here; I am readying these forums for months and this particular section is the only one I actually feel at peace while reading it.
I really don’t know how people are not confused by Christianity. If i only stay and see the situation in my country: most of people are Eastern Orthodox, with a very very very little minority actual practicing. People don’t have a clue about the basic Christian concepts, the important thing is to be Orthodox because it is more like a national pride.I was even raised not to get close to people of other Christian religions(like literary don’t touch them); the main talk at the Christmas table are: how despicable protestants are and how despicable Jews are. I hold none of these views.
Of course I tried a protestant church; apart from being anathema in my family( was basically told they would rather see me drunk in pubs than going to a protestant church) , I liked it for a while, but afterwards I got more confused. Maybe because it was a way too Charismatic church where, if you did not seem to experience the Holy Spirit, oh my, you were not spiritual.
Anyhow, there are so many contradictions and I am in a continual stress because I think i might never get things right. Ok, my state might also be worsen by the mental health problems I have ( generalized anxiety and severe depression) but how in the world can I ever have peace? I am told that if i am not in a tradition church, i will go in hell. I am also told that if I go to a traditional church, i am lost. And they all have strong arguments. I don t want to be responsible of taking such a big decision. What if i get it wrong? I really have no desire to go to any church. I always feel, when being in one, that i might be in the wrong place.
People say: be led by the Spirit,. Really? I am looking at church history and I can’t see it as being led by the Spirit. I can’t really see the fruit of the Spirit. How in the world could I ever trust that I can be led?
I don’t have a problem with faith in God, but with theology. Faith in God was the only thing keeping me from not commiting suicide.
I wish I was in a place with no access to so much information.

 

[faroukfarouk]

It's good to keep focused on Scripture; for the believer there are many comforting passages about the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14.1-27; Hebrews 4.17-18; Ephesians 2.1-9; Hebrews 7.25; Jude 24-25; Philippians 2.5-11.

Psalms are particularly wonderful: Psalm 46 is a favorite of mine.

Acts 2.41-42 is a good guide to basic local church activities.

 

[Halbhh]

but how in the world can I ever have peace?

I was raised in a variety of churches, including for some years a pentecostal one like you went to, but also during those same years we attended others in the summer. From your experience I suggest you find other churches, different from those. The way to know what Christ said isn't from a church I have found, not any, but instead by reading what He said.

This we know, He said --

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You can come to His peace, by relying on Him, listening to Him, His words, in the gospels, for all of your learning of what He said. To read with a truly listening way in your heart, to hear and follow Him. He will give you peace.

 

[AlexDTX]

Hello everybody.
I am sorry if I disturb by writing here; I am readying these forums for months and this particular section is the only one I actually feel at peace while reading it.
I really don’t know how people are not confused by Christianity. If i only stay and see the situation in my country: most of people are Eastern Orthodox, with a very very very little minority actual practicing. People don’t have a clue about the basic Christian concepts, the important thing is to be Orthodox because it is more like a national pride.I was even raised not to get close to people of other Christian religions(like literary don’t touch them); the main talk at the Christmas table are: how despicable protestants are and how despicable Jews are. I hold none of these views.
Of course I tried a protestant church; apart from being anathema in my family( was basically told they would rather see me drunk in pubs than going to a protestant church) , I liked it for a while, but afterwards I got more confused. Maybe because it was a way too Charismatic church where, if you did not seem to experience the Holy Spirit, oh my, you were not spiritual.
Anyhow, there are so many contradictions and I am in a continual stress because I think i might never get things right. Ok, my state might also be worsen by the mental health problems I have ( generalized anxiety and severe depression) but how in the world can I ever have peace? I am told that if i am not in a tradition church, i will go in hell. I am also told that if I go to a traditional church, i am lost. And they all have strong arguments. I don t want to be responsible of taking such a big decision. What if i get it wrong? I really have no desire to go to any church. I always feel, when being in one, that i might be in the wrong place.
People say: be led by the Spirit,. Really? I am looking at church history and I can’t see it as being led by the Spirit. I can’t really see the fruit of the Spirit. How in the world could I ever trust that I can be led?
I don’t have a problem with faith in God, but with theology. Faith in God was the only thing keeping me from not commiting suicide.

I wish I was in a place with no access to so much information.

First of all, welcome to the forum Nisa.

Netflix has a documentary I just watched called, "One of Us," which is about 3 people who leave the Hassidic Jewish community. Unfortunately they are not seeking God but freedom from cultist control. It seems to be the natural tendency of small communities to try and control others in their community whether they be Hassidim, Amish, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox.

When one recognizes their sin and their need for the salvation of Christ offered through the new birth, God grants us tremendous freedom. Jesus said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light and that he is meek and humble of heart. Freedom offered and freedom exercised are two different things.

The vast variety of interpretation regarding how we are to come together and worship God is because of this very freedom. God accepts all who have the new birth in their way of expressing their love and worship of Him. But this freedom He gives us is on an individual basis and it is our responsibility to seek Him and know what pleases Him. Ultimately this is an aspect of our discipleship.

If you find your peace with God in worshiping him through the Messianic Judaism, then press in here. Our walk with Christ is in seasons. I am not Jewish, but when I first came to Christ my first 6 years was in the messianic community because that seemed more biblical to me. Only while I was in Jerusalem did the Lord speak to me and said, "Stop it. You are not Jewish." did I leave that form of worship. Begin somewhere, and God will direct you where He wants you to go.

 

[CherubRam]

Hello everybody.
I am sorry if I disturb by writing here; I am readying these forums for months and this particular section is the only one I actually feel at peace while reading it.
I really don’t know how people are not confused by Christianity. If i only stay and see the situation in my country: most of people are Eastern Orthodox, with a very very very little minority actual practicing. People don’t have a clue about the basic Christian concepts, the important thing is to be Orthodox because it is more like a national pride.I was even raised not to get close to people of other Christian religions(like literary don’t touch them); the main talk at the Christmas table are: how despicable protestants are and how despicable Jews are. I hold none of these views.
Of course I tried a protestant church; apart from being anathema in my family( was basically told they would rather see me drunk in pubs than going to a protestant church) , I liked it for a while, but afterwards I got more confused. Maybe because it was a way too Charismatic church where, if you did not seem to experience the Holy Spirit, oh my, you were not spiritual.
Anyhow, there are so many contradictions and I am in a continual stress because I think i might never get things right. Ok, my state might also be worsen by the mental health problems I have ( generalized anxiety and severe depression) but how in the world can I ever have peace? I am told that if i am not in a tradition church, i will go in hell. I am also told that if I go to a traditional church, i am lost. And they all have strong arguments. I don t want to be responsible of taking such a big decision. What if i get it wrong? I really have no desire to go to any church. I always feel, when being in one, that i might be in the wrong place.
People say: be led by the Spirit,. Really? I am looking at church history and I can’t see it as being led by the Spirit. I can’t really see the fruit of the Spirit. How in the world could I ever trust that I can be led?
I don’t have a problem with faith in God, but with theology. Faith in God was the only thing keeping me from not commiting suicide.
I wish I was in a place with no access to so much information.

I have some good news for you. There is no Hell.


The word hell was not originally in the Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic text, as the so called biased translators have tried to establish it as scripture; but they were not good enough to cover up the reality of what God is saying. The source of this word hell and the concept of eternal torture is not Christian, but Pagan. You can find it in Babylon, in Greece, and especially Rome. But if you dig a little bit deeper you will see that it is bad translations that have infected this doctrine of Damnation in scriptures. As a matter of fact, scripture teaches the opposite.


ALL will see Gods salvation, even the condemned on the day of judgment. However, salvation is for the Elect of God, but the condemned will die because they did not seek God or repent. Death is their punishment. Sad but true. In regards to Romans 5: "All" is not everyone, but everyone saved. The condemned still are cut off from the living in death for all eternity.

Hell is more than a mistranslation, it's a premeditated deliberate assault on scripture to introduce the Teutonic pagan word.

Tar-ta-rus (tartarus) [[ Gr Tartaros ]] Gr. Myth. 1. An infernal abyss below Hades, where Zeus hurls the rebel Titans, later a place of punishment for the demons and devils. (mentioned only once in the Bible)

Ha-des (hadez) [[Gr Haides ]] 1 Gr. Myth. a. The home of the dead, beneath the earth. b The god of the underworld. 2. Bible: The state or resting place of the dead: name used in some modern translations of the New Testament

She-ol (sheol) [[Heb shaal , to dig]] A place in the depths of the earth conceived of as the dwelling of the dead. Note: In the KJV about half of scriptures are translated as hell, the other half as grave.

Gehenna: Mentioned twelve or thirteen times in the bible. Gehenna: Referring to the Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna which is the city dump outside the walls of Jerusalem; it then was a place of constant burning of refuge.

Topheth is believed to be a location in Jerusalem, in the Valley of Hinnom, where the Canaanites sacrificed children to the god Moloch by burning them alive.



Pope Gregory and Paganism.

The attitude of the Catholic Church toward paganism is best summed up by Pope Gregory the Great, in his words to a missionary: “You must not interfere with any traditional belief or religious observance that can be harmonized with Christianity.”

Not only were the Congregations divided by Gnosticism, but enticed by philosophy and paganism also, and there were geographic divisions as well.

Pope Gregory 540 – 12 March 604.

 

[visionary]

Welcome to our corner of CF, and while the first responders were from other faiths, I do wish they would let us greet you first. Welcome sojourner, we also have come from many varying church groups, congregations, faiths, and doctrines. We too are whittling out that which is not in harmony with Yeshua, whom you know as Jesus. We to are seeking to live more like Him in our walk, talk, and belief. since we all come with baggage, it takes prayer and personal study to sort through that which is His. Glad to have you join us in this incredible journey to be like Him.

I personally spent thirty years searching before I even knew Mj existed and settled my hearts yearnings that God had put in me. Are we perfect? NOooo we is "messy". There have been made great strides in understanding and walking away from a lot of things that hold people to a religion and its organizations. God is continuing to work with people both inside and outside any group. Gems can be found everywhere God has found good soul to plant His seeds.

In all the mass confusion, it is best to be anchored in Him, as He is the only one who can see clearly through this whirlwind that is coming upon us. Look forward to seeing you as a regular.

 

[Monna]

I really don’t know how people are not confused by Christianity.

Welcome Nisa to the wonderfully confusing world of Christian people. I have been around Christians of many different "persuasions" for over 60 years, and there are still things that confuse me about them. But also about me. If it's any comfort, people, including his own disciples, were very confused about Jesus. Each of them approached him from within the context of his or her expectations, assumptions and experience (especially what they had been taught). So many of his followers were "caught by surprise" when he was crucified - even though he had told them that this was going to happen.

Many people today think of God as some kind of gentle and kind grandfather, who will welcome them up on to his lap and give them comfort when they need and want it; others think of him as a Santa Claus who gives out presents according to if we're been "good or bad;" and some think he is "genie" who will perform miracles for them on demand. In each case they become disappointed when he turns out to be quite different. He is God. His thoughts and ways are beyond our imagination.

For myself, the problem for much of my life was that I thought "knowing about God or Jesus Christ" was equivalent to "knowing him" directly. Theology is all about knowning about God. I don't want to imply that this is not important - but to the extent that it is not the same as knowing him directly, it is a diversion, and one that will confuse totally - because even top-notch thinkers who have spent their lives studying the subject, don't agree on everything among themselves. Get to know him directly and you will find the right attitude and approach to theology.

So give priority to knowing God. Jesus is the one who provides the best illustration of God - "he showed us the Father" and the Holy Spirit is the one who will help us understand how his teachings apply to us today. One of the key goals God has in the world today is to establish a community of people who live by love - "Love God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength, and your neighbour as yourself." He taught that we should love our enemies - those who do not share our views, our opinions - and thus show the world what God is like - for he gives sun and rain and many other blessings to unrighteous and righteous people alike. So ... in the context of the church - the Body of Christ - we should not try to avoid people who think differently (that is very cozy and comfortable) and find people who agree entirely with our own expectations and interpretations. We should follow the Spirit's guidance and go where he directs, even if there are things we have trouble coping with. Who knows, maybe he has valuable lessons to teach us - yes even through people or worship practices that we don't really enjoy (at least at first).

This is not easy. It is hard. But how else will the world take notice of the fact that "such different people love one another?" (Love here is not a "feeling," it is a matter of practical action. So you can love, through how you act and behave, people you don't really 'like.') Read the Scriptures with the purpose of knowing Jesus Christ, allow God to shape your values, and transform your mind, so you become all that you were meant to be as a person, and at the same time become a mirror of Christ himself. God bless you with peace of mind and a heart of love.