How do you resolve unbelief?

[yeshuaslavejeff]

That's depressing.

Depressing ?
For who ?
For The elect, the Ekklesia, born again ones called and chosen by Yahuweh , the ones who turn to Yahushua He never casts down; i.e. the ones who share in His Resurrection Life ?
Or for the ones who reject Yahushua (Jesus) , and are resurrected to judgment ?

 

[renniks]

Why do you choose to believe?

Initially, either because I don't want to go to hell, or because I'm sick of my sinful self or simply that I want to find the truth. Which I think is a pretty much universal longing in humans

 

[public hermit]

Somehow, believing in God is more difficult than believing that He loves me.

Don't give up. The gift you're looking for will come. I've been praying that you will come to faith, and I will continue to do so. The fact that you came on here and posted your honest concerns is telling. Our Lord is generous. I don't know why you're having the struggle you are having, but we all have to go through the journey. If it is easier to believe that God loves you, than to believe that God exists, then go with that. Continue to study the scriptures, pray, be part of a worshipping community, and try to live as Christ taught, as best you can. Grace and faith are a gift, and as you ask you will receive. Trust that. May our Lord grant you grace and faith. May the peace of Christ be with you.

 

[Jonaitis]

All things are possible for the one who believes, but what happens when you can't find faith?

The Bible says that salvation through faith is a gift from God, and this speaks to me. I don't feel that faith and belief is a conscious choice that I can make; my belief comes from what I know to be true, based on what I have seen, heard, and felt. Without the work of God, we could not believe in the gospel to be saved. I feel no more able to choose to believe in God than I could choose to believe that I will not see the sun set today. Yet, the gospels condemn those without belief. I pray that God might open my mind to the truth of the matter, while sustaining my patience and persistence.

What is the path for those that do not believe, but want to? What is the response to those who have tried for years without success?

It sounds to me that you already believe, at least in part, what you want to believe. If you didn't, then why would you want to? why do you fear the condemnation of the gospels? why do you pray that God would open your mind? You show qualities of some kind of belief, even if it isn't saving faith in Christ. You believe Christ, but you are struggling with believing in Christ, am I wrong?

 

[Elle12]

It sounds to me that you already believe, at least in part, what you want to believe. If you didn't, then why would you want to? why do you fear the condemnation of the gospels? why do you pray that God would open your mind? You show qualities of some kind of belief, even if it isn't saving faith in Christ. You believe Christ, but you are struggling with believing in Christ, am I wrong?

I don't fear condemnation. I don't believe in hell. I like the idea of a loving God, and the idea is one that seems like it would bring some peace. I started my spiritual journey in college, where I was (and still am) surprised to find people that have dedicated their life to God and to helping others find that God loves them. I have seen God (even if it is only the idea of God, their belief in a God) make a difference in the lives of others, I have seen communities of people brought together by a common faith. I have been in a room of people moved to tears by worship and sermons. I would love for my children to be raised in a church family, and I would love to tell them that there is a God who created them with a purpose and who loves them.

But, I'm a skeptic to a fault. I don't believe that. I've never seen or read or heard or felt anything that makes me think that it's true. I believe wholeheartedly that it could be true, that there could be a God out there, and that possibility has driven me to try to figure it out. When I ask others why they believe, I'm looking for reasons to believe myself - but I've never found it. I'm not asking for a sign, but I fear that without one I'm just not capable of believing in something that logically, emotionally, and otherwise seems so far-fetched. My journey, spiritual and not, has led me to be more willing to put myself into the shoes of others, and more patient, and to love others. I don't believe in all the moral themes that are prevalent in the Bible, but a lot of them make sense to me. My last pastor told me that although I may not believe in Christ, he sees Christ in me. And maybe that's true, but I do what I do because it feels right, not because Jesus said so.

 

[Jonaitis]

I don't fear condemnation. I don't believe in hell. I like the idea of a loving God, and the idea is one that seems like it would bring some peace. I started my spiritual journey in college, where I was (and still am) surprised to find people that have dedicated their life to God and to helping others find that God loves them. I have seen God (even if it is only the idea of God, their belief in a God) make a difference in the lives of others, I have seen communities of people brought together by a common faith. I have been in a room of people moved to tears by worship and sermons. I would love for my children to be raised in a church family, and I would love to tell them that there is a God who created them with a purpose and who loves them.

But, I'm a skeptic to a fault. I don't believe that. I've never seen or read or heard or felt anything that makes me think that it's true. I believe wholeheartedly that it could be true, that there could be a God out there, and that possibility has driven me to try to figure it out. When I ask others why they believe, I'm looking for reasons to believe myself - but I've never found it. I'm not asking for a sign, but I fear that without one I'm just not capable of believing in something that logically, emotionally, and otherwise seems so far-fetched. My journey, spiritual and not, has led me to be more willing to put myself into the shoes of others, and more patient, and to love others. I don't believe in all the moral themes that are prevalent in the Bible, but a lot of them make sense to me. My last pastor told me that although I may not believe in Christ, he sees Christ in me. And maybe that's true, but I do what I do because it feels right, not because Jesus said so.

Elle12, what do you doubt about the existence of God?

 

[Elle12]

Elle12, what do you doubt about the existence of God?

I doubt the existence of God. I doubt the truth of the Bible, and the life of Jesus Christ. All of it.

 

[Jonaitis]

I doubt the existence of God. I doubt the truth of the Bible, and the life of Jesus Christ. All of it.

Is there any particulars for why you doubt his existence?

 

[Sabertooth]

@Elle12 , if you have psychiatric medicines for OCD or something, keep taking them. Not doing so will interfere with your thought processes.

 

[Elle12]

Is there any particulars for why you doubt his existence?

I have never found any type of evidence to suggest it. Believing in God without any logical argument isn't something I would consider myself likely to do. It's like asking why in particular I don't believe I'll die tomorrow - it could happen, but with no logical, physical, or emotional basis to indicate that being the case, I'm not about to believe it.

 

[Sabertooth]

It's like asking why in particular I don't believe I'll die tomorrow...

You will die one tomorrow...

 

[Elle12]

You will die one tomorrow...

See, I believe that. That makes sense. Am I missing your point?

 

[Sabertooth]

Am I missing your point?

You don't/can't know which one it will be.

 

[Jonaitis]

I have never found any type of evidence to suggest it. Believing in God without any logical argument isn't something I would consider myself likely to do. It's like asking why in particular I don't believe I'll die tomorrow - it could happen, but with no logical, physical, or emotional basis to indicate that being the case, I'm not about to believe it.

The evidence is all around you, you just refuse to accept it. The kind of "evidence" you want is something out of the ordinary, which if it is out of the ordinary it wouldn't be shown over and over again. The world in which you live in is intelligently designed, that includes and is not limited to the human being. Matter of fact, you are the greatest evidence that there is God. The irony is that the greatest evidence that there is God is the greatest atheist in all of creation.

 

[Sabertooth]

You don't/can't know which one it will be.

Church Bus Crash in Gainesville, FL (Jan, 2019)

 

[Elle12]

The evidence is all around you, you just refuse to accept it. The kind of "evidence" you want is something out of the ordinary, which if it is out of the ordinary it wouldn't be shown over and over again. The world in which you live in is intelligently designed, that includes and is not limited to the human being. Matter of fact, you are the greatest evidence that there is God. The irony is that the greatest evidence that there is God is the greatest atheist in all of creation.

That we or the world exists isn't evidence that we were created. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it possible that we weren't? Yes. There isn't really too much evidence in either direction - God is as irrefutable as He is provable. The kind of evidence that I want is as simple as a kind that makes sense to me. It doesn't have to be angels singing from the heavens or telling me what my life's purpose is; but I can't dedicate my life to a character in a book or a concept without something more than, 'it would be nice if it were true.'

 

[Job3315]

All things are possible for the one who believes, but what happens when you can't find faith?

The Bible says that salvation through faith is a gift from God, and this speaks to me. I don't feel that faith and belief is a conscious choice that I can make; my belief comes from what I know to be true, based on what I have seen, heard, and felt. Without the work of God, we could not believe in the gospel to be saved. I feel no more able to choose to believe in God than I could choose to believe that I will not see the sun set today. Yet, the gospels condemn those without belief. I pray that God might open my mind to the truth of the matter, while sustaining my patience and persistence.

What is the path for those that do not believe, but want to? What is the response to those who have tried for years without success?

Faith comes by hearing God. Hearing doesn't just mean reading the Bible, understanding and the applying what He is saying. A Christian is supposed to be able to grow into a communion with God and learn all the many ways He speaks. Throughout my life I understood that we go through seasons with God. Just like love and companionship in a relationship, in our relationship with God, although the love is the same, it is expressed in different ways. It is our responsibility to identify how He is speaking to us. You can start by asking Him the season you are in and how He is speaking to you in that season. For example, I am a seer and I get seasons when I hear Him more through Dreans and Visions, but when He changed the season for the first time I had less dreams. I started panicking because my relationship with Him was through Dreams and Visions, I thought He wasn't speaking to me or I became spiritually deaf, but then I realized He was speaking to me more in that new season through His written word, so I started reading and meditating more in the Word. I always read the Bible, but this time it felt different. I was seeing things for the first time or with a different perspective. Another season I've had was silence, so I learned to just be in silent, knowing He was there with me.

What I am trying to say is, sometimes we think we don't have faith or He is not speaking, when in reality maybe we are just not identifying how He is speaking to us in the new season. And if we can't hear Him, we can't be filled with Faith.

 

[Elle12]

Church Bus Crash in Gainesville, FL (Jan, 2019)

It happens, but should I be blowing my savings account because it's marginally possible that I may die in a freak accident tomorrow? I don't understand how your point relates.

 

[Sabertooth]

It happens, but should I be blowing my savings account because it's marginally possible that I may die in a freak accident tomorrow? I don't understand how your point relates.

It isn't a matter of if you are going to die, just when. There are no guarantees for the latter.

Surrendering to Jesus offers you two major benefits,

1. The invitation to be with Him when you do leave this planet, AND
2. The promise to help you in this life [see Romans 8:28].

 

[Jonaitis]

That we or the world exists isn't evidence that we were created. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it possible that we weren't? Yes. There isn't really too much evidence in either direction - God is as irrefutable as He is provable. The kind of evidence that I want is as simple as a kind that makes sense to me. It doesn't have to be angels singing from the heavens or telling me what my life's purpose is; but I can't dedicate my life to a character in a book or a concept without something more than, 'it would be nice if it were true.'

You're a rational and intelligent living being, why aren't you a plant? Their existence is far more simpler, and they don't have a need for the distinct and unique senses of the body to survive, such as the ability to see through the eyes, hearing through the ears, smelling through the nose, and tasting through the tongue- and add to that nerves to feel and touch things! They don't need to enjoy pleasure through these mediums at all. They don't need a brain, one that has a mind to reason and have rational thoughts, nor the need to verbally communicate and have discourse with another person. They find their sustenance in simple things. By using the energy of sunlight, plants can convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen (as if that isn't already intelligently designed). Why are we so complex? Why do we have all this extra baggage of "useless" things if plants can survive without them?

Don't you have consciousness? Where do you derive this self awareness?

You are also a moral being. Unlike the lower animals, you have a sense of justice and morality, of right from wrong and what is good from bad. We call it 'murder,' but the lower animals have no such classification. We call it "theft," but animals don't know it like that. If someone wrongs another, we believe something must be compensated. Why? We have marriage unions, the lower animals don't know that. We consider sexual pleasure something beyond reproduction, something special, the lower animals don't understand that. From where do you get the idea that something is right and something is wrong, unless you have a law within you that distinguishes the two in what we call the conscience? Why does the conscience strive against our desires? Why does the conscience deride our loose behavior and guide our moral judgment? What is the conscience? If there is a law of right from wrong, who is the Law-giver? If there is a standard of morality, who made it?

You alone are full of evidence, let alone the creation around you. We can go on about the human anatomy, how symmetrical it is in many ways and how perfect the organs are situated in the body, how each function with the help of another for a given purpose. We can talk about all the things that are unique about you because of how you were made.