I'd like to start with something personal.

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

Why do you believe? I'm sure many will answer faith. Then why do you have faith?

Uptown Girl · Mar 17, 2010

Because there is something in me that cries out for God. Each of us have that round-shaped hole we keep trying to shove square pegs in to. Nothing fits but Jesus. It's the ultimate cry of our soul to know our maker. I believe because my soul is drawn to... I was created to.

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

Can you go into more detail on that?

Sketcher · Mar 17, 2010

Everybody has faith in something or someone. I happen to also have faith in God.

theVirginian · Mar 17, 2010

God proved to my satisfaction that He is real. Everything else fell into place once I had that epiphany.

http://www.christianforums.com/t5390175/#post34990951

Standing Up · Mar 17, 2010

Livingstone Smith said:
Why do you believe? I'm sure many will answer faith. Then why do you have faith?

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Read the bible, even if it is to prove it wrong.

Van · Mar 17, 2010

How does on "know" that what they believe is true is not an exercise in self-delusion? Why believe if there is a real possibility the belief may be in whole or in part false?

If a person believes they cannot trust to luck or speculation or a working hypothesis they would appear to be a sniveling coward, afraid of his or her own shadow. They could not sit in a chair unless they saw it used by a person of similar size and weight. How could they open any envelop because they do not know it does not contain weaponized anthrax.

No the real question is why trust in the God of the Bible, rather than godlessness. And the answer is simple, given what we know or think we know, trusting in the God of the bible seems like the best we can do. Have lots of people trusted in "gods" that did not exist? Yes, but that does not demonstrate no god exists. Have people done horrible things in the name of God? Yes. One of my favorite quotations is, " Man has little to fear in what men do in the name of evil, but God help us from what men do in the name of good." But the problem with this condemnation of belief in God is that those who did evil in the sight of men in the name of God, might have been hypocrites, pretenders, folks that claim to be godly, but inside are ravenous wolfs.

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

twistedsketch said:
Everybody has faith in something or someone. I happen to also have faith in God.

So, how did you get this faith?

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

Standing Up said:
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Read the bible, even if it is to prove it wrong.

So it only comes from reading the bible?

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

Van said:
No the real question is why trust in the God of the Bible, rather than godlessness.

I am fairly sure that is a false dichotomy.

And the answer is simple, given what we know or think we know, trusting in the God of the bible seems like the best we can do.

Can you explain the logic behind that statement?

brinny · Mar 17, 2010

Livingstone Smith said:
Why do you believe? I'm sure many will answer faith. Then why do you have faith?

Why do you ask? Are you searching for something?

Livingstone Smith · Mar 17, 2010

brinny said:
Why do you ask? Are you searching for something?

Yes, but not what you think.

brinny · Mar 17, 2010

Livingstone Smith said:
Yes, but not what you think.

what are you searching for?

christianmomof3 · Mar 17, 2010

Interesting name - living stone. It is biblical.
1 Peter 2:
4 Coming to Him, a living stone, rejected by men but with God chosen and precious,
5 You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Van · Mar 18, 2010

Hi Mr. Smith, if a person wants to pretend something does not add up, it is pointless to try to explain how something adds up. It would be illogical to pick what does not appear to be the best path.

And the real question of why to trust in God rather than godlessness is obviously not a false dichotomy. Based on your atheist icon, you have chosen to trust in godlessness.
So again it is obvious that you made the choice, yet you pretend otherwise, for what? To score points. Strange game, the only winning move is not to play.

Goodbye and God Bless,

drich0150 · Mar 18, 2010

Livingstone Smith said:
So, how did you get this faith?

If you don't have it then simply ask God for the faith that you seek.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives most of us strength and faith beyond what we may have on our own accord.

If you wish to have a measure of the Spirit then it is as simple as asking, seeking and knocking.

Luke 11:

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

We ask through Prayer, we seek in scripture and through those who exhibit signs or "fruit" of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) and we knock by repeating this process till we get what our Hearts truly seeks.

ebia · Mar 18, 2010

Because I find I cannot not.

andreha · Mar 18, 2010

The man's right.

drich0150 said:
If you don't have it then simply ask God for the faith that you seek.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives most of us strength and faith beyond what we may have on our own accord.

If you wish to have a measure of the Spirit then it is as simple as asking, seeking and knocking.

Luke 11:

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

We ask through Prayer, we seek in scripture and through those who exhibit signs or "fruit" of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) and we knock by repeating this process till we get what our Hearts truly seeks.

Uptown Girl · Mar 18, 2010

Livingstone Smith said:
So, how did you get this faith?

The bible tells us that we have each been given a measure of grace and faith.

Romans 12:2-3
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

How do you "get" it? I'm not sure I can even say... I believe we were born with faith and are encouraged to exercise it to make it stronger. Like a person training for the Olympics~ they have muscles they were born with that get them around like anyone else, but when they are trained/exercised they can do wonderful, amazing things.

I'm sure you already know this, but I find it interesting.... Definition of faith:
1.confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2.belief that is not based on proof
3.belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4.belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5.a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.

aiki · Mar 18, 2010

Why do you believe? I'm sure many will answer faith. Then why do you have faith?

Why do I believe in God? Well, because He's made Himself real to me. I fellowship with Him every day. Also, there is an excellent body of historical, philosophical and even scientific evidence upon which to further rest my belief in God.

Why do you ask?

Peace.

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