If a non-Christian tells you something about God ...

[LittleLion]

To Christians



If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

 

[Jeremiah31_3]

is it in the bible?
That's it, if they can find a reference in the bible for this statement, then i might consider it, i would most likely read it up first myself but. God bless.

 

[heron]

Yup, yup.

Your non-christian friend might have been brought up Christian, attended church, and made the decision to walk away from it.

We live in the information age, though, and statements about God are thrown across the news, Times magazine, Discovery channel, Comedy channel, novels, even textbooks. You know that not everything you read is true. And so many perspectives are out there now for a richer understanding of anything, it's also easy to run into distortions.

If you want help looking it up, let us know.

 

[crossrunner]

Yep...we measure anything like that by the scriptures and we pray that God gives us descernment.

 

[sinner/SAVED]

The statement must be biblically accurate and in context.

 

[dws391]

When anyone tells me something about God my first thought is does it agree with what God says about himself??

Christians as well as non-Christians may not be right.

A slightly different subject but what always amazes me is non-Christians who discount what the bible says until they want to use a verse to support an argument they have, then suddenly it is reliable and true.

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

Christian or not if it's not in the Bible I'm not gonna go for it.

 

[CPman2004]

I agree with what the people here have already posted. If it goes along with the Bible then it is ok. Why would I believe it? Because, all humans are created by God in the image of God. Therefore, they all have knowledge of God. With that knowledge they can of couse form some observations or conclusions, but of couse this will be limited if they keep choosing not to believe in and worship God.

 

[Quijote]

If the non-Christian is talking about God, then I'll check it against the Bible/Tradition.

If the non-Christian is talkina about a god (not the Chrisitan God) then I'll believe that whatever he's telling me is the belief of a particular religion, I might even recognize some truth of what he's saying, but I wont' believe it as awhole if it contradicts who God is.

cheers

 

[AvgJoe]

To Christians



If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

If it lines up with the Bible.

 

[constance]

It's a case-by-case basis - the Bible has to be taken in context for me to change my opinion - but I would certainly listen to what YOU say God is to you.

Constance

 

[LittleLion]

Heron has pointed out elsewhere:

"Can there be a non-biblical experience of God?"

The Biblical accounts of experiences with God were nonbiblical.

It took years and centuries for the writings to be accepted as Torah, OT, NT, etc. God worked in peoples' lives, and they were so happy (or shaken), they wrote them down.

People continually have similar experiences, but have closed the book on adding the stories to an official document. Now, we have thousands of nonfiction books, tapes, videos, web sites, conferences, special services...that all attest to the active communication and works of God. We would need a wing of the Library of Congress for it all.

"People continually have similar experiences, but have closed the book on adding the stories to an official document."

They closed the book at some point, to make an official document.

This still doesn't mean that any experience of God outside of the biblical context is false.

 

[mindlight]

"People continually have similar experiences, but have closed the book on adding the stories to an official document."

They closed the book at some point, to make an official document.

This still doesn't mean that any experience of God outside of the biblical context is false.

I believe the purpose of the scriptures is to reveal God to man and to explain his plan for our lives e.g. created purpose, redeemed status and eschatological vision.

In that sense what has already been revealed is sufficient for the rest of human history. Since it is sufficient it does not need to be added to.

However regarding ongoing experiences of God I believe they can be diverse and sometimes unique. God is continually doing a new thing in diverse cultures. There has never been 400 young people in the church I worship though it has been there a thousand years but 400 young people recently worshipped there. The church in China has never been stronger.

While the character of experiencses can be tested against scripture I think we shoudl alllow for a massive diversity of experience across different cultures and times

 

[MinDach]

This still doesn't mean that any experience of God outside of the biblical context is false

The Bible has a Beginning & a End, we are now living in the end part of it. He has already laid it out, we can not add any more to it, and this is what some religons have done. You can have experiences with God, if the experience does not back up what God has already laid down in his words, then you are not having a experience with the same God who created this world.

 

[LegomasterJC]

As long as it agrees with the Bible it's good.
One could say that Healing cancer is not in the Bible. Healings of such diseases and many others still happen today and it agrees with the Word of God because He said "And much greater things than these, you will do"

 

[wayfaring man]

If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

Personally , I tend to use the same criteria for what anyone says , ( all labels aside ) .

1. That which has been made clear by the study of Scripture .

2. The voice of The Lord and His Spirit within .

3. The type of fruits the one talking manifests .

4. Considering not only what is being said , but how it's being said , where it's being said , when it's being said , why it's being said . Being prayerful for these insights to be given by The Spirit of Christ .

5. And the way in which the person reacts / responds to being questioned , or being offered a contrasting point of view .

Here's a few verses which come to mind -

...We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
But if any man love God, the same is known of him. <-----> 1st Corinthians 8:1-3

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. <-----> James 3:13-18

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. <-----> Romans 8:4

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. <-----> 1st John 4:1-5

But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. <-----> Jeremiah 23:22

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. <-----> Proverbs 26:28

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. <-----> Matthew 7:20

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. <-----> 1st Corinthians 13:4-7

For he is not a Jew [/ Christian ] , which is one outwardly.......
But he is a Jew [ / Christian ], which is one inwardly ... <---> From Romans 2:28+29

** [ / Christian ] - added to give present sense of conveyed principle .

May The Lord Be Pleased To Bless .

wm

 

[LittleLion]

wayfaring man,

Personally , I tend to use the same criteria for what anyone says , ( all labels aside ) .

1. That which has been made clear by the study of Scripture .

2. The voice of The Lord and His Spirit within .

3. The type of fruits the one talking manifests .

4. Considering not only what is being said , but how it's being said , where it's being said , when it's being said , why it's being said . Being prayerful for these insights to be given by The Spirit of Christ .

5. And the way in which the person reacts / responds to being questioned , or being offered a contrasting point of view .

Thank you for this list!
It is very insightful and useful.

 

[Radagast]

... If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

Kind of like when a non-mathematician tells me about numbers: I would check it against what I know and at the same time ask them for reasons.

-- Radagast

 

[Christian_Victor]

To Christians



If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

As long as it's from experience then I'd believe it. But, if someone said they saw Jesus or somethign big like that, I want some proof.

 

[12volt_man]

To Christians



If a non-Christian tells you something about God, what are your criteria for believing it?

Same as if a Christian tells me: how does it line up with scripture?