I'm so confused

[tomana]

The whole earth was submerged in water (the Great Flood) and the fountains of the DEEP were open, things sure did move around, but what evidence says the world is billions of years old? I'm willing to consider your evidence(s)

 

[trulyconverted]

So recently I thought I was accepting Christ as my savior and starting to believe in God again, but then I start to realize we live in a world of deception, and how Christians would ALWAYS be persecuted.

I've listened to some of Zac Poonen's sermons recently (you can find them on Youtube) and he constantly warns that other preachers don't preach what Jesus did with his Sermon on the Mount, and that although other denominations seem godly and nice on the outside, he said to be careful of deception and discern.

Those who follow Christ should abide by all his commandments, not just some. To abide by the will of the Father.

I've been struggling because I still have things in my life which I feel aren't godly and may LEAD to sin but in itself aren't sinful (at least I don't think they are). But the passage regarding Jesus' second coming and how he will tell many that 'I never knew you, depart from me' frightens me. This passage has send my mind into a whirlwind in the past few days.

Many will claim to be Christian and accept Jesus as savior, but their lives will be wasted because they didn't worship the true Jesus. They didn't read the Bible and abide by his commandments, though they claim they have. And it's even more disturbing for those who just claim to be contemporary Christians (basically live your worldly life but feel obligated to go to church few times a year for holidays, chant a repetetive prayer every night, etc) are going straight for hell. The fact that my family, my parents, my friends would all go to hell because they didn't truly give up their worldly life for Jesus just has me frantically confused and scared.

I almost feel like giving up completely and going back to Atheism. Why do we have these fossil records of hominids and evidence of a really old Earth but none of it is mentioned in the Bible? What of the hominids before us? Did they all go to hell? Did they have souls? You can't deny their existence, the fossils are authentic and buried deep within the Earth undisturbed. Evolution, the continental drift theory, all these present compelling evidence.

But at the same time I would HATE to just give up God and Christ just because I can't give up the world for them. I feel as if I have to give up all my friends and family to follow them because the path is that narrow. Why waste your life pretending to be Christian when you aren't 100% faithful?

I'm a trainwreck right now and not sure what to do. I feel like all Catholics would go to hell for their idolatry and repetitive verses (none of which are ever mentioned in the Bible), but I have so many loved ones who are Catholic and would depress me to know they would suffer for eternity.

I know deception exists because God wants to test us but I sometimes feel EVERYONE is deceived because everyone says this group is deceived that group is deceived, etc. What of the Jews? Muslims? How do we know for certain we are the only right ones?

Sorry just felt like getting that off my chest. It's a lot to think about.

dear m56,

Before the Lord saved me and things weren't so clear, what I did was I watched different preachers on the internet - mainly those who use and read their bibles during preaching. And I also read the bible myself, so whatever those preachers say, I would only believe if I read it in the bible myself.

I just kept on reading and listening to preachers.

For one, if your mind is not idle because it is busy studying His word (read every single chance you get) or listening about Him then the evil one will have less chance messing with your mind.

I am sure after reading the bible (and I suggest you read by books, not to pick out verses only) you will find things that you need to know.

If you have not found the answers to your questions yet, just keep reading (I suggest to continue on until you've done all the books, then repeat).

You do not have to do anything drastic... Just sit tight, until you get the answer from the bible.

Psalm 119:
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

All glory to God!

 

[Emmy]

Dear Mustang56. In Matthew 22, verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is: " Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus makes this statement: " On these two Commandments
hang all the Law and the Prophets." Straightforward and easy to remember.
Start by treating all you know and all you meet, as you would love to be treated. God will see your sincere efforts, and God will approve and bless you. Be kind and friendly, offer a helping hand where needed, be a good neighbour. Love is very catching, and you will find that people treat you the same. Jesus told us to " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour: all around us.
( Matthew 7, verses 7-8) You might stumble and forget at times, but then
keep asking God, keep thanking God, and keep sharing with our neighbour:
Friends and not friends. Everything we say or do, everything we advise or stand for, should be from Love and Compassion. A Christian`s strong weapon is selfless Love and Charity.
The Bible tells us to " Repent," to change from being selfish and unloving to
being loving and caring: Being " Born again," loving children/sons and daughters of our Loving Heavenly Father. Always remember, Mustang: Those
two Commandments to Love and care, on them hang all the Law and the Prophets, they say all Jesus wants us to be: Loving followers of our
Loving Saviour, and also to remember that Jesus died, that we might live.
To Love and Obey, follow God`s first and second Commandment, is what God
wants from us. Love also will change people, and in due time, we will be as
God wants us to be: Loving men and women turning an imperfect world into
a loving and caring world: fit for our Great and Worthy Heavenly Father.
We have free will, and it is up to us. We will never know what God has for us,
until we follow Jesus back to where we came from. I say this with love Mustang.
Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[yellowfree]

Thank you both for the responses. I agree that every pastor will say things that all sound good but it's for you to discern.

I never felt this pessimistic about Christianity until I heard some of Zac Poonen's sermons and how we must build our house upon the rock, we must stand firm with Christ, and abide by his commandments as faithful and truthfully as we can. He said that we may have to sacrifice our worldly lives to do so, for
-----"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25)

So I took this as I have to give up secular things I like which may not seem holy.

And it made more sense as I read that basically what the truth is would be something I'd rather not hear,
-----"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, (trying to be worldly while 'faithful to Christ') they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3)

How would this verse make sense in today's world if everyone preaches God loves the world when he nearly destroyed it in Noah's time. Wouldn't the truth be something we would have difficulty accepting as said in this verse?

And that True Christians would be persecuted for strictly following Christ in this world
-----"You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” (Matthew 5:10)

-----“It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

I mean, sure we scuffle with atheists sometimes, but I hardly feel like I'm persecuted in today's world for saying I'm a believing Christian. Instead, I see the radicals who claim God hates sinners, Catholics are going to hell, etc; that are being persecuted. And those people claim they are the true Christians

I'm sorry for asking for a lot of explanation here, it's just that with so many Christians preaching we will be deceived as it is said in the bible, how do we know if we are truly deceived??? For Jesus says on Judgement day that there will be those who accepted Christ, but he will say unto them 'Depart from me'. Doesn't that trouble you knowing people out there will spend their whole lives worshipping Christ as they think they should only to be told to go to hell?

check out Heidi baker's video on youtube called radical love equals radical obedience

I want you to see this forsaking all for Christ in a different light..so it may do you good to check out Heidi Baker

 

[mthinker]

First of all, only God truly knows every heart. So that means that there could be reborn christians in different christian communities. To be a christian means to be have turned to God, following His command and believe in Jesus. More specifically we need to follow the Holy Spirit, who teaches us to live this life after God's will. And when we fall into sin, we need to get up again and turn away from it. God's will are things like loving your neighbour, caring, humbleness and helping etc. Sin is hatred, murder, violence, unfaithfulness, fornication etc. The Bible teach us many things, what the character of God is like, and what is not of his will. Ask God to help you with all of this, because we need His help and forgiveness. He will give mercy to the one who seek Him frankly, and wants to have his protection.

There are many difficult things in life. I agree on that too. An important thing is the will to know Jesus. So you seek him be searching and prayer etc. Then hopefully one will learn and be stronger in the faith. May God through Jesus Christ strengthen your faith. The promise is eternal life. Amen.

 

[Alive_Again]

The whole earth was submerged in water (the Great Flood) and the fountains of the DEEP were open, things sure did move around, but what evidence says the world is billions of years old? I'm willing to consider your evidence(s)

I'm not a geologist, but the rocks tell the story. They also reveal a flood. I believe their is evidence of 2 floods. Certain evidential things happen to the rocks indicating certain time periods in the earth's development. The age of the dinosaur thing in particular pointing to a very old earth. The Ice Age thing has also been demonstrated with undigested plants in stomachs of dinosaurs indicating a sudden cataclysmic event that somehow preserved these creatures and the state they were in at their time of death.

The movement of the continents would seem to take a very long time, even with great floods occurring. Some of the biggest eroding things we know of are right in the Grand Canyon, yet even these caused no continental drift or separation of great significance.

If you look at the description of the earth in and out of the water, it points to a state (after the first flood). Take note of the word "was without form" could and is translated "became" (without form and void) "was" being translated "became" in other places in the Bible. Now things are a little more obvious.

Science and the Bible match up, when science is accurate. Obviously a lot of scientists are deceived and acknowledge evolution, even though it fails the scientific method, the very means to prove any hypothesis. Nonetheless they are right about some things and the rocks don't lie. Neither do the bones!

 

[NDE Master]

Hi Mustang56,

In a practical sense what do you think God's commandments are?

Thanks, peace.