Important questions, please help! Thank you!!

[GodSeeker1]

Hi everyone!

I've been searching strongly for God lately, but it's been a bit hard for me to stay on my path of faith in the past few weeks. Please keep in mind that I do not wish to offend anyone, in any way. I am sincerely asking for your help on my search for the truth.

Sometimes I wonder about God, sometimes I wonder if God is really even there at all. If God really does exist, I wonder why he cannot just prove himself to me. God says He is all-powerful, so why is it not possible for him to do what I ask of Him so deeply? ... Instead, I have to live my life in denial, doubting and questioning, believing in something I have no REAL proof or evidence of, whatsoever. Sure, the bible says that it is God's word, and that I must read and obey it every day for the rest of my life, but how do I know that the mind isn't just powerful enough to make me believe in something so strongly, that it only becomes real in my mind? Sure, I can see that I exist, and that the plants and animals and everything else I perceive around me do, too, but that still does not prove that God exists. It also does not prove that I must believe in a God, who could very well just be part of my own imagination.

I don't understand how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man-kind, knowing exactly how He created man, and end up sending them to burn in Hell for all of eternity, if they do not repent and ask for forgiveness, although it is said that He created us, knowing exactly everything, every little detail about us, and what our actions would consist of throughout our lifetime. How can God love all of his children, yet send them to a burning inferno of eternal punishment and torture, if they are not worthy in the end? I know I would never do such a thing to my own children, no matter how much they would disobey me. If God created everything, he knew exactly everything that would come about; all our actions, all our desires, absolutely everything. He would have created Adam and Eve, and Satan, and set everything up to put us all into a world of sin. I also do not understand why God would give us such a powerful mind if he did not intend us to use it to our full potential. A mind that can achieve and create almost an infinite realm of all sorts of things. (The mind certainly is a beautiful thing, I must say.)

How does God expect me to believe in him if he does not show himself to me, especially after I've opened my heart to him (whom I don't even know exists, anymore.) God hates sin, and when I turned from sin, it seemed as if I turned from everything I knew to be alright... I didn't feel like I was a bad person in my past, I just did what I felt was right, and good for those whom I felt I could help, and I am a person who likes to have fun most the time, too. Once I turned from sin and started living a Christian life, over time, I became very unhappy, lifeless, dull, and not myself. Fearing what might happen to my soul, I started to try to love God, more and more, as much as I could. But then I began to feel as if my love for God was very artificial, only created through my fears of Hell. Is this the kind of love that a God would intend us to have? It seems like such a selfish kind of love. (Love me and obey me, or else you will suffer and burn in Hell for all of eternity.)

How come God expects me to believe in this religion and not any other religion? Why does God not show me the truth Himself? Where is God? What if we are all here for a completely different reason that is yet to be found?

And one more thing for now; what would the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life in space mean to Christianity? (I have been hearing a great deal of information about this stuff, recently.)

Thank you all for your precious time and feedback !!! It really means a lot to me!

 

[PerrySB]

I have two questions for you. Are you willing to do a little research? Has something happened to you to question your belief in God?

 

[GodSeeker1]

Yes, I'm willing to do research, what do you recommend I research?

And what questions my belief in God is that my belief in God seems as though it is imaginary. And that I am not happy being a Christian... Wouldn't God want me to be happy?

 

[salida]

God has shown himself-look at his creation. If he showed himself in his full glory you would die. Moses saw the back of God but he couldn't see his front.

The christian concept: www.livingwaters.com/good/

Irs a spiritual decision first and second intellectual.
Visit: www.TheBibleProofBook.com, read The Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell-its overswhelming circumstantial evidence of bible. And Examine the Evidence by Muncaster a former athiest.

Internal Evidence (prophesies confirmed within bible)
Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen 49:10 - Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Lukes time period 60-70 AD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5 - Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60 - 70 AD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14 - Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60 - 70 AD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 - four kingdoms are described in the interpretation of a dream of
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek - Daniel 8:21, 10:20/and the fourth
great kingdom to follow- part iron and clay-which is the Roman Empire. During this empire Christ came and his church was established.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historical Accuracy
The bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events hundreds of years ago and has not
been proven incorrect in any.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents):
New Testament starts - at 25 years between original and first surviving copies
Homer - starts at 500 years
Demosthenes - at 1400 years
Plato - at 1200 years
Caesar - at 1000 years
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Manuscript Copies-New Testament - 5,686/Homer - 643/Demosthenes - 200/
Plato - 7/Caesar -10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consistency/Written by God
Written by at least 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years and has no internal inconsistencies.
It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. No other religious book makes such claim.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
External Evidences (prophesies outside bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never built again.
Nineveh - Nahum 1:10, 3:7,15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon - Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre - Ezekiel 26:1-28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bible before Science- He hangs the earth on nothing-Job 26:7/Earth is a sphere-Isaiah 40:22
Air has weight-Job 28:25/Gravity-Job 26:7, Job 38:31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago; some scholars think 3000 years ago)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Documents that Prove Bible is True
Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles
Archeological Finds
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel

 

[GodSeeker1]

Also, how can God expect me to sincerely love him when God threatens me with eternal punishment if I do not? What kind of love is that?

 

[Catherineanne]

Hi everyone! ...

How come God expects me to believe in this religion and not any other religion? Why does God not show me the truth Himself? Where is God? What if we are all here for a completely different reason that is yet to be found?

And one more thing for now; what would the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life in space mean to Christianity? (I have been hearing a great deal of information about this stuff, recently.)

Thank you all for your precious time and feedback !!! It really means a lot to me!

Goodness, you are confused, aren't you?

First of all, slow down a bit. You seem to have a huge need to know every single answer about every single thing. The first thing to understand is that the more you learn about anything, the less you will find that you know. That applies to every area of human knowledge, and it applies to finding out about God. So, how do we eat an elephant sandwich? One bite at a time.

First of all, you think you need to know before you believe. Actually, you don't. You simply need to try being a believer, and see what happens.

So, setting aside all those questions, just for a few days, assume that God is real, and approach life for a while from that point of view. Don't worry about religion, or getting all the facts lined up properly; what does your own heart tell you about what this God MUST be like, in order to be the kind of God you want to get to know. Look at how those around you behave, and consider whether God would behave like that, or better, or worse perhaps.

Then, after a few days, see what questions then remain.

 

[Catherineanne]

Also, how can God expect me to sincerely love him when God threatens me with eternal punishment if I do not? What kind of love is that?

If this kind of God is not the kind of God you think is worth having, then do not have this kind of God.

Not all Christians believe in eternal damnation. Some believe in eternal love, mercy and compassion.

See how easy it is?

 

[Catherineanne]

Yes, I'm willing to do research, what do you recommend I research?

And what questions my belief in God is that my belief in God seems as though it is imaginary. And that I am not happy being a Christian... Wouldn't God want me to be happy?

Read the gospels only, and focus in particular on the exact words of Christ, and his behaviour to those around him.

Don't worry about anything else. Look at Christ, and consider what he reveals to us of the character and behaviour of God. All else will follow from that.

 

[aiki]

Sometimes I wonder about God, sometimes I wonder if God is really even there at all. If God really does exist, I wonder why he cannot just prove himself to me.

Romans 8:14-16
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Did you get that last bit? God's Spirit "bears witness with our spirit" that we are truly children of God. If God is real, and His Spirit has come to live within you as the Bible says happens at the point of genuine conversion, then you will have an inner certainty of being one of God's children. This inner confidence that you are God's child, born again by faith in Christ as your Saviour and Lord, is the most personal "proof" (though not the only proof) God gives of His existence and the reality of your relationship with Him.

God says He is all-powerful, so why is it not possible for him to do what I ask of Him so deeply? ... Instead, I have to live my life in denial, doubting and questioning, believing in something I have no REAL proof or evidence of, whatsoever.

God has made Himself evident to all of mankind. We see His imprint upon the world and universe in which we live and upon ourselves, as well. He has also entered human history very directly in the person of Christ, lived, and died, and rose again before the witness of many to provide further evidence of His existence.

Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Sure, the bible says that it is God's word, and that I must read and obey it every day for the rest of my life, but how do I know that the mind isn't just powerful enough to make me believe in something so strongly, that it only becomes real in my mind? Sure, I can see that I exist, and that the plants and animals and everything else I perceive around me do, too, but that still does not prove that God exists. It also does not prove that I must believe in a God, who could very well just be part of my own imagination.

Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

2 Timothy 1:12
12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

There is no getting around the need for faith in walking with God. This is what the first of the two verses immediately above indicate. In God's economy, one must often believe before receiving.

But God doesn't expect our faith to rest upon nothing. As Paul the apostle says in the above verse from his letter to Timothy, he knew, then believed, and then acted in accordance with that belief. In other words, Paul's faith rested upon facts. There are plenty of excellent websites that provide the facts upon which a Christian may rest their faith. Here are a few:

Reasonable Faith:
Stand to Reason: Stand to Reason: Equipping Christian Ambassadors with Knowledge, Wisdom, and Character.
Welcome to Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

At some point, one must choose what to believe. There will always be "reasons" why one should not believe, which is why believing is always ultimately a choice. It is God's way that when one fully commits to faith in Him that then one actually experiences Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

I don't understand how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man-kind, knowing exactly how He created man, and end up sending them to burn in Hell for all of eternity, if they do not repent and ask for forgiveness,

As you note, God has made a way to escape Hell. The Bible says that, "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pe. 3:9) How is this a bad thing? Every person who ends up in Hell does so because they have chosen it. Do you think a person who has lived their life in rebellion to God is going to want to spend an eternity with Him? In a very real way, Hell is God giving to the wicked exactly what they want: complete separation from Him.

although it is said that He created us, knowing exactly everything, every little detail about us, and what our actions would consist of throughout our lifetime. How can God love all of his children, yet send them to a burning inferno of eternal punishment and torture, if they are not worthy in the end?

THe choice isn't God's, but ours. As the famous Christian thinker C.S. Lewis said, "The door to Hell is locked from the inside."

I know I would never do such a thing to my own children, no matter how much they would disobey me.

But you aren't a perfectly holy infinite God. Your relationship to your children is almost completely different from our relationship to our Creator. I wouldn't try to understand God from this very human frame of reference.

If God created everything, he knew exactly everything that would come about; all our actions, all our desires, absolutely everything. He would have created Adam and Eve, and Satan, and set everything up to put us all into a world of sin.

So that He might demonstrate His power to save. So that He might display His holiness, His justice, His power and His love, mercy, grace and compassion.

I also do not understand why God would give us such a powerful mind if he did not intend us to use it to our full potential. A mind that can achieve and create almost an infinite realm of all sorts of things. (The mind certainly is a beautiful thing, I must say.)

Where do you get the idea that God wants to stifle our intelligence?

How does God expect me to believe in him if he does not show himself to me, especially after I've opened my heart to him (whom I don't even know exists, anymore.)

What prompted you to "open your heart to Him" in the first place? What did you expect doing so would accomplish?

God hates sin, and when I turned from sin, it seemed as if I turned from everything I knew to be alright... I didn't feel like I was a bad person in my past, I just did what I felt was right, and good for those whom I felt I could help, and I am a person who likes to have fun most the time, too. Once I turned from sin and started living a Christian life, over time, I became very unhappy, lifeless, dull, and not myself.

Ah, well, this is a very telling description of your thinking. There are some truths God must open to us. Our very nature prevents us from seeing ourselves as we really are, and from even desiring to do so. But, without God's perspective on ourselves, we cannot fully understand the changes God requires of us in our lives.

This is how God describes the human heart:

Jeremiah 17:9
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Ephesians 4:17-19
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians 2:1-3
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The picture the Bible paints of a person without God is not pretty. No one likes to look into this mirror and see their own ugliness. So, instead, people work up all sorts of reasons to reject God and deny the mirror of ourselves His Word holds up to us. Jesus explains:

John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

Only God can hold us in the light long enough for us to see ourselves as He sees us. And until He does we will never properly understand why we need to be saved and from what.

Fearing what might happen to my soul, I started to try to love God, more and more, as much as I could. But then I began to feel as if my love for God was very artificial, only created through my fears of Hell. Is this the kind of love that a God would intend us to have?

No, it isn't.

1 John 4:18-19
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 We love Him because He first loved us.

We love Him because He first loved us. This is the best motive for becoming a Christian. But we cannot properly understand God's love for us until we comprehend His holiness and our deep depravity. Christ himself explains,

Luke 7:36-48
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."
41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Until a person sees how desperately wicked and in need of God's forgiveness and love they are, they cannot love Him properly. So long as one thinks, "I am not so bad," one will never understand the greatness of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. Such a person will be like Simon in the passage above who refused to see his own sin as the woman wiping Christ's feet with her tears saw her own. Sitting face to face with His Savior, Simon was so self-righteous he could not see a reason to love him. How many Christians today are like Simon! How about you?

Peace.

 

[Catherineanne]

Romans 8:14-16
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Did you get that last bit? God's Spirit "bears witness with our spirit" that we are truly children of God. If God is real, and His Spirit has come to live within you as the Bible says happens at the point of genuine conversion, then you will have an inner certainty of being one of God's children. This inner confidence that you are God's child, born again by faith in Christ as your Saviour and Lord, is the most personal "proof" (though not the only proof) God gives of His existence and the reality of your relationship with Him.



God has made Himself evident to all of mankind. We see His imprint upon the world and universe in which we live and upon ourselves, as well. He has also entered human history very directly in the person of Christ, lived, and died, and rose again before the witness of many to provide further evidence of His existence.

Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.



Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

2 Timothy 1:12
12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

There is no getting around the need for faith in walking with God. This is what the first of the two verses immediately above indicate. In God's economy, one must often believe before receiving.

But God doesn't expect our faith to rest upon nothing. As Paul the apostle says in the above verse from his letter to Timothy, he knew, then believed, and then acted in accordance with that belief. In other words, Paul's faith rested upon facts. There are plenty of excellent websites that provide the facts upon which a Christian may rest their faith. Here are a few:

Reasonable Faith:
Stand to Reason: Stand to Reason: Equipping Christian Ambassadors with Knowledge, Wisdom, and Character.
Welcome to Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

At some point, one must choose what to believe. There will always be "reasons" why one should not believe, which is why believing is always ultimately a choice. It is God's way that when one fully commits to faith in Him that then one actually experiences Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.



As you note, God has made a way to escape Hell. The Bible says that, "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pe. 3:9) How is this a bad thing? Every person who ends up in Hell does so because they have chosen it. Do you think a person who has lived their life in rebellion to God is going to want to spend an eternity with Him? In a very real way, Hell is God giving to the wicked exactly what they want: complete separation from Him.



THe choice isn't God's, but ours. As the famous Christian thinker C.S. Lewis said, "The door to Hell is locked from the inside."



But you aren't a perfectly holy infinite God. Your relationship to your children is almost completely different from our relationship to our Creator. I wouldn't try to understand God from this very human frame of reference.



So that He might demonstrate His power to save. So that He might display His holiness, His justice, His power and His love, mercy, grace and compassion.



Where do you get the idea that God wants to stifle our intelligence?



What prompted you to "open your heart to Him" in the first place? What did you expect doing so would accomplish?



Ah, well, this is a very telling description of your thinking. There are some truths God must open to us. Our very nature prevents us from seeing ourselves as we really are, and from even desiring to do so. But, without God's perspective on ourselves, we cannot fully understand the changes God requires of us in our lives.

This is how God describes the human heart:

Jeremiah 17:9
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Ephesians 4:17-19
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians 2:1-3
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The picture the Bible paints of a person without God is not pretty. No one likes to look into this mirror and see their own ugliness. So, instead, people work up all sorts of reasons to reject God and deny the mirror of ourselves His Word holds up to us. Jesus explains:

John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

Only God can hold us in the light long enough for us to see ourselves as He sees us. And until He does we will never properly understand why we need to be saved and from what.



No, it isn't.

1 John 4:18-19
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 We love Him because He first loved us.

We love Him because He first loved us. This is the best motive for becoming a Christian. But we cannot properly understand God's love for us until we comprehend His holiness and our deep depravity. Christ himself explains,

Luke 7:36-48
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."
41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Until a person sees how desperately wicked and in need of God's forgiveness and love they are, they cannot love Him properly. So long as one thinks, "I am not so bad," one will never understand the greatness of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. Such a person will be like Simon in the passage above who refused to see his own sin as the woman wiping Christ's feet with her tears saw her own. Sitting face to face with His Savior, Simon was so self-righteous he could not see a reason to love him. How many Christians today are like Simon! How about you?

Peace.

Seriously, aiki, TMI!!!

Lord, have mercy!

 

[aiki]

Carry on. Nothing to see here...

 

[drich0150]

I wonder why he cannot just prove himself to me. God says He is all-powerful, so why is it not possible for him to do what I ask of Him so deeply? ...

Just to put things in perspective.. Would you ask The President to "prove himself to you?" Or should I ask, Have you ever asked the president to prove himself to you? Do you require the He make use of the authority, and power he has over this country just so you can be comforted/amused by his response to you? Or is it enough for others" (like CNN Fox News) To simply report on what the President has done?

If you would not/Have not require the President of the United States to Prove himself to you, Then why would you ask the Master and Commander of the entire universe to be your personal magician?

It also does not prove that I must believe in a God, who could very well just be part of my own imagination.

Perhaps this is why God has not made himself known to you. You look for Proof, when the Bible says we must live a life of Faith. If we know how to reward good behavior and punish or just simply ignore undesirable behavior, from our dogs and children. then why haven't you deduced that maybe God is doing this very thing to you??

He set a percept in that the "righteous will walk by faith," and yet you demand proof. Are you looking for God or would you have Him look for you?

I don't understand how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man-kind, knowing exactly how He created man, and end up sending them to burn in Hell for all of eternity, if they do not repent and ask for forgiveness, although it is said that He created us, knowing exactly everything, every little detail about us, and what our actions would consist of throughout our lifetime. How can God love all of his children, yet send them to a burning inferno of eternal punishment and torture, if they are not worthy in the end? I know I would never do such a thing to my own children, no matter how much they would disobey me. If God created everything, he knew exactly everything that would come about; all our actions, all our desires, absolutely everything. He would have created Adam and Eve, and Satan, and set everything up to put us all into a world of sin. I also do not understand why God would give us such a powerful mind if he did not intend us to use it to our full potential. A mind that can achieve and create almost an infinite realm of all sorts of things. (The mind certainly is a beautiful thing, I must say.)

This statement presupposes that all who do not seek God still want to be with God for all eternity. Which we both know not to be true. What of all of those who spent their entire lives putting distance between themselves and God? Would it be right to drag them kicking and screaming into Heaven? Does that spell out "LOVE" to you?

If you had a child that lived His life in constant open rebellion to you, and when he came of age, wanted to leave would you bind him and make him stay in your presents, In your home, Under your authority?

God hates sin, and when I turned from sin, it seemed as if I turned from everything I knew to be alright...

If you have completely turned from sin then know you are the only one. Even Paul said that he was chief amongst sinners. (At the hight of his ministry.) That even in his present form, He knew what what good/righteous, and right, but could not stop sinning.

Once we stop trying to earn righteousness through living a "sinless life," then we get to experience the type of Love God had intended for us. What you have described is someone who sold themselves into legalism. (trying to earn righteousness through one's behavior.) Just know this is not why Jesus died on the cross.

How does God expect me to believe in him if he does not show himself to me,

If you have a bible turn to Hebrews 11 and read. (If not)
Heb 11 - Passage Lookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com

We, like all who were listed, are to live by faith, not by undeniable "proof." The Pharisees had the proof you seek, and yet they still found a way to deny God. Proof means nothing unless you have a desire to know God. It seldom works the other way around.

How come God expects me to believe in this religion and not any other religion?

God doesn't want you to believe in a religion period. He wants you to believe/Love Him. "Christianity," is just a means to an end.

Why does God not show me the truth Himself? Where is God?

If you "search" for Him on His terms, then He will answer those Questions Himself.
Humble yourself before the Lord and allow Him to lift you up. Do not seek to make an appoint with a magician, and then be upset when he does not show up.

And one more thing for now; what would the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life in space mean to Christianity?

The bible is silent about aliens.. So it would mean nothing.

 

[oi_antz]

It seems to me you are coming under attack from evil spirits trying to sway your mind away from God. Confusion is the typical sign of this happening. Christianity is a matter dealing with the Holy Spirit and the legions of evil spirits. I suggest a demon is trying to sway you from finding peace and growing your relationship with Jesus and The Father, they must know something about you that they are afraid of surrendering to God.

I think your comments confirm that you do know the nature of God - you feel you've done nothing deserving eternal damnation: that is the peace Christ will give you through His forgiveness.

I'm stabbing in the dark here, but have you ever asked Jesus into your life? It is important to do this so He has right to rebuke the demons who attack your mind, you must proclaim your right in Jesus' name.

Our walk with God may require some dealing with evil spirits to strengthen our faith, this is what is meant by the second death in Revelation 2. The first death is the baptism, and the second death is the process of purifying your mind so you train your perception of God's voice.

Remember this: when you read the Word, your mind is stimulated to hear messages of a spiritual and personal nature. In our binary world, these messages may contain some truth and lie (consider ying-yang). If we happen to believe the lie it can really trip us up and it will take us down the wrong path until we finally break down as you have, and reach out for help. I would say you really need to have some one-on-one with a priest so you can address the issues of confusion. However, you can't go through life holding a priest's hand, you will need to become aware of your thoughts and nurture the good thoughts, rebuke the demon when you get bad thoughts, and through this process you will be purifying your mind into a temple of holiness (it can last a few days, depending how strong you have to become).

As for other religions: they contain a lot of tasty morsels, however none of them can give you a relationship with God The Father and His son Jesus Christ. Jesus says "Noone comes to The Father except through me". God is very open minded and would never deny your right to learn from other religions, but it is very important you "get your house in order" first.

 

[silence_dogood]

Hi everyone!

I've been searching strongly for God lately, but it's been a bit hard for me to stay on my path of faith in the past few weeks. Please keep in mind that I do not wish to offend anyone, in any way. I am sincerely asking for your help on my search for the truth.

Sometimes I wonder about God, sometimes I wonder if God is really even there at all. If God really does exist, I wonder why he cannot just prove himself to me. God says He is all-powerful, so why is it not possible for him to do what I ask of Him so deeply? ... Instead, I have to live my life in denial, doubting and questioning, believing in something I have no REAL proof or evidence of, whatsoever. Sure, the bible says that it is God's word, and that I must read and obey it every day for the rest of my life, but how do I know that the mind isn't just powerful enough to make me believe in something so strongly, that it only becomes real in my mind? Sure, I can see that I exist, and that the plants and animals and everything else I perceive around me do, too, but that still does not prove that God exists. It also does not prove that I must believe in a God, who could very well just be part of my own imagination.

I don't understand how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man-kind, knowing exactly how He created man, and end up sending them to burn in Hell for all of eternity, if they do not repent and ask for forgiveness, although it is said that He created us, knowing exactly everything, every little detail about us, and what our actions would consist of throughout our lifetime. How can God love all of his children, yet send them to a burning inferno of eternal punishment and torture, if they are not worthy in the end? I know I would never do such a thing to my own children, no matter how much they would disobey me. If God created everything, he knew exactly everything that would come about; all our actions, all our desires, absolutely everything. He would have created Adam and Eve, and Satan, and set everything up to put us all into a world of sin. I also do not understand why God would give us such a powerful mind if he did not intend us to use it to our full potential. A mind that can achieve and create almost an infinite realm of all sorts of things. (The mind certainly is a beautiful thing, I must say.)

How does God expect me to believe in him if he does not show himself to me, especially after I've opened my heart to him (whom I don't even know exists, anymore.) God hates sin, and when I turned from sin, it seemed as if I turned from everything I knew to be alright... I didn't feel like I was a bad person in my past, I just did what I felt was right, and good for those whom I felt I could help, and I am a person who likes to have fun most the time, too. Once I turned from sin and started living a Christian life, over time, I became very unhappy, lifeless, dull, and not myself. Fearing what might happen to my soul, I started to try to love God, more and more, as much as I could. But then I began to feel as if my love for God was very artificial, only created through my fears of Hell. Is this the kind of love that a God would intend us to have? It seems like such a selfish kind of love. (Love me and obey me, or else you will suffer and burn in Hell for all of eternity.)

How come God expects me to believe in this religion and not any other religion? Why does God not show me the truth Himself? Where is God? What if we are all here for a completely different reason that is yet to be found?

And one more thing for now; what would the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life in space mean to Christianity? (I have been hearing a great deal of information about this stuff, recently.)

Thank you all for your precious time and feedback !!! It really means a lot to me!

So, you're claiming to be a Christian and yet, you've repeatedly stated that you doubt God's existence, that you hold several views contrary to Christianity, and now we see that you really don't have a clue what Christianity teaches.

How do you reconcile these things with your claim to be a Christian?

 

[razeontherock]

If God really does exist, I wonder why he cannot just prove himself to me. God says He is all-powerful, so why is it not possible for him to do what I ask of Him so deeply?

You've gotten some excellent replies. Not sure I can help, but Scripture does speak to this quite a bit. Gideon's fleece, Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. It's hard to tell if you've familiarized yourself with the Scriptures, or had a personal and meaningful relationship with God in the past? Somebody's suggestion that maybe you only embraced legalism is worth your investigation, as is the possibility you are being "sifted like wheat" by demons.

... Instead, I have to live my life in denial, doubting and questioning, believing in something I have no REAL proof or evidence of

No you don't. Creation is just as valid as the Bible. Both have many answers, and plenty of proof.

the bible says that it is God's word, and that I must read and obey it every day for the rest of my life, but how do I know that the mind isn't just powerful enough to make me believe in something so strongly, that it only becomes real in my mind?

Blunt question: when was the last time you went to Church? If communal worship with others tells you nothing, you need to find a different Church.

I don't understand how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man-kind, knowing exactly how He created man, and end up sending them to burn in Hell for all of eternity, if they do not repent and ask for forgiveness, although it is said that He created us, knowing exactly everything,

I think the theological term for this might be "a great existential question."
You can find many threads here that delve into these questions, and offer many varied perspectives. Ultimately, we are finite and God is infinite. I have peace, and suggest it means you can find it, too.

How can God love all of his children, yet send them to a burning inferno of eternal punishment and torture, if they are not worthy in the end?

Bottom line: He can't. I want to leave the "great existential questions" out of this thread, but don't be deceived - Hell is very real. I'm not the only one that's seen it! Our main activity after Judgment (the Bible doesn't talk about us "living in Heaven" the way Churchianity does) is worshipping the ONE that is worthy! I no longer believe "Heaven" is where we'll get to ask all our burning questions face to face; Earth is the place to straighten that out. Our whole being will be consumed with His Glory, knowing Him, and the result of that is the recognition that Jesus ALONE is worthy. Do think about that!!

We unworthy sinners can only abide His presence through Christ's willingly shed blood. I can tell you with all confidence that the very first step you need to take is to concentrate deeply on what you already know of this great Truth. Whatever you are wrestling against will take it's flight in such an atmosphere.

How does God expect me to believe in him if he does not show himself to me, especially after I've opened my heart to him (whom I don't even know exists, anymore.) God hates sin, and when I turned from sin,

Here you are teetering on the edge of proclaiming self-righteousness. Or maybe you are 100% into it, I certainly can't tell from here. Examine yourself.

Jesus said even if someone returned from Hell to warn Lazurus' family, they wouldn't believe. Let them search the Scriptures. I think this has direct application to your situation? See the above more powerful course of action to take.

it seemed as if I turned from everything I knew to be alright... I didn't feel like I was a bad person in my past, I just did what I felt was right, and good for those whom I felt I could help, and I am a person who likes to have fun most the time, too. Once I turned from sin and started living a Christian life, over time, I became very unhappy, lifeless, dull, and not myself. Fearing what might happen to my soul, I started to try to love God, more and more, as much as I could. But then I began to feel as if my love for God was very artificial, only created through my fears of Hell.

This is the part that reeks of legalism. This is not the fruit of the Spirit! Where is / was the re-generation?

How come God expects me to believe in this religion and not any other religion?

Just semantics, or Freudian slip? Religion does not save. Religion is not to be "believed in." The Grace of God saves, and Jesus is Faithful and True.

Why does God not show me the truth Himself? Where is God? What if we are all here for a completely different reason that is yet to be found?

Christianity is knowing Jesus personally as the One who leads us and guides us into all Truth, including Mankind's (general) purpose and our own (specific) path. I can tell you that looking back, if He had shown me His purpose for me, on many occaisions I would never have done it. Since He only showed me the path? Ok, I was willing to do that. God is greater than we give Him credit for!

 

[Prisca982]

Hi God-seeker

Thank you for your post. You certainly have some big questions! And a lot of them at once! But I've been brought up in the church and have been a child of God for eight years now, and I still have these questions regularly.

The first thing I want to assure you of is that you can take your questions to God himself. He is big enough to handle your doubts.

But having given a lot of thought to your questions myself, I hope you might find my thoughts helpful as well.

I have never truly doubted the existence of God, but from a philosophical perspective if often puzzled me why he seems to hide. Since I have been able to see with the eyes of faith, I must be honest I have wondered how people can't see him! When I see mountains, the vast ocean; when I think about the immensity of the universe; the structure of a cell; the incredible perfection of something as simple and every-day as a daisy - I now see God in every part of his creation.

But I stress that this is all seen with the eyes of faith. I have pondered long and hard about why God doesn't lightening-bolt everyone and make people see him. My conclusion is that God wants us to seek him with all our hearts. He wants us to really want him - he never intended man to be like the animals, living by instinct, obeying without thought. He made us with hearts, with minds and with a will. To find God we must exercise all three.

God will not 'prove' his existence to you in this life, because this life is about faith. In the next, all doubt will be removed. He will, however, give you the faith to see him here and now but not 'on demand'. He is not a slot machine - punch in the right code and you'll get what you want from him. He is God. I can assure you that he is utterly merciful and gentle and patient and kind, but only to those who come recognising that he owes them nothing, and that they owe him everthing but have nothing to give. In other words, God loves the humble heart.

I have to be honest with you, it is possible that your belief in God is a delusion. It's possible that this whole life is a delusion ... much of the history of philosophy has been devoted to how we can know whether we truly exist. God could be a figment of the human imagination, but as I said before, absolute proof of his existence would negate the need for faith and trust. There is, however, a great deal of evidence in favour of his existence. Could our incredible, complex beings (mind, soul, body) truly have evolved through random, chance occurances? Read about the vastness of the stars, the incredible balance of time and space that is required to keep our earth alive - if the axis of the earth was only slightly tilted a different way, life would be impossible on our planet. Our scientific advances provide evidence for the existence of God.

Your next question, about how an all-powerful, all-knowing God could create man, knowing they could end up in hell, is one that still troubles me. The thought of eternal hell is an awesome one and I truly struggle to marry the love and grace of God with his judgement.

The first thing is that many Christians do not believe in eternal hell (what I mean is, it is not pre-requisite to being a believer to affirm the existence of an eternal hell). What all Christians do agree on, however, is that some form of punishment is required for men.

I think our problem with the existence of hell, and the consignment of men to it, is that we do not understand the extent of our offence in God's eyes. To quote your own words: 'I didn't feel like I was a bad person in my past'. Even as a Christian, I know that I do not fully see the depth of evil in my own soul. God reveals that to us bit by bit - if we saw the full extent of our sin in one go, it would crush us.

Allow me to go back to basics. God created man to have a relationship with him. If you look at Genesis 1-2, whether you believe it is a literal acount or not, what it certainly teaches is why God made man. God walked with Adam and Eve in Eden - this means he spent time with them, he chatted to them and taught them. Our ultimate purpose and fulfillment was meant always to be found in him. Our sin is to reject that purpose - we prefer to find satisfaction in our own way. We think that we know better than God, our Creator, what is good for us. What is worse, when we do agree with him (many people would agree that adultery is wrong, for example) we still do not do it. (For evidence of this in your own life, think - have you truly, every moment, 'done to others as you would be done by'?)

If God does exist, then he made every single thing that exists, and he keeps it all going. That means your life depends upon him. Every good thing that is in your life is a gift from him. Surely, at the very least, he is owed a daily recognition of that fact. The truth is, he is owed a great deal more - your life is his.

If a person entered your house and stole some of your possessions you would want justice. God is no different. Men effectively steal from him every day - they take his blessings (sunshine, family, friends, good food, happiness etc) and offer no thanks; in fact, they deny that he exists at all. God stresses in the Bible that he loves justice; this stands in our favour when we are the ones who have been sinned against. But we don't like it at all when we are the ones who are found out. The truth is, we stand in God's dock, at his mercy.

The wonderful thing about Christianity is that God doesn't ram his justice down our throat. He doesn't slam the door on hell and say, "serves you right". He 'takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked' (Ezekiel 33v11). He made a way of repentance, a way out of hell - he sent Jesus, his own son, to die for you, for the sinner, to take your punishment.

In this life I do not think we can have a full answer as to why God made the world as he did, allowing sin and death and hell. But part of the answer is so that we could know his grace. If we had never sinned we would never have known the extent of his love and his desire to forgive - think seriously about what it meant for God to become a man and suffer and die.

If we could understand the mind of God, he would not be God. There must come a point where we simply kneel and say, He is greater, He is wiser. We cannot know everything. (humility again ...)

A couple of things about hell that may help you:
God did not originally intend hell for men. It was created for the devil and his angels before man even existed. Men only end up there when they ally themselves with the devil (this sounds very strong but this is a war of two sides; if you are not living for God, you are on the devil's side, whether you like him or not. It's a bit like being a British/American citizen who is against the war with Iraq; whether you like it or not, you are on the side of the invading army).

Hell is not an ultimatum - 'believe in me or else'. God wants us to give ourselves to him freely, fully. He desperately does not want any single person to go to hell. He wants everyone to turn to him - 'God so loved the world that he gave his only son'. But he wants us to choose him, and this means that he cannot force us to turn to him. And as I have said before, his love of justice means that he cannot just ignore our sin (in the same way that you could not just ignore someone who attacked you, or burgled you.)

God has promised us that 'where sin abounds, grace super-abounds' (Rom 5v20, literal translation). In other words, however much sin and pain and destruction exists, his grace and love will always absolutely swamp it. In the end, we will see clearly, and I believe that in heaven we will acknowledge that he has done all things well. For now, our job is to trust his wisdom and mercy.

Lastly, (and thank you for bearing with me to this point!) I am very sorry that you feel your belief has made you unhappy, and a worse person than you were. God does want you to be happy, but he wants you to find happiness in the right place. If that means that he must make you unhappy for a short time, then he will do it (if you have a son who wants to eat ice cream all day, you will deny him that small pleasure because you know it will cause him greater unhappiness in the end). I promise you that if you seek God with all your heart he will give you greater joy, greater happiness than you could ever imagine (but it may not come in the form you expect - God loves surprises!)

May I commend the writings of C.S. Lewis to you. You might particularly find helpful 'Mere Christianity', and 'Surprised by Joy'. He was an atheist who turned to Christianity, and he dealt with many of the questions and doubts you have. His works are quite academic at times, but your questions suggest you are a deep thinker and can handle it!

May I also humbly suggest that you try, for a while, to set aside questions of whether God exists or not, and find out what he is like. Ask him, again humbly (not as a demand) for faith. Ask him, and this takes great courage, to show you your sin.

Oh, and what the discovery of extra-terrestrial life would mean ... in my opinion it would be further evidence of the creativity and wonder of my Creator. And as a sneaky footnote - may angels be considered extra-terrestrial beings?

Please come back to me on anything you like. I'm sorry this is such a long post. Please read it carefully - it is the product of many years of pondering and thought!!

 

[Waleli]

Hi God-Seeker,

I was going to reply with what I thought would be good answers to help you on your journey until I read Prisca982's answer. I think her answer is PERFECT. God proves Himself to us every day, but we don't always see it. I have one suggestion that Prisca982 didn't mention, and that is this: before I became a Christian, I read the whole bible so I could disprove it. After reading it through--the WHOLE way through, the Holy Spirit entered my heart and I became a Christian. Once you read God's word in it's entirety, it will be easier to understand Him and have a relationship with Him and see how much He loves you. I am sure you will still have questions, but with prayer and truly seeking Him in his word, you will come to know Him.

God has WONDERFUL plans for you, my friend!

Blessings.

 

[GodSeeker1]

First off, I want to thank all of you for your posts! I would like to inform you that I DID give my life to Jesus Christ several times... Several times meaning... When I did the first time, I ended up "sinning" again, and so I had to give my life to Jesus again. I did this several times due to doubts and questioning, so finally I decided to put my whole heart into this. Going to church, reading and obeying the word, following God's will of what He wanted ME to do... I did this consistently for about a month. Initially I had found this love feeling, an incredibly strong one, where I felt nothing but it. It left me in tears. But about a week or two later, where it lead me is to find out that I had basically been living my life in fear that I might go to hell. All of this had been created out of the fear that I might be going to a hell. Now when I look at Christianity, I still get the same feeling of peace, but I don't feel like I need to worship this invisible figure of Jesus Christ whom I so strongly believed existed before. Christianity had me do certain things I truly did not want to do within myself... I just did not want to do it. I feel like I am happier living a life the way I want to live it. I can say I sure have learned a lot through Christianity, but the fact that I have to give my life to something that does not seem real to me truly bothers me. I have come across the belief that we are all God, currently living it out as humans, so we could be left with a future of mysteries, as to continue to give us surprises to be able to enjoy life for an infinity to come. We are essentially all the same, but separated. We all get to live our own lives. I'm sorry if this offends anybody, but I don't want to live a life that is based on fear, anymore. If Hell did not exist in the bible, I wonder how many Christians would still be left on this planet. And I am VERY happy living a life without my imaginary Jesus Christ.

Oh, and if I REALLY am wrong about this, maybe someone should get a few churches together to pray for me and help God show me the truth about Him and all of this. Thank you and much love!

 

[silence_dogood]

First off, I want to thank all of you for your posts! I would like to inform you that I DID give my life to Jesus Christ several times

And what does that mean, exactly, "give my life to Christ"?

... Several times meaning... When I did the first time, I ended up "sinning" again, and so I had to give my life to Jesus again. I did this several times due to doubts and questioning, so finally I decided to put my whole heart into this. Going to church, reading and obeying the word, following God's will of what He wanted ME to do

But that isn't how one becomes a Christian. All that is is moralism and works-righteousness.

I don't feel like I need to worship this invisible figure of Jesus Christ whom I so strongly believed existed before.... I have come across the belief that we are all God...I am VERY happy living a life without my imaginary Jesus Christ.

'Nuff said. I can't for the life of me figure out why the moderators are allowing someone who mocks Jesus, calls Him "imaginary", and states that he believes he is a god, to post with a Christian icon.

 

[Waleli]

Brothers and Sisters,

We were all lost at some time in our lives...and some of us still are "lost." GodSeeker1, I am so sorry that you feel the way you do. You will soon come to find that the world doesn't have so much to offer as you think it does right now. As Silence_Dogood said, "moralism" and just trying to do what is "good" is not being a Christian, but just works. We ALL fall short of the glory of God. And if someone tells you that they don't, then they haven't read their bible.

I implore you to take on the challenge of reading the bible...THE WHOLE BIBLE and not just parts of it. Read it with "no strings attached" and see how it speaks to you. The answers will come to you. If someone is just trying to be "spiritual," they don't know what it means to have a relationship with the Almighty. I can assure you, that Jesus Christ is NOT imaginary -- you are currently just blinded to his existence. Why this is, I do not know...but I am willing to bet if you read the whole Bible without any preconceptions, you will come to know Him and then fall to your knees in utter shock as you realize His powerful love for you.

Paul tells Timothy in his second letter what it will be like in the last days:

2 Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This passage describes what it will be like in the world in the last days even among those who claim God but never came to the knowledge of the truth to be saved. It is logical then that this passage is talking about those who have some form of religion. It also says that it occurs in the last days so it is only common sense that the end time religious organizations of the world would contain these faithless people.

In the passage above what does it mean that they have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof”?
I believe this verse is saying that these people claim that there is a God but they actually live their lives as if God does nothing supernatural on the earth and can do nothing outside of natural laws and the works of man. They keep the God of creation in some box in the heavens where He can accomplish nothing in His own creation. They claim to be people of faith but the only faith they display is in humanistic works. A second but equally important meaning is that they claim to believe in God but they deny the Son of God who by His power created all things in heaven and earth (Eph 3:19, Col 1:16).

I pray you will take on this challenge. Read the WHOLE BIBLE and then come back and tell me if it spoke to you.

God bless you, GodSeeker1. You may be denying Christ right now...but He is not denying you. You may let go of His hand right now, but He will not let go of yours. He will not let go unless you truly decide He does not exist. He died for you...and he died for me. Not only did He die for you, He LIVED for you on this earth...God in the flesh...so He could feel what it was like to struggle as man. Jesus Christ was a man in the flesh who DID exist physically on earth...and today He exists as the living God. Who are you, the clay, to demand anything from your maker, the potter?

If your heart is truly open, you will come to know Him -- and NOT because you fear Hell, but because you fear living without Him.

Bless you,

Waleli