[MOVED]Christians; why are you a Christian? Instead of..?

[Tess]

I am a Christian probably because that's how I've been brought up and that's what feels right to me.

I am a scholar of comparative religion so I have looked at many other religions in some detail, but personally, Christianity has always made most sense. To me, it feels like home. Maybe that is God's presence, or maybe that's just me relying on what I know.

I like the analogy of the leaky shacks:
In a rainstorm people are huddled in groups in different shacks. Your shack is leaky and has some holes and lets some rain through. You think that maybe some of the other shacks will be more secure, but then again they might be even more leaky than yours! They are too far away for you to tell if they are better or worse, you'd have to run over and try the other options to find out!

Maybe it's wrong for me to not be willing to step out and try something new, but I've done some research, and Christianity makes sense to me, and like I said, it feels like home, so here we are.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

I am a Christian because I have experience too much of the supernatural based upon the bible to be anything else. My new website has two recent miracles having happened in the last 6 months. Everybody Matters Ministry

 

[Queller]

I'll give you the reference and part of the short discussion Dave Ellis and I had in the " Is belief in a god exists a choice " thread. Remember the faith we walk by is because we have evidence that Yahweh will do as He says, in the same way He did for the Israelite in the desert.

Ok yes this is usual scripture people use to define faith cool. I submit this scripture is very poorly understood and I'll give a quick summary why. It's best to use the original text but I'll give the KJV.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence ( G1650) of things not seen.

G1650
ἔλεγχος
elegchos
el'-eng-khos
From G1651; proof, conviction: - evidence, reproof.

From what dictionary or lexicon are you getting that elegchō means evidence or reproof? Because mine says that it means;

1. to convict, refute, confute
   
   1. generally with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted
   2. by conviction to bring to the light, to expose
2. to find fault with, correct
   
   1. by word
      
      1. to reprehend severely, chide, admonish, reprove
      2. to call to account, show one his fault, demand an explanation
   2. by deed
      
      1. to chasten, to punish

Faith is based on proof and evidence. In a nut shell faith itself is the visible sign that a person accepts the evidence of God.I'm showing that the colloquial usage of faith isn't accurate ( in Christianity ) aand it doesn't line up with Hebrews 11. I understand it's the usual definition Atheists in particular use but it's incorrect. The whole chapter 11 deals with people who have strong belief/faith and this allows them to accept Yahweh's directions. You can maybe think of it in this way. Faith ( experential ) existed in these Saints and this could be seen in their actions.

And nowhere in Hebrews 11 is there any indication that those people needed any evidence to believe in God. They did so because of their faith in God, not evidence.

 

[agua]

From what dictionary or lexicon are you getting that elegchō means evidence or reproof? Because mine says that it means;

1. to convict, refute, confute
   1. generally with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted
   2. by conviction to bring to the light, to expose
2. to find fault with, correct
   1. by word
      1. to reprehend severely, chide, admonish, reprove
      2. to call to account, show one his fault, demand an explanation
   2. by deed
      1. to chasten, to punish

G1650 is the Strong's definiton. Which dictionary are you using and can you show me which one of the definitions you've posted fits the context of Heb 11:1 ?

And nowhere in Hebrews 11 is there any indication that those people needed any evidence to believe in God. They did so because of their faith in God, not evidence.

Ok yes this is the usual thinking coincerning Hebrews 11 but it's incorrect. I'll use the example of Abraham presenting Isaac upon the alter as example.

Heb 11:17-19 KJV By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Here we can see that Abraham had recieved previous promises from Yahweh eg. Isaac was born because Yahweh said he would be. Abraham had no doubt ( why would he when Yahweh had always done as He promised ) that Yahweh would resurrect Isaac because He'd promised that Isaac would be the carrier of his seed. ( through to Christ, of course. )

If you investigate every Saint mentioned in Hebrews 11 you'll find that they all had faith that Yahweh would do/act as He said becauase they had experiences/evidence that showed Yahweh was true to His word. This is experential faith.

 

[Queller]

G1650 is the Strong's definiton. Which dictionary are you using and can you show me which one of the definitions you've posted fits the context of Heb 11:1 ?

I'm talking about G1651 which you claimed meant "proof, conviction: - evidence, reproof." That word isn't used in Hebrews 11:1. You're the one who brought it up.

My definition comes straight from Strong's as well. There is no definition in Strong's for either elegchos (G1650) or elegchō (G1651) that directly translates as "evidence".

Ok yes this is the usual thinking coincerning Hebrews 11 but it's incorrect. I'll use the example of Abraham presenting Isaac upon the alter as example.

Heb 11:17-19 KJV By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Here we can see that Abraham had recieved previous promises from Yahweh eg. Isaac was born because Yahweh said he would be. Abraham had no doubt ( why would he when Yahweh had always done as He promised ) that Yahweh would resurrect Isaac because He'd promised that Isaac would be the carrier of his seed. ( through to Christ, of course. )

If you investigate every Saint mentioned in Hebrews 11 you'll find that they all had faith that Yahweh would do/act as He said becauase they had experiences/evidence that showed Yahweh was true to His word. This is experential faith.

So now you have switched from talking about evidence to talking about direct revelation from God. That isn't the type of evidence that is being discussed here. Especially given that two different people can have contradictory experiences and yet both claim to get their info from God.

 

[agua]

I'm talking about G1651 which you claimed meant "proof, conviction: - evidence, reproof." That word isn't used in Hebrews 11:1. You're the one who brought it up.

My definition comes straight from Strong's as well. There is no definition in Strong's for either elegchos (G1650) or elegchō (G1651) that directly translates as "evidence".

This is interesting. Can you link me to the Srongs version you're using.

Here's the Esword Strong's definition.

G1650
ἔλεγχος
elegchos
el'-eng-khos
From G1651; proof, conviction: - evidence, reproof.

Here's the Blue Letter Strong's definition.

Outline of Biblical Usage

1. a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested
2. conviction

So now you have switched from talking about evidence to talking about direct revelation from God. That isn't the type of evidence that is being discussed here. Especially given that two different people can have contradictory experiences and yet both claim to get their info from God.

Ok we're way on different pages here. Direct revelation from God is evidence but not all of the Saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 all had this. Rahab for instance had the knowledge of what Yahweh had done for the Israelite in the Wilderness. What type of evidence are you talking about ?

 

[South Bound]

Why are you a Christian instead of...

1) Muslim

Because Christ saved me, not Mohammed.

2) Buddhist

Because Christ saved me, not Buddha.

3) Jewish

Because Christ is the fulfilment of Judaism.

4) Hindu

Because Christ saved me, not the thousands of pagan gods of Hinduism.

 

[Archivist]

Because Christ saved me, not Mohammed. Because Christ saved me, not Buddha. Because Christ is the fulfilment of Judaism. Because Christ saved me, not the thousands of pagan gods of Hinduism.

But would you answer be different if you had grown up in India or Indonesia or Israel or Pakistan or anyplace where you would not have been exposed to Christianity?

 

[South Bound]

But would you answer be different if you had grown up in India or Indonesia or Israel or Pakistan or anyplace where you would not have been exposed to Christianity?

If Christ saved me here, He would have saved me there.

God isn't limited by geographic location.

 

[FreeinChrist]

MOD HAT

This thread is closed for staff review.

 

[High Fidelity]

MOD HAT ON

The thread has been moved to the relevant forum.
Please note that it is now in an Orthodox Christian Only forum.
The OP addresses Christians and it is certainly a worthwhile discussion to be had, so it has undergone a substantial clean up and re-opened.

Thread opened.

MOD HAT OFF
​

 

[Kota]

If you believe you are only a Christian by circumstances, where is the truth in your belief? Faith is by God, not by luck.

Sorry I know your post is old. I just had to say something. I became a Christian after examining the evidence for it, not because of where I was born. I looked deeply into to every religion and made my choice. I was never around any religion, so I never really knew much about them.

 

[Archivist]

If Christ saved me here, He would have saved me there. God isn't limited by geographic location.

My point isn't that God saves people based on geographic location, but rather that in many places people never hear God's word. They only hear of the religion that is accepted at that place.