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An Expert:Ah, you're an expert..Not true.
It proves this has been important to people for thousands of years.
It's the best preserved ancient book on the planet.
So was i.I was talking about it's contents, not it's popularity.
Well if you've been where I am you'd be an Ex-Christian.Are you sure it was the Most High God that imposed that fear on you?
If you are, then you did right to leave in order to ascertain the spirit of fear and imposition you get when you indulge the bible canon. Our Father doesn't work on fear, otherwise He wouldn't have died for us, and literally gone to hell and back. (Of course, going to hell and back for your child is par the course of being a parent.) There are plenty of counterfeit spirits that drive people away from Him.
You aren't an only [spiritual] child; when you don't understand your Father, or think He is being a mean entity, you should consult your Big Brother, or brothers and sisters. Many of us have been where you are; the Word of God Himself has definitely felt the way you do.
An unknown quantity Christian?Well if you've been where I am you'd be an Ex-Christian.
Well if you've been where I am you'd be an Ex-Christian.
There is wheat and tares, all within the same kingdom: "Christianity".. but the tares are of the seed of the enemy so are therefore not representing the same religion that Jesus and the bible writers bring. There can be no other foundation than the name of Jesus though, and that is why He said John 10:10.What should I believe, the left or the right hand? You are telling me that your views on the Bible are right where other's Christian's wrong, so you are not aligned with the body of Christ.
I do, but I don't live by biblical narrative anymore. I am better working without a net, besides the Bible is one form of wisdom. There are many ways to tackle an issue, and there are times that kind of wisdom fails to meet the issues I have this day and age.There is wheat and tares, all within the same kingdom: "Christianity".. but the tares are of the seed of the enemy so are therefore not representing the same religion that Jesus and the bible writers bring. There can be no other foundation than the name of Jesus though, and that is why He said John 10:10.
Definitely, I do not call the tares my brothers and sisters and The Holy Spirit tells me that they aren't His, though the forum rules warn that I must not identify them and say they aren't Christian.
Do you understand how you can discern the wheat from the tares?
Do you remember a time when you needed to believe not, a time you were fine without faith. I've recaptured that time, and it doesn't haunt me or scare me that I just don't know. I don't feel a great gap in my heart anymore, and even when I'm unfilled in some way I don't need to turn to 2000 year old stories to make myself feel better.I was where you are, and I did undergo a drastic change in how I approached my Father, and understanding how He works. I also had to think for myself, and stop letting other humans tell me how to spiritually live: blind leading blind and such. Our Father gave us a Comforter to convict us and give us hope, He has given us a massive grace period to get our stuff together, He allowed His Son to take on our deserved punishment for breaking His Universal Law, and He is always with us through our trials.
I eventually had to fundamentally change my thinking. You seem new, so you don't know my testimony, but to keep it short I was on top of my intellectual world - I was at what I thought was the peak of my education after finishing my thesis, and I felt even more like my own god because my education was mathematics. I was egotistical and haughty. And, I didn't actually come to Him until after all of that. Now, instead of me using math to demean other people though cleverly veiled intellectual insults and categorization, I was able to fundamentally understand Him through mathematics. To me, this is a big deal, because I did not entertain this dimension of knowledge.
That was the problem; my mind was narrow, despite the intellect I [thought I] had.
My Father stayed with me throughout it - even though I shook my fist at Him for decades, and I was so angry with Him I considered some pretty nefarious things. It was my knowledge that I thought came from my own strength that had me believing I didn't need Him, but it was that same knowledge that kept me chasing after Him - even if it was to "demand" answers. Eventually, I started coming to Him like a child goes to his Father, and that is when He began to calmly instruct me.
You may not have "quit Him" yet, which is why you are here. I would encourage you to direct everything to Him (respectfully), and if you sincerely want a relationship with Him - if there is a kernel of your spirit that knows who He truly is despite what the world and canons may say - then He will come to you.
But, of course, if you [believe] you are truly done with Him, then you are free to leave Him. Unlike the gods of antiquity, He will not force you to sacrifice yourself, or your children, for example, in order to keep His wrath from you. Hell is a consequence of locations that are not within the residence of the Most High God/Word of God. Some people openly choose hell over the Most High God; that is their choice. Just make sure you know who our Father is before you decide either way. Don't let sensationalism (spiritual rumors, gossip and misunderstandings) destroy an eternal relationship.
I'd rather say that the bible is the study of that wisdom. But there is God, too, who is more than wisdom itself. I acknowledge that He may find you some other way.I do, but I don't live by biblical narrative anymore. I am better working without a net, besides the Bible is one form of wisdom. There are many ways to tackle an issue, and there are times that kind of wisdom fails to meet the issues I have this day and age.
If you believed I had the key to your salvation then you would be indebted too me. Thankfully I don't, and the key to our salvation I would think lies in each of us. It's up to us to unlock our own prison door's.I'd rather say that the bible is the study of that wisdom. But there is God, too, who is more than wisdom itself. I acknowledge that He may find you some other way.
We aren't born imprisoned though! .. that conviction comes later. Therefore the one who caught us and threw us in prison is greater than we are. We need a greater one to grant our freedom - and how does that happen? By speaking the word that gives life. For that reason Jesus came, right? .. and so when we are free, we have the power to speak those words that give life. Those who are imprisoned speak according to their duty (that is deep - pause on it, for not all who are imprisoned are belonging to the jailer - but their ransom awaits them).If you believed I had the key to your salvation then you would be indebted too me. Thankfully I don't, and the key to our salvation I would think lies in each of us. It's up to us to unlock our own prison door's.
No one threw us in prison, we threw ourselves in there by what we think and believe.We aren't born imprisoned though! .. that conviction comes later. Therefore the one who caught us and threw us in prison is greater than we are. We need a greater one to grant our freedom - and how does that happen? By speaking the word that gives life. For that reason Jesus came, right? .. and so when we are free, we have the power to speak those words that give life. Those who are imprisoned speak according to their duty (that is deep - pause on it, for not all who are imprisoned are belonging to the jailer - but their ransom awaits them).
It brings John 10 to mind too. Very poetic!
Exactly! .. and that all came from the world! .. not all words have the power to set our thinking free, and indeed some words have the effect of causing us to err.No one threw us in prison, we threw ourselves in there by what we think and believe.
So, what do you believe/think...? (for they are also on in the same IMO)...No one threw us in prison, we threw ourselves in there by what we think and believe.
Nah, i mean, IF God exists, He decides who or what He wants to keep or discard.If you believed I had the key to your salvation then you would be indebted too me. Thankfully I don't, and the key to our salvation I would think lies in each of us. It's up to us to unlock our own prison door's.
Very inspiring post! .. I am inspired to add Galatians 6:8 as food for thought, to OP at this time, to consider what is spirit compared to flesh in context of a yoke - a 'way of doing the work we do'..It shouldn't be a yoke.
Jesus said: My yoke is light.
If it's heavy, it's not Jesus' yoke.
Do you remember a time when you needed to believe not, a time you were fine without faith. I've recaptured that time, and it doesn't haunt me or scare me that I just don't know. I don't feel a great gap in my heart anymore, and even when I'm unfilled in some way I don't need to turn to 2000 year old stories to make myself feel better.
It's pretty obvious that anyone outside the believer's faith is their enemy, even other Christians who don't follow your belief's are an enemy.As I said, that time was before I finished my thesis. I felt free, and despite having Christian friends, I didn't mind silence from my Father because I was going to invest in math/science. I freely threw around feel-good cliches about life (and, truly believed it).
But, feelings lie. And, that feeling of freedom and no-stress is a deceptive placebo affect of replacing the real thing with something as empty and ephemeral as anything this world could offer.
Honestly, you have to decide for yourself if you want to believe your feelings, or if this Most High God is worth it to seek, search and find Him with all of your strength.
Our enemies will not make it easy for us to attain Life when they so freely gave it up because of their own vendetta with the Most High God. Be sure to ascertain whether you just need space, or if you really want to "quit him".
Do only Christians do this, or is it human nature?It's pretty obvious that anyone outside the believer's faith is their enemy, even other Christians who don't follow your belief's are an enemy.
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