Unable to Believe

[MemeBuster]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?


MB.

 

[calidog]

Actually it is God Himself Who gives faith and it begins with the work of the Holy Spirit:

Joh 16:8 And having come, that One will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.

When He convicts you (makes it known to you in your heart that you are a sinner, that God is righteous, and that judgement is coming upon the world) then He reveals Himself to you after you approach Him.

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart"; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;
Rom 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame."

 

[Key]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?


MB.

Sure it's their fault.. they have made a judgment call on what they will and will not accept.. this was a personal call.. of their own choice , built off what they will give merit to, and sustained by what they have established as believable.

They will be accountable for their choice, as it should be...

I think, they will fall short of the Kingdom of Heaven.. because they are sinners.. and have refused salvation.

It's quite simple really...

Hope this helps..

God Bless

Key

 

[MemeBuster]

Sure it's their fault.. they have made a judgment call on what they will and will not accept.. this was a personal call.. of their own choice , built off what they will give merit to, and sustained by what they have established as believable.

But people can not choose what they find believable or unbelievable. Neither can they choose what evidence they find convincing or not.

It's our current state of mind (i.e. our knowledge of the world, life experiences, existing beliefs, biases, and etc.) that determines what we can find believable/unbelievable or convincing/unconvincing.


MB.

 

[HypnoToad]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?

This is exactly the same as your recent thread, "Why so many people don't accept Christianity?"

Why start another that just the same thing?
http://www.christianforums.com/t5581963-why-so-many-people-dont-accept-christianity.html

 

[salida]

Memebuster--

The Bible is the most credible book in the world if one is to get the evidence and objective facts to support it- not counting the spiritual truths. This isn't the book section but I strongly suggest you read Evidence Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell (it would stand up in a court of law) and Examine the Evidence by Muncaster (a former athiest).

Below is the biblical facts in a nutshell only:

Biblical Evidence (Scratching the Surface Only)

Internal Evidences
Prophesies that are 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)
(Luke's time period is 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)/(60-70 AD)

**I can list at least 20 more of these.
-Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 - four kingdoms are described in the interpretation of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek - Daniel 8:21, 10:20) and a fourth great kingdom to follow - part iron and clay - which is the Roman Empire - during this empire Christ came and the church was established - Daniel 2:44.

-Historical Accuracy
The Bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events hundreds of years ago, yet has not been proven incorrect on 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 at least 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years, and has no internal inconsistencies.

Claim of Inspiration
It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Tim 3:16-17). No other religious book makes such claims.

External Evidences
(Prophesies Outside the Bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never be 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
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago - some scholars think it could be even 3000 years ago)
Note: Man only knew this for 350 years
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

Documents that Prove Bible is True
Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles

Archealogoical Finds
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel

I have studied other religious books and none of them come remotely close to this. I'm a christian spiritually and secondly because of the intellectual reasons.

Also, visit www.reasons.org - science and belief - the person with a PhD in Chemistry created it. I'm a chemist myself.

 

[calidog]

Thanks for the infor Salida, borrowed it for another thread

 

[ebia]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable.

You assume that most people convert because they have been persuaded by intellectual argument. That the process is:
Believe -> Convert -> Join -> Particpate.

Research shows that for most people the process is pretty much the other way around.

There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?

You presume salvation is a reward for believing, and 'hell' a punishment not.

Faith is necessary not because we will be rewarded for it, but because it is part of the mechanism by which God redeems us.

It's not that God doesn't want to save those who don't have faith, but that faith is a necessary part of how he does the saving.

 

[tapero]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?


MB.

Hi, When Jesus came to Saul (Paul) at the Damascus road, Paul didn't have time to think; is this believable. You see, God came to him, called him and Paul knew it was God.

Many Christians come to Christ in various ways.

Some need intellectual understanding or some logical reasoning or such.

some like thomas have to touch

I don't know, but there's all kinds out there.

I don't know all that God honors in helping someone in coming to faith in Him, but I do know God can do anything and have read very intersting things.

I also know I did not need proof when I came to Christ.

Further, prior to coming to Christ, no one explained Jesus to me. I was in a sense called like Paul was

Prior to my coming to Christ, since I didn't think of God or anything it never troubled me at all. Perhaps if I heard the gospel or such it might have, I don't know.

Once I came to Christ, I knew it was the truth. Can't explain how.

So, what I'm saying is we all come different ways.

It doesn't surprise me at all that those who can't fathom that there is a being (Creator -God), that they can't fathom it. Why, because neither did I until I came to Christ; however, never thought about it either.

As to answer your last question; all that believe in Christ will be with God eternally; there will be no more tears.

 

[Deren]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

First of all, conversion is no more a matter of you converting yourself than was it your choice when your parents brought you into the world. Second, since belief/faith is a gift of God, then it is normal that spiritually degenerate people are going to think that Christianity and the cross are foolishness. Nevertheless, as God said, "but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, 29 that no man should boast before God" (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior.

Isn't it a great thing, though, that Christian veracity is not contingent upon the spiritually degenerate opinions of fallen mankind?

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people?

Hell they want; hell they're will receive.

Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity?

Probably worse.

After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?

There is no one who is innocent, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And each man, unless God manages to move in his life to regenerate his soul and forgive his sin, will give an account of himself, and be immediately whisked away into hell to pay the eternal penalty for his personal sin against a holy God.

 

[Deren]

But people can not choose what they find believable or unbelievable. Neither can they choose what evidence they find convincing or not.

Sure they can. As stated before, God is the one who gives the gift of faith, and that in spite of all the junk that is out there attempting to confuse the issue.

It's our current state of mind (i.e. our knowledge of the world, life experiences, existing beliefs, biases, and etc.) that determines what we can find believable/unbelievable or convincing/unconvincing.

That's only partly true. It's actually the state of our soul, which is spiritually dead in trespasses and sin that's the real problem. And until that dead soul is made spiritually alive by the grace of God, then that man or woman is without hope.

 

[BigNorsk]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?


MB.

Well of course that is their fault. Why would their decision not be their fault? Are you not responsible for your decisions?

And where are all these people who have never heard? Sure not everyone has someone knocking on their door every day, but who really hasn't heard about Jesus? Certainly no one where there is TV or radio, certainly not you. And even creation points towards God and people are moved to search for truth.

Is it unbelievable that instead of being perfect and having to try and be good enough to deserve to be saved, that God paid the penalty for you himself? Sure it's unbelievable. It seems to make a lot more sense to have to work for salvation doesn't it? But that unbelievable part, the gospel, is the very thing that saves. No law can ever save anyone. Anyone who tries to be justified by obeying a law or deserving salvation is condemned by the law he tries to obey.

It's would be easy for you to look to Islam and how many Muslims are so devout and religious and such and think it is superior to Christianity. But it's that unbelievable part of Christianity that is the basic difference isn't it?

See it's not so much being condemned because we reject the Gospel. It is that we are already condemned and the Gospel is the only thing that can save us.

Rest assured that anyone condemned will indeed be condemned for his sins.

Marv

 

[OldChurchGuy]

In order to choose to convert to a religion, first we need to find it believable. There are people out there who when hear or think about Christianity, find it simply unbelievable and can not help but to get the impression that Chrisitianity is just a man-made tradition/story.

For them, Christianity is as credible as a worldview based on Greek mythology and so they can not bring themselves to honestly accept Jesus as their "lord and savior."

Assuming the Christian god is real, what do you suggest will happen to these people? Will they be treated like those who have never heard of Christianity? After all, it is not their fault that they don't find Christianity believable, or is it?


MB.

At the risk of being labeled as one who is presenting a cop out, that is God's call , not mine.

As you can tell from the other posts, people have opinions and beliefs, but I don't think any of us would claim to know the mind of God.

Sincerely,

OldChurchGuy

 

[Sketcher]

When you refuse the only exit out of a burning building, you still die in the fire. My hope and my prayer for them is that they open up some more so this doesn't happen.