Honesty Is The Best Policy

xspinningisfun said:
Because there's an enemy out their that makes people question their faith.
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You have not thought it through. We can question our salvation but not our faith. If you question your faith....are you saying that tomorrow you can wake-up an atheist???? When we make the leap of faith, we don't stay in the air, do we?

If you have received Jesus, you have received Jesus. If you have not received Jesus, you have not received Jesus. You WILL know if you are a new creation. You will know that you have heard God's voice. You will know that you have touched Jesus.

I can question my commitment to my wife, but not the fact that I have a relationship with her as my wife. Hence no atheist can be an ex-Christian.
 
chrisstavrous said:
And how exactly does the bible explain everything. I wish it did then I wouldnt be looking elsewhere.
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Do you think God would want to withhold anything from you???????
Christians have the Holy Spirit. Get truly saved and make that leap of faith already. The Holy Spirit can and will help you with all the understanding you need and yes, unless its a vision of heaven, it will be from the bible. Everything we need to know is in it!

Ask me something that you feel you need to know that you think the bible doesnt have an answer for....
 
KingJ said:
Do you think God would want to withhold anything from you???????
Christians have the Holy Spirit. Get truly saved and make that leap of faith already. The Holy Spirit can and will help you with all the understanding you need and yes, unless its a vision of heaven, it will be from the bible. Everything we need to know is in it!

Ask me something that you feel you need to know that you think the bible doesnt have an answer for....
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King, you are always speaking as if when one is saved their life is completely transformed, they "have heard God's voice" and "touched Jesus." Well, with all due respect my friend, not all of us have the privilege of being transformed that suddenly. Some of us go through that transformation over the course of years. Some of us deal with a spiritual battle more so than others because God allows Satan to test us to prove to Satan we will stand by His side. Yes, even if during that testing period we doubt from time to time.

All that matters is that we not give up on Him. Even if we doubt from time to time. The disciples did, King. "Oh you of little faith..." Who did Jesus say that to King? Did his disciples go to hell? Also, do not tell me I am taking this out of context when there are many examples where the disciples, as well as others, doubted Jesus, and still went on to heaven.

Look, you have your opinion, but the bible specifically refutes your argument. In my opinion, you should humble yourself and stop trying to determine who is and who isn't saved. Again, very self-righteous. Only God knows this King. I'm sorry, but you are not God.

Furthermore, this is a “friendly” Christian site. We must uplift each other. If someone doubts their faith, you should build up the Word of God, calmly express your concern, and work with them to build that relationship with God again. How will they know we are Christians? Love is what again? You know the answer. Please calm down and pray before you make assumptions about salvation.

Lastly, I respect you and your other contributions to threads. However, with this matter I greatly disagree. I hope you understand.
 
Everyone should read this:

1 Peter

5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I like this reference too:
http://www.roadtobetterliving.com/HTML/SatansTactics5Tools.html
 
Lifeasweknowit said:
Lastly, I respect you and your other contributions to threads. However, with this matter I greatly disagree. I hope you understand.
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Life, I eqaully disagree with you. Can we call ourself a Christian if we are not a Christian? What is a Christian? A Christian is not someone in the air, still taking that leap of faith. A Christian is someone that has landed and is convinced of....God's existence, Jesus existence, Gods' mercy, God's presence, the Holy Spirits presence, the complete night to day change in their lives and truly knowing they are forgiven. A Christian doesn't have to guess what their cross they should carry is. A Christian knows who they are following. A Christian can doubt their salvation if they are continuing in sin. But they will still remember they had a first love! Are you sure we are not just disagreeing on terminolgy? Can you see my reasoning behind the wording 'doubting faith'?

Yes, even if during that testing period we doubt from time to time.
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What exactly is this doubt? Jesus being the Son of God? Jesus existing? God existing? or you being presentable and worthy for God's presence?

All that matters is that we not give up on Him. Even if we doubt from time to time. The disciples did, King. "Oh you of little faith..." Who did Jesus say that to King?
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As I said in the other post, do you think Peter doubted after his encounter / revelation? Matthew 16:13-20. We are Christians not Jews. We have already been convinced. We are not in limbo.
 
KingJ said:
Do you think God would want to withhold anything from you???????
Christians have the Holy Spirit. Get truly saved and make that leap of faith already. The Holy Spirit can and will help you with all the understanding you need and yes, unless its a vision of heaven, it will be from the bible. Everything we need to know is in it!

Ask me something that you feel you need to know that you think the bible doesnt have an answer for....
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Well what you said might be seen as counter productive since you said the holy spirit can answer me. But honestly I would believe you can give me more of an answer than the holy spirit since I can trust your real. I may ask you something one day.
 
No. Is that occasional doubt of God's existence? Jesus being the Son of God?

I just don't get it. What exactly are you doubting when you say you doubt your faith?
 
KingJ said:
Life, I eqaully disagree with you. Can we call ourself a Christian if we are not a Christian? What is a Christian? A Christian is not someone in the air, still taking that leap of faith. A Christian is someone that has landed and is convinced of....God's existence, Jesus existence, Gods' mercy, God's presence, the Holy Spirits presence, the complete night to day change in their lives and truly knowing they are forgiven. A Christian doesn't have to guess what their cross they should carry is. A Christian knows who they are following. A Christian can doubt their salvation if they are continuing in sin. But they will still remember they had a first love! Are you sure we are not just disagreeing on terminolgy? Can you see my reasoning behind the wording 'doubting faith'?

What exactly is this doubt? Jesus being the Son of God? Jesus existing? God existing? or you being presentable and worthy for God's presence?

As I said in the other post, do you think Peter doubted after his encounter / revelation? Matthew 16:13-20. We are Christians not Jews. We have already been convinced. We are not in limbo.
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King, let's say that you are correct. I mean, really, who knows? If you are, then if someone doubts God, or the bible, even once, then what is the point in them continuing to build a relationship with God or seek answers from Him? They should just give up, right? I mean, if A. Lack of faith=No salvatin then B. No matter how much someone tries they will never be saved, because they lacked faith.

Thoughts?
 
If I can add another layer to this topic. There are maybe 4 or 5 or more people who have responded to this thread. And I have noticed that a few of you take very diffrent approaches to dealing with x christians or doubters of the faith. If god and his word is clear about people like this, then why the diffrent opinions and approaches
 
KingJ said:
No. Is that occasional doubt of God's existence? Jesus being the Son of God?

I just don't get it. What exactly are you doubting when you say you doubt your faith?
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I was raised a Jehovah's Witness. I was raised believing Jesus was a nice angel who God "chose" to die for our sins. I was told Jesus was the son of God, because we are in essence ALL the son of God. This was put in my head time and time again for 8 years.

If God takes away my salvation because of how I was brainwashed and the fact that it still occasionally infiltrates my mind, then God is not as forgiving as I thought and that deeply saddens me.

PS: I don’t believe for a second Jesus was just an angel in heaven. He is the son of God. However, the JW’s made me question a lot of things in the bible, that still occasionally pop up from time to time and give me immense doubt about some parts of the Word or Gods reasoning.
 
chrisstavrous said:
If I can add another layer to this topic. There are maybe 4 or 5 or more people who have responded to this thread. And I have noticed that a few of you take very diffrent approaches to dealing with x christians or doubters of the faith. If god and his word is clear obut peole like this, then why the diffrent opinions and approaches
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There are different theories about certain subjects in science, but does that mean they are all fake and have no validity to them?
 
Lifeasweknowit said:
King, let's say that you are correct. I mean, really, who knows? If you are, then if someone doubts God, or the bible, even once, then what is the point in them continuing to build a relationship with God or seek answers from Him? They should just give up, right?
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Nobody should doubt the existence of God. Christian or non-Christian, Rom 1:20. The thing is, the devil will put any thought that affects our walk with God in our head. We have to be really concerned though if he is nailing us on the subject of God's existence, don't you think?
Lifeasweknowit said:
I mean, if A. Lack of faith=No salvatin then B. No matter how much someone tries they will never be saved, because they lacked faith.
Thoughts?
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Life, the bottom line is, if we take that leap of faith sincerely, God will catch us. We will land on the other side and be convinced of God's mercy. When you say 'lack if fatih' think about what faith that is. We can have faith in many things. It is not faith in His existence that we need (as we should already have that), rather that He will show us mercy on our sins.
 
chrisstavrous said:
If I can add another layer to this topic. There are maybe 4 or 5 or more people who have responded to this thread. And I have noticed that a few of you take very diffrent approaches to dealing with x christians or doubters of the faith. If god and his word is clear about people like this, then why the diffrent opinions and approaches
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The reason I posted this is that the bible says that the believers of faith have to be of one accord. It seemed to me what some of you were saying was not.
 
chrisstavrous said:
Yes in a way there are, but the diffrence is that science does not tell me if I don't believe everything it says I will end up in hell.
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You're right. Instead it says nothing about what happens when we die. Which, is even worse. So what is the point of everything in the world? Why are we here and in your case, why did we come about or evovle? What is the point of this world then?
 
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