Am I in the right place?

[OzSpen]

My questions are many, but I guess that the most important one, for me, is; How is it possible for anyone/someone to place ones trust in someone/something that comes with so many questions in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that all Christian believers are Christians. But why is the Christian faith so fractioned? It makes me confused. Don’t get me wrong here. This is no criticism. Most religions are devidided into fractions. But it seems to me that Christianity is the most broken up of all. What if I listen for the voice of Christ in the wrong ’language’ so to speak? What if I go to a Catholic Church to find Christ, and he is in fact calling for me from a Baptist Church? This is my first Big question.

Mel,

I find asking, 'Why are there so many Christian denominations?' like asking, 'Why are there so many eating places in my suburb of 14,000 people in far northern Brisbane?'

There's a core that all of them dispense - food, whether that be beef (Burger King [called Hungry Jack's here], McDonald's, Wendy's, Carl's Jr) or chicken (KFC, Chick-Fil-A, Country Fried Chicken).

When I'm searching for a Christian church in which to worship and to answer my questions, I choose to go to one that is committed to these core beliefs:

1. Does it accept the Scriptures as God's authoritative Word (2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV)?
2. Does it actively proclaim the Gospel of salvation through Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)?
3. Within those Scriptures, does it accept all that is taught about the nature/attributes of the Trinitarian God (Heb 11:6)?
4. What is its understanding of salvation by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9)?
5. Does it support questioning people who come into the church and want sound answers to their questions by means of gentle and caring conversation (1 Pet 3:15)?

For me personally, I will not go to a church that reads only from the old language of the King James Version of the Bible.

Sincerely,
Oz

 

[stovebolts]

My questions are many, but I guess that the most important one, for me, is; How is it possible for anyone/someone to place ones trust in someone/something that comes with so many questions in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that all Christian believers are Christians. But why is the Christian faith so fractioned? It makes me confused. Don’t get me wrong here. This is no criticism. Most religions are devidided into fractions. But it seems to me that Christianity is the most broken up of all. What if I listen for the voice of Christ in the wrong ’language’ so to speak? What if I go to a Catholic Church to find Christ, and he is in fact calling for me from a Baptist Church? This is my first Big question.

I do understand your question and your confusion.
Jesus tells is this in John 13:35. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
If I can ask you a question, from the outside looking in, what do we look like to you?

 

[blessedsmithereens]

Hello all,
I entered this forum to explore if Christianity could be the thing for me. Coming from an atheist family, and never had been taught about religion, I have been wondering all my life. I am 61. This is a question that has been on my mind for a long time.
I am not a militant, anti-Christian agitator. I am a humble searcher, with the utmost respect for anyone with faith. I am also very shy, a loner really, and find it hard to talk directly to people. So I thought that this might be the place where I can ask questions, and hopefully receive some answers.

It's like any group you enter into here. Navigate past the agitating aggravating knuckleheads and you'll do fine. Ask away.

 

[imokay2121]

Hello all,
I entered this forum to explore if Christianity could be the thing for me. Coming from an atheist family, and never had been taught about religion, I have been wondering all my life. I am 61. This is a question that has been on my mind for a long time.
I am not a militant, anti-Christian agitator. I am a humble searcher, with the utmost respect for anyone with faith. I am also very shy, a loner really, and find it hard to talk directly to people. So I thought that this might be the place where I can ask questions, and hopefully receive some answers.

Welcome to the Christian forum, Melisande!

But this is not about religion, this is about having a relationship with our lord Jesus Christ. What I can tell you is go on your knees before Jesus, ask him to reveal himself to you, give your life, heart, and soul over to Jesus Christ. Only he will be able to help you.

Obey his commandments, and every time you do, he will reward you.

Jesus loves you, and wants a relationship with you. Get to know Jesus Christ today, and surrender your life to him. I promise, it will be the best experience of your life.

Being a follower of Jesus is not easy, but it is well worth it, and the only way of being saved.

Here is a website which will get you started in getting to truly know Jesus Christ as lord and master and savior.

http://relentlessheart.com/

May Jesus bless you.

 

[OzSpen]

Basically, I guess, I am trying to understand how I could receive the faith if I am doubtful where to find it

Mel,

I previously drove a Toyota Camry but to run around this city, I purchased a Hyundai Getz just like this:
I had to learn a very different instrument panel, but there were some similarities with other cars because it was a motor vehicle. Obtaining information about something new will cause you to search to find answers. it applies to many things in life.

This is the kind of challenge you face, since it is God's requirement for all who pursue Christ and Christianity: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Heb 11:6 NLT).

Do you believe God exists? What kind of God is he/she? What is he/she like, i.e. what are his/her attributes?

Could we begin here? Do you have questions about God's existence? If so, fire away.

Sincerely,
Oz

 

[Razeontherock]

Basically, I guess, I am trying to understand how I could receive the faith if I am doubtful where to find it

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (over and over again)

That's Romans 10:17 and maybe as good an illustration as any that because of the very personal nature of God having a special, loving relationship with each of us, we each might choose a different way to render that. And yet we would all agree on the basics.

So it is with denominations. The agreement on what constitutes Christianity is what prompted usage of the term "fundamentalism" in the first place. Only much later did that word morph into the connotations it has today. The fundamentals, or basics of the Faith are going to be the same in pretty much any denomination, and just knowing them isn't what changes us that we get so excited about. It's the Presence of God that does that!

 

[maplegoat]

Basically, I guess, I am trying to understand how I could receive the faith if I am doubtful where to find it

There is a new rule that forbids answering you fully. Look to the Bible. Many libraries have a copy if you do not have one. There are also websites that have the Bible available on-line.
Hopefully these links won't be deleted.



How To Be Saved
How to be saved -- Why does man need to be saved?




This site is a Bible site too. If you want to look up scriptures that's a good site for that.
God's Plan of Salvation




How can I stop doubting Jesus?



This site apparently is no longer running. This is the Google Cache link

Taking the Leap Of Faith In God Have Faith


And finally if you're into visual learning this is a You Tube link that has a lot to chooe from on the topic of learning how to believe without doubt. LINK


God be with you.

 

[Garion]

I think that the dark powers fractured God's original church into what we have right now I call them that instead of satan because I won't give him the respect of personification.

I also don't believe that one needs to belong to any particular church or follow any particular doctrine in order to be in God's good graces and go to Heaven, I think that all He wants is for everyone to follow His advice individualy everyday of our lives so that we can have the collective result of a good world unfortunately that didn't happen.

I think that some people meant well but just couldn't pull it off, after thousands of years of study or rather over study what the "scholars" came up with is wrong and that is evident in the current state of the world.

I just consider myself a Christian and I don't need to be part of any particular church to feel relevant in God's eyes.

 

[OzSpen]

There is a new rule that forbids answering you fully.

What rule is that?

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

What rule is that?

No discussion about the OSAS or; once saved always saved.

 

[OzSpen]

No discussion about the OSAS or; once saved always saved.

The question asked by Melisande was: 'Basically, I guess, I am trying to understand how I could receive the faith if I am doubtful where to find it'.

I don't understand that as a request that has anything to do with once-saved-always-saved, but one that Romans 10:17 answers, 'Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ'.

We find this faith by God's grace providing salvation (Eph 2:8-9) and reading or hearing the message through the word about Christ. I find that message in Scripture, particularly in the NT - especially the epistles.

Oz