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!
The bible says, God is a spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
The new testament was originally written in Greek.
This is a link to a site that features the Greek interlinear translation of the bible.
That way you can read what the English translation says and find the deeper meaning in the original Greek words.
God dwells within you and that is what you're feeling call you to seek him out in this later stage of your long life. The best way to know God is to be still and go within to discern his thoughts from those of your own. If you meditate , as Jesus did, that's a great way to start. I know new Christians and even seekers like yourself that begin this journey by journaling.
They write what they feel is God's words to them, his guidance and leading as they take time to be alone with that holy spirit and seek the leading toward true knowledge that he is there.
God is not a male by the way. The male pronoun is traditionally employed to refer to or describe God because men were in charge of writing what is today's bible. The same bible tells us God is a spirit. From that link to
John 4:24
"Spirit" = πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Strong: G4151
GK: G4460
wind, air in motion,
Jn. 3:8; breath,
2 Thess. 2:8; the substance spirit,
Jn. 3:6; a spirit, spiritual being,
Jn. 4:24;
Acts 23:8,
9;
Heb. 1:14; a bodiless spirit, specter,
Lk. 24:37; a foul spirit, δαιμόνιον,
Mt. 8:16;
Lk. 10:20; spirit, as a vital principle,
Jn. 6:63;
1 Cor. 15:45; the human spirit, the soul,
Mt. 26:41;
27:50;
Acts 7:59;
1 Cor. 7:34;
Jas. 2:26; the spirit as the seat of thought and feeling, the mind,
Mk. 8:12;
Acts 19:21; spirit, mental frame,
1 Cor. 4:21;
1 Pet. 3:4; a characteristic spirit, an influential principle,
Lk. 9:55;
1 Cor. 2:12;
2 Tim. 1:7; a pervading influence,
Rom. 11:8; spirit, frame of mind, as distinguished from outward circumstances and action,
Mt. 5:3; spirit as distinguished from outward show and form.
Jn. 4:23; spirit, a divinely bestowed spiritual frame, characteristic of true believers,
Rom. 8:4;
Jude 19; spirit, latent spiritual import, spiritual significance, as distinguished from the mere letter,
Rom. 2:29;
7:6;
2 Cor. 3:6,
17; spirit, as a term for a process superior to a merely natural or carnal course of things, by the operation of the Divine Spirit,
Rom. 8:4;
Gal. 4:29; a spiritual dispensation, or a sealing energy of the Holy Spirit,
Heb. 9:14; the Holy Spirit,
Mt. 3:16;
12:31;
Jn. 1:32,
33; a gift of the Holy Spirit,
Jn. 7:39;
Acts 19:2;
1 Cor. 14:12; an operation or influence of the Holy Spirit,
1 Cor. 12:3; a spiritual influence, an inspiration,
Mt. 22:43;
Lk. 2:27;
Eph. 1:17; a professedly divine communication, or, a professed possessor of a spiritual communication,
1 Cor. 12:10;
2 Thess. 2:2;
1 Jn. 4:1,
2,
3
That spirit is alive within all of that which was created by its power and will. He knew you by name before that spirit ever created anything at all. And now he's calling you to know this. May he continue to bless our journey to reunion with the truth and the life. I am glad you're here.
