How do you know?

[Kmaxb]

Hi everyone, I'm doing a bit of research into some of the differences between the various Christian denominations. How they differ, and what they have in common.

My specific question is this: How did you personally come to know that God is real, Jesus is your Savior, the Bible is the word of God, etc?

 

[Whatever]

Hi everyone, I'm doing a bit of research into some of the differences between the various Christian denominations. How they differ, and what they have in common.

My specific question is this: How did you personally come to know that God is real, Jesus is your Savior, the Bible is the word of God, etc?

1Co 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Seems like the natural man is screwed. What is the remedy?

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Seems that a supernatural working of the Spirit of God is necessary to know and believe these things. Most Calvinists say this means you have to be born again or regenerated by God first, then you believe.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Believing God and accepting the gospel would please God. Paul says a unregenerate person cannot do that.

 

[Kmaxb]

1Co 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Seems like the natural man is screwed. What is the remedy?

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Seems that a supernatural working of the Spirit of God is necessary to know and believe these things. Most Calvinists say this means you have to be born again or regenerated by God first, then you believe.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Believing God and accepting the gospel would please God. Paul says a unregenerate person cannot do that.

Have you had a supernatural experience that confirmed your faith?

 

[Kmaxb]

I converted to the real Christianity later in life.
False Christians are not Christians.

What exactly convinced you to convert to real Christianity?

 

[Kmaxb]

The OP and the most important question by far: there is only one way to know personally that God is real: pray and ask Him yourself. If He answers, He is real. But you have to be genuinely want the truth, and only the truth. I do.

I remember a story of a russian girl who constantly got atheism drilled into her in the classroom. Defying her teachers, she prayed: "God, if you are there, let it snow tomorrow." And it snowed. Droves and droves. She believed ever since.


I can give you Scripture after Scripture, but you said, "personally". And to know personally, there is only one way.

Did you pray and ask, and did you receive an answer?

 

[Kmaxb]

How do I know that God is real? Scientific discoveries - the golden ratio (0.618), complex genetic coding, fine tuning of gravity, etc. These are solid proof of intelligent design, by no means could any of these "randomly" occur as evolution theory suggests because they are NOT random. Two laws of nature that directly require a Creator God is the laws of thermodynamics - in a closed system, matter or energy cannot be created or annihilated, it can only be converted from one form to another; and naturally it deteriorates from complex form to simple form, from available form to unavailable form. This universe we're in cannot and DID not create or maintain itself, the only plausible explanation is that there's a God outside the system that made it a reality.

How do I know that Jesus is my Savior? Because Jesus is the only way to know God, and He's the only one who died for my sin and shame. From me He took the wrath and punishment which I deserve. All other deities sit in their temples to be served, only Jesus came to serve us.

How do I know the Bible is the word of God? Because it's true and trustworthy, it's not a book of fables and rules, not even just a book of wisdom and philosophies, but a book of real history and prophecies. It has passed the reality check with 100% accuracy. You wanna know what's gonna on in the world? Why are we living in the midst of chaos and shambles? Why are so many people insane with their crazy ideologies? Read the bible, especially the prophecies.

So I would be correct in saying your personal belief is evidence based, as opposed to some kind of direct, or even supernatural, answer from God?

 

[Kmaxb]

Hey All,
I can answer all three questions with one word Kmaxb.
Faith.

Here's a good place to start.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith has substance - consciousness, the immaterial.
Faith is the evidence - material. Not the things around us, although they are evidence, but humanity.
We are created in His is image.
We are material, and God is immaterial; how can we be created in His image?
Man has the ability to create.
The things that are man-made started as immaterial thought.
Someone looked at the horse and buggy, and a steam engine and said I can create something better. And the car was born.

You are the substance.
You are the evidence.

Keep walking everybody.
May God bless,
Taz

I appreciate all that thank you. If you don't mind me asking, have you ever had any kind of supernatural spiritual experience that confirmed your beliefs?

 

[Kmaxb]

Hi K
I believe that everyone that comes to know Jesus does so in the same manner and it doesn't matter what denomination a person belongs to.

A Catholic that comes to know Jesus has an experience whereby it cannot be denied that Jesus exists.
This goes for Catholics and Protestants.

Is Catholicism correct you ask....
Some of it is and some isn't.
Same for every other denomination.

There is another way one could come to a saving knowledge of God.
To just intellectually believe that God exists, and to follow His teachings.

Was your experience in coming to know for yourself more intellectual or more spiritual? And if spiritual did you have a specific experience that convinced you?

 

[Kmaxb]

This is only a question and answer thread; you should post in Theology thread to actually discuss this.

But to answer your follow up question; the "interactions" I have had with God are not easy to describe. In my experience God never "speaks or shows anything clearly"; He kind of likes it when we use our own brain to figure out what He is telling us.

Can you tell me what you mean when you said "God never speaks or shows anything clearly"?

 

[GodsGrace]

Was your experience in coming to know for yourself more intellectual or more spiritual? And if spiritual did you have a specific experience that convinced you?

For me personally, it was more spiritual.
God became real for me.
I felt like I had met Jesus... in the sense that I really understood things in a different way.
I felt like my eyes had been opened and that I could trust God.

 

[Kmaxb]

For me personally, it was more spiritual.
God became real for me.
I felt like I had met Jesus... in the sense that I really understood things in a different way.
I felt like my eyes had been opened and that I could trust God.

If you don't mind sharing, could I ask what specifically happened?

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

So I would be correct in saying your personal belief is evidence based, as opposed to some kind of direct, or even supernatural, answer from God?

You wouldn’t think of such phenomenon as an answer from God if you don’t believe God exists or you believe in some other pagan diety in the first place. It’s all about perspective.

 

[Josef]

I appreciate all that thank you. If you don't mind me asking, have you ever had any kind of supernatural spiritual experience that confirmed your beliefs?

Hey All,
No. You don't need that to be a believer.

Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Seek faith. Faith in God is supernatural.

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Grace and faith are gifts from God. Ask for this of God. He will not turn you away.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Don't get caught up in the supernatural.
Experiences can be manufactured ala the "health and wealth" purveyors of the gospel.
Satan can use it to his advantage.
Satan cannot use the Bible's words against you with any validity.
He tried twisting Scripture to mean something different when tempting Jesus. Matthew 4
But it didn't work.

Ask God for faith to believe. That is the most supernatural thing you can ever do.

Keep walking everybody.
May God bless,
Taz

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

So I would be correct in saying your personal belief is evidence based, as opposed to some kind of direct, or even supernatural, answer from God?

Look, man, as I said, it's all about perspective and attitude. For those who already believe in God, they'd know for sure that such answers are from God and they'd listen to it; for those who don't believe in God, they'd dismiss it as some kind of trickery or attribute it to other pagan deities. In the bible, Jesus performed many miracles, healed deadly diseases, the Pharisees called him a demon and attributed those miracles and healings to Beelzabub, a head huncho of demons. But for those few people who do have an open mind and understand real science, they're more likely to be conviced by clear evidence and discoveries that CAN be explained by science, rather than the bible or some supernatural phenomenon that can't be explained by science.

 

[Enlightenedtruth]

Can you tell me what you mean when you said "God never speaks or shows anything clearly"?

My sour note did sound in March 2021; I was shocked, and did not understand at first. But my first thought was; that awful noise could have torn the very fabric of creation itself. Then I heard a single word in the night (almost immediately). And that word was; "hold". Over the course of a couple weeks I held such doubts; but as more of my memories returned and became clear, I gained a great deal of understanding; especially when I remembered the Angel's.

I carried a great deal of self-doubt for almost 2 1/2 years; why me God. But I already knew the answer to that. For the other thing God has shown me in this time, that is a long story; and not really appropriate for the "question and answer" thread.

Maybe one of our moderators can kick this thread to a different chat; ask me again then and I'll give all the detail I can about what I have been shown.

 

[Hopeful 2]

What exactly convinced you to convert to real Christianity?

The knowledge that I no longer needed to hurt myself and others.
That I could be free from sin.

 

[Kmaxb]

The knowledge that I no longer needed to hurt myself and others.
That I could be free from sin.

That’s beautiful, thank you.

 

[Tenchi]

Hi everyone, I'm doing a bit of research into some of the differences between the various Christian denominations. How they differ, and what they have in common.

My specific question is this: How did you personally come to know that God is real, Jesus is your Savior, the Bible is the word of God, etc?

There is what is called "natural theology" that points to God but doesn't provide anything specific about who that God is. Natural theology draws out evidence for God in the physical universe - its complexity, order, information, regularity, beginning, fine-tuning, etc. - and in our moral intuitions, the existence of things like logic, mathematics, and so on. Natural theology employs a great deal of philosophical argument also in its investigation of the God question.

www.crossexamined.org
www.johnlennox.org
www.reasonablefaith.org
www.str.org
www.coldcasechristianity.com

There is also the "special revelation" of God in Jesus Christ, the God-Man, and in the Bible which define who God is.

There is, finally, the direct, intimate and transformative experience of God that His children can enjoy every day that also - and perhaps most of all - secures their deep, settled confidence in Him.

 

[Kmaxb]

There is what is called "natural theology" that points to God but doesn't provide anything specific about who that God is. Natural theology draws out evidence for God in the physical universe - its complexity, order, information, regularity, beginning, fine-tuning, etc. - and in our moral intuitions, the existence of things like logic, mathematics, and so on. Natural theology employs a great deal of philosophical argument also in its investigation of the God question.

www.crossexamined.org
www.johnlennox.org
www.reasonablefaith.org
www.str.org
www.coldcasechristianity.com

There is also the "special revelation" of God in Jesus Christ, the God-Man, and in the Bible which define who God is.

There is, finally, the direct, intimate and transformative experience of God that His children can enjoy every day that also - and perhaps most of all - secures their deep, settled confidence in Him.

Thank you. Regarding that last statement you made about the direct intimate experience of God. Can you tell me more about that, and what kinds of experiences you’ve had?

 

[Tenchi]

Thank you. Regarding that last statement you made about the direct intimate experience of God. Can you tell me more about that, and what kinds of experiences you’ve had?

Well, God the Father isn't a material Being; He's a Spirit, the Bible says, which means I can't interact with Him in the sense-oriented way I do in my physical environment. Instead, God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit he's called, takes up residence within me and as I live in humble, loving submission to his will and way, he "convicts me of sin, righteousness and judgment"; he teaches me the deeper things of God's Truth; he strengthens me in times of trial and temptation; he comforts me in seasons of sorrow and pain; he glorifies God in my mind and heart; and he transforms me, aligning me more and more in my desires, thoughts and deeds with the Person of Jesus Christ. These are all things the Bible says God the Holy Spirit will do commonly in all those who are born-again disciples of Jesus. It is by his doing these things within a person that he demonstrates to them that they have really been saved and made a child of God.

As the years with God pass, I find myself profoundly altered in what I want, what is of value to me, what my priorities are, in what I see as right and wrong, holy and unholy, in what is True and false, and in my confidence in my Maker. These changes are all in God's direction, of course, reflecting Him more and more. These changes, though, aren't some agonizing, strenuous and endless battle with Self-control, with changing and mastering myself, but happen as naturally and profoundly as one would expect them to when the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of Everything is making them. It's exciting and astonishing to see His power at work in me!

If you've got other questions, feel free to ask them.

 

[Randy]

Hi everyone, I'm doing a bit of research into some of the differences between the various Christian denominations. How they differ, and what they have in common.

My specific question is this: How did you personally come to know that God is real, Jesus is your Savior, the Bible is the word of God, etc?

Well originally, I surmise it was belief as received from my parents as I also believed in Santa Claus when I was very young. Though I never worshipped nor prayed to Santa. My mother would pray with me and something took as I started praying on my own at a very young age with great zeal. I believe Jesus responded to my faith and prayers in Him. I have loved Him and believed in Him as far back as my memory goes. He has responded back to me. It's not something I have ever had to wrestle with. I just knew in my heart He was, and I believe that certainty only comes from/by the Spirit of truth not of myself.