Im slightly skeptical about Jesus?

[Hidden In Him]

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

2 Corinthians 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

Gordon, I haven't kept up with this contention between you and Prim, nor do I intend to, but if you are using these two verses as a justification for being rude and condescending to others, you are perverting scripture and misrepresenting God here.

εἰ δὲ καὶ ἰδιώτης τῷ λόγῳ means "but even if I am untrained in speech." It means he was not a rhetorician, so the translators here used "rude" to mean "crude, unsophisticated, untrained," but it does NOT mean he was deliberately being insulting to people.

Likewise συναπαγόμενοι did not mean "assume an air of superiority over others." The word meant "go along with" and by extension "accommodate oneself to," hence ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι means "conform yourself to the humble," and not be high-minded.

You are doing the opposite.

 

[Edward]

There is no doubt of Jesus Christ, people believe strongly enough in the devil, ( to do, think and speak evil) so the ones who do, think and speak good, ( have no doubt in Christ.) believe strongly in Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour. ( in all things including the accusations, and persecutions that Christ endured for us, to follow after in His same examples.)

Choosing to believe in the Lord is a choice for the most part. After one accepts the Lord as their Lord, then they get born again and wake up the next day largely the same. You still think carnally so your soul wasn't reborn. You're still overweight/underweight have pains from that old injury or whatever so your body wasn't changed either. When you were born again you received a new spirit. But you can't feel that.

So I was born again yesterday, what do I do today? My suggestion is to begin making a resume of trust between you & the Lord. Can He trust you? Not really but He left us an instruction manual that tells us how much we can trust Him. That is how we grow our faith, by reading the word of God, and hearing it, and meditating on it and talking about it.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. So to make your faith and trust in the Lord grow, read His instruction manual.
What's left after that is you learning to show the Lord that He can trust you. You do that by obeying Him in His commandments, spiritual principles, and conscience. You start reading and praying more and you will get the Lord talking to you through your conscience.

The Holy Spirit's job is to lead us into all truth. The Holy Spirit bears witness (talks to) our spirit. So our new spirit is in constant contact with God and will always know the right thing to do. And your conscience will talk to you. If you listen to him then you chosen wisely. If you ignore him, then you will be in disobedience and you can not show that you are trustworthy when you are disobedient. So you strive to put the worldly things down and to be obedient to God and when you show that you can be trusted with a little, He gives you a bit more to encourage you. The more you can show that He can trust you, then the more He will bless you for it.

That's how I see it. I call this building a resume of trust with the Lord. If he can trust you with small things, you will be given more. But to whom more is given more is required of Him.

If someone gets saved and goes home and sits on their blessed ass urance and continues with their favorite worldly sins instead of pressing in to the Lord, the Lord is liable to think, he wasn't even serious. I never knew you...
Once you start talking to the Lord more, you will understand that He wants you to speak your heart to Him. So if you say Lord I have doubts about this or that and would like you to explain some for me...the Lord knows your heart and will give you your answer in just the right way that you go, oh. And you will know it is true because you will be flooded with the peace of God which will come over you and you will know, it is yes, it is true.

 

[PrimFinallyFoundGod!]

Choosing to believe in the Lord is a choice for the most part. After one accepts the Lord as their Lord, then they get born again and wake up the next day largely the same. You still think carnally so your soul wasn't reborn. You're still overweight/underweight have pains from that old injury or whatever so your body wasn't changed either. When you were born again you received a new spirit. But you can't feel that.

So I was born again yesterday, what do I do today? My suggestion is to begin making a resume of trust between you & the Lord. Can He trust you? Not really but He left us an instruction manual that tells us how much we can trust Him. That is how we grow our faith, by reading the word of God, and hearing it, and meditating on it and talking about it.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. So to make your faith and trust in the Lord grow, read His instruction manual.
What's left after that is you learning to show the Lord that He can trust you. You do that by obeying Him in His commandments, spiritual principles, and conscience. You start reading and praying more and you will get the Lord talking to you through your conscience.

The Holy Spirit's job is to lead us into all truth. The Holy Spirit bears witness (talks to) our spirit. So our new spirit is in constant contact with God and will always know the right thing to do. And your conscience will talk to you. If you listen to him then you chosen wisely. If you ignore him, then you will be in disobedience and you can not show that you are trustworthy when you are disobedient. So you strive to put the worldly things down and to be obedient to God and when you show that you can be trusted with a little, He gives you a bit more to encourage you. The more you can show that He can trust you, then the more He will bless you for it.

That's how I see it. I call this building a resume of trust with the Lord. If he can trust you with small things, you will be given more. But to whom more is given more is required of Him.

If someone gets saved and goes home and sits on their blessed ass urance and continues with their favorite worldly sins instead of pressing in to the Lord, the Lord is liable to think, he wasn't even serious. I never knew you...
Once you start talking to the Lord more, you will understand that He wants you to speak your heart to Him. So if you say Lord I have doubts about this or that and would like you to explain some for me...the Lord knows your heart and will give you your answer in just the right way that you go, oh. And you will know it is true because you will be flooded with the peace of God which will come over you and you will know, it is yes, it is true.

I love this

 

[GodsGrace]

If we are to believe to the saving of the soul, how can we be offended, and if we believe that Christ had to die in agony for us, how do we think we deserve anything, and just as Christ has given all for us, we could not believe in Him truly, unless we could only give the same.

It is two ways for everyone, light or darkness, if we do not know light, we know the other. If you wanted light, why not go to it, and know it immediately ? Only if a person realizes what darkness they are in, will they seek light quickly, especially as in the grave there is no light at all.

God is light and life, how are you seeking that by seeking from people, try seeking Jesus Christ, if it is Jesus Christ you want to know. ( if a person wants people, they talk with them instead.)


Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Job 17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Gordon,
Take it easy a little bit!
You're speaking to an admitted young Christian, both in age and in belief.
You're good at theology, let's try to teach without "sounding" so condemning...
I'm not saying that this is your intent, but it might come off that way.

 

[GodsGrace]

Thank you very much I appreciate all of these verses <3 God bless you
So when I pray I should address it to Jesus Christ just double checking here? I really want to honour God's teachings and become the person he intended for me to be.

Prim, you'll be getting a lot of advice from different members.
You can pray to whomever you want to: Father, Jesus or some even pray to the Holy Spirt.
ALL prayer is good and acceptable to God who loves you like a child.

Be careful to not be swept from side to side by different winds.
You might be too young to be in the theology forum....
Give it some thought.

 

[PrimFinallyFoundGod!]

Prim, you'll be getting a lot of advice from different members.
You can pray to whomever you want to: Father, Jesus or some even pray to the Holy Spirt.
ALL prayer is good and acceptable to God who loves you like a child.

Be careful to not be swept from side to side by different winds.
You might be too young to be in the theology forum....
Give it some thought.

Of course, I've noticed people get pretty heated in theology lol!
I won't be swayed the kindness, guidance and welcoming received by the vast majority of members here is much more powerful than this.
Thank you for having a look through
And thanks for your advice on the original question too

 

[GodsGrace]

I went to public school most of my life and it wad always drilled into my head to be skeptical about everything. Always ask questions and don't take anything at face value.

It has served me well throughout the years, but it's also made it difficult to live as a Christian. I would get into arguments with friends just for asking questions and being skeptical about certain stories in the bible.

I remember one time we had two new people show up at the youth group. They expressed their skepticism in front of everyone, and the pastor's response was "Well, what are you doing here then?". I just shook my head at his lack of awareness. Of course, they never came back.

This seems to be the norm among religious folk. They don't like they're beliefs being challenged. But Jesus was always being challenged and he would take the time to hear people out and address the skepticism in a productive way.

Riven, the Theology Forum is more for older Christians, both in age and beliefs.
You'll find that not everyone agrees 100% on everything and this creates discussion, some might call it debate.
The important thing is to believe in God...
NOT IN MEN.
Men are fallible and liable to make mistakes.
God does not make mistakes and honoring and worhsipping HIM is always good.
I've been a Christian for over 40 years...the faith comes right away and that's all that is needed.
The knowledge takes A LONG TIME, and no young person should be turned away because someone believes differently or cannot answer a question.

PrimFinallyFoundGod!

 

[Edward]

Tonight for my prayer I asked God for clarity on the Jesus thing and explained my fears to him amongst other things. I've started writing my prayers out in a prayer journal as well it's quite helpful to be honest

Many times I have prayed and asked the Lord to clarify something, and the first thing the next morning I find my answer. Either in scripture, or I'll click on a youtube video that looks interesting to me and it starts talking about what I asked! Other times I have even signed in to the forum here and the thread which has my answer in it is right on top, lol! So He answers me different ways, even has through people at times. In fairness, just in case, I should say that there has been several questions at least that I have prayed about before that the Lord remained silent about it and I did not get an answer.

One other time I had been praying quite a bit and neglecting my reading of the word and I asked a clarification question one time and I didn't get an answer. No videos answered it, no thread here were talking about that. Nothing. So I continued to pray about it every night and still got no answer. Then like 2 weeks go by and I realize, hey I haven't been reading much, I better do me some reading in the word. So I picked up my bible and opened it up, and it opened to the exact page that I needed and my eyes were drawn right to the answer of the question I asked, Lol! I wasn't looking for the answer right then, I was just gonna read some, and there it was.

So when the Lord answers you, it might not be in the way that you expect it to be. You have to see the answer and understand that it was from God. He might even answer you a totally different way that He does me. If you're not watching for it you might miss it!

 

[PrimFinallyFoundGod!]

Many times I have prayed and asked the Lord to clarify something, and the first thing the next morning I find my answer. Either in scripture, or I'll click on a youtube video that looks interesting to me and it starts talking about what I asked! Other times I have even signed in to the forum here and the thread which has my answer in it is right on top, lol! So He answers me different ways, even has through people at times. In fairness, just in case, I should say that there has been several questions at least that I have prayed about before that the Lord remained silent about it and I did not get an answer.

One other time I had been praying quite a bit and neglecting my reading of the word and I asked a clarification question one time and I didn't get an answer. No videos answered it, no thread here were talking about that. Nothing. So I continued to pray about it every night and still got no answer. Then like 2 weeks go by and I realize, hey I haven't been reading much, I better do me some reading in the word. So I picked up my bible and opened it up, and it opened to the exact page that I needed and my eyes were drawn right to the answer of the question I asked, Lol! I wasn't looking for the answer right then, I was just gonna read some, and there it was.

So when the Lord answers you, it might not be in the way that you expect it to be. You have to see the answer and understand that it was from God. He might even answer you a totally different way that He does me. If you're not watching for it you might miss it!

Thank you for the advice

 

[gordon777]

Gordon, I haven't kept up with this contention between you and Prim, nor do I intend to

To answer a matter before you hear it, ( as you state, you have not read regarding the contention, and you also showed you wont be correcting yourself, to know the matter fully, as you said you did not intend to go and see about the contention.) it is foly and shame to all who do that.


Proverbs 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

 

[gordon777]

but if you are using these two verses as a justification for being rude and condescending to others, you are perverting scripture and misrepresenting God here.

εἰ δὲ καὶ ἰδιώτης τῷ λόγῳ means "but even if I am untrained in speech." It means he was not a rhetorician, so the translators here used "rude" to mean "crude, unsophisticated, untrained," but it does NOT mean he was deliberately being insulting to people.

Clearly you have read an accusation made about me, as being rude and condescending.

Apostle Paul described himself as rude in speech, but not in knowledge. Seeing as I am being accused of being rude, ( unsophisticated, crude) why do you think you can also show me as misrepresenting scripture, by placing a scripture as a defense for myself, against an accusation made against me ? ( even though someone perceives rudeness, it can be the persons lack of knowledge.)


Peter describes Apostle Paul just as that, in some of the things the Apostle speaks of, it is hard to understand, ( which will be rude in speech, unsophisticated/crude, but not in knowledge/truth.)


2 Corinthians 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

 

[gordon777]

Likewise συναπαγόμενοι did not mean "assume an air of superiority over others." The word meant "go along with" and by extension "accommodate oneself to," hence ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι means "conform yourself to the humble," and not be high-minded.

You are doing the opposite.

Again, If a person is accused of being condescending, why would you assume it is perverting scripture, to let scripture answer for people accusing you of being exalted ?

To be over people of low estate, ( low estate us unbelievers) and also if the person accusing someone also doubts Christ, how is that not applicable for them being low estate.


Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Psalm 136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:



I am not therefore doing the opposite, to humility, nor have I used scripture wrongly, but thanks for your help.

 

[gordon777]

Gordon,
Take it easy a little bit!
You're speaking to an admitted young Christian, both in age and in belief.
You're good at theology, let's try to teach without "sounding" so condemning...
I'm not saying that this is your intent, but it might come off that way.

This is a topic about doubting Jesus Christ.

If a person doubts Jesus Christ, they would not be easy to show scriptures for believing in, as they have been rejecting when I shared them of how to ask in belief, not doubting. ( a persons own ideas are preferred instead not only in this thread, but in all threads, because as told, the time comes when men do not endure sound doctrine, but heap teachers having itching ears, to turn form the truth to fables.)


Condemnation is this:

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 

[GodsGrace]

This is a topic about doubting Jesus Christ.

If a person doubts Jesus Christ, they would not be easy to show scriptures for believing in, as they have been rejecting when I shared them of how to ask in belief, not doubting. ( a persons own ideas are preferred instead not only in this thread, but in all threads, because as told, the time comes when men do not endure sound doctrine, but heap teachers having itching ears, to turn form the truth to fables.)


Condemnation is this:

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

I know what this thread is about Gordon777.
I'm trying to be nice and not give an official warning.
Please pay attention to what staff asks you -
Persons can doubt Jesus --- this does not mean they don't love Him and are going through something or other.
Castigating them will be of no help and is not very Christianly.
I'm asking Hidden In Him not to reply to your last 3 posts.
We're in the Theology Forum, let's be considerate, serious, and follow the TOS rules.
Please see TOS 1.1 and 1.3
Thanks.

 

[PrimFinallyFoundGod!]

Gordon you're literally trying to justify being "rude" and "condescending" then backtracking on Hidden In Him when he calls you out for using scripture to justify treating someone this way. I think assuming a moral high-ground against a new beginner Christian trying to learn and using scripture to label them "of low estate" is doing EXACTLY what Hidden In Him said you did. You're disrespecting everyone by continuing this charade and setting a horrible example to young/new believers. People have been nice to you and patient but you continue to push and belittle even staff now. This thread has been tainted by you. You are flooding the thread and trying to drown out good Christian people who are trying to help a young person fully acknowledge the holy spirit within them and grow closer to God/Jesus. I did not make a post attacking Jesus like an atheist I simply asked for help in believing.

I really don't want you drowning out the voices of Christian people doing good by their faith. With the permission of people who have been helpful, I'd like to make a new thread (not in theology, I'll probably use the young adult bit or something) sharing their ideas to help other young people who have questions and want to grow closer to God.

wondering JLB Free journeyman Hidden In Him for_his_glory Believer of the Word Robert Pate Edward

Thank you again everyone. Please don't feel obligated to have your quote in the new thread if you don't want this.

There is definitely a lack of support for young or agnostic people in our society. But there is a LOT of support in the media to push people away from God because to be religious is to be "bigoted".

I'd like to turn this into a positive and let the new thread contain helpful advice (from those who want to be included) for people in similar situations to me. When you haven't been faithful before or you're simply young it can be very daunting especially when you have questions such as this. You don't want to offend people by asking and receiving a response like the one above, but you also want a little guidance to know what to do about it!

 

[jasonc]

Lord , I'm not a fan of online forums .social media creates this overly exaggerated divide .

My PTSD has forced me to doubt .I don't plan on walking away just seeking how to reconcile them.

 

[PrimFinallyFoundGod!]

Lord , I'm not a fan of online forums .social media creates this overly exaggerated divide .

My PTSD has forced me to doubt .I don't plan on walking away just seeking how to reconcile them.

Please see the advice given by others on this thread and ignore the stuff from Gordon it'll just make you feel bad about yourself unnecessarily. I've been using a prayer journal and praying to God about my concerns, worries, doubts etc. perhaps you could try something similar?

 

[jasonc]

Please see the advice given by others on this thread and ignore the stuff from Gordon it'll just make you feel bad about yourself unnecessarily. I've been using a prayer journal and praying to God about my concerns, worries, doubts etc. perhaps you could try something similar?

Thanks but I choose to connect to my local body and it's elders . Perfect answers ? No .

 

[for_his_glory]

Nothing stops people seeking God, apart from the fact that they have no interest in what is right.

If a person hungers and thirsts for righteousness, they cant seek that from anyone but God, and that is exactly why God confirms they shall be filled. ( that they did go only to God to be filled with HIs righteousness.)


Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.


God testifies truth to us, if a person wants lies, the forums, this world, all things but the testimony of Jesus Christ on the cross ( truth) are the lies they choose.


1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Is it not the children of God on Christian forums that witness and testify of Christ Jesus that helps those who are seeking like PrimFinallyFoundGod! and many others that come wanting to know who Christ is!!!

If the Disciples did not give their witness and testify of Christ then none of us would have any hope. Please think about that.

 

[for_his_glory]

Nothing stops people seeking God, apart from the fact that they have no interest in what is right.

If a person hungers and thirsts for righteousness, they cant seek that from anyone but God, and that is exactly why God confirms they shall be filled. ( that they did go only to God to be filled with HIs righteousness.)


Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.


God testifies truth to us, if a person wants lies, the forums, this world, all things but the testimony of Jesus Christ on the cross ( truth) are the lies they choose.


1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Is it not the Holy Spirit that works through others to bring us all into His truth, but yet it is up to each of us to seek truth as the Spirit of God gives to everyone who ask for it. If what one speaks does not line up with scripture then turn away from their deceitfulness.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.