Bible Study

[mariolover]

Just because the idea of **** is terrifying, I’m not going to subscribe to Christianity just for a believed salvation from it, because as I said earlier, this wouldn’t make me a very well-rounded person as far as my beliefs go. And given a lot of your posts on here fall back into the old “if you don’t believe in Christianity and it turns out it was real after all, you have everything to lose; if I believe in Christianity and it turns out it wasn’t real, I have nothing to lose” argument (which is stupid, because there’s a metric crap-tonne of religions out there that could still end up being the right one), it makes me question how deep your actual belief system is. Are you a Christian because you love God and want a deeper relationship with him, or are you just following the Bible and trying to convert others to your side because of your intense fear of eternal damnation?

I also joined Christianity because I wanted more joy and happiness. Plus it can help us to be a servant to others.

 

[mariolover]

How am I spreading hate by simply stating what I believe? I don’t understand

 

[fuzzygobo]

I've actually had a pastor tell me that even if an LGBTQIA+ person has been saved by the Blood of Christ, and is a born-again Christian, they'll still go to **** for "willfully living in sin."

Then he is totally forgetting about grace. God forgave David even after he committed adultery and murder.

Jesus forgave the prostitute and spared her life, and said "Go home, and sin no more".

The Bible makes it quite clear where it stands on sexual immorality. The Torah and Koran are even stricter. But I think it's still possiblefor a homosexual to be saved, having a new relationship with God through Jesus and being born again. But you can't have it both ways. You can't give yourself over to Christ and go back to a gay lifestyle.
Because then the price Jesus paid on the cross is meaningless.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I don’t understand

There’s your answer.

 

[D'Snowth]

Then he is totally forgetting about grace. God forgave David even after he committed adultery and murder.

Jesus forgave the prostitute and spared her life, and said "Go home, and sin no more".

Yes. I listened to another pastor's sermon not too many years ago, and in his sermon, he mentioned that those who choose to be saved by Jesus are pre-destined to do so by God.

Now, I get the point the pastor was trying to make, in that God knows everything we do before we even do it, and that He's the one who basically has our lives mapped out while we have no clue what tomorrow holds for any of us . . . however, it was the way the pastor worded and said this that really struck a bad chord with me, because he made it sound as though that God's unconditional love for all people is, indeed, conditional, and that He picks and chooses who He wants to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which, more-or-less, kind of defeats the purpose of Him giving us free will to make our own decisions.

 

[mariolover]

There’s your answer.

How am I spreading hate? I would like to know

 

[mariolover]

Yes. I listened to another pastor's sermon not too many years ago, and in his sermon, he mentioned that those who choose to be saved by Jesus are pre-destined to do so by God.

Now, I get the point the pastor was trying to make, in that God knows everything we do before we even do it, and that He's the one who basically has our lives mapped out while we have no clue what tomorrow holds for any of us . . . however, it was the way the pastor worded and said this that really struck a bad chord with me, because he made it sound as though that God's unconditional love for all people is, indeed, conditional, and that He picks and chooses who He wants to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which, more-or-less, kind of defeats the purpose of Him giving us free will to make our own decisions.

God wants everyone to go to heaven. Which is why he sent Jesus to die for us.

 

[Old Thunder]

I also joined Christianity because I wanted more joy and happiness. Plus it can help us to be a servant to others.

Are you more joyful and happy since joining the flock? Also FYI I can be a servant to others without being a Christian.

 

[Old Thunder]

How am I spreading hate by simply stating what I believe? I don’t understand

God wants everyone to go to heaven. Which is why he sent Jesus to die for us.

I don’t think you’re spreading hate per se, I think you’re not thinking things through enough and instead becoming a bit ignorant in certain aspects in an attempt to “get on the right path”. Your calling Islam a part of a godless society, for instance, is all sorts of weird, given that Islam is a religion that believes in a god (Allah) and thus cannot be a part of a godless society.

Anyway, the issue doesn’t lie with a secular world barging into education and other government institutions. This country was not founding in Christian principles. From the very beginning, separation of church and state and freedom of religion have been an integral part of the United States. Why should we have prayer in school then? Why can’t we learn about other cultures and LGBTQ+ topics?

Honestly, it’s a much more pleasant world when you stop worrying about an imaginary lake of fire and start making your time on this planet meaningful. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Feel free to stockpile for your future, but I’m gonna seize the day.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Yes. I listened to another pastor's sermon not too many years ago, and in his sermon, he mentioned that those who choose to be saved by Jesus are pre-destined to do so by God.

Now, I get the point the pastor was trying to make, in that God knows everything we do before we even do it, and that He's the one who basically has our lives mapped out while we have no clue what tomorrow holds for any of us . . . however, it was the way the pastor worded and said this that really struck a bad chord with me, because he made it sound as though that God's unconditional love for all people is, indeed, conditional, and that He picks and chooses who He wants to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which, more-or-less, kind of defeats the purpose of Him giving us free will to make our own decisions.

Agape love is unconditional love. But in order for God to give you that love, you have to come to Him. It's all about the relationship between us and Him. It took me years to find out I could have this close relationship with Him. And when I found out how much He loved me, with all my faults, that blew me away.
I feel sad for those that never find that relationship, who never felt that love.

I do believe Satan exists. I certainly don't worship him, but I know he's out there, he wants to steal my joy, my peace, my love for God. You always have to keep your guard up. Because he'll use anything, when you get angry, when you hate, when you lie, to sneak in there and make you unhappy.

The simplest way things can be put, on how to live one's life, Trust God and do good. You need both. Some people do good things, but don't trust God.Those are the ones who think they're going to heaven because "I'm a good person". Well, you talk to ten people , every one will give you a different definition of a "good person".

Then there are those who trust God, but never do anything. God wants you to do all you can, then He'll do the rest. But we need to do our part.