Re: Hi, I'm new.
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:00 pm
UPDATE: 06/03/2011: The original author of this thread wished it to be deleted. I felt there was some good stuff in here so just deleted the original authors connection to this thread.
I am a Christian (raised Catholic) and still consider myself a man of Christ and it is not easy getting past the questions you raise but the main thing for me as a Christian that I was never too keen on was the concept of the devil and eternity in hell despite what the book of revelation may have said (personally I think we humans took this revelation way out of proportion and missed the message. A lot of what was written in Revelation was fulfilled by Nero and the destruction of Jerusulem around 80 AD. I have always been drawn to this book and read it so many times over the years but the truth bells have never really rung for me as to this armageddon story. Now maybe I am completely wrong but I have prayed and prayed on this and I can only trust what my inner thoughts and beliefs tell me and rest assure that God hears my prayers. He knows I am his humble servant and warrior for his loving cause). For me I never understood the need for me to go to hell if I displeased God the Father. Why would God need me to be tormented for all of eternity. Is it for sport? If God was displeased with me wouldn't he just make me no longer exist? Why the need for torment and hell? The evil remains in the world becasue this is the damage done and still left over by the thousands of years of Lucifer's rebellion. His seeds will take time to be removed from our thought conscience.
The book that resonates with me most from the mouth of our wonderful teacher and master in Jesus was:
<< Matthew 7 >>
King James Version
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
_________________________________________________
I have been on this site for 6 years now and the "fruits" of the people around here and of the all the received messages are always and only of love. The fruits are good and until they sour (which I don't believe they ever will) I put a lot of truth and credence to what I have come to learn and now understand. Again welcome and I hope you find the answers that ring true to you my friend.
May God Love and Bless you for All Eternity!
I am a Christian (raised Catholic) and still consider myself a man of Christ and it is not easy getting past the questions you raise but the main thing for me as a Christian that I was never too keen on was the concept of the devil and eternity in hell despite what the book of revelation may have said (personally I think we humans took this revelation way out of proportion and missed the message. A lot of what was written in Revelation was fulfilled by Nero and the destruction of Jerusulem around 80 AD. I have always been drawn to this book and read it so many times over the years but the truth bells have never really rung for me as to this armageddon story. Now maybe I am completely wrong but I have prayed and prayed on this and I can only trust what my inner thoughts and beliefs tell me and rest assure that God hears my prayers. He knows I am his humble servant and warrior for his loving cause). For me I never understood the need for me to go to hell if I displeased God the Father. Why would God need me to be tormented for all of eternity. Is it for sport? If God was displeased with me wouldn't he just make me no longer exist? Why the need for torment and hell? The evil remains in the world becasue this is the damage done and still left over by the thousands of years of Lucifer's rebellion. His seeds will take time to be removed from our thought conscience.
The book that resonates with me most from the mouth of our wonderful teacher and master in Jesus was:
<< Matthew 7 >>
King James Version
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
_________________________________________________
I have been on this site for 6 years now and the "fruits" of the people around here and of the all the received messages are always and only of love. The fruits are good and until they sour (which I don't believe they ever will) I put a lot of truth and credence to what I have come to learn and now understand. Again welcome and I hope you find the answers that ring true to you my friend.
May God Love and Bless you for All Eternity!
