Post by James Blankenship on Apr 23, 2012 9:48:13 GMT -5
What if you do everything a Christian is supposed to do, but you just aren't convinced?
Like asking God for forgiveness like you're supposed to, express love to Jesus, do your best to stay away from sin, attend church.
But you just aren't convinced that there is a god, because to your perception, it just doesn't make sense no matter how hard you try and want it to be. And it stays that way until the end of your life.
Would you go to hell?
Like asking God for forgiveness like you're supposed to, express love to Jesus, do your best to stay away from sin, attend church.
But you just aren't convinced that there is a god, because to your perception, it just doesn't make sense no matter how hard you try and want it to be. And it stays that way until the end of your life.
Would you go to hell?
There is so much wrong here, it is difficult to know where to begin.
Lets start here:
What if you do everything a Christian is supposed to do, but you just aren't convinced?
This is the common belief that atheists/non-believers have about what they "think" a "christian" is supposed to be like. (Which when you think about it, is funny,-because they don't know Christ, they don't even believe that He existed, so how can they "know" about something that, {according to them}, doesn't exist to begin with?)
I would also add, that the person who asked this question declares that they are an atheist, which makes them hypocritical as well!
OK, I see these words repeated here:
" is supposed to do"
"asking God for forgiveness like you're supposed to"
supposed to?
Those who belong to Christ Jesus, aren't "supposed to" do anything.
Do you see what this atheist is saying?
The same misunderstanding that all atheists/non-believers have: That following Christ is nothing but a set of rules!
It is anything but, as I talk about in my thread on Free Will here:
solascripturaalone.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=choice&action=display&thread=11&page=1
We who belong to Christ CHOOSE to come to Christ with questions
We who belong to Christ CHOOSE to come to Christ to confess any sin.
WE who belong to Christ CHOOSE to come to Christ & express our love for Him, & it is our greatest joy to do that!
It is about CHOICE-not being FORCED to!
It is about CHOICE-not being REQUIRED to!
But HERE is where this atheist really gets it wrong:
do your best to stay away from sin
Uh......... WRONG!
WE came to Christ because we knew we "COULDN'T" stay away from sin.
WE came to Christ because we knew we "NEEDED" to be forgiven of our sin, & that we "DESIRED" to personally know Him
attend church.
The greatest lie that most churches, (especially the catholic church), teach-is that in order to be a "christian", we HAVE to go to church, or that church is NEEDED to get to heaven.
Scripture clearly states that things like "going to church", ect, is what is know as a "work"-that is-doing something to please God, to "earn" His favor as seen here:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
A gift is freely given WITHOUT any reason.
A gift is given out of love-without doing anything to "earn" it.
You don't "work" for a gift.
You don't "earn" a gift.
Now, I want to stress here-that while "church ", isn't "required" in order to know Christ"-God has established it for a reason, as seen here:
Hebrews 10:19-25 (New International Version)
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The "church"-that is, the gathering together of those who belong to Christ, exists to encourage each other, it is a place where we go to hear those anointed to preach God's word, where we go to pray for each other, & where we go to just be with other Believers-united my the fact that we ARE Brothers & Sisters in Christ!
Then we see this:
But you just aren't convinced that there is a god, because to your perception, it just doesn't make sense no matter how hard you try and want it to be. And it stays that way until the end of your life.
Well, that's your CHOICE.
There is no "trying" to do this or do that.
There is no "trying" to believe in God.
There is no "trying" to earn God's favor.
You CHOOSE to come to Christ, or you DON'T come to Christ!
Simple as that.
And as for this:
Would you go to hell?
The CHOICE is yours.
Your eternal destiny is yours.
Where you go after you die is totally in YOUR hands-not a church-not God's-YOURS.
The evidence is all in the Bible, as it says here:
Hebrews 3:15 (New International Version)
15 As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion."
James
